DOT CIR CLE SPH ERE HOLE
THE PROCESS
COLLIN RASMUSSEN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD PREFACE INTRODUCTION WAT C H F U L N E S S O F T H E C I T I Z E N SOCIAL CAUSE POSTERS ALL HANDS ON DECK PASSPORT OF HUMAN RIGHTS THANK YOU CARD TYPOGRAPHY AND THE UNDERGROUND BUILD A BOX TO THINK OUT OF CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY COLOPHON
Beginning in the early 1900’s many European artists question art as whole. The Avant Garde movement emerged and the traditional art people once knew transformed. These artists were the “here and now”, and their mission was to demolish tradition. Experimentation only grew to higher extents as decades passed. Similar to these artist, I too challenged myself to question old tactics and start something new. It is a way of gambling - a therapy (to me) you may say. But in the end it’s all just a journey to self discovery. Who am I?
This short book is a reflection of the process I took as a design student at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. The design and repetition of dots, circles, spheres and holes, simply takes on a meaning of obliteration, which signifies the experimentation I oftentimes pursue in my studies. I hope that one day this use of obliteration and experimentation can help me find my style and voice as an inspiring artist.
WATCHFULNESS OF
THE CITIZEN When examining a statement like “The Salvation of the State is Watchfulness of the Citizen.” it’s hard not to question justice. How are we keeping our home safe? Is our government enough to trust our safety? Is our safety jeopardized by our the state itself? Dating back to 13th century England, a rule was created by King John stating that no one (not even the King and Queen) will be treated as one above the law especially when being charged with a crime. Centuries have passed and still lives the fear of government power. Using found imagery from Nebraska’s state capitol building, I was able to create a design that expressed this issue. Most noticeable in the design is the bronze cast of Standing bear, who fought against our power hungry nation for the rights of their home.
Standing Bear found in the Capitol building
Left: Patterns in marble that caught my eye. Down: Patterns and reflections found in the ventilation systems Mirrored by marble floor.
Left: Sculpture of the signing of the Magna Carta found on the South side of the capitol. Right: Final composition for exercise one-watchfulness of the citizen.
POLITICAL SOCIET Y EXISTS FOR THE SAK E OF NOBEL LI V ING
SOCIAL CAUSE
POSTERS Designing for the social cause could be a very powerful call to action. After meeting with AIGA award winner, Justin Kimberling, I was capable of brainstorming further than I ever have. I used techniques such as mindmapping to come up with the issue of high priced groceries in low income neighborhoods in hopes of offering food for thought in my community. As a class we participated in a screen-printing workshop where people passing by and Organizations invited could print designs on poster board and t-shirts. This fun little activity aimed to inspire the public to be a catalyst in issues they may be concerned about.
Ink on screen. Social Justice Symposium, screen-printing workshop.
Right: Workshop with Designer, Justin Kimberling
.
Top: Mind-map, used to brainstorm ideas for exercise 01. Bottom: T-shirts printed at the screen-printing workshop for social justice.
Right: Final poster for Social cause. Is it a privilege to eat healthy?
ALL HANDS ON
DECK There is always an opportunity to challenge oneself to practice their professional manner. In this case, I created a deck that pitched my initial concept for a set of postage stamps. After creating this deck in a simple, systematic design, I presented my concept to several people as I would a professional designer.
50
objectives
& goals
STATES DIVIDED BY
capital punishment i will be designing postage stamps which will celebrate the states that support the death penalty and the states that do not.
some states support and still use the death penalty while other states do not.
DO W E HAVE T HE R IGHT T O LIVE ?
i hope to create awareness of issues concerning our human right to live.
WH I C H SI D E AR E Y O U O N ?
or
schedule
deadlines & status reviews
oc tob er
PITCH PROJECT
03 STAMP SKETCHES/ PROCESS REVIEW
01
02
12
04
05
15
08
P RO JE CT D E A D L IN E
06
07
09
10
FIRST LAYOUT DESIGN REVIEW
SECOND LAYOUT DESIGN REVIEW
14
13
11
these stamps will attract postage stamp collectors and enthusiast
target
L OVE STA M P S? WHI C H DO YOU P R E FE R ?
audience
pro death penalty
project
scope
and those passionate about their right to live or their right to live in comfort of their safety
N O D EAT H PEN A LT Y
i wish to practice being a designer and to provide social change for the social good
i hope to gain valuable new insight and knowledge amongst this issue and the confidence to voice my opinion once it is reached
=
DI D YOU KNO W ? A WOM A N WAS E U T HA NI ZE D I N G E OR G I A JUS T T HI S WEE K.
katranpress.com usps.com amnestyusa.org placesjournal.org
available
materials
forever stamps provided by the us postal service.
O N LY $ 0 . 4 9 P E R FIRST CLASS LETTER NO M AT T E R W H AT.
a
A
a A
a A
a A
a A
a A
aA
PASSPORT
OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Some states support and still use the death penalty while other states do not. I designed postage stamps which celebrate the states that support the death penalty and the states that do not in hopes of creating awareness of issues concerning our human right to live. I was able to practice being a designer and to provide social change for the social good. I gained valuable new insight and knowledge amongst this issue and the confidence to voice my opinion once it is reached. Each stamp depicts its state motto and illustrations of what that motto means to me. Each sheet of stamps relates to whether the state provides the death penalty or not. I kept myself positive and neutral throughout this process in order to truly discover the values of this social experiment.
Down: Inspiration (Magna Carta) Right: Top: Social cause poster as Connected to final stamp design. Left: Example of final stamp design. Right: Inspiration (style and Magna Carta).
or YOUR CHOICE. forever.
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
“”HOPE ROAD ISLAND
Left: concept sketched out. Right: Final postage stamp system.
