DESIGN
AGATA RYBICKA PORTFOLIO
ROTOVISION – LIVE BOOKS
How to Speak Type by Tony Seddon (UK Thames & Hudson, US Yale University Press)
• Creative Direction • Cover Design • Illustration
Agata Rybicka
Type Anatomy
CHAPTER 1 Type Anatomy
X-height p12
Baseline p12
Leg p17
Tail p23
Gadzook p29
Arm p18
Axis p24
Aperture p30
Exclamation point p37
Ampersand p44
Character p52
Hairline p59
Question mark p37
Octothorpe p44
Metrics p53
Boldface p60
Quotes p38
@ symbol p45
Sidebearing p53
Novelty type p60
Primes p38
Copyright p45
Uppercase p54
Singlestorey p61
Asterisk p46
Lowercase p54
Doublestorey p61
Crossbar p18
Stroke p24
Eye p30
Ascender line p13
Cross stroke p19
Swash p25
Counter (closed) p31
Cap height p13
Waist p19
Spine p25
Counter (open) p31
Pilcrow p39
Bullet p46
Bicameral p55
Calligraphic p62
Apex p14
Bowl p20
Ear p26
Body p32
Hyphen p40
Dagger p47
Unicameral p55
Swash Character p62
Parentheses p39
DOT (TITTLE)
TERMINAL
Simply the dot above the lowercase ‘i’ and ‘j’. The alternative name ‘tittle’ is rarely used nowadays, and technically the dot can also be referred to as a superscript dot. If a diacritic appears above the ‘i’ or ‘j’, or if either character is combined as a ligature, the dot is generally omitted.
The end of a stem or stroke. The terminals of different serif typefaces can vary in shape; for example an overtly tapered terminal can be called a finial, while a ball terminal ends with a pronounced circular form. The examples below show Joanna’s tapered finial, and Archer’s ball terminal.
Dots vary in shape between typefaces; they can be circular, square or diamond shaped. Circular and diamond shaped dots are usually slightly wider than the stem, while square dots generally match the stem’s width.
» Stem – see page 17 » Stroke – see page 24 » Finial – see page 27
» Lowercase – see page 54 » Diacritic – see below » Ligature – see page 43
Tapered terminal (or finial)
28
Vertex p14
Overshoot p15
Shoulder p20
Beak p26
Loop p21
Finial p27
Joint p32
Bracket p33
Dash p40
Ellipsis p41
Lobes p21
Spur p27
Ascender p16
Arc of stem p22
Dot p28
Inline font p63
Italic p56
Chromatic type p63
Typeface p50
Oblique roman p57
Condensed p64
Font p50
Back slant p57
Compressed p64
Slope p58
Expanded p65
Optical sizes p58
Colour p65
Contrast p59
Alignment p66
CHAPTER 3 Type Terms
Degree p41 Crotch p15
Roman p56
Manicule p47
Serif p33 Glyph p42 CHAPTER 2 Glyphs
Descender p16
Hook p22
Diacritic p28
Full point p36
Stem p17
Link p23
Terminal p29
Comma p36
Dingbat p42
Ligature p43
Gill Sans Gill Sans Gill Sans Gill Sans Gill Sans
Bembo Bembo Bembo Bembo
Interrobang p43
Weight p51
Style p51
Alphabet p52
Text Caption Subhead Display
Ball terminal
29
DIACRITIC (ACCENT)
GADZOOK (QUAINT)
A mark added to a glyph (which can be both uppercase and lowercase) that gives it a specific phonetic value. Commonly seen examples are the umlaut (dieresis or trema) illustrated to the right, the acute accent ‘é’, the grave accent ‘è’, the circumflex ‘ê’ and the cedilla ‘ç’. Some typefaces feature a limited range of diacritics, so take care to check this if you’re setting text in a language requiring them, for example, French or German.
