FLUX WEBZINE ISSUE 5, 14 SEPTEMBER 2012
Editors Ben Smith Michelle Stark Jeremy Swanborough
Production Coordinator Ben Smith
Magazine Design Ben Smith
Submissions We encourage Brisbane-based readers to submit suitable artwork for consideration by Flux Collective. If you wish to submit artwork, please contact Flux Collective at mail@fluxcollective.com
Creative Director Michelle Stark
Digital Manager Jeremy Swanborough
Contributors Ben Smith Michelle Stark Jeremy Swanborough Jenica Smith Becki Kenworthy
Special Thanks To Jenica Smith
Cover Design Rachael Sinivuori
Typefaces PT Sans Pro Regular Catorze 27 Style 1 Book
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Twitter www.twitter.com/flux_collective
BRANDING
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DESIGNER PROFILE
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EDITORIAL
Mish’s pick for 2013
GUEST DESIGNER
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DIGITAL ART
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ILLUSTRATION
EDITORIAL
Mish’s pick for 2013
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Hi Readers, Why do two colors, put one next to the other, sing? Can one really explain this? Why do two colors, put one next to the other, sing? Can one really explain this? – Pablo Picasso Colour is One of the key building blocks of design, and an element I find particularly interesting. Colour can effectively communicate endless messages and all visual communicators must master its use if they are to produce successful designs. Of particular interest to me is colour trend forecasting and I thought this issue I’d share some information I came across recently about how Pantone trend experts determine each Colour of the Year. Colour forecasters take a myriad of global factors into account when predicting colour trends. These factors can include planned global events such as the Olympics, films and television shows, and current financial climate. The colours they choose do not simply reflect these factors, but rather respond to the current environment. Tangerine Tango, last year’s Pantone Colour of the Year, was chosen for its
potential feel-good factor amidst recession-hit consumers across the globe, due to its ability to promote good cheer and energy. Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Colour Institute, predicts that orange hues may continue on into 2013 and beyond, evolving into more yellow shades. Greens are also tipped to gain popularity in the coming years amidst growing environmental concerns. It is also suggested that neons are here to stay for a while yet. As interesting as colour trend forecasting is, there is never a substitute for good design sense. Despite what’s on trend, if a colour communicates the right psychological message, then that should be the main reason for using it. P.S. For what its worth, my forecast for 2013 is a medium mint green.
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DESIGNER PROFILE
JENICA SMITH Jenica Smith is the founder, creator and writer of Design Montage - a creative hub for artists, illustrators, designers, photographers and animators. Currently studying for her Masters of Digital Design at Griffith Uni QCA, Jenica has been an active designer in advertising and marketing agencies for 12 years. In June 2012, she was named 1 of 4 Finalists for the Emerging Design Leader award in Queensland’s Smart Design Awards. More recently Jenica has participated in the Terrible Twos exhibition with emerging designer Hanna Mathilde (hannamathilde.blogspot.com.au) and presented a talk to the students at Brisbane’s Shillington College. Jenica’s creative side-kicks at home are her staffies Bonnie and Junior, who keep her feet warm under the desk whilst working crazy hours.
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What was your first design job? At 16 I landed a traineeship with Brisbane advertising agency, Publicis Mojo. I started out watching and learning from the experienced designers in the art studio. After finishing school, I continued to help the studio when needed for deepetching products for adverts and catalogues. Sometimes I’d just go and get the muffins and coffee for everyone – watching and absorbing how things worked in a busy studio was a great learning curve. In amongst this I started studying Creative Industries in Communication Design and Advertising at QUT. Once I completed my degree (and after hanging around long enough), I was fortunate to continue at Mojo on a full time basis on the mainstream clients at the time. Some of these included Bank of Queensland, Mack Trucks, Golden Casket, Instant Scratch-Its and the Brisbane Writers Festival. What is your career highlight so far?
Creating Design Montage, which has become an integral part of my life as a designer. And also, being named a finalist for the Emerging Design Leader category in this year’s Queensland Smart Design Awards.