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
GEORGIA
PENNSYLVANIA
“ VIRTUE LIBERTY AND INDEPENDENCE ”
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
“”HOPE ROAD ISLAND
“ WISDOM TEXAS “FRIENDSHIP ” ” JUSTICE “EUREK IOWA A ILLINOIS “OUR WISCONSIN ” MODERATION “STATE SOVEREIGNTY, “FORWARD” LIBERTIES NATIONAL UNION” WE PRIZE” CALIFORNIA
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
TEXAS
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
WISCONSIN
“FORWARD”
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
GEORGIA
“ VIRTUE LIBERTY AND INDEPENDENCE ”
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
“”HOPE ROAD ISLAND
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
PENNSYLVANIA
“FRIENDSHIP ”
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
“ WISDOM ” JUSTICE “EUREK IOWA A ILLINOIS “OUR MODERATION “STATE SOVEREIGNTY,” NATIONAL UNION” LIBERTIES WE PRIZE” CALIFORNIA
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
IOWA
ILLINOIS
“STATE SOVEREIGNTY, NATIONAL UNION”
WISCONSIN
“FORWARD”
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
IOWA
“OUR
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
LIBERTIES WE PRIZE”
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
ILLINOIS
“STATE SOVEREIGNTY, NATIONAL UNION”
“”HOPE ROAD ISLAND
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
WISCONSIN
“FORWARD”
“OUR
LIBERTIES WE PRIZE”
UNITED STATES FOREVER 2015
“”HOPE ROAD ISLAND
PASSPORT
OF HUMAN RIGHTS
DESCRIPTION HEADER
THANK YOU CARDS
After all the help I have received this semester, it only seemed necessary to send thank you cards to those who have made it happen, the true play makers. I wouldn’t gained such amazing experience with their hard work and commitment.
Right: Final thank you card design.
Left and Down: Cutting the thank you cards with precession.
TYPOGRAPHY AND THE
UNDERGROUND The library may be one for a lost cause, which may worry some. What is this world without the printed book? The library is so much more than just a place with books, it is an environment of knowledge and inspiration. It was time to jump off the computer screen and take a look at some old underground zines that were on display at the student library. It wasn’t until then when I finally found my true inspiration for my next design. These zines encouraged social change and displayed beautiful graphics in return. I found a few that I could stare at for days but one in particular sparked it all.
An article in the Berkley Bart dating back to June 30, 1979 titled “A Drift in Modern Art� gives great new insight for emerging art of its time. This became especially helpful when wrapping a concept around my brain for a designed box that addresses ideologies relating to Mr. Rogers. The article is just a section of a page of a newspaper that is half news and half ads for sexy massages and desperate, sexual desires.
BUILD A BOX TO
THINK OUT OF As a designer, I feel it is my duty to challenge myself to work three dimensionally. My concept for the box turned in what felt like a thousand different directions, but eventually arrived on the idea of “seeing everything, including oneself, as art”. While taking some ideas from the Avant Garde movement in the early 20th century, along with critical research and inspiration from one of my favorite artists, Yayoi Kusama, I was able to form this design as well as relate it to the initiated foundation – Philosophies of Mr. Rogers.
Left: Concept Ideation. Top: Building of the box in the fabrication space. Bottom: Mind mapping, Mr. Fred Rogers.
Right: Typographic study for inspiration from Yayoi Kusama.
IF THERE'S A CAT, I OBLITERATE IT BY PUTTING POLKA DOT STICKERS ON IT. I OBLITERATE A HORSE BY PUTTING POLKA DOT STICKERS ON IT. AND I OBLITERATED MYSELF BY PUTTING THE SAME POLKA DOT STICKERS ON MYSELF.
A
R
E
H
T FORGET YOURSELF BECOME ONE WITH ETERNITY BECOME PART OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT
P
O B L I T E R A T I O N S
Y
Two and three dimensional iterations.
Final outcome, Build a box to think out of.
Who am I again? I am an aspiring designer who wants to make a different. My style undecided. My voice - unwelcome. Right now I only have time enjoy what I do, experiment and have fun with it. Who knows? Maybe I’ll get lucky and find a unique style that everyone can celebrate. So obliterate it all while you can with dots, circles, spheres and holes. What matters is to just create.
Noble, Ian, and Russell Bestley. Visual Research: An Introduction to
Research Methodologies in Graphic Design. Lausanne: AVA Academia,
2011. Print.
Heller, Steven. “Merz to Emigré and Beyond | Design | Phaidon Store.” Phaidon.
N.p., n.d. Web. Oct. 2015.
Simmons, Christopher. Just Design: Socially Conscious Design for Critical
Causes. Cincinnati, OH: How, 2011. Print.
“Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” Amnesty International USA. N.p., n.d.
Web. Oct. 2015.
Noble, Ian, and Russell Bestley. Visual Research: An Introduction to
Research Methodologies in Graphic Design. Lausanne: AVA Academia,
2011. Print.
Heller, Steven. “Merz to Emigré and Beyond | Design | Phaidon Store.” Phaidon.
N.p., n.d. Web. Oct. 2015.
Simmons, Christopher. Just Design: Socially Conscious Design for Critical
Causes. Cincinnati, OH: How, 2011. Print.
“Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” Amnesty International USA. N.p., n.d.
Web. Oct. 2015.
Published and printed by Collin Rasmussen of CRDC Publications in December 2015 Edition is Limited to 50 copies The typeface used is DIN Alternate Bold designed by Albert-Jan Pool of ATypI.
Published and printed by Collin Rasmussen of CRDC Publications in December 2015 Edition is Limited to 50 copies The typeface used is DIN Alternate Bold designed by Albert-Jan Pool of ATypI.