Name:
Emma Johnson
E-mail: ej72673@students.leeds-art.ac.uk SUBJECTS OF CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH ALREADY UNDERTAKEN
Level 4: How social and cultural factors have influenced street art from 1980 to the present day Level 5: Are there similarities between capitalist advertising and communist propaganda? AIM AND/OR OBJECTIVE OF YOUR PROPOSED C.O.P.3 PROJECT How has postmodernism influenced contemporary graphic design aesthetics?
What research needs to be undertaken into the general and specific contexts of your practice? In order to prepare the research for the contextual piece of writing, research into historical context of postmodernism, and where it's roots lie will be undertaken. The differing opinions on postmodernism are an aspect that will need to be explored, and this will help to look at what makes something postmodern. The specific design elements that will be focused on will relate to postmodern design theory. This research should relate to grid methods, layout and elements of deconstruction, bricolage and irony, along with other theoretical terms. Research into key historical postmodern figures relating directly to graphic design include April Greiman, Terry Jones and Wolfgang Weingart. Techniques they have used and placing the theory behind their work will be be integral because they will have influenced the contemporary graphic design examples that will be looked at.
What approach(es) will you take and what processes, methods, materials and tools are to be involved in research into your practice? Applying both practical and theoretical practices to undertake the research to evaluate the extent that postmodernism has had on contemporary design led publications. The contemporary and historical examples that will be looked at are widely available to view currently, benefiting and contributing to the body of primary research. This will allow for closer analysis on the publications contributing to qualitative research. Taking both contemporary and historical references from books, journals and online will help to look at both contemporary and historical examples of postmodernism. The historical context of postmodernism will be researched using this method also, and this will help to find where contemporary designers are inspired from, and why
postmodernism is referenced when looking at particular aesthetics. Writing and completing design briefs that marry theory and design to create a successful praxis will additionally contribute to primary research. This method of designing in a postmodern way will work to strengthen the understanding of the theory and aesthetics of postmodernism. Creating and distributing survey's to peers and other creatives within the college can further the body of primary research, and generate personal opinion, creating a body of quantitative research.
What preparation or investigations do you need to undertake for your creative practice to take place? Generally researching into postmodern theory relating to the creative outlets it has influenced within graphic design and visual arts. Writing and setting creative briefs that relate to specific theories and ideas within postmodernism, and producing graphic products that showcase the research that has been undertaken. Using the definitions for visual postmodern aesthetics, collage, bricolage, digital art, lowbrow art, highbrow art, neo-expressionism, neo-minimalism, pop art, superflat, surrealism, ironic image and deconstruction. These investigations will take me on an explorative postmodern journey through the chosen subject of graphic design. Different production methods will be researched into additionally, that include screenprinting, digital collage, stamping and vinyl cutting. The varying production methods will inspire the format, ranging from poster to booklet, along with other more innovative formats.
What research do you need to undertake regarding who your creativity is for? The target audience will be established by generating and sending out survey's to a range of different creative people within the college, and a case study into aesthetics of contemporary postmodern graphic design. The audience will need to be creative, as they should know or have their own definition of what postmodernism actually is. In addition to this, the audience will range from brief to brief and people interested in a postmodern aesthetic will always be the target. Postmodern aesthetics in the contemporary age are used widely, and the intended audience may see the work as a kind of trend. The work produced could be distributed around the college itself. Distribution will be a key method to reaching an audience, and using online tools such as blogs, and selling work online.
Primary Sources of Information 1.Description: Survey Monkey Location: Leeds College of Art. 2.Description: Producing graphic products Location: Leeds College of Art.
3.Description: Contemporary postmodern graphic design examples. Location: Online and available to purchase nation wide. Secondary Sources of Information 1. April Greiman. Online source & book source. 2. Terry Jones. Online source and book source. 3. Wolfgang Weingart. Online source and book source. 4. Contemporary magazines as publications. As psychical objects and online sources. 5. Postmodern theory. Book sources (mainly) and online sources. 6. Postmodern visual art. Online sources and book sources. Perceived problems or difficulties: Postmodernism is a theory that is up for interpretation, and different media influences how it is interpreted. The definition needs to be looked at, and established relating to graphic design, and how other theories that relate to other media can be related to graphic design.
BA (Hons) Graphic Design Context of Practice 3 Proposal Form 2013 Make sure you print a copy off for your own records