Communication
Advertising
PAUL RAND
The eThos behind some of The world’s mosT enduring corporaTe logos.
TIME CAPSULE
when six vasTly differenT
designers are asked To documenT an average momenT in Time. Find out where they draw their inspiration From.
SAUL BASS
The significance of content in design. A brief look at the design of some of our most iconic logos.
Media
Design
Howler
Welcome to this issue of Howler. Howler magazine is an established boutique magazine run by a group of six professionals working across Australia.The six people that run and contribute to this magazine have a range of experience and expertise in graphic arts, illustration, photography, marketing and advertising. The team at Howler have a common passion for pretty much all things creative. For this quarter we have complied a number of editorials and articles on people and things that inspire us, from world famous graphic designers like Saul Bass and Paul Rand, to lesser known emerging artists like Pat Fox. We also take a look at poster art, the world of advertising, photography and translating music into design. An exciting first for this issue is our collaborative article where we all accepted the challenge to record a 2 hour period within a given day, so what does Luke do from 10 – 12pm on a Sunday night? Read the collaborative series to find out..... As usual we create this issue with a love and passion for what we do and hope that you enjoy reading this issue as much as we do creating it.— The Howler Team
Cover Iva Alley Contributing Authors Iva Alley Matt Broughton Alison Coughlin Anna Finkel Jade Grant Luke Karpeles Marketing Team Matt Broughton Jade Grant Luke Karpeles Publishing Team Iva Alley Alison Coughlin Anna Finkel
CREATIVE
ADVERTISING
03
HOOK THEM
29
05
CREATIVE MSGS
31
07
CAPTURE THE INTANGIBLE
Stand out from the bunch
No ordinary texts
Intangible world of photography
ILLUSTRATION
Re-invention of illustration
ADVERTISING
Advertising all around us
33
HAPPY LITTLE VEGEMITES The marketing of Vegemite
09
POSTERS IN PUBLIC Adeliade alive with posters
IN PROFILE
11
MUSIC MADE VISUAL
35
PAT FOX
39
SAUL BASS
41
PAUL RAND
13 15
An ode to Radiohead
TYPOSAURUS Typography archaeological dig TIME CAPSULE
An average moment in time
June 2011 Howlermag.com
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The creative field today can be very competitive. It’s filled with many graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, agencies or people who did a weekend Photoshop course and think they are experts. So what’s the key to standing out of the bunch? Think about all the people out there and the amount of marketing material surrounding them. What will make them go “Wow” over your marketing material? People are busy. They hurry from one place to another, they are busy sitting at their desks at work and they are also busy when having lunch. The question is; ‘How do you interrupt their lives to get their attention?’
The most effective approach is Shock. Simply shock them! That will guarantee their attention. ‘But how?’ you may ask. There are several ways which you can implement. You can use words, images, or both. Create unusual associations out of words, use images that are affective and create a question. Take an image of an elephant and give it zebra stripes. You will combine two differing references in one image. That will get the viewers attention since it is not something they are accustomed to seeing. They will have to pause and give the image more attention in order to understand what is happening. You will create a sense of shock and get the viewer to stop and pay attention to you.
You can complement your images with some catchy headings. In this example, you could say ‘Zebra with a trunk’ or ‘Inappropriately dressed elephant’.
“Simply shock them!” Images and good headlines go hand in hand. So for your next marketing campaign, remember the ‘Shock’ factor - it will help you with selecting the correct image as well as coming up with an effective headline. Article and Illustration by Iva
New species! Zebra w ith
a trunk !
t n a h p e l e d e s s e r d y l e t a i r p o r Inapp June 2011 Howlermag.com
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Creative Messages “We get bored, so creativity takes over – changing the form of text messaging into a form of text art.” Text messages come in a form of a typed text on a mobile phone. They include letters of words that flow horizontally across the screen. Many are simple like “ok” or “see you then” and usually cost around 25c each. Text messaging is simple, a brief message between two people. Some businesses also use text messaging, notifying people of promotions, or to alert users of outstanding payments or bills. My friends and I became bored sending each other ordinary text messages so decided to put a twist on things and get creative. We send each other texts of random images, text messages but creative. We write upon dockets, tickets, pages of magazines,
hands, palms, paper, we even use food, found object such as pencils, sticks, and many different bits and pieces. I recived a message the other day simply saying “hello” but it had been created with vegemite smeared upon a bench and written into the smear upon the bench. It was great! Text nessaging friends has become fun, it’s interesting to see what designs and creativeness my friends are going to come up with. Texts dont necessarily make sense but words are created and placed in obscure scenes. Design can be seen within the creativity of the different ways in which the message being sent has been portrayed. It’s delivered through various shapes and forms, colour and
texture. It can make sense or be random the point of the message is not the main point but how it’s created and how it is produced. Text messaging is simple form of communication though at times it’s fun to get creative and quirky, and the end result is interesting and unique. Article and Photography by Jade
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Intangible
the Capture Let me take you on a journey to the intangible world of photography. Photography that captures that which is incapable of being perceived by the sense of touch. On a daily basis, we are surrounded by beautiful imagery of nature, people, things that present themselves on the walls as decorations, as desktop backgrounds or accompanying magazine articles. What about images that capture illusions? Nature’s phenomena like the rainbow, clouds shaped like a heart or a reflection? It’s the intangible that leaves an impression. It’s impossible to touch, it keeps our attention and stays on our minds. Photography of the intangible world makes us think about the scene & illusion. It touches us in ways that words could never describe. Have a look at the image taken from the plane. Does it make you tingle inside? Are you thinking ‘this is freaky’? It evokes feelings of excitement that the intangible leaves within. Often images that reflect some sort of illusion make us think about Photoshop and how much of it was involved. With todays technology it’s very easy to create
with Photography
images of illusions. But that’s not what this article is about. I believe there are still many true photographers out there who believe in all the work being done via the camera.
