ALL DESIGN IS NOT PROPAGANDA by Neha Ann Lee

ALL DESIGN IS NOT PROPAGANDA. GRAPHIC DESIGN PORTFOLIO BY NEHA BALTHAZAR

NEHA ANN BALTHAZAR

YOU HAVE A PURPOSE. VOICE. CHOICE. 2

ALL DESIGN IS NOT PROPAGANDA. 3

NEHA ANN BALTHAZAR

I would like to thank my parents, Maya and Klaus, for all the unconditional love and support theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve given me.

My brothers, Neil and Rohil, for teaching me to stay true to myself even in times of difficulty.

My friends, Arushi and R hiannah, for helping me physically and emotionally by being my family away from home. This journey would have been difficulty & incomplete without you.

BOOK CREATED AND DESIGNED BY Neha Ann Balthazar website: nehabalthazar.com email: nehaann.balthazar@gmail.com contact: 669 300 7043

ÂŠ Neha Ann Balthazar No portion of this publication can used or reproduced without prior written consent from Neha Ann Balthazar

PROP-A-GAN-DA noun information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.

No one likes to be told what to do but everyone can be persuaded. Propaganda is everywhere, and our life and society have been affected it. Everything we design is propaganda as we, humans, are highly opinionated. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seek to depict the whole truth but relies on the truth to do so.

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LISTS ARE COMPRISED OF OPINIONS. IMPORTANT. 6

global warming times It would be nice if something made sense.

artisan

rewind

temporal thoughts

never enough

Encouraging the local artisan

A TIMELINE FROM FIRST SONG TO LAST SONG

Fleeting moments

ALL Consuming POWER OF GREED

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global warming times It would be nice if something made sense. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Redesign the San Francisco Climate Action Plan. Using elements of design and the provided content, create a well designed document of any format. PROJECT REDESIGN: I began brainstorming and wanted to push my redesign project out of the book format. After thoroughly reading the action plan I thought to myself, “What do people trust? What are reliable sources of information?”. And then it came to me... A newspaper! A newspaper’s coverage of meetings and events, investigative journalism that uncovers important issues and strong opinion pieces that offer points of view and courses of action are often the starting point of discussion within a community. My action plan now took the format of the newspaper, with a strong columnar grid, halftone imagery and multiple articles. The news paper was then split into two, a supplementary executive summary and a double read news paper with strong opinions, beliefs and statements about global warming. Is it a myth ? Absolutely not. SOFTWARE USED: Adobe Indesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator YEAR OF COMPLETION: Spring 2015 TYPE OF PROJECT: Editorial design, Photography CLASS NAME: Typography-3

IF YOU DON'T READ THE NEWSPAPER, YOU'RE UNINFORMED. MISINFORMED. 9

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ABOVE:

Global Warming Times is a double read newspaper which contains the “positive” and “negative” sides of global warming. This highly opinionated piece contains two stories: “The convenient times” and “The inconvenient times”. This printed project also has a web and an app extension.

1: Global Warming Times

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1: Global Warming Times

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1: Global Warming Times

ABOVE:

Vector icons developed for the project to depict temperature highs and lows. This was important as this projects speaks about and addresses global warming.

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Illustrations and graphics used in the newspaper are portrayed in red, white and blue to make a political statement. The discount coupon format was adapted to emphasize the high consumerism in the United States.

1: Global Warming Times

99$ ONLY

SHOP NOW

SURVIVE TOMORROW.. SAVE YOURSELF today. Available at all leading stores. Be smart.

DISCOUNT COUPON

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1: Global Warming times

1: Global Warming Times

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BELOW:

Infographics used to represent population.

. 16/36 PEOPLE IN SAN FRANCISCO ARE AWARE THAT GLOBAL WARMING IS A THREAT

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PHOTOGRAPHY

1: Global Warming Times

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1: Global Warming Times

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ABOVE:

A web extension of the redesigned SF climate action plan. Voice your opinion, retweet posts and start a discussion on the interactive forum.

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An application extension of the redesigned SF climate action plan. Global warming news, videos and photographs on the go.

1: Global Warming Times

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artisan Encouraging the local artisan PROJECT DESCRIPTION: For this specific class we were asked to develop a fully functional brand, identify what kinds of problems can be solved through the design process and what steps might be taken to research those problems. We were then asked to identify various audiences and stakeholders and demonstrate means of possible outreach to them. Finally we were asked to find, create or manipulate imagery, make correlations between the brand and the design process. The last step was to integrate a variety of media for use together in harmony thus creating a system that worked both printed and digitally. PROJECT REDESIGN: My idea was to create a service brand as well as an experiential platform that aids the local artisan, independent artists and art enthusiasts alike. Unlike the work of famous/well-established artists, the work of the local artist always has a story to tell. What made artisan special was that it tied in story telling, personal biases and an individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design process. An opportunity where art enthusiasts could meet the artist. It would be a great way of spreading artistic awareness by getting to meet the local artisans and hearing their artistic stories while simultaneously encouraging the sale of articles created by these artisans. SOFTWARE USED: Adobe Indesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator YEAR OF COMPLETION:

Summer 2015 TYPE OF PROJECT: Editorial design, Photography, Environmental deign, Identity CLASS NAME: Visual Thinking

ART IS NOT WHAT YOU SEE, BUT WHAT YOU MAKE OTHERS SEE. 31

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2: Artisan

LEFT:

Cover of brochure. RIGHT:

Spreads from the brochure.