An antiquated term for a particular style of embellishment connecting two letterforms to form a discretionary ligature intended to provide a degree of historical flavour to a piece of typesetting. There’s no particular functionality attached to these ornamental additions beyond their decorative qualities, so it’s advisable to use them only in connection with appropriate subject matter. » Ligature – see page 43
Diacritics are also commonly referred to as accents or accent marks outside of typographic terminology. » Uppercase – see page 54 » Lowercase – see page 54
Slab Serif typefaces
Type Classification
ARCHER
Archer Hairline
Type designers: Hoefler & Co. ¶ FirsT appearance: 2008 classiFicaTion: Geometric Slab Use For: Brightening up lists and other hierarchical text Archer isn’t your average Geometric Slab and its tremendous popularity holds true to the singular qualities of this typeface. It was commissioned by the publishers of Martha Stewart Living, a well known US lifestyle magazine, with the brief going to Hoefler & Co. (then known as Hoefler & Frere-Jones). Most Geometric Slabs look quite steely with an engineered structure, but Hoefler & Co. managed to inject considerable character into the letterforms using generous curves, open bowls and, most effectively, ball terminals on several key characters. In this sense Archer is a kind of hybrid, combining Grotesque and Geometric Slab properties. This combination of established retro alongside contemporary form proved a massive hit with designers when the type family was released commercially in 2008. As one would expect from a Hoefler & Co. face, the character set is extensive, making it a great choice for text that needs a lot of built-in hierarchy.
Archer Extra Light
Archer Book Italic
Archer Semibold
GROTESQUE SANS
GEOMETRIC SLAB
When sans serif typefaces first began to appear in the early nineteenth century, people were unsure what to make of them and labelled them ‘grotesque’. The term stuck and sans serif faces designed in the same style as the earliest examples are still referred to as Grotesque Sans. Characters display a moderate level of contrast with upright stress and are generally more complex than other sans serifs. Look for inward facing strokes and small apertures when identifying faces in this classification.
Geometric Slabs share many of the characteristics of their sans serif counterparts; round characters are circular and stroke contrast is very low with little or no difference in the weight of the strokes and the consistently unbracketed serifs. Stress is distinctly vertical, adding to the general ‘architectural’ flavour of this classification. Although popular 1930s faces such as Memphis and Rockwell are seen as the original Geometric Slabs, they actually draw inspiration from an earlier face named Litho Antique, which appeared in 1910.
Archer Bold 136
Key Features for Classification and Identification • • • •
137
Minimal contrast with a low x-height Vertical stress Ball terminals, unusual for a slab serif Unbracketed serifs with width equal to that of the stems
8/11 pt Archer Book
Archer Book
11/14 pt Archer Book
Folio
92
GROTESQUE SLAB (CLARENDON)
Archer
HUMANIST SLAB Like Geometric Slabs, Humanist Slabs are very close in form to their sans serif counterparts. With a minimal amount of accommodating (and well-informed) adjustment, one could add unbracketed serifs to a Humanist Sans Serif typeface in order to create a reasonable facsimile of a Humanist Slab. However, they do generally feature a lower level of stroke contrast and good examples of this classification are far from being just simple adaptations.
Dating from around the midnineteenth century, these heavyweight bruisers provide the very essence of the Victorian-era attention grabbing headline. Originally designed as Display faces, Grotesque Slab families that include a broader range of weights have appeared over the years, with some containing weights suitable for text setting. Serifs are bracketed and generally quite heavy, ball terminals are common, stress is upright and stroke contrast is moderate.
Clarendon
PMN Caecilia
93
ROTOVISION – LIVE BOOKS
Pride & Predju-Knits by Geraldine Warner (UK Search Press, US Harper Collins)
• Cover Design • Design & Layout • Photoshoot Art Direction • Set Design • Illustration
Agata Rybicka
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Mr Bennet’s Waistcoat
Netherfield Park Is Let at Last
Mrs Bennet’s Dress
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Back Cont in St-st. Work 2 rows. Inc 1 st at each end of next row (21 sts). Work 2 rows. Armhole Cast off 2 sts at beg of next 2 rows (17 sts). Cont without shaping until Armhole measures 4.5cm (1¾in). Cast off.
‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.’
