McIntyre GRPH221 Portfolio Spring2014 by Dana McIntyre

Graphic Design Portfolio Dana Marie McIntyre

Spring 2014 Beginning Graphic Design 221 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Professor Stacy Asher

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Project 01 Designing systems for making meaning out of designed artifacts

Project 02 Form as Language Exercise 01 Distilling Content Project 03 Form as Identity Exercise 02 Color + System Project 04 Visual Organization and Grid Structures Exercise 03 Language of Interactivity Exercise 04 Graphic Design History

What is Graphic Design?

The investigation and creation of meaning through visual form.

Project 01 Designing systems for making meaning out of designed artifacts.

Often times the role of graphic design in our lives can be overlookedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not only because we see it on such a regular basis, but also because we tend to have trouble organizing and sorting visual information. This project asks us to focus in consistency and comparison. Consistency in the fact that each image is formatted to equal size, and the font stays the same throughout the composition, and comparison in the fact that in order to achieve a uniform, pleasing composition, connections have to be made between the images. In addition to these qualities, this project urges us to look deeper into the role graphic design plays in our everyday life, and allows us to focus on how we obtain information through visual signs. Throughout the design process, I felt that it was very important to focus on maintaining both consistency and comparison, while still striving to attain was learning how to keep the balance between getting a lively, colorful feel, while still keeping the more orderly elements from getting too cluttered and clouded by arbitrary decisions. Often I would catch myself adding unnecessary confusion because I was afraid of letting the simplicity of the white space speak for itself. eliminate any elements that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t directly relate to my overreaching design goals. I played with image size and how increasing or decreasing the white space spaces between the images allowed them to be more easily compared to each other, placement was very important, not only in the big scale, but also in each individual square. that I hope achieves all of my goals: to keep consistency and comparison, while

MATRIX 01 grabbed imagery

city of Paris. After having had the chance to visit Paris over the summer, I was intrigued by the complexity and the many juxtaposed elements that came together to form a whole.

subjective

connotative

micro

PARIS

core

macro

denotative

metaphor

objective

index

sign

MATRIX 02 combination

My inspiration for this matrix started out simply because orange is my favorite color. While exploring the different elements, however, I was excited to discover how even a single color can contain so much content.

subjective

connotative

micro

ORANGE

core

macro

denotative

metaphor

objective

index

sign

MATRIX 03 taken photographs

While taking photographs, I was inspired by how much of graphic design is made up of typography. Whether wall, or a poster taped to a storefront, I was intrigued to try to capture it in this matrix.

subjective

connotative

micro

TYPOGRAPHY

core

macro

denotative

metaphor

objective

index

sign

TYPOLOGY 01 arrows

For this typology, I wanted to explore movement. which creates interesting contrast throughout the composition.

TYPOLOGY 02 numbers

For this typology, I chose to focus on numbers. I was interested in how numbers on buildings, stickers, and signs all clearly convey history.

TYPOLOGY 03 letters

For this typology, I wanted to focus on letters. I was intrigued by how the different mediums, sizes, colors, and styles all played important roles in how the letters were perceived.

Project 02 Form as Language

For this project, I wanted to evoke elements of children’s book illustrations—especially traditional fairy tales since I’ve always loved their whimsical drawings and hope to someday illustrate my own children’s books. I wanted to keep the humble charm and simplicity of children’s books throughout my drawing, while still adding thought provoking features. In addition, I also wanted to use origins of Gothic architecture to ground my composition. I am very interested in the Gothic time period, and love the mysterious, slightly frightening feel, as well as the intricate, beautiful architecture. To stick with the shadowy, Gothic fairy tale theme, I kept my color palate simple, using a duller intensity of colors except for the areas that I really wanted to draw attenrelationship. I used the brightest colors in the foreground, shifting to the dullest colors in the background in order to help the viewer more easily distinguish the relationship of objects. Since I drew all my illustrations by hand, I wanted to make sure to get interesting contrast by editing my images in Photoshop afterwards. During the editing process, I played with color saturation and hue in order to achieve a very surreal color scheme, which I think adds to not only the quirky feel of the overall composition, but also adds depth to each individual part of the drawing. In the end I hope I managed to create a fantastic landscape that captures Gothic elements while still retaining a simple, colorful, and lively children’s book feel at the same time.