photos of illusions, it’s hard to believe what we really saw. Living in a world of scepticism, it’s not until we look back at the capture that we start believing. Keep an eye out for the
“Incapable of being perceived by the sense of touch” If you are thinking “I am not a photographer to store these moments”, then look around and save these moments in your mind. These will have the same enriching effect. When taking
intangible, it’s out there waiting for you to keep you alert, excited and creative. Article and Photography by Iva
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Posters in Public According to French historian Max Gallo, “for over two hundred years, posters have been displayed in public places all over the world. Visually striking, they have been designed to attract the attention of passers-by, making us aware of a political viewpoint, enticing us to attend specific events, or encouraging us to purchase a particular product or service.” During the month of March, Adelaide (the usually sleepy city) wakes up and runs every possible event it can think of: the fringe festival, WOMADelaide, the Clipsal V8 racing, the future music festival, Adelaide Cup and more. To a designer this means beautiful, artistic and creative poster art! I do love ‘mad march’ as it is affectionately referred do by the locals. I love the colour it breaths into the streets as the Town Hall, Rundle Street, Jetty Rd and other surban streets come alive with the colour of poster art. As you walk Adelaide streets during the month of March modern, vintage, minimalist, comic and retro posters all via for your attention, it is a visual feast for the eyes and one I had to share. I have collected my favourites to share. I particularly love the vintage inspired ‘Comic Strip’ poster, the dusty pink and cream colouring as the burlesque woman looks longing at you. The British pop art used for comedian Jen Berrister’s
“modern, vintage, minimalist, comic and retro posters all vie for your attention” poster. The impersonation of Jason Pestel as Isaiah Mustafa in the recent Old Spice commercials, yes Jason, you are on a horse! And there is also a little Saul Bass ‘Vertigo’ inspired work in ‘About Freakin Time’ for Deanne Smith. For designers, this represents an astonishing opportunity for coverage and distribution of their work. During March over a million visitors soak in the posters that adorn our streets. But alas as I write this ‘mad march’ is coming to an end, the Holden and Ford boys have engulfed the city for the finale... a car race. It seems a little disappointing but it’s time for us Adelaidean’s to pop our slippers back on and grab a cup of tea, we are all a little tired from all this excitement. Article and Photography by Alison June 2011 Howlermag.com
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RECKONER Music has always been an that as designers, we need to inspiration to me. Ever since I was activate. If we consider design a teenager I would draw and paint as “music made visual” then we while listening to music. Even today I always listen to music Design is music whilst I’m working, except if I made visual... need to read or write, in which case I need total silence. Over the years there has been can easily see how music can be quite a lot of research into the a source of inspiration for many 18 5 3 11 15 14 5 18 beneficial effects music on14 5 18 designers. 18of518 3 11 1511 5 3 18 5 3 11 15 14 5 15 1814145 18 3 1115 5 18 of my favourite bands for the different parts of 18 the5brain. 18 5 3 11 15 14 5 3 11 15 14 18 5 3 11 155141851818One 5 18 Music especially18stimulates the visual inspiration, 18115153 11 14 working, 55318 14 15 5 1814185 18 5 318 115153 11 14 15 while 5 18 right hemisphere regularly 1811brain, 5153 11 18 18 5 3 11I 15 14 listen to 18of553the 14 15 5 1814is5 Radiohead. 18 18 5 3and 11 15 14Radiohead 5 18 which relates to creativity while I’m working on imagination, a side of the brain, a creative project. The ambience
of the music, its melody and sound, seems to shift my ‘head space’ into a creative mode, ripe for ideas and inspiration. A song from their 2007 album “Rainbows” titled “Reckoner” is one of my favourites, as this song transports me to the creative frame of mind. As an ode to Radiohead I designed this page spread as my visual interpretation of Radiohead’s song “Reckoner”. This song is full of mystery and beauty. I can’t say I completely understand the entire meaning of
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the lyrics, but my interpretation is that the song is about God, forgiveness and death. The Bible refers to the “Day of Reckoning” or Judgment Day, so “Reckoner” is a reference to God’s judgment and forgiveness towards all human beings. The first line from the song is: “You can’t take it with you”, which is an obvious reference to death. The words “We separate like ripples on a blank shore in rainbows” is such a beautiful metaphoric description of death we are like ripples or waves against a blank shore in rainbows. The
rainbow is also a biblical reference to God’s forgiveness and love of human beings. After the great flood in the story of Noah there is a rainbow and God swears to never harm humanity again. The final line of the song is, “Reckoner take me with you, dedicated to all human beings.” “Reckoner” is beautiful and ethereal in its melody and meaning and for the creative mind it conjures up a well of visual imagery.