A
h, the enduring appeal of the classic Pride and Prejudice! But for all its romance, sharp humour and tension, it is a book of its time, concerning itself with economic practicalities and social relationships. Austen uses such warmth and charm to build her tale that these practicalities are often overlooked. In a flurry of excitement we meet Mr and Mrs Bennet at home in Longbourn House, parents to five unmarried daughters in an age when a woman’s material comfort was only as good as her husband’s bank account. Mrs Bennet’s chief aim in life is to pair off her daughters with wealthy young men, so imagine her elation when she discovers that Netherfield, a nearby country estate, has just been let by Mr Bingley – ‘A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year.’ She is intent on netting him and desperately tries to persuade her husband to establish contact so they can reel him in. Mischievous Mr Bennet has every intention of paying a visit to Netherfield, but he can’t resist the temptation to tease his wife, feigning a bemused indifference to the opportunity. A frustrated Mrs Bennet declares, ‘You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my poor nerves.’ Mr Bennet wryly counters: ‘You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends.’ When Mr Bennet eventually visits Netherfield, he does so secretly and drops the news casually in front of his wife and daughters for maximum effect – witnessing the ensuing commotion, he’s not disappointed!
24
MATERIALS • 1 x 50g ball Red Heart Baby (100% acrylic; 50g/207yds) in each of shades 8503 Pink (MC) and 8528 Cream (CC) • Pair of 3.25mm (US 3) needles
TENSION 26 sts and 34 rows = 10cm (4in) over St-st SKIRT AND BACK With MC, cast on 93 sts. Work 2 rows in moss-st. Next row (RS): K1, p1, k4, work from chart to last 2 sts, p1, k1. Next row: K1, p1, k1, p3, work from chart to last 3 sts, k1, p1, k1. Cont to work from chart with moss-st edges until work measures 17.75cm (7in) ending on a WS. Break CC. Next row: K1, p1, k1, *k2 tog; rep from * to last 2 sts, p1, k1 (49 sts). Next row: K1, p1, k1, p to last 3 sts, k1, p1, k1. Next row: K1, p1, k2, (k2tog) 6 times, k17, (k2tog) 6 times, k2, p1, k1 (37 sts). Next row: Cast off 9 sts, p25, k1, p1, k1 (28 sts). Next row: Cast off 9 sts, k to end (19 sts).
Repeat these 6 sts
BODICE Cast on 1 st. Next row (RS): (K1, p1, k1) into st (3 sts). Next row: P. Next row: Kfb, k1, kfb (5 sts). Next row: P. Next row: Kfb, moss-st to last st, kfb (7 sts). Next row: Kfb, moss-st to last st, kfb (9 sts). Cont to inc 1 st at each end every row to 19 sts. Work 2 rows. Inc 1 st at each end of next row (21 sts). Work 2 rows. Armhole Cast off 2 sts at beg of next 2 rows (17 sts). Work 2 rows. Next row: K6, turn. Cont on these 6 sts. Next row: P2tog, p to end (5 sts). Cont on these 5 sts until Armhole measures 4.5cm (1¾in). Cast off. With RS facing, rejoin yarn to rem 11 sts. Cast off 5 sts, k to end (6 sts). Next row: P to last 2 sts, p2tog (5 sts). Cont on these 5 sts until Armhole measures 4.5cm (1¾in). Cast off.
UNDERSKIRT With CC, cast on 43 sts. Work 2 rows in moss-st. Cont in St-st until work measures 17.75cm (7in). Cast off. SLEEVES (make 2) With CC, cast on 30 sts. Work 6 rows in St-st. Next row (RS): K2tog to end (15 sts). P 1 row. Change to MC. Cont in St-st, inc 1 st at each end of 4th and 8th rows (19 sts). Work 4 rows in St-st. Cast off 2 sts at beg of next 2 rows (15 sts). Dec 1 st at each end of next and every alt row until 5 sts rem. Cast off. SCARF With CC, cast on 10 sts. Work in (k1, p1) rib until work measures 16.5cm (6½in). Cast off.