For this second part of the project, I tried to focus especially on the color and layout. I wanted to keep my composition clean and simple, but also interesting and insightful at the same time. In order to achieve this, I began by making many drafts that experimented with color. To start with, I used my image over the whole composition—both front and back—with gradient text boxes on top. This effect gave a more modern feel to the project, which wasn’t exactly the fairytale style I was looking for. Next I tried putting a solid color in for my background, with my image on top. I liked this feel much better, but I still wasn’t quite happy with the results. After experimenting gives a very simple, yet interesting feel, while still embodying the young adult vibe I wanted for my book. look interesting and worthy of being read by a twelve-year-old, while still maintaining a sophisticated, professional style. I think I achieved this by using hand-drawn illustrations throughout juxtaposed with clear typography. the concept of my story and the feeling I wanted to portray through numerous sketches, which made it much easier when it came to actually designing the layout on the computer. I’ve never used Photoshop before this project, but I was excited to learn (through much trial and error) many valuable techniques that I know will help me into the future.

quote

Th e M yst erio us y r Sto telle r of Clove lly

On the tuesday after Alice Willoughwood’s twelfth birthday, she was on the seven o’clock train

“A richly satisfying weave of reality and fantasy.” -the New York times book review

you were to take the train four stops past the city of

Grimm, you would find yourself in the mddle of a giant forest. Not any forest, mind you, but Clovelly Forest. If you’ve never heard of Clovelly Forest, please make sure Ten up Harper Trophy© Cover art © 2014 by Dana McIntyre Cover © 2014 by HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

to never end up there. Consider this a warning. If you have heard of Clovelly Forest, then I’m sure you know that in the middle of the Forest there is a castle. Not any ordinary castle, but Clovelly Castle, where a charming yet evil storyteller lived. Now this storyteller had the ability to write stories that always came true. And, unfortunately, one rainy afternoon a girl named Alice Willoughwood accidentally rode the train four stops past Grimm. That was just the beginning of her troubles. This is the story.

Dana McIntyre

~ The Mysterious Storyteller of Clovelly ~

This is the story.

~ The Mysterious Storyteller of Clovelly ~

you were to take the train four stops past the city of Grimm, you would find yourself in the middle of a giant forest. Not any ordinary forest, mind you, but Clovelly Forest. If you’ve never heard of Clovelly Forest, please make sure to never end up there. Consider this a warning. Unfortunately Alice Willoughwood found herslef in Clovelly Forest after riding the train four stops past Grimm one rainy afternoon, and that was just the beginning of her troubles. For in the forest, there was a castle. not any ordinary castle, but Clovelly Castle, where a charming yet evil storyteller lived, who had the ability to write stories that actually came true.

McINTYRE

McIntyre

Mysterious Storyteller of Clovelly The

~ DANA McINTYRE ~

McINTYRE

Mysterious Storyteller of Clovelly

The “The Mysterious Storyteller of Clovelly is a richly

stories that always came true. And, unfortunately, one rainy

Mysterious Storyteller

afternoon, a girl named Alice Willoughwood accidentally

rode the train four stops past Grimm. That was just the

Clovelly ~

you were to take the train four stops past the city of

Grimm, you would find yourself in the mddle of a giant

Dana McIntyre

was born in a small town and grew up exploring the vast woods surrounding her house. Although she never stumbled upon any castles during her explorations, she did discover that it is quite easy to get lost if you happen to stay out after dark. In her spare time, Dana likes to draw or play the violin, and on occasion she still goes exploring.

The

-the New York Times book review

satisfying weave of reality and fantasy.”

forest. Not any forest, mind you, but Clovelly Forest. If you’ve never heard of Clovelly Forest, please make sure to never end up there. Consider this a warning. If you have heard of Clovelly Forest, then I’m sure you know that in the middle of the Forest there is a castle. Not any ordinary castle, but Clovelly Castle, where a charming yet evil storyteller lived. Now this storyteller had the ability to write

beginning of her troubles. This is the story.

~ DANA McINTYRE ~

Grimm

was the sort of city no one wanted to live in. It was known for a strange, fishy smell that lingered in the air at all times--even in the dead of winter when no fish were sold in the markets--and at night, the sky would turn an eerie crimson color because of the city lights and thick, smoggy clouds that perpetually hung above the rooftops. Alice Willoughwood had only been to Grimm once before to visit her aunt when she’d been very young. The only thing she remembered from that visit was that it had rained every day and everyone in the city wore woolen socks even though it was the middle of June. She had hoped it had just been an unusually cold summer that year, but her hopes were beginning to dwindle because as the train neared Grimm Station, large raindrops had begun to splash against the grimy windows of the train...

Exercise 01 Distilling Content

For this exercise, we were asked to distill and then outNew Basics.