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Article and Graphics by M@tt Watch Radiohead perform Reckoner Live from the Basement www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLVA7Ap1vkQ Images 1. Satelite Image Credit: NASA, ESA and D. A. Gouliermis (MPIA) 2. White Dove: www.flash-screen.com/freewallpaper
June 2011 Howlermag.com
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TYPOSAURUS
I recently went on a typography archaeological dig around some of the South-Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, in search of old hand painted lettering and signs. What I discovered was not only beautiful hand painted lettering but also typographic history in our suburban streets. I wanted to record some of this work before they fade away or are painted over. Without the use of carbon dating I would estimate by the amount of fading and wear and tear on the paint, that some of these signs would date back to the early and mid 1970’s. In our digital age the art of hand painted letting is slowly
dying out however there has forget about the unique and been a resurgence of hand-made captivating images outside type in recent years thanks to our offices and studios. What the work of illustrators and about just taking a walk typographers such as Nate around your local shopping Williams (www.natewilliams. strip, getting away from your com), Jessica Hische (www. jessicahische.com), Esther Designers and artists are Aarts (www.estadiezijn. hunters and gatherers of nl), BT Livermore (www. visual culture. bigtimeillustration.com) and Niels Shoe Meulman (www.nielsshoemeulman.com) Macs for a couple of hours to name a few. Many more and hitting the streets? Some examples of beautiful, handof the most creative hubs of crafted lettering can be seen on Melbourne like Fitzroy, St the website: www.lettercult.com Kilda, Prahran and Flinders We are so used to going Lane in the CBD are wonderful online and “googleling” for places for inspiration. There ideas and inspiration that we is an abundance of cool cafes,
bookstores, street posters, boutique fashion shops and galleries to discover some ideas for your next creative project. Or you can take a walk around a local suburb, take a camera and just start snapping - there’s so much out there that can ignite an idea. A used package on the ground, a train ticket, a drink coaster, a discarded flyer, a poster on a telephone pole or a faded sign from 1979, could all generate a new and original idea. So if you’re looking for some inspiration, it’s around us everywhere! Designers and artists are
hunters and gatherers of visual culture; it’s how we get our ideas and sometimes the web just isn’t enough to get the creative juices flowing. So do what designers have done for centuries. Get out there and look around. Record, document and hoard, as you never know when that DL flyer you picked up at the movies the other night will come in handy. Article, Photography and Design by M@tt
June 2011 Howlermag.com
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Here at Howler, we are all about communication, advertising, media, design and just about anything creative. In our attempt to draw out innovative and interesting new means for inspiration, we took a specific day and allocated each designer a three hour time slot. During this time, each designer had to document their surroundings with photos, illustration, text and interviews,
maps, ephemera or any other means of deriving creative inspiration from the mundane. And thus, armed with the task at hand, their allocated time and their creative imagination, our six designers set out, on the 18th of March, 2011, to document whatever they were involved with in any way they saw necessary and relayed back how inspiration struck them. Article by Anna, Design by Luke and Iva
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Iva
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Luke June 2011 Howlermag.com
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LOGO ME Everyday we are inundated with visual messages and images in many different forms of media; print, television and the web. Now, more than ever, the power of a brand identity and its perception is paramount, vying for our attention and brand loyalty. With this in mind I conducted a simple experiment of observing and photographing the number of different brands and logos that I interact with, during a threehour time frame. The results were fascinating.
(6AM - 9AM)
It was a typical Sunday morning, well typical enough for me. I’m an early riser so Sundays are a chance for me to go for a bike ride and try and get some exercise in. The streets are quieter than usual, without the early morning rush of the Melbourne traffic, so this makes it much more conducive for getting out on my bike. Like any Sunday morning, or any morning for that matter I start with a nice strong cup of coffee, and this was also my first interaction with a brand - Vittoria
Coffee. As the morning progressed so did the number of brands and logos that I saw and used every day. I tried to limit myself to just recording the branded products that I used on that morning rather than documenting every product that I saw with a logo. Making breakfast, brushing my teeth, dressing for my bike ride, my bike, taking money from the ATM, checking my emails, changing my son’s nappy and giving him breakfast, to turning on the TV to
check the morning news. Brands, brands and brands everywhere and every touch point or every time I use a product, there they are communicating to us. The brand and the logo are meant to add value to the product, engage with us, and become part of our life so that we will never leave them. There are some brands in my life that I will never leave; I give them my fidelity for life. Such brands would be Apple, Fender and Maton. I just love these brands,
their personality, what they stand for and what they also say about me. I project myself onto these brands so that the brand and me are one. The ultimate brand experience and the Holy Grail for all marketing and brand designers, is to get their brand inside the mind of the consumer so that they will never think of leaving the brand. When we wear and consume brands, we are also branding ourselves. We dress in a particular way to give a visual identity to
who we are. We all like certain brands that reflect our beliefs and ideology, and this is really evident when we start analyzing what products and brands we use.