MAKING UP Press lightly on WS using a warm iron over a damp cloth. Sew shoulder and side seams. Sew a running st along the top of each skirt front (stopping at the side seam) and gather, ensuring a gap is left at the front for the Underskirt to peep through. Sew the Bodice points to the Skirt. Sew Sleeve seams and sew into armholes. Sew a running st along the cast-off edge of the Underskirt and gather. Fit the Underskirt to the front waistband of the Bodice, ensuring that the Skirt fronts overlap the Underskirt slightly. Sew to secure. Drape the Scarf around the neckline to give a square neck edge (see page 25) and sew to secure. Make 2 small bows in CC and sew to the centre front of the Bodice. Darn in ends.
26
Sheep
EMMA
‘What an exquisite possession a good picture of her would be! I would give any money for it. I almost long to attempt her likeness myself.’
M
eet Emma Woodhouse, our ‘handsome, clever and rich’ twenty-oneyear-old heroine who lives with her ageing father in the town of Highbury. Life has treated her well but, in the absence of travel to broaden her headstrong mind, she likes to create her own adventures. These usually involve matchmaking and a liberal dose of misplaced good intentions. Undeterred by the wisdom of family friend Mr Knightley, Emma takes on Harriet Smith as her next project. Little is known about seventeen-year-old Harriet’s background, which in the early nineteenth century means she is not destined for a society match. Yet Emma vows to turn her into a gentlewoman and find her a husband. Although Harriet is already smitten with Mr Robert Martin, Emma believes that her friend deserves better than a mere farmer. Along comes the simpering Parson of Highbury, Mr Elton. Emma convinces herself that Mr Elton could be in love with Harriet, but just needs firm guidance, and this is where the portrait comes in. Surely a painting of Harriet that emphasises her beauty will reel Mr Elton in; the reader, of course, has realised that it is the painter rather than the subject who is the actual focus of his intentions. Mr Knightley remarks on the folly of the enterprise, wisely commenting, ‘You will puff her up with such ideas of her own beauty, and of what she has a claim to, that, in a little while, nobody within her reach will be good enough for her.’ He is proved right when Mr Elton, rejected by Emma, makes another match with a wealthy lady (much to Harriet’s distress). But there is a happy outcome for Harriet, and as for Emma and Mr Knightley . . . you’ll have to keep reading.
52
MATERIALS • 1 x 50g ball King Cole Merino Blend DK (100% wool; 50g/ 122yds) in each of shades 046 Aran (MC) and 048 Black (CC) • Set of 4 x 4mm (US 6) dpns • Pair of 4mm (US 6) needles • Small amount of toy stuffing • Armature wire or thick pipe cleaners HEAD With CC and 2 x 4mm (US 6) dpns, cast on 3 sts. Row 1 (RS): Kfb to end (6 sts). Distribute sts evenly over 3 needles (2 sts per needle) and cont to work in the rnd. Rnd 2: Kfb to end (12 sts). Rnd 3: K. Rnd 4: Kfb, k1; rep to end (18 sts). Rnds 5–10: K 6 rows. Change to MC. MAIN BODY Rnd 11: Kfb 4 times, (k1, kfb) 5 times, kfb 4 times (31 sts).
Rnd 12 (and every foll even row): P. Rnd 13: Kfb 5 times, k21, kfb 5 times (41 sts). Rnd 15: Kfb 5 times, k31, kfb 5 times (51 sts). Rnd 17: K. Rnd 18: P. Stuff the head. Rep rnds 17–18 twelve times. Next rnd: K2tog 5 times, k31, k2tog 5 times (41 sts). Next rnd: P. Next rnd: K2tog 5 times, k21, k2tog 5 times (31 sts). Next rnd: P. Next rnd: K2tog 5 times, k2, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k2, k2tog 5 times (19 sts). Next rnd: P. Stuff the body. Next rnd: K2tog 4 times, k3, k2tog 4 times (11 sts). Next rnd: K2tog, k1; rep to last 2 sts, k2tog (7 sts). Stuff any gaps remaining in the body. TAIL Change to CC. K 6 rows. Next rnd: K2tog, k3tog, k2tog (3 sts). P3tog, break yarn and draw through loop. LEGS (make 4) Turn the sheep upside down and choose where you would like to position the 4 legs, marking with
pins or pieces of thread. With CC and 4mm (US 6) dpns, pick up 9 sts from the Main Body of the sheep evenly in a circle around one of the markers to form a cylindrical leg. Cont to work in the rnd (every row k) until leg measures approx. 5cm (2in) or desired length. Cut a length of armature wire or thick pipe cleaner the length of the leg plus an extra 1.25cm (½in). Fold the ends of the wire/pipe cleaner to form a small loop and insert into the leg. Stuff the leg firmly around the wire/pipe cleaner. Next rnd: K3tog to end (3 sts). K3tog, break yarn and draw end through loop. Make 3 more legs around the remaining markers. EARS With CC and 4mm (US 6) needles, cast on 3 sts. K 1 row. Inc 1 st at each end of foll row (5 sts). Work 4 rows in garter-st. Dec 1 st at each end of foll row. K3tog. Cast off.