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TOP:

Crop of product shot showcasing traditional brasswork from the state of Orissa. RIGHT:

Crops of even schedules, event maps and art work from top to bottom respectively.

2: Artisan

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2: Artisan

LEFT:

Mobile application for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Artisanâ&#x20AC;?. Shop for handicrafts , interact with craftsmen and craftswomen, and encourage and locate your local artisan.

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2: Artisan

RIGHT:

Photograph of a Jaipur blue plate handcrafted in the Indian state of Rajasthan. LEFT TOP:

Three day event schedule for the biannual “Artisan” event. LEFT BOTTOM:

Event maps and crops of product shots.

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2: Artisan

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TOP:

Environmental shot of the website in use. RIGHT:

Multiple screens of th website.

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RIGHT:

Poster on display at a bus stop LEFT::

Stationery for the event “Artisan”.

2: Artisan

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Environmental graphics for the biannual event “Artisan”.

2: Artisan

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2: Artisan

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rewind A TIMELINE FROM FIRST SONG TO LAST SONG PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Imagine a world without time... Now, how would you document an event? Create a timeline that breaks down an event/occasion of your choosing. Be creative and develop interesting infographics. PROJECT REDESIGN: I wanted to choose an event that was fun and relatable to the 90â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s child at heart. My event was a simple and eventually drunken conversation between two boys Neil and Kevin. Neil and Kevin have been best friends ever since middle school. Neil was cleaning out his room the other day when he found his favorite high school mix tape that he and Kevin had made when they were teenagers. Neil then invites Kevin home to listen to the mix tape. The two men crack open a pack of 12 beers, laugh, sing and reminisce high school memories while music from the mix tape plays on... SOFTWARE USED: Adobe Indesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Pen and Ink YEAR OF COMPLETION: Spring 2015 TYPE OF PROJECT: Information design CLASS NAME: Visual Literacy

WITHOUT MUSIC LIFE WOULD BE A MISTAKE. BORING. NOTHING. 51

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ABOVE AND RIGHT:

The timeline documents the passage of time from first song to last song. Since the event revolves around music, the timeline takes on the format of a cassette. A sense of nostalgia is reflected in the story as the two boys talk about high school experiences and how life has changed. The typography used in this project is both digital and handwritten. 52

3: Rewind

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3: Rewind

LEFT:

Cassette cover and tape BOTTOM:

Product shots showcasing typographic styles used.

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LEFT:

Photographs emphasizing the typography. RIGHT:

Website extension of the “rewind” timeline.

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Last Kiss- Pearl Jam

Songs

Slide- Goo Goo Dolls

Big butts- Sir Mixx Alot

Save tonight- Eagle Cherry eye

No scrubs- TLC

Smooth- Sa

→

High

Volume (decibels)

Low

Genre

Classic Rock

Acoustic

Rap and hip hop

Pop / Rock

Hip hop

16 oz

Beers

0 oz

Blood Alcohol

→

High

Low

Bathroom breaks Cigarettes

Kevin

Cheers Neil !

Our song choices .. hahahahah..

Neil, where’s the bathroom ?

These songs are

Neil

Salut ! haha !

Man, I was thinking the same thing when I found it.. From RHCP to TLC hahahahahaha

Oh, go into my bedroom and it’s on your left.

Haha...this is so

16 oz

Beers

0 oz

Blood Alcohol Bathroom breaks Cigarettes

→

High

Low

antana

atin beats

3: Rewind

All star - Smash mouth

Pop Rock

Bailamos- Enrique

Latin beats

Scar tissue - RHCP

Funk Rock

CHUGGG !!!

e bringing back some major memories..

o old school.. We used to be such geeks

Fly Away - Lenny Kravitz

Livinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; La Vida - Ricky Martin

Funk Rock

Latin beats

Californication - RHCP

Alternative rock

Love me

Acoustic

DUDE, We are out of beer !

Neil, I did something bad. I broke the tape. I tried rewinding it but *hiccup* I ripped the tape instead !

We went through that so quick.. itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the MUSIC..

Damn.. Kevin could have just pressed rewind instead of manually doing it. Well.. so much for that hahahah !

ABOVE:

Complete timeline of events. RIGHT:

Website extension of the timeline.