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Article and Photography by M@tt ď Ž
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e f i l y a d y r e v e f o t r a p
s i n desig ay, 28th March 2011 nd u S M A 09:00
e p at l f o n th . I e s y m .T. ig n d a s a n I l g r ap h i c d e s n a e k r o w W h en I t f o r th e d enta a l wa y s b e en a an ch ha d n o C o nsu l t su d d en l y I , d i k ,I re i n d u s tr y t i c i n g t h i n g s a r ent s a p y m o n da s ta r t e d d have g o n e r a nt s a n g i m l u e du tha t w o y i n e x i s t ent oro ug h n h t l e t e I , scie c o mp l the ar ts RY er s e ha d a v i n u y E to in m ...ok , EV lut xp o s e d g e e n e e b so le d not is an ab bu e p kn o w e r e d r e h y, t t ra str y. Af ately ne cessit – u d n i e ar im o f th p a r ti c u l a r ke d i n t o n o w g n i so c te hav l i ent s , I ti o n a mu s i n g c y m h t c wi ete wa s a n e d ke e n d w h o e n i a t n b o ld tel l e xc e p t i o u o c I . s g er s , s ki l l a ny t h i n ns , ven e n d w o r c d A ha as a I mean RC T w i ca l s n a t a h w f y o u us t c h em I n e r e f f i s th e d to do/m n va r i o u i d e v l o i nv f i l l ing s . Sunda
on 0AM 0 : 9 y parent 0 m n s i o m t I and I a erving t morningoom floor obsndustry living r able creative i inescap me. around
I co I n e h of m y, w S i m i l a r l p a r t-ti m e br u my o p e n e d s a h um a n - h a i r u s a b us in e ss ( l ong stor y ! ) w i st w i g s t y l w ent th e th er a n d un d w h i c h i s v e r y – r n tr a i n i n g t h a t o f a p r o p e to s im i lar t , I n ow f in d lis ha ir-st y ser ving p e ople’s b my s e l f o o un d m e . I f i n d ar ha i r a l l p e ople’s g n i s y l a n my s e l f a t y l e s , a n d s d g c ut s a n s tr u c t i n t e n o c y l l l ica m enta o u l d r e p ent . w I y a cli th e w ig for a w a n o t tha e p lac e d v a h I , Now
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l s o f th e i a t e d r t h e f i n e un d m e . o t ro h t w o r l d a , o n a S un d a y e I hav At 9 am ting on the y g , sit ar ts morn in y parents’ m hoice – f l o o r in m , wat c h ing n a e R u s s i d l i v i n g r o o p l a y w i th n rl s a d e ep a y t wo g i ’s bu ilder m of us in u c ati o n i c their co can’t help s u I nces, m to o l set that I a m e d e G c i N t I o H n YT b ut un d l y s ur r o i c / al e v t i e v l r p u s m te co ap h one’s g r tions . n i e s m t r o s a t y u b re a wa s r ap h i c c D g o m t u o M h p – e 40” LC ad From th s a computer acher, D h an a it T V u s e d th e t o o l s e t g in e er w o r o tf s cre en , t g o d e s i g n , I s e e na l ta l en a n d o l ( and it’s rs of creative c r e ati ve G ! e IN a l l m a nn o r w o r k . T h e A N Y T H nds on ha e xpre ss i f ram e s pro u d l y s e y o ur , t h e n in x it p hotos parents’ y m a ke / f i n c a n m g n i d i sp l a y r ati o n – th e th e ma n d o y g en e e Th e ay do it b ion and third ’s first Aussies ! t f am ily d r aw i n g nts’ p erfe c han a d e p o Ph o t o s h y o l d er the b etter t na l !) m o I d i d o f w h en s h e wa s all professi k o o t r se I d a u g h t e t h e n I t ur n I s up p o hat d t s s o n e . A n y g o r g e o u s ki d th e f a c t i e c e m p b a c k t o d my s e l f t h a t l i c ate a s h p e r d l u o in ui a n d r e m o n a S un d a y r d i s ti n g m m u s i c o s a n d c o l o ur s h i s i s 9 a d I a m o n my e t k o r t s an us h r a r t w o r k th er m o rn i n g v i n g r o o m f l o o n a n o li se d ano parents’ d b e enj oying i ving i t g s t i u t I o . h t wi d s h o u l e d m o m ent s g r a nt e d y n r a o f , t h gm t-l i v h o ug am d o in e th e s h o r c e s s e s p l a y i n g I t a h t rin g re n ow o f my P l s e t . esig n de d s c i h p g ra ard ing th a t o o i b w m o b a n d a m n entl y s l e e p An n a κ a a ph y b y r g to o h my p e r m r a i n w i t h f o ur nd P Article a db d ep ri ve er- s em e st er -p , s u b j e c t s n o w l e d g e that fk w o r t h o h e d e n t i s tr y d w i th t e l i ke a i r s t y l i n g , I f i n n o h . a n d c o n c e n tr a t i n g f my s e l
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nature’s creations Sunday afternoon in designer’s life...