MAKING UP Embroider eyes if desired, using French knots (see page 108) with a contrasting colour. Fold the cast-on edge of Ears slightly, pin to desired spot, and sew to secure. Darn in ends.
OTHER ITEMS FROM THE SCENE Willoughby’s Shirt See page 17. Use yarn option 4.
Willoughby’s Breeches See page 16. Use yarn option 3.
Willoughby’s Waistcoat See page 18. Use yarn option 1.
Willoughby’s Boots See page 17. Use yarn option 2.
78
• 1 x 100g ball DMC Petra 3 (100% cotton; 100g/306yds) in shade 5938 • Pair of 3.25mm (US 3) needles • 3 small beads
TENSION 26 sts and 32 rows = 10cm (4in) over St-st BACK Cast on 31 sts. Work 4 rows in moss-st. Cont without shaping in St-st until work measures 6.25cm (2½in). Armhole Cast off 2 sts at beg of next 2 rows
Armchair
MATERIALS • 1 x 50g ball Patons Diploma Gold 4ply (fingering 55% wool/25% acrylic/20% nylon; 50g/201yds) in each of shades 4282 Cream (A); 4200 Gold (B); 4198 Iced Green (C)
RIGHT FRONT Cast on 19 sts. Work 4 rows in moss-st. Next row (RS): K1, p1, k to end. Next row: P to last 3 sts, k1, p1, k1. This forms a moss-st button band at the outer edge. Cont in St-st with moss-st button band until work measures 6.25cm (2½in), ending on a RS. Armhole Cast off 2 sts at beg of next row (17 sts). Dec 1 st at end of next and foll alt row (15 sts). Cont without shaping until Armhole measures 6.25cm (2½in), ending on a WS. Next row: Cast off 4 sts, k to end (11 sts). Next row: P to last 2 sts, p2tog (10 sts). Next row: K2tog, k to end (9 sts). Rep last 2 rows until 7 sts rem. Cast off.
• 1 x 50g ball Scheepjeswol Cotton 8 (100% cotton; 50g/186yds) in shade 657 Dark Brown (D) • Pair of 3.25mm (US 3) needles • Set of 4 x 3.25mm (US 3) dpns • Stitch marker • 2.5cm (1in)-deep foam as follows: 12.75 x 10cm (5 x 4in) for Seat 11.5 x 10cm (4½ x 4in) for Back • Armature wire or florist’s wire • Small amount of toy stuffing • Small amount of thin cardboard PATTERN NOTE: For the purposes of flexibility, the green motifs were worked in Swiss darning after the knitting was completed. The stripes were worked using two separate balls of Gold yarn (i.e., one for the set of right-hand stripes, another for
LEFT FRONT Cast on 19 sts. Work 4 rows in moss-st. Next row: K to last 2 sts, p1, k1. Next row: K1, p1, k1, p to end. Cont in St-st with moss-st button band until work measures 6.25cm (2½in), ending on a WS. Armhole Cast off 2 sts at beg of next row (17 sts). Dec 1 st at beg of next 2 alt rows (15 sts). Cont without shaping until Armhole measures 6.25cm (2½in), ending on a RS. Next row: Cast off 4 sts, p to end (11 sts). Next row: K to last 2 sts, k2tog (10 sts). Rep last 2 rows until 7 sts rem. Cast off.