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DESIGNER PROFILE
Who or what inspires you? I am inspired by so many different things... Gorgeously printed, foiled or embossed paper, hearing inspiring stories, conversations about creativity and design. And I love reading biographies of people who’ve achieved incredible things in their lives. What is your dream job? There’s no doubt I love to talk. And those who’ve met me realise that pretty quickly. Talking about design, sharing and discussing ideas is my dream role. Design Montage is definitely allowing me the freedom to do this, and who knows where it will take me! Do you have any advice for juniors? Be curious. It’s all too easy to fall into a rhythm and forget to ask yourself if there’s a better solution. Be persistent with yourself and getting your start in the industry. You’ll be surprised at what you think will be your dream job and where you’ll actually end up. And in the same way you work creatively, you might need to go on a few different tangents before you realise what path you should be on.
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a selection of design montage designs
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DESIGNER PROFILE
jenica & hanna mathilde’s terrible twos exhibition piece “honey/moon”
jenica’s tranquil “garden studio”
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we asked jenica... SCREEN or PRINT
measures. Both in equal
PEN or MOUSE TEA or COFFEE
Coffffeeeeee!
SUMMER or WINTER EARLY BIRD or NIGHT OWL
uring the est ideas are d b y m f o e m o S early hours. silence of the
SERIF or SANS-SERIF THE MEDIUM or THE MESSAGE GRID or NO GRID
paper .....Crisp white
NEVILLE BRODY or MILTON GLASER UNI or INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE WORK TO LIVE or LIVE TO WORK TUMBLR or PINTEREST follotewremste!.com/designmontage pin
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BRANDING
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The Best Little Vintage Van in Vegas is a gorgeous small business that sells vintage clothing and accessories from a delightfully funky retro caravan. You may have seen them on the market circuit here in Brisbane. They have previously not had any branding, so this was a great opportunity for them to solidify their desired identity and for me to create a fresh new brand from scratch. The brief was to encapsulate the general essence and current aesthetic of the business in both type and image, while communicating some of the specifics of the business (who they are and what they do). The concept was initially inspired by the pink plastic flamingoes, which sit by the van when open for business. A simple yet iconic example of 1960s kitsch, the plastic flamingo was made into a stylized pictorial icon that could be utilized across marketing collateral. The owner’s personal love of Banksy-style artwork inspired the direction taken for the accompanying images, and these can now be used as flexible identity cues. With such a lengthy name typography naturally became the hero, so a custom retro typeface was created to communicate the fun and funky nature of the business. The result is a simple logo with a series of additional pictorial elements, which can be used creatively to extend the brand and provide an additional form of brand recognition.
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ILLUSTRATION
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I have never actually done a proper environment painting before, working up to this took 3 attempts. Even still I can’t shake the feeling that there is so much I do not understand. The experience is entirely different, you use your brain to make out forms and the colours are even harder. I have a lot of respect for painters that can just imagine landscapes, for me however, it took a fair amount of research and a few tries to get something I was almost happy with. Pushing myself outside of my comfort zones as an artist is very important to me. I think doing safe pieces all the time not only restricts but reduces overall confidence and imagination. This painting definitely pushed and tested my patience and my poor brain, but I’m more confident for it and very excited to try again. Maybe not for a while though...
- J*
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DIGITAL ART
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This design is simplicity to the extreme. The entire process was short and involved selecting a stock photograph, dividing the image into 9 pieces, re-arranging them into a visually appealing composition and slightly tweaking the colour levels. The piece was inspired by a teaching exercise used by Inge Druckrey, a German designer and educator who challenges people to see the finer things in designs, to see the shapes not merely the objects. Whilst the piece was by no means difficult to create, it turned out wonderfully and would make an excellent wall feature in any home.
- B.
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GUEST DESIGNER
becki kenworthy Becki Kenworthy is in her third and final year studying Visual Communication Design and Photography at the Queensland College of Art. Her passion for keeping the printed method alive is one of the key reasons she created Occult Zine, an independent, Brisbane based, free, street-publication all about advocating for creative types and showcasing their skills. Becki spends most of her time either experimenting with different types of photography, film and digital, exploring all the exciting new parts of Brisbane, taking in as much live music as possible and using all of these things as inspiration for Occult. Becki spent 6 months in the UK and Europe last year, which inspired and helped her to be a better, more motivated and open-minded designer.
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GUEST DESIGNER
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next issue... 28 SEPTEMBER 2012
featuring ... designer profile :::: ‘designate!’ incstamp exhibition poster design :::: new illustration :::: new digital art :::: & another emerging guest designer