Portfolio Andrea Martinez Diaz Elisava Barcelona
L
ife should be a set of experiences and knowledge we gain throughout our lives. And that is what I expect from my months outside Spain. The key to learn and appreciate our culture is the detection of others, as well as the fact to be conscious of design globalization and its different applications at any group. I believe that things are not accidental or even vocational, so I expect from my premeditated stay in Sweden to suppose a step in my way, both as a designer, as a person. I love travelling and been up to new things. I have seen up close the economy and I refused it. I’m proud to feel drawn to art, photography, psychology, and all that stuff that keep us close to sensitivity. I worked as a voluntary for LungA festival in Iceland and last OpenHouse edition in Barcelona. At summer I enjoyed working as a public relations in Italy. I have not had a great experience, but I have been envolved in several process and changes, so I hope that Beckmans would be added to one of them.
INDEX
06
Primavera Sound
18
Color Cupcakes
24
Book cover
30
Calligraphy
42
Pinhole camera
50
Magazine
58
The Lamp
64
Annex
page 6
PRIMAVERA SOUND
T
he aim of the subject was the construction of posters and visual data taking care of typography and how it works. Sizes, spaces, kerning, weights... Everything was important, the distribution all over the page too. That is why we were asked to make the visual communication of a famous music festival in Barcelona, Primavera Sound. We analyzed the relevance and importance of the content that was going to be displayed. So on, we went through three kind of 2D media: three small posters about each music group; one bigger, announcing dates and places; and the last one, an ephemeral intervention in Caixaforum, showing the brand of the festival.
01
page 16
COLOR CUPCAKES
T
he objective of this exercise was the knowledge of the chromatic circle and its function. It was joined with another practice focused on the different mixtures of colours, so we tried to use the information we learned to apply the chromatic circle on everyday life. We were free to choose anything we liked to work on. I’m very close to cooking methods and I love sweets, so I decided to make cupcakes of different colours. It taste was vanilla and the frosting was made with cream chesse and food coloring. I made a packaging too. It was a pink textured box and each cupcake had a small space with its colour at the bottom side. The surface was transparent so it attracted the people to see the content inside.
02
COL CUPC
LOR CAKES
page 22
BOOK COVER
F
ocused on editorial design, we were asked to analyze different artists, architects, and fashion designers. As well, we analyzed books to be aware of the techniques used to make them and the importance of a great cover design in terms of sales. We started to choose at least six designers (graphic, architecture/interior, fashion), and then, understand their main work and make a cover for a fictitious book. It should combine both visual content and useful information for readers, barcode, and editorial brand (in this case, Gustavo Gili).
03
page 28
CALLIGRAPHY
C
alligraphy was a subject divided in two areas: hand writting and digital typography. I show some of the projects we did during three months about hand writting. We learned the history of letters, how calligraphy changed during different periods of time, the importance of Carolina style of writting, and the proper use of different pens. Through the next pages, you could see some of the pieces of work we did. Our big projects were a composition of a speech by Martin Luther King, using black cardboard and the mixture of white acrylic and glue; and a free assignment, using any kind of material. I tryed the same method of mixture with black acrylic and ink. I used the lyrics of a song to make a vinyl-shaped composition.
04
page 40
PINHOLE CAMERA
T
hroguh the knowledge of photography, its methods, and symbolic meaning, we were asked to make a pinhole camera. We noted the work of different and famous photographers using analog systems to understand how an empty and black box could work as a camera. It was such an interesting secret! We started by making our own camera. We needed wood and some black paint, an ergonomic design, and an effective seal to keep out the light. Creativity was awarded. That’s why I chose the funny shape of a birds box. Mira al pajarito is a spanish expression asking people to look at the camera. We end up the project doing lots of pictures across Barcelona and practising what we learned about the process of analog photography.
05
page 48
MAGAZINE
O
n the third term, projects were focused on editorial design. The biggest one was the creation of a new publication based on an existing magazine. I chose a free and small leisure guide of Cuba called Bienvenidos. It was interesting for me, as well as a challenge, because the original guide had a non efficient design. I started by working on a research of Cuba and others publications. Then, I continued planning my proposal, working in every area of the magazine and analyzing the readers opinion. My idea for the new design was the aim of an understandable and easy-to-read guide, keeping the essence of the original.
06
page 56
T
THE LAMP
he artist proposed at the analysis was the North American Robert Rauschenberg and his work “Bed” from which we had to design a product of our choice. As a reaction to the abstract expressionism, Rauschenberg starts performing his “combine paintings”, reinventing the meaning of collage. In the same way as Rauschenberg, we rescued the low value objects of life and residues in order to give them a new rank or, in this case, a brand new role. We employed hidden household items such as butane conducting tubes or other low value objects, as a toilet plunger, to result in a whole element which is much more harmonious in both shape and color. The lamp has not been joined using any adhesive or added union, for the tension between the plug and the bulb socket provide a perfect assembly, as it allows multiple positions.
07
page 62
ANNEX
I
n my opinion, photography is not portraying models and beautiful places, but it is part of everyday life and unusual experiences that we feel attracted to. Everything that challenges us should be photographed, even if it is part of our daily habits. Here is a selection of seven pictures I took last year between different periods of time and places. It is based on Italy and Morocco, two of my favourite places I have visited. They describe moments, thoughts, and obviously feelings, the most important ingredient you should have before you shoot.
08