NEHA ANN BALTHAZAR

3: Rewind

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temporal thoughts CAPTURING Fleeting moments PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Using photography, graphics and illustration, create an experimental type book that documents an event that last a day, a week or even moments. PROJECT REDESIGN: The theme I chose for my book was “a fleeting moment” better defined as a temporal thought. Temporal is defined as passing swiftly : transitory. A ‘temporal thought’ would be one that momentarily passes through your mind. These thoughts are the most ordinary, fictional or random in nature and they come and go just like the clouds on a sunny day. The story is told in a narrative form with only one voice talking, the voice inside my head, the voice that never ceases to stop thinking in moments of silence. The graphic element are used tracks my heartbeat and levels of anxiety as I float briefly in a pool of water gazing heavenwards. SOFTWARE USED: Adobe Indesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Pen and Ink YEAR OF COMPLETION: Spring 2016 TYPE OF PROJECT: Editorial design, Typography, Photography CLASS NAME: Type Experiments

MEMORIES ALWAYS LAST FOREVER. REMAIN. FADE. 65

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LEFT:

Individual pages from the book showcasing the typography, photography and graphic elements used in the book. RIGHT:

Book cover and an open book spread.

4: Temporal Thoughts

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LEFT:

Photographs emphasizing the typography. RIGHT:

Website extension of the “rewind” timeline.

4: Temporal Thoughts

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ABOVE:

Translucent sheets of vellum were added into the book to emphasize the transparency of a fleeting though.

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MOMENTS

HEART RATE

THOUGHTS

THESE THOUGHTS... S O W O R L D Y, MATERIALISTIC,

MUNDANE.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

4: Temporal Thoughts

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never enough All consuming power of greed PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Choose a director, list four movies with a common theme, create an overlying theme that serves as an umbrella to your movie choices and create a fictional film festival. Think not only about posters, but significance of location, multiple uses of ticketing, schedules, brochures and a catalogue. Also, keep in mind that this is a film festival on the go hence every deliverable must fit into one container which in turn links back to the theme. PROJECT REDESIGN: I chose Martin Scorsese. Why? Mean Streets. Taxi Driver. Raging Bull. The King of Comedy. The Color of Money. Goodfellas. Casino. Gangs of New York. The Aviator. The Departed. And best of all, his films transcend geographical boundaries. International audiences get to glimpse into Scorseseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interpretation of America, and beyond that, they are usually engaging and compelling stories with engaging and compelling characters. The stories he tells are often tragedies, showcasing the underworld of society or the underbelly of high society, be they mobsters, Hollywood icons, brutes, or the rich and powerful. And thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing more engaging than seeing a character rise and fall. We become enticed by their success, living vicariously through them, and then are able to jump back into our moral judgment as we watch them fail. SOFTWARE USED: Adobe Indesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Pen and Ink YEAR OF COMPLETION: Spring 2016 TYPE OF PROJECT: Branding, Identity, Environmental Graphics, Catalogue, Visual system CLASS NAME: Integrated Communications

GREED IS NOT JUST DESTRUCTIVE BUT UNIVERSAL. PERSONAL. 79

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BELOW:

Catalog of information for the film festival â&#x20AC;&#x153;Never Enoughâ&#x20AC;?. RIGHT:

The briefcase contained every deliverable of the visual system. The container was fabricated and customized to work with the colors, elements and graphics of the visual system.

5: Never Enough

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5: Never Enough

PHOTOGRAPHY

5: Never enough

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BELOW AND RIGHT:

Logo development and final logo.

5: Never Enough

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ABOVE AND RIGHT:

Detail of briefcase which serves as a container for the following deliverables _Business system _DVD packaging _Catalog _Poster _Tickets _Schedule

5: Never Enough

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ABOVE:

Spreads from the film festival catalog. RIGHT:

“Never Enough” film festival poster.

5: Never Enough

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5: Never enough

5: Never Enough

LEFT:

Never Enough film festival catalog containing schedules, movie information, behind the scenes interviews and more. ABOVE:

Detail shots of typographic in the book and on the spine.

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Graphics for a foldable napkin. RIGHT:

Products shots of the functional business system.

5: Never Enough

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5: Never enough

5: Never Enough

ABOVE:

Stills from the flying logo created for the film festival. LEFT:

A schedule disguised as a product, coasters. This format was adapted as the film festival takes place at â&#x20AC;&#x153;Videology Barâ&#x20AC;? in Brooklyn, New York.

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5: Never Enough

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LEFT:

Spreads from the DVD booklets. RIGHT:

DVD packaging took on the format of damaged evidence and secret envelopes presented within a hand crafted wooden cigar case.

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ABOVE:

Spreads from the DVD booklets. LEFT:

Detail of DVD packaging showcasing the typography and the rub down quality.

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ABOVE AND LEFT:

Posters and advertisements at bus stops and billboards.

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ABOVE AND RIGHT:

The tickets for the film festival are presented in a wallet. The wallet was stained with dye and customized with rub downs to take on the “mafia” lingo used in Scorsese’s movies.

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5: Never Enough

LEFT:

Ticket stubs ABOVE:

Detail of tickets

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ABOVE AND RIGHT:

Environmental graphics inside and outside Videology Bar, the venue for the film festival “ Never Enough”.

5: Never enough

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YOU SHOULD BE INFORMED OPINIONATED BY NOW. 118

IMAGES ARE BEAUTIFUL POWERFUL. 119

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