for long bush walks or bike rides. the wind is going straight through I did just that on Sunday 17th me. My whole body is shaking March, 2011. from riding over the stones along When the weekend comes around, After lunch, we drove into the the path. My dog, Juma, my head can become rather heavy bush to do an 11 Km mountain is running so fast that it would spilling ideas where possible throughout the week. “It’s incredible to just stop and look around at I know I have to get out to clear what nature is hiding deep down in the bush.“ my head. The best way for me to do that is to follow the call of bike ride. The path starts as an be almost impossible for him nature. I live in a small town in easy flat track changing into a to stop mid hill. the Blue Mountains, which gives steep hill descending deep down As I am going down the hill, me many options to explore the into the Australian bush. The I can feel the air getting colder nature which is all around me. mountain is so steep that when and my surroundings getting Having an active dog, I take it riding my bike down, it feels like darker. The trees all around are
so tall that it’s hard for the light to get down here. It’s only half and hour past midday, but it feels like time has moved about 3 hours forward just by getting down to the bush. I like to get off the bike and walk some of the narrow paths. It’s incredible to just stop and look around at what nature is hiding deep down there. The tall trees with peeling bark, the amazing textures of ferns and the beautiful colours of native flowers. It’s so refreshing to watch nature’s creations, full of life and diversity. Down here life actually stops. I feel like I can spend hours
down here just enjoying the singing of the birds high above and the sound of never ceasing water. Every time I come here, I am fascinated by the textures. Textures that only nature can create. I enjoy the fresh air down here. It makes me feel alive and fills me with energy. I will need it to be able to get up the hill at the other side of the track. Once that hill is past me, I am filled with a great sense of achievement ready for the week ahead. Article and Photography by Iva
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n i t n e m o M A . . . e Tim Moments in time pass us by like sands within an hourglass. I caught three small hours one afternoon. I took photographs wrote notes and drew sketches with a ball pointpen. Inspiration is found within odd things- taking into account things old and new, perfections and imperfections. Thoughts cross my mind at how clever one individual was to have an idea to create
of the day of the collaborative collection. Photographs of the pencils I found, and some sketches I drew. Some scenery I captured whilst driving around along with some snaps at the beach. An image of a sharps only container was snapped up in the loo, I thought this was rather random as I found it in the bathroom in the mall. To me it’s as though they are promoting the
“Moments pass us by like sands in an hourglass.”
we breathe, the clothes we wear, the cars we drive, the household appliances we fill our homes, even the money we use to purchase all of which was mentioned. This was a few hours caught through various images within three hours of one afternoon. It was a moment in time captured through photography within 22 images. It is the simple things in life which seem to produce the slightest glitch of happiness.
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Article and Photography by Jade
objects and items so useful. I grab a coffee, the logo is all over the place, ‘Michelles Patisserie’ plastered over the counter on cups, napkins, sugar sachets, with a coffee aroma filling the cafe. The flash from my camera captures many memorable moments, a poster of birds in my room, a note I wrote on the page
use of drugs within public places. This I personally do not condone I have discovered that within the images captured within the square boundaries, everything somehow falls back into design, fashion design to the design of architecture and landscape, drawings, writing of ideas leading into design. It is all around us. In the air
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6 - 9 pm is then th
e time when I start
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any meetings Mon
to prepare for that
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on the mundane
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I decided to spend
bly should prepare
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and to enjoy my w
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by Alison
y work/life ba lance
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working life so
e the difference.
rinciple applies
to enjoy my truly
have mundane
the odd proje ct some creativity in
one, I do enjoy it !!
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Sunday night Wind-down.
9-12PM
Sunday night in Albury Wodonga you wont be suprised to find is quite a boring experience, as is almost everynight in smaller places like this. Often inpiration is drawn from some of the dumbest things.
On a Sunday however this isnt an issue as it isnt what I am searching for, It’s downtime. It’s a chance to relax and so my sunday between 9-12pm was much like any other normal Sunday, chilling with a mate/s, eating terrible
“Skateboarding, I find, is the most freeing experience.”
food, enjoying the sites and maybe a little bit of a skateboard session. All-in-all a great way to relax and wind down at the end of the week. Skateboarding in itself I find is one of the most freeing experiences. As ordinary as it may be, this is how I spent my 3 hours on a regular Sunday night.
