Craig,ward

Typographist Analysis Craig Ward In depth Analysis

Originally hailing from the rural Lincolnshire, Craig Ward is a London based illustrator who likes playing with words (typography). Having graduated in 2003 Craig Ward now trades under the pseudonym ‘words are pictures’; bringing life to the headlines, creating new typographic treatments and continuously explaining the notion of word as image.

Craig Ward works in a variety of media from letterpress and linocut through to digital and three dimensional. Craig Wards previous clients include the New York Times, BMW,Ebay, The Guardian, The Economist, Lloyds TSB. Wards work is all about the power of typography and the use of words. He uses colour to represent how the words make you feel a certain emotion or visually see what you are reading. Craig uses a range of technique, the reason he does this is for the effect. In several of these selected images I have choose, Craig Ward uses typography in a recontextualized format, this suggests the idea that you can make a design by using only half a sentence but the design still has the same significance because the power of the typography is so strong. The composition of the text seems to be central this is because Craig Ward wants the words to be the main focus. Using typography in the centre states/creates a statement, that he wants you as the audience to feel something/emotion when you read the typography from his work. His intentions are to portray deeper meaning of the concept behind his designs using colour and composition.

Craig Ward also uses contrasting colours such as black and white in his designs to create a dramatic contrast, to add subjective effect and to add to the cultural impact of old and new secular and the western world conflicting/its differences to make the typography stand out.

In this selected designs Craig Ward uses capital letters to make his words in his designs clear cut and easy to read, and he makes them seem significantlly important using all these techniques, so that you understand his intentions and emotions within his typography.

In this image you see what you read, Craig Ward uses the statement ‘you blow me away’, the typography is fragmented to give the impression that it has literally been blown away, and this could have been by a dramatic event such as a hurricane or more personal such as being in love with someone. The dark background makes the text stand out, Craig Ward uses a range of techniques on Photoshop for the design to make this picture fragmented and broken, the abstract background is contrasted to the text, something I could use in my typography experiments. The White typography adds impact also, as it makes the type more of a statement.

Craig Ward uses the colour blue in this image/design because blue is a symbolism I think that represents the idea of loneliness, and when your lost you feel lonely. Craig Ward has composed the typography to suggest the importance of the meaning of colour, within his work, and within life and emotions. The statement used ‘Lets get Lost’ could mean lets escape to somewhere, this could be personal or subjective or it could be universal and objective, meaning lets escape together as in lovers together. He uses bold typography; the running letters represent when your lost and their is not way out for example the use and concept of bullying. The aspects of both these pieces I would use is the concept in the first picture, and the concept and meaning and symbolism of colours used as well as influencing Wards composition in my designs and other graphics work and other outcomes.

This image Craig Ward has created uses typography to create emotion; the statement ‘don't die from a broken heart’ suggests that you shouldn't let the breakup for a relationship affect your emotional wellbeing. Craig Ward uses red ‘splatters’ brush strokes and uses opacity decreased to create the effect of blood, linking the idea to death, and how emotions can be strong, and we can feel this with the use of this colour, and it is Ironic as red can be seen too represent blood as well as love. The explosion of ink suggests the idea of breaking up with someone can be traumatic, messy and very damaging, and we can feel this pain and heartache through this typography design.

This design also uses the concept of a three dimensional technique. This design is clear, bold and simplistic, it states what the picture is about using typography using the ‘words are pictures’ motto, and works well and is effective. I am going to explore the technique of three dimension in my typography experiments as this is a route and area I haven't yet explore and I think it could look good and work if it is done right, and with the concept, and use of colours.

The use of black and white photos often link Ward’s work to an earlier time and suggest a sense of history in the designs. The photos used in the image feel as though they may be taken from the 1950’s and 60’s due to the style and use of technique Stylistically the work may have been influences by artists working at this time such as Julian Opie. Julian Opie used simplistic colours to devote meaning to his work and to express his thoughts and feelings as well as using contrasting colours and simplistic imagery portraying the stylistic influences of the 1960’s pop artistic movement. However Julian Opie’s work was based on 2D formats, where as some of Craig Wards involves the 3D element and this is where his work becomes, contempory. Craig is an illustrator who by the nature of his work constantly re contextualises typography and using emotion and colour which can be seen to relate to the Idea of philosophers, such as Kant who based their philosophical feelings on emotions, and this could lead to the motivation of his work from possible theories such as emotivisim.