Figure/Ground

Framing

I learned several important principles in this chapter, probably the

merely the area behind my composition, as my ideas progressed, I tried to really -

Dana McIntyre

This was a very interesting principle particularly because it tied in so close with project three. Since so much of how our designs are perceived is dependent upon the seven frames, I think it’s crucial to include them and not just the objects inside of them. To begin with, I thought of my frame as simply an edge—something to say inside of—while designing my project. After reading more about frames, however, I was curious to see whether including the frame in my design, instead of simply working around them, would add a new dimension to my composition. I found that shifting my design slightly so that some areas continued outside of the frame created a sense of motion. I also found that the objects themselves could be used to frame other objects, directing the viewer to the most important area of the design. One particularly interesting discovery I made was that negative space was just as good—and maybe even better—at framing objects than positive space. I liked how, by creating shapes with negative space, the positive space became more of a background, adding yet another level of depth to my composition.

Dana McIntyre Beginning Graphic Design / GRPH 221 Professor Stacy Asher University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Art and Art History Spring 2014

Time & Motion

Rhythm & Balance

For project three, I felt that the concept of time and motion was especially important. One of the most interesting and useful parts of the chapter was the idea that any still image has implied motion or stasis. Change in position, change in rotation, change in scale, and change in shape all help convey this idea. Since for project three we only have seven frames to work with, this concept is especially vital in order to create a conceptually pleasing and rationally sound transition. As the book states: “It can be useful to think about the screen as an active, changing surface as well as a neutral stage or support onto which characters rush on and off.” I found this to be a very useful way of thinking about our project. Where initially I gave myself limits on my composition—keeping the shapes the same size and entirely inside the frame at all times—after reading this chapter, I was inspired to try to “activate” my composition—enlarging and shrinking shapes, rotating them, moving them outside the frame in order to create a more dynamic creation. I found that it was also helpful to think of sequential time while designing my composition, since the idea of representing time and motion on a two-dimensional surface was our particular task for this project. I especially liked the simile about drawings or photographs becoming like words in a sentence, linked together to tell a story. This helped me to think beyond purely the physical elements of design, and also allowed me to incorporate subtler elements that focused more on the layout and transition.

Rhythm and balance are both very important principles that play a large role in project three. According to the book, “In design, balance acts as a catalyst for form—it anchors and activates elements in space.” Since part of the challenge for project three was to create a rhythmic transition between frames, I found this chapter very helpful. I found that keeping the relationship between each frame, as well as each object inside of the frame was very important in order to create balance. I also found that it was useful to pay attention to symmetry and asymmetry. While symmetry tended to make the objects feel more static, asymmetry made objects appear to be moving and shifting across the page. I was able to use this idea to create movement—or lack of movement—which in turn kept my composition balanced.

Dana McIntyre Beginning Graphic Design / GRPH 221 Professor Stacy Asher University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Art and Art History Spring 2014

Scale For my composition, I particularly tried to pay attention to subjective scale. By making some shapes expand throughout the compositions and others contract, it activated a sense of scale. The objects that expanded appeared to be getting bigger, or closer to the viewer, while the contracted objects seemed to be getting smaller, or farther away. To begin with, my composition was lacking scale. All my elements were the same size with little contrast and no change throughout the composition. After reading more about scale, I realized that many factors played into the perception of scale. Size and placement especially affected the scale. By cropping some of my images, the sense of scale increased quite a lot, making the cropped images seem much larger since the viewer can imagine them continuing outside of the frame. Additionally, shrinking objects created just as powerful a sense of scale.

Dana McIntyre Beginning Graphic Design / GRPH 221 Professor Stacy Asher University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Art and Art History Spring 2014

Project 03 Form as Identity

For project three, we were asked to create a narrative about the evolution of a symbol. In addition, we were asked to contemplate how form can represent identity, and were supposed to convey a concise transition from the starting symbol—a heart with a pencil—to the new symbol, which in my case is a star with a pencil. To begin the process of transition, I experimented quite a lot with the principles though each step were a frozen still in an animation sequence. In order to create this effect, I found that I had to play with the scale of the objects. Smaller objects appeared further away, while larger objects appeared closer. This added depth to the composition, making it more interesting and dynamic. In addition to scale and motion, I paid close attention to framing. To begin with, I felt that the frame was like coloring book lines—something to stay inside of, in other However, after reading the chapter on framing in Graphic Design Basics, and experidifferent way. Instead of thinking of the border as the end of my composition, I was able to think of it as part of my composition, which allowed me to push objects outside of the frame, creating a sense of more motion. In the end, I think that, although the new symbol is clearly important, the process different forms, and how when positioned differently on the page, the forms took on different meanings and identities.

Exercise 02 Color + System

This exercise introduced the concept of color into the logos designed in project three. I tried to pay special attention to the interplay between colors and the way that colors have the ability to change not only the feel ments.