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Article and Photograp hy Luke
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lution o v e e h T
of:
monkee
Illustration throughout history has played a large part in the passing on of narrative and messages from one person to the next. Dating back from pre-historic cave drawings and symbols, until present times in which illustrations are used to promote multi-million dollar organizations. The history of illustration whilst spanning a long period of time, up until the fairly recent invention of the computer has been one of mild change, the only other real revolutions of course being that of the invention of parchment and the pen. In the last few years however there has been a large resurgence in the illustrated form in modern art and advertising. With an explosion of sorts the big guns Vodafone, Red Bull, Coke and
even large numbers of movie companies opting to use a more artistic approach to their campaigns. The elevation of illustration from mundane to extravagant
few use this traditional method to take there artwork any further then drafting. A new trend starting in the advertising world is seeing artists commissioned more and more
...visuals that work into a world of their own leaving the everyday design in its dust... with visuals that work into a world of their own leaving the everyday design in its dust is due to the advances in computer technology. This re-invention of the illustrated may seem odd in a world of art ruled by the digital and computerized forms but with technologies advancement so too has illustration been pushed forward into the modern era. While many artists may still start out with the use a pen and a page to get across there ideas,
to create stylized artwork that comprises from a combination of illustration and digitalized art. This hybrid of illustration creates some brilliant effects. It seems that with every release of graphics programs things are pushed further and as for where this evolution and the digitilization of future artworks will take the industry, I cant wait. Article and Design by Luke 9
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Adverti
www.albeez.com/advertising/levis-jeans-advertisement
ising
southaustralia.inetgiant.com.com
Through the Ages
Advertising is all around us in fact you have been reading, watching, listening and looking at some form of advertsiing your entire life. From your first toy, to the car you drive and the clothes on your back. Every object has been influenced by various roles of advertising at some point. Advertising is simply described as any form of paid message by a client, designed to promote an idea, brand or product.
finally it tries to persuade or influence choices of the consumer. Two companies Levi Strauss and Co and Coca-Cola have maintained advertising through keeping up-to-date with changing forms of advertising. Posters, radio broadcasts, TV commercials, online ads, sponsorship through film and various events are all mediums of advertising. “All I need is all I got” a Levi’s ad created by Wieden and
promoting the “we are all workers” campaign. Ironic as thousands of American workers lost their jobs during this time. Those men in suits were not considering the working class when that decision was made. Coca-Cola a world re-known soda brand originally contained cocaine (removed in 1903) and Kola beans (caffeine) was one of the oldest comapanies to first use advertising as a form of promotion. The logo was created using a Spencarian Script (1885) “Advertising is simply described as ‘Any form and has not been altered since. It of paid message’” was first bottled in 1894 the same year of the first wall painted It contain’s five basic Kennedy, a firm that handles advertisement. Various flavours components being a paid form global conglomerates promoted include Coke, Diet Coke and of direct/indirect communication, this advertisement towards a more Coke Zero. the marketer or advertiser is proletarian audience during the Article and Design by Jade identified. It aims to reach shutdown of the last remaining the largest possible audience US Levi manufacturing plant. as cost efficiently as possible and The ad was one of many
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Pictures courtesy Kraft Foods Australia
Are we being marketed to on a level that permeates our subconscious?
HAPPY LITTLE VEGEMITES
‘We’re happy little Vegemites, we’re bright as bright can be...’. Many in our nation probably hum this tune in our heads as we pass by the neatly stacked red and gold jars in the supermarket. This is a tune that surpasses time, with numerous generations of Aussies knowing it as well as we know our Waltzing Matilda and better than we know the second verse of our National Anthem – yes, there truly is a second verse in our anthem. Why is it that we know the jingle to a pantry item better than we know our anthem? I can tell you what grade I was in when I learned the Waltzing Matilda, I can even tell you which grade I was in when my very Aussie Maths teacher corrected
- all at the expense of the hardworking, the poor and the less fortunate. Marketing, like most things in our brilliant capitalist world, has very humble. Originally marketing focused solely on the product – the only marketing it needed was its mere existence, as people were accustomed to a lower availability than there was a demand. In the mid-1950’s, spanning two decades, marketing focused on getting the products off the shelves. During time, the products were relatively standardised and the concern was to sell the product. It was in the early 1970’s that the realisation that consumer wants and needs are what drove the whole process occurred.
Is it fair for this national sludge to hold its place in this patriotic spotlight? me on my version of the lyrics.... but the Vegemite jingle - that’s just always been there! I know I learned it from the telly set because the tune immediately brings up those marching band kids in my mind...But why? Before we delve into Vegemite and how it has been marketed to us as a nation, here are some facts about the Wonderful World of Marketing; Marketing did not start out as the ‘evil empire’ that some will have you believe it is today - with its subliminal messages, billion dollar expenditures on researching the delicacy of children’s psyche and greedy pursuit for more, more, more, more and more $$$$$ by the evil corporations
The consumer became the focal point of the research, delving, and analysis. Market Research was developed, and it is in our technologically advanced age of interconnectedness and networked communications that the ethical dilemmas arise. Do companies have a right to get inside our heads and invade our thoughts with their advertising messages? Vegemite also evolved its marketing strategies to keep up with the times. Having a hard time winning the hearts of Australians back in 1922, it was an inclusion of the rations made available to our troops in WWII and the Baby Boomers growing up on our national black sludge
which helped shape Vegemite in all our Aussie hearts into what it is today. And yet, begs the question, is it the product itself that is responsible for over fifteen million Aussie consumers or have we been marketed to on a subconscious level? In the 1923 product launch, consumers voted on the Vegemite name. In 2009, Kraft foods opened a competition for consumers to name a new Vegemite-like dairy spread, which was itself was actually launched while the competition was being held, called ‘Vegemite Name Me’. The winner, ‘iSnack 2.0’, generated such an outcry, that the publicity, and subsequent competitions for a new name, extended the public timeframe and generated a greater following. Was this staged? Are we, as consumers, pawns in a whole new game of Consumer Generated Marketing? Is it right that we know the Vegemite jingle on a level that permeates our conscious? Should we, as consumers, have a say on whether we hum the tune in the back of our heads every time we see a jar of Vegemite – or is it OK that is has become a signifying factor of us as Aussies?
Article and Design by Anna א
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Luke Karpeles Interview with
PAT FOX Today I had the pleasure to ask Pat Fox, of ‘Apollo Collective’ a few questions about just how he got started as a designer, and how he goes about it all. Q: Who/What pushed you to get into design? It’d have to be music, no doubt! I’ve always loved drawing since the day I could pick up a pencil and I studied art/design all through my education. But I didn’t actually come back to design until I was about 22. I’ve
been playing in bands since I was a kid, and at the time I’d been working as a delivery driver for about 3 years to support my music and tour as much as possible. Naturally, driving a truck gets pretty damn boring so I was toying with the idea of going back to school but couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do. Then by happenstance pretty much, the guy who did the designs for us at time bailed on some designs 3 weeks out of a tour. Seeing as I was the only one who was even half decent at photoshop (I used to make our show fliers and for the record, I fucking sucked!) I had to step up and get them done. It all just clicked while I was doing the tees, so a few weeks later I looked into some courses and haven’t looked back since!
Q: What was your first big break? That’s a hard one to remember! If I had to put my finger on it one I’d have to say it would’ve been doing my first legitimate artwork package with a now defunct Melbourne band called City Escape. I did their EP artwork, 5 tees, a myspace page and a tour poster for an absolute pittance ($900 haha!). They were great dudes, gave me complete license to do whatever I wanted and we came out at the end with something we were all proud of. That in turn got me a gig as “Art Director” for a record label out of Sydney called Taperjean Records, (who I still work for to this day) where I did a heap of tour posters for Aus & US bands and it basically all kind of snowballed
from there into working for bigger “I used to make our show flyers and for the bands and artists, to more recently working with Beyond The Pale record, I fucking sucked!” (Working for BTP has been a goal you become more immersed in of mine for about 4 years) and the things with images in photoshop and all this amazing typography. what your doing. These days I’m Soundwave festival. The way those guys think is heavily influenced by pretty much straight up next level. anything that predates my birth Q: Who were your main As far as Illustrators go, I (haha). That can be pretty much inspirations when you where first didn’t really know the names of anything from old book covers, starting design? many, but I knew what I liked. I movie posters are a big one (I’m a DEFINITELY Invisible stumbled onto Hydro74’s work HUGE Saul Bass fan) especially Creature, or as they were known one day and that was a game exploitation films from the 70s, at the time - Asterik Studio. changer for me cause I’ve always and generally everything old. Album art is something I’ve been obsessed with type and I’ve Especially the way things were always been obsessed, and these printed back then. guys were just doing stuff that I’d always drawn things in a very The dot gain was so high, the flip out over. Their art for Norma jagged way. So he was a massive influence starting out. inks would bleed and fade so Jean’s “‘O’ God The Aftermath”, quickly and it all has so much The Chariot’s “The Fiancée” or Q: Have they changed since? character to it. But I guess mainly Bleeding Through’s “The Truth” more than anything I’m more just fucking floored me. I couldn’t And if so who are they now? Most definitely. Over time you influenced by film more than figure out for the life of me how discover many amazing artists as art these days. I’m obsessed with they were doing all these insane June 2011 Howlermag.com
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TV at the moment. I’m always studying how light works with peoples faces etc. I always try to tell a story in my work where I can in my work, and that’s obviously where film comes in as well in a big way. But as far as other artists go, some people who’s work I really love are Folks like Adam Hughes, Charles Burns, Storm Thorgenson, Shepard Fairey, Ken Taylor, We Buy Your Kids, SteakMtn, Tavis Coburn, Aaron Horkey, and Mike Giant to name a few. I’m also really influenced by clothing labels like Vans, Insight or Obey. Especially Insight. Everything those guys do is just completely off the hook. Especially the Dopamine campaign. The photography from that series is the most mindblowing thing I’ve seen. Those guys just smash the boundaries with everything they do.
I’m pretty pedantic about detail and not letting a piece go to approval (let alone to print) until I’m satisfied that it’s the best it can be. Which is a massive luxury I’m afforded as a freelance artist. If anything I tend to get excited about some pieces from time to time and send it through before I’ve had time to reflect on them or go back and fine-tune things a bit. Then I’ll have that real “facepalm moment” where I’ll go “Man! I should’ve done this or I should’ve done that.” Q: What’s your proudest moment artistically or the artwork you are most proud of ? I’d have to say 2 things actually. First would be the laser cut
Pangea Seed in Japan last year. I put a lot into that piece, experimented quite a bit and it came out looking better than I could imagine. Plus, I’m a total hippy at heart. So It was great to support such a good cause. Second would be the art for Stealing O’Neal’s album Don’t Sleep. That project was crazy, but a joy to work on at the same time. They’re great guys, but they all had such vastly differing opinions about what the art should be. It took almost 2 months to lock down a concept (I pitched 6 from memory and am now an amateur psychiatrist). It was worth it, because I told the guys initially that I wanted to really push myself with the project and they
“Network, Network,Network! Make your own opportunities and don’t wait for them to come to you.”
Q: Looking back over your work is there anything you regret? skateboard I did for the Shark Not especially to be honest. Love show for the awesome
were happy to let me. I ended up putting about 120 hours into it all
up because I was experimenting so much and inventing a lot of new techniques in PSD as I went. Also all the type was done from the ground up. I made 2 fully functioning fonts. Starting with calligraphy brushes/ink on paper, scanned into the computer, vectored, put into Fontlab, and then manipulating everything like crazy in illustrator. I didn’t sleep much, drank all the coffee and smoked all the cigarettes in the world, but it was immensely rewarding. Q: And finally if you had five pointers for someone looking to break into the industry what would they be? I’ll give you six! • First and foremost, do the work that inspires YOU and makes YOU happy. Not what you think people want to see or what you think will make you a quick buck. Especially if you want to be a freelance artist (even more so
in the music industry). Work and money come in time, not straight away. Hard work and passion always pay off ! • Sketch A LOT and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Sketching is thinking with your hands, it doesn’t have to be a work of art. It just has to be. The more time you spend planning and thinking about a piece, the better it will be in the end. Also some of the best things you’ll discover come from screwing up completely. • A good artist never stops learning. Draw inspiration from fields outside of your own and always push yourself to do and discover new things.
• Network. Network. Network! Make your own opportunities and don’t wait for them to come to you. Don’t be afraid to contact people, even if it’s a negative result at least you walk away with something. (See! ALWAYS learning!) Plus, you’ll meet some amazing people along the way! • This sounds silly, but its easy to forget. Always, Always, Always make time for yourself ! Work as hard as you can every time, but remember that you gotta take a break and give yourself a life as well. If you’re burnt out angry, you’ll create garbage. If happy with your life, it shows in your work. Article and Design by Luke 9
• Always put in that extra 1%. The key to making a good idea a great idea is that one extra little touch that no one else would think of. It’s always there; you just gotta look for it.
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The Significance Of Content In Design A Brief Look at the Logo Design Work of Saul Bass Saul Bass is probably better known for his film title design work. Responsible for revolutionising the way movie audiences viewed movies; he reinvented the opening credits and the movie title as an art form. Amidst a plethora of Saul Bass’ movie related achievements and feats, he is also the mastermind behind some of the most recognised and iconic logos of all time. It was in the midst of his legendmaking career as a film title designer and moviemaker that Bass turned to commercial graphic design. He devised some of the most successful corporate identities –most of which are still alive today. His designs
include logos such as those for AT&T, United, Girl Scouts, Avery, Minolta, Frontier Airlines and many more. Bass’ distinguishing aesthetic is one of economy and simplicity and has earned him the title of being one of the most versatile, distinguished and innovative designers of the twentieth century. His style generally operated towards geometric designs, angular shapes and primary colour schemes, and it was through his achievement of the significance of content in design as well as his concern with replacing predictable images with simple, meaningful symbols that he successfully conveyed the ethos of
the corporations to the American public in his corporate identities. Bass’ work is appealing for its nuance – his keen ability for making subtle, abstract symbols speak louder than literal photographs. His appeal lies in his ability to let the viewer fill in the blanks.
‘Design is thinking made visual’ -Saul Bass
Article and Design by Anna א
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PAUL RAND
Paul Rand’s career spanned six decades, three generations and numerous chapters of design history. To summarise briefly “In the late 1930s he began to transform commercial art from craft to profession. By the early 1940s he influenced the look of advertising, book and magazine cover design. By the late 1940s he proffered a graphic design vocabulary based on pure form where once only style and technique prevailed. By the mid-1950s he altered the ways in which major corporations used graphic identity. And by the mid1960s he had created some of the world’s most enduring corporate
He modelled himself on avantgarde artists, such as painter Paul Klee, designer El Lissitzky and architect Le Corbusier. I am inspired and encouraged that Rand did not try to come up with everything himself, he modelled himself on others. He learnt his craft and studied hard. Rand devoted his life to making what he modestly called `good work’, and what others called exceptional design. Rand rejected what passed for acceptable design. He argued that it was wrong just to make pictures of Uncle Joe. `It doesn’t solve any problems ... it’s runof-the-mill thinking. Looking
“Good design is good will” logos, including IBM, UPS, ABC and Westinghouse.” (Paul Rand By Steven Heller) What I love about Paul Rand is that he did not set out to reform graphic design, he just wanted to be the best at what he did. In the current environment of reality television and instant fame everyone wants to be famous for doing nothing. Where has the work ethos of Paul Rand gone? Where has the idea of hard work and being the best at what you do or are currently doing gone? Rand was also critical of the poor aesthetic standards, maintaining that everyday life — especially commercial art — could be enriched by the artist’s touch.
to the European Moderns for inspiration, he developed a fresh and individual approach to visual communications. His magazine and advertising layouts wedded functional simplicity to abstract complexity. Although intolerant of faddish trends, Rand ended his career with the same guiding belief as when he had begun, and one I hope to hold true to my heart for my entire career: good design is good will. Article and Design Alison Images: http://www.paul-rand.com/
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