Graphic Process Jordan Geisert
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Graphic Process Jordan Geisert
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Foreword Advanced Graphic Design Fall 2015 Foreword by Stacy Asher Assistant Professor of Art In the Fall of 2015, the Advanced Graphic Design course at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln engaged in research about the role of design in creating social change. This course was an investigation of graphic design driven by research. Projects were socially and civically engaged, and focused on the production of communication systems, investigating history and theory of graphic design for social change, and the publishing of self authored work. Collaborative exercises and activities created an understanding of identity systems, social values and how to promote “justice for all” through visual communications. Deliverables for the course consisted of designed artifacts that documented, reflected, analyzed, and synthesized design research. The first half of the course integrated the series of exhibitions, lectures and presentations relating to the topic of art/ design for social justice that occurred on campus through October. The second half centered around publication and experiential design, and the development of identity systems. The course outcomes provided opportunity for students to be innovative, culturally critical and potentially create social change. Themes for Exploration Graphic Design + Social Responsibility Message + System + Identity Striving for Viability Designer as Preservationist + Conservationist Designer as Witness, Ethnographer and Journalist
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Introduction I am proud to publish this book about my design process in my advanced Graphic Design class. In it you will ďŹ nd mind mapping, sketches, iterations, photographs, and a ďŹ nal presentation of each work. Based on Social Justice, this class has taught me to be more aware of the happenings around the world and even more in the United States.
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Table of Contents Watchfulness in the Citizen Social Cause Poster Design + Social Justice Screen Printing Workshop Philatelic Project Thank You Notes All Hands on Deck Typography and the Underground Build a Box to Think Out Of
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Watchfulness in the Citizen
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Watchfulness in the Citizen
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Brief
Assignment includes a group ďŹ eld trip to the Nebraska State Capitol to observe the designed world and hunt for visual communications that express equality, freedom and justice for all. Using only found imagery from the ďŹ eld trip and walking tour, design a visual communication that is in response to the following quotation that is at the main entrance of the capitol by H.B. Alexander.
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Process
My documentation of the state capitol was important to this assignment. For the background image of the ďŹ nal iteration, I layered several photos at dierent opacities. Next, I cut silhouettes of a crowd in vinyl. Using that as stencil, I then painted around it in a tan color. Finally, I placed the typeset quote made of black vinyl over the top. To make the overall image seem slightly blurry, I used white chalk all over the image.
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Social Cause Posters
with Justin Kemerling
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Brief
Make someone else care about an issue that’s important to you through the communication of a poster.
Social Cause Poster
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Process
After using the technique of mind mapping, I found the most important issue to be how women can sometimes treat each other poorly over petty issues. I care passionately about this because this behavior seems to be everywhere you look especially on TV, the Internet, and cinema. I want to create awareness about this issue and hopefully cause women to think twice before they say or do something they will regret.
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Posters by Justin Kemerling
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Mind Mapping
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Inspiration
The character Ms. Norbury from Mean Girls speaking to the high school aged girls about treating each other with respect.
Poster Sketches
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First Digital Drawing
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Final Poster Design
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Typography and the Underground
Typography and the Underground
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Brief
Examine an underground newspaper that is included in the exhibition for the Design + Social Justice Symposium. Analyze the typography and how it relates to the content. Look to the graphic design artifacts to uncover visual languages that can be inspiring and inform your work towards the build a box to think out of project.
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Newspaper from the archive of Billy X Jennings
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Screen Printing Workshop
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Human Rights Philatelic Project
Human Rights Philatelic Project
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Brief
Human Rights are something that we take for granted in this country. Not everywhere provides the same freedoms. I discovered an interest in screen printing after the workshop. It was important for me to integrate this technique into my philatelic project. I chose three inuential women who have recently done a great service for Human Rights all over the world; Shirin Ebadi, Betty Williams, and Malala Yousafzai. Start by creating a Slide Deck to present your ideas.
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All Hands on Deck
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Brief
Design a slide deck to present idea for the Human Rights Philatelic Project. Include imagery of inspiration, concept, color palette, typeface iterations, production schedule, materials needed, and intended audience.
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Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi was born in Iran. She was to become the first female judge of Tetran’s City Court. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her efforts in democracy and human rights.
Betty Williams
Betty Williams was born in the town of Belfast located in Northern Ireland. She co-founded the Community of Peace People against the Troubles in North Ireland. She received the Nobel Peace Prize 1977.
Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzia was born in Pakistan and at a young age began to fight for the right to education. She is the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her work in education rights. 65
Production Plan
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Initial Mock Up
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Screen Preparation Images There were three screens in total, two images on each. I made the positive and negatives in Illustrator based on photos of each woman. After test printing, I chose to use a shade of blue and yellow, rather than the green and pink that I showed in my initial slide presentation. These new colors provided contrast and interest.
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Screen Images
There were three screens in total, two images on each. I made the positive and negatives in Illustrator based on photos of each woman. After test printing, I chose to use a shade of blue and yellow, rather than the green and pink that I showed in my initial slide presentation. These new colors provided contrast and interest.
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Process
After screen printing and photographing the portraits, I began to design the stamp carrier. A contrast between the stamps and the carrier was needed in order the screen printed images to shine. Classmates suggested that I somehow put the name of each woman on her portrait for the information of the viewer. It was also important to me to break up the monotony of the portraits by adding in three additional stamps showcasing “Peace, Education, and Freedom.�
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Philatelic Posters
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Thank You Notes
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Thank You Notes
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Brief
Design a Thank You note to send to the people who helped with research throughout this project. The recipients can be anyone who you feel has aided you in your research or helped you in any way.
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Recipients
Dean Charles O’Connor Dr. Patrick Jones Emory Douglas Justin Kemerling Lexi Bass Matt Bukery Malala Yousafzai Public Broadcasting Service Susanna Lamaina Valarie Geisert
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Ready for Delivery
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A Box To Think Out Of
A Box To Think Out Of
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Brief
Build a box to think out of. Construct a 3D box, cube or a symmetrical block to communicate about the ideologies of Mr. Fred Rogers. Create a communication device that can be helpful, thankful, and giving.
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Process
Creating something that pays tribute to Mr. Rogers is not an easy task. After ideation, I decided to make my cube into a traditional children’s building block. However, over time I realized that it didn’t seem to fit with the brief. Three designs later, I chose to transpose the speech he gave the U.S. Senate lobbying for funds for public television and use that as content for the cube. The way that he verbalized his thoughts calmly and kindly, spoke to me in a way that nothing else ever has. It became clear that carefully setting the type of this speech was all this cube needed.
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Brainstorming Mockups
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Cube Construction
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Preliminary Sketches
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Concept Mockup
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Final Concept Mockup
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Process
Once the cube was constructed, I ďŹ lled in all the nail holes and sanded it well. When my design was ďŹ nalized and ready for execution, I chose to paint the cube a shade of blue. This color represents qualities such as loyalty, trust, tranquility, kindness, and honesty. These qualities mirror those of Mr. Rogers. With the background of the cube done, next was adding the speech text. Using white vinyl, I cut out the letter forms and adhered the text to the cube.
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Conclusion
Throughout this course, my graphic design skills improved immensely. Each project posed a new challege for me to solve through creativity and design. I thoroughly enjoyed the Philatelic Stamp project, giving me a chance to integrate design and screen printing. I would like to end by saying thank you to all of the people that helped me throughout this course. It’s a wonderful feeling to have people you can count on for ideas, editing, and support.
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Acknowledgments Photo Stacy Asher Taylor Bogle James Lindsay Paramount Pictures, Mean Girls Construction Assistance Matt Bukery
Published December 2015.
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