Complementary

Wild card

Monochromatic

Contrasting pairs of Conditions

Analogous

Triad

Project 04 Visual Organization and Grid Structures

For this project we were asked to explore the relationship between grid and text, and how the shape, size, and placement of text on a grid changes the way we perceive the information. I began the process by searching for a vast and various collection of different black and white text. While physically this search led me into the depths of the library, to numerous bulletin boards, and even a few recycling bins, the mental part of the process, I noticed, was just as important. I found myself paying much closer attention to texts than Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d previously ever done. Instead of only reading text for the information the words and sentences conveyed, I started to read the text visually as well. If I came across an advertisement pinned outside a classroom that had bold block letters at the top and smaller, more rounded letters at the bottom, I would immediately notice a sense of hierarchy. But then imagine those two types of letters had been switched to where the bold letters were on the bottom and the rounded, small letters were on the top. What did this positioning do for the hierarchy? Once I had gathered all my text together, I began to start compiling it into my grid. This step took quite a bit of thought, not only because the grid restricted the possibilities a bit, but also because I wanted my text to be abstract, but still look like it could be text was too legible, or my design wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t creative enough, or I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have enough interest between size and shape interplay. Looking back, however, I think this step was one of the most valuable given that it introduced the idea of grid and text without any and error. Once I was able to scan my text and manipulate it on the computer, the project began to really take shape. I focused on hierarchy and scale especially, trying to make my to achieve a compelling spread of text, which, through its simplicity and orderliness manages to convey a clear message of hierarchy and juxtaposition of size.

Exercise 03 Language of Interactivity

For this exercise, we worked in small groups to create a short presentation about programming language and nacci sequence to create visual hierarchy.

Exercise 04 Graphic Design History

For this exercise we were asked to very quickly distill into an infographic.

DGC Denise Gonzales Crisp

Denise Gonzales Crisp is an American contemporary designer and writer with a degree in graphic design. From the fall of 2002 to the spring of 2006, Crisp acted as the Department Chair for North Carolina State University. Prior to her current position, Crisp was the senior designer for Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, where she designed Artext magazines, books for independent presses, and Southern California Institute of Architecture lecture series posters. Crisp is particularly interested in creative production, as well as a research project called Decorational (a term she coined), which includes writing and research, as well as practice. Crisp believes that writing, research, and practice are very closely linked and that a function can be completed—and possibly even enhanced—by the use of ornament. Although Crisp studied graphic design during her undergraduate career, it wasn’t until she entered graduate school at Cal Arts in the early 1990s that she discovered her passion for decoration and ornament and their relation to graphic design. Up until this point, Crisp had believed that graphic design was about simplicity, clarity, and craft, but once she expanded her idea of deign, a whole new world opened up to her. Throughout all of this, however, Crisp made a clear distinction between the idea of Decorational and simply decorative, saying that the rational side of decoration has the ability to not only tell a story, but also create a complex, deeper meaning to the art. Since Denise Gonzales Crisp is a contemporary designer, she faces many unique challenges and opportunities that were unknown to past artists. Technology—for inmore options and resources, it can also hinder the creative process. Denise Gonzales Crisp—with her keen sense of design and rational approach—however, manages to strike the balance between modern and traditional perfectly. This idea of using resourcdesigner of the 21st century.

Designer, Writer, Teacher.

American Contemporary Designer of the 21st century

Some examples of her work include:

Crisp is particularly interested in creative production, as well as a research project called Decorational (a term she coined), which includes writing and research, as well as practice. Crisp believes that writing, research, and practice are very closely linked and that a function can be completed—and possibly even enhanced—by the use of ornament.

SciArc Lecture Series Posters and Collateral For Southern California Institute of Architecture Fall 2001 and Spring 2002

Visual Essay: TxT A project about failed communication

Although Crisp studied graphic design during her undergradArts in the early 1990s that she discovered her passion for decoration and ornament and their relation to graphic design. Up until this point, Crisp had believed that graphic design was about simplicity, clarity, and craft, but once she expanded her idea of deign, a whole new world opened up to her. Throughout all of this, however, Crisp made a clear distinction between the idea of Decorational and simply decorative, saying that the rational side of decoration has the ability to not only tell a story, but also create a complex, deeper meaning to the art.

Since Denise Gonzales Crisp is a contemporary designer, she faces many unique challenges and opportunities that were unknown to past artists. Technology—for instance—is at its peak, ers more options and resources, it can also hinder the creative process. Denise Gonzales Crisp—with her keen sense of design and rational approach—however, manages to strike the balance between modern and traditional perfectly. This idea of using resources purposefully and consciously that I think has al-

“Someday I hope to be able to quote myself.” —Denise Gonzales Crisp

Sources: http://visualdgc.blogspot.com/ http://www.eyemagazine.com/feature/article/denise-gonzales-crisp-the-decorational http://design.ncsu.edu/people/person/denise-gonzales-crisp

Graphic Design in Context: Typography (Book) Typography textbook written and designed by Denise Gonzales Crisp Thames & Hudson, 2012