MAKING UP Press pieces lightly on WS using a warm iron over a damp cloth. Sew shoulder and side seams. Overlap the Left Front over the Right Front slightly and sew to secure. Sew on beads to Left Front at even intervals. Darn in ends.
the left-hand stripes) to avoid stranding at the back of the work. You may choose to work the whole pattern integrally rather than using Swiss darning, by following the chart on page 28. SEAT Front With A and 3.25mm (US 3) needles, cast on 33 sts. Row 1 (RS): *K3A, k2B; rep from * to last 3 sts, k3A. Row 2: *P3A, k2B; rep from * to last 3 sts, p3A. Rep these 2 rows until work measures 2.5cm (1in) ending on a WS. Top Next row (RS): Cast on 8 sts (for side), cont to work in patt to end (41 sts).
27
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
Emma Paints a Portrait of Harriet
MATERIALS
(27 sts). Dec 1 st at each end of next and foll alt row (23 sts). Cont without shaping until Armhole measures 6.25cm (2½in). Cast off.
Ladies’ Shoes See page 19.
ROTOVISION – LIVE BOOKS
DIY Temporary Tattoos by Pepper Baldwin (UK Octopus, US St Martin’s Press)
• Cover Design • Design Concept • Illustration
Agata Rybicka
1 What Do You Want To Wear? You can start pretty much anywhere with your
Gather references
Tattoo colour
Print out any reference images you’ve found and make notes on them so you remember which particular aspects appealed to you. For example, you may have an image you’d like to use for the main component, a reference for the kind of border you’d like and another for the colours to use. By now you could have a style you love, a photo of a pet, your favourite flowers and a placement idea… plus much more. Use the checklist below to go through the previous chapter and note down your preferences. This will help you to compile all the elements of your design, ready to draw, customise or trace.
The colour choices you make for your design can drastically change the look of your tattoo. Clean black line work can allow more detail than colour. Choose a simple colour palette for smaller designs and make sure the colours look good together, as well as with your skin tone and even your favourite clothes. A broader colour palette can be used for larger designs, and your tattoo style may also lend itself to certain colour combinations. Try out your design with a few different variations, or with combinations you wouldn’t normally consider, to see what works best.
temporary tattoo – perhaps you already have an idea for a design, or are looking for something for a particular body part. Maybe you have something in
Design checklist
mind for matching tattoos, a style you really love or
• Meaning or narrative • Content or subject • Style or styles • Colour palette • Placement and size • Reference photos
already have a picture you’d like to use. Whether you have something in mind already, or you’re working with a blank slate, it’s a good first step to think about the underlying reason behind your tattoo. What would you like it to mean, and how will you communicate that? A design can be infinitely
and images
personalised and made unique, and can
• Flash and vintage
communicate a lot about you, what is special to
images
you and your journey through life.
Using an artist If you have a very complex design or need a slight change to an existing design, have an image that’s almost there or are not confident in your drawing skills, you can find an artist to create your design. Choose an artist skilled in the style that you would like your tattoo in, and be sure to give them plenty
of references and a full description of your requirements. Professional artists often use computer software to create or finish designs to achieve a much cleaner line finish than is possible by hand, and you can end up with a very stylized and professional design.
Colour in your tattoo design can add interest by being unexpected – such as a green rose or a purple building – or add contrast, for example, soft pastel watercolours used behind or throughout a dark heavy scene. Your colour choice can add to the layers of meaning in your design; your favourite colour, the colour of your sports team or national flag, your birthstone colour, even the colours of your favourite flower are all options. Colour is usually added in one of three ways: a block of uniform colour within a form or shape, a colour that blends into another, or the same tones of colour used as shading to add depth. The way you add your colour, and the results you can achieve, depend on how you create your design; hand painting or colouring can have a sketchy look but are ideal for watercolour effects, whereas computer programs will allow you to easily add uniform colour or create tonal and shading effects.
This floral tattoo looks delicate in black and white and the fine line work shows up particularly well.
These soft colours make for a pretty, feminine tattoo.
Stronger colours transform this into a much bolder tattoo.
34
Tip
Placement and size of your tattoo
You can start with your body part and design your tattoo to fit it. Use appropriate line work so that it’s easily seen, and perhaps design using the movement of your body such as the bend in your arm. A small music note behind your ear or cello sound holes on your lower back both use the body’s shape or senses to great effect. Alternatively, if you have a good idea of the design and size you’d like, you can choose a body part to suit it, keeping in mind the size, shape and movement of the body part. Your tattoo will be viewed differently, and therefore invite a different response, depending on where it’s positioned and how it directs the gaze. A portrait on your arm looking backwards (towards your back, instead of matching your profile) seems awkward, a tattoo wrapping behind your arm can be mysterious, and pointing hands, animal eyes and sometimes line work can all intentionally direct the viewer’s eyes. Designs on the thighs traditionally face away from you so that they are the right way up when you’re standing. Designs on the wrists or forearms usually face towards you as they are often reminders or hold very personal meaning. Choosing a tiny design in a large space or an oversized design on a smaller body part can change how your tattoo is interpreted and can have interesting design connotations.
What do you want to wear?
Fox
The black triangle behind the fox’s head in this design makes the features pop out.
Geometric tattoos incorporate geometric elements such as triangles, diamonds, dots and repeating shapes, usually showing strong symmetry and black line work. Some subjects are made up of these shapes and lines and so lend themselves to a geometric style naturally, such as tube maps, origami and circuitry and some languages and symbols. Geometric is also considered a style, and any subject can be rendered in a geometric style. Contemporary and striking, geometric styles and subjects offer lots of options.
bit.do/770664
Meanings
Size and placement checklist
• Approximate dimensions • Body part • Will it be under rubbing or tight clothes? • Is the skin stretched a lot (i.e. on a joint)? • Would you like it to be visible from
Arrows: Direction in life, capability, strength
Back
Shoulder
Runes: Research ancient runes for individual meanings
Thigh
Circuitry: Technology, computers, robotics, mastery over machines or intelligence Origami: Impermanence, fragility, methodical
one angle, or will it wrap around or be partly hidden?
Diamond: Strength, value, beauty, love, resilience, purity
Skull and moth If you’re using a computer program during your design stage, you can superimpose your design onto a computer-generated body part or photo of yourself to check sizing and see how it will look. Alternatively, you can trace the outline on tracing paper and hold it up to your body part, or trace the body part area on blank tracing paper and use that size as a parameter for your design.
This skull and moth design uses triangles in the composition and fine dotwork shading. Wrist
bit.do/770663
Inner forearm
Diamonds
Of course, you’re working with temporary tattoos, so if you’re not sure you can create your design in multiple sizes and for multiple body parts, then try them all!
A simple geometric design such as this diamond can be worn in tiny sizes on fingers.
Fingers
14
Geometric
If your design is going to be in a very round kind of area – over a shoulder or curving around an elbow, for example – it may work better to print it in several pieces and apply like a jigsaw puzzle. Keep this in mind as you design so that you can create pieces that are easy to cut out and join up again. See the design tips and tricks on p30.
The placement – or part of your body on which you’d like to wear your design – and its size are the most important components in selecting or designing your tattoo. You’ll want to take a few things into consideration when choosing your tattoo placement. How big do you want your design to be? Is it simple or complex? Would you like other people to see it, or is it just for you? Would it be okay if you can’t see it without a mirror?
35
Creating your temporary tattoo
Arm
15
108
Inspiration Gallery
109
BRIGHTON DOME & FESTIVAL – 2013/14
A small selection of print designed at the Brighton Dome. • Art Direction • Layout • Illustration • Artworking • Production
Agata Rybicka
BRIGHTON DOME & FESTIVAL – 2013/14
A small selection of print designed for the Brighton Festival • Art Direction • Layout • Illustration • Artworking • Production
Agata Rybicka
FREELANCE WORK
A small selection of print designed for freelance clients. • St Martin-in-the-Fields • Tyalgum Press • Performing Medicine • The Old Market • Dv8 Sussex • Nutkhut
Agata Rybicka
CONTACT ME +44 (0) 7789 863273 info@ragadesign.com
MOBILE: EMAIL:
www.ragadesign.com linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/agata-rybicka WEBSITE: