City In Flux Nicole H.D.W. Sinclair
Initial Ideas & Research
Surface wreckage Artificial light Giant Lego bricks – architecture Cars represented as sharks – in relation to a simile I heard in reference to learning to drive Shapes created by light beams off the walls of buildings Buildings with new brick and old brick exposed Comparing spiritual connotations with that of commercialization Page 2
Luc Pauwels’s Article on Globalization
Dan Fern Inspiration Landscapes and Traditional Japenese Culture
In Pauwels article he explains how cities are documented in many different forms though the use of photography. These range from CCTV cameras, Google street view images and even family photos.
“Reframing both these phenomena in the stretched format of the flat-back panoramic Hasselblad Xpan camera establishes synchronous, spatial relations of objects that are wide apart while preserving a strong sense of proximity.”
Within the images included in his article there is some interesting contrasts of old and new and the ironic. For example to the right we have a strategically set perspective where this billboard is claiming “It’s a small world” while meanwhile the tree opposite the road has its branches hanging “over” the building. Almost symbolizing the difference between manmade and natural existences.
Luc Pauwels: World Cities Reframed - Hong Kong,
He views natural creations such as stones as an “artifact” in their own right. This is due to the length of time it takes for one to be created. He is fascinated with the history that may have passed as these stones are formed. Fern is inspired by traditional Japanese culture and finds the spacing, colour and texture combinations used within their building “Imperial Villa” at Katsura an architecture ideal. Therefore elements from each of these come out through his own work. He has taken many photographs of the
surrounding area to use as reference within his projects.
Dan Fern - Saint Justin 1 2008-09
Dan Fern - 44N5E:les choses mêmes (2) Luc Pauwels:World Cities Reframed - Copenhagen
In this image of Hong Kong we have a contrast of old and new, as the bronze statue of Tian Tan Buddha is set in the background while in the foreground is a car with commercial branding stickers attached. This represents both the culture of the city through the statue visible and the modern day life and merchandising. The use of spatial awareness in this image sets the Buddha’s status above the vehicle therefore representing its spiritual relevance within the city as oppose to the “soul damaging” 9 till 5 jobs and commercialism in the modern day.
This map paper coloured using acrylic paint resembles a mountain landscape at sunset. This may be inspired by the surrounding landscapes around his studio in Vercors region of southeast France.
Dan Fern - KATSURA 2013
The above piece can be compared against the grid like structure of the Imperial villa walls. The use of texture creates an interesting display while the blocks of colour keeps your gaze and direct your eyes. I find the juxtaposition of the elements directs my eyes towards the upper left hand
corner of the piece, this may be due to the dark contrasting red and grey blocks being placed within a near distance.
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Julia Anastrasopoulos - Knolc Company
Inspired by line art, illustrated children’s books and landscapes, Anastasopoulos has created detailed hand-drawn illustrated murals for the bus station in Cape town where she lives. This artist has also transferred the designs over to tote bags as a limited edition buy as well as creating paper cut-out “shadow boxes”. The Shadow boxes in particular interest me as they are layered up into a 3-D image within
a box frame, this creates a fun and intriguing ornament. Cape town as a place also inspires her when drawing inspiration from the city for various projects.
Above is a photograph of Julia’s contemporary illustration for the MiCity Bus station in Capetown. Set a task to represent the historical context of the city within a contemporary style, Anastasopoulos responded to this using a mixture of line drawing and modernist stylized block colouring.
The image shown left displays her piece which was created with inspiration from her previous bus station work. Using a combination of perspective drawing and the physically geometrically shaped panel she creates an illustration which entices the viewer to look up and down the image and view it as if it was the view from a window.
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Jack Crossing In an interview by emptykingdom.com Crossing identifies his meaning behind 6th avenue as “rising above your surroundings and not caring what anyone else thought.” This can be interpreted in several ways.
There is a literal meaning where the subject could be actually floating or the theoretical interpretations. One theoretical way of looking at it would be to “rise above” the hate and judgment of others and just get on with life. As we can see the Astronaut has flames coming off his back though he looks relaxed, walking casually as if everything is fine.
When his image of “6th Avenue” and Thorgerson’s “Wish you were here” album cover are compared, you can clearly see where crossing has received his inspiration for the piece. Crossing explains in an interview by Leah Claire Gallagher that his main influences are “the likes of storm thorgerson, with his surrealist work for some of the biggest bands in the world. I’m also really inspired by modern art, Damien hirst has produced some beautiful work during his career, the scale and size of his work is immense.”
The photograph shown to the top right depicts a rubbish dump on top of which a heavenly like statue is placed. This can show how in the modern day society with the culture of throwing old away and buying new items such as these statues which depending on the material may have been produced cheaply, can then end up in a dump. It could also be reflecting how we no longer value or respect the traditions of religion like those gone before us, therefore it has been thrown out of society as old news.
You can read the rest of this interview at: http://leahclairegallagher.wordpress. com/2013/04/16/jack-crossing-interview/
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Storm Thorgerson
Rene Magritte Thorgerson was greatly influenced from a young age by the works of Rene Magritte, whom created surrealist imagery. Thorgerson set out to create images which were real in physicality but impalpable as to how it was. He liked to create images which would provoke many interpretations, this would then encourage the viewer to give the pieces a second glance henceforth giving the bands’ album more attention. One interpretation you could make from his “wish you were here” image, seen left, is that the man on fire has just secured a highly profitable deal and therefore he feels “on fire” with how well his business is going.
upon earth inciting people with greed which then fuels the evergrowing consumerism. Therefore the fire could be symbolising him as such to the audience.
One of the leading advocates for Surrealism, he was a Belgian painter whom experimented on occasion with Fauve, Pseudo-Impressionism and Cubist-Futurist style. The majority of his work he chose to create in surrealist style and it was from his works that Thorgerson became inspired to follow the style. Magritte’s work had reoccurring subjects, such as bowler-hat topped men and floating rocks, aimed to bemuse and amuse he created his works with a sense if ambiguity. His images also became a big influence on the Pop art movement and has
been featured in a reinterpreted manner on album covers. One way in which his work influenced that of others is through his clever use of turning the ordinary into the unordinary. This was achieved through repeating elements across the image, which may be inspired through his job working on creating wallpaper designs and also through placing such objects in odd contexts. This forced viewers to analyse his work and decipher the possible symbolism behind his pieces.
Another variation to that could be that the man is in fact Satan, placed
The image on the left shows two lovers kissing while their faces are covered, therefore although they are in an intimate embrace they are restrained from carrying such out. This may be a reflection on abstinence before marriage or perhaps an unfulfilled desire.
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Michael Amzalag and Mathias Augustyniak – M/M (Paris) M/M see their book “M to M” as a catalog of their work right up to their recent work and as a platform to present language as a basis to their work.
strive to visually translate the ideas behind the fashion. They find collaborating with other creative individuals helps the flow of working.
Established in 1992 in Paris, M/M was set up by Amzalag and Augustyniak to create visuals in partnership with other artists and designers. The started out by creating record sleeve designs for musicians while gradually building up their reputation within the fashion and art community. They have now built up an eclectic portfolio of work with the likes of Vogue and high profile musicians such as Madonna and Bjork.
“we worked with a team of photographers called Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. It was a pooling of knowledge; we influenced each other.” Quote taken from the article: Interview: Get to know Mathias Augustyniak of M/M (Paris), written by Eric Waroll.
They have predominantly worked within the fashion industry and
These posters were created in collaboration with Sarah Morris to promote Morris’s film “Los Angeles”. The typography has been created in such a way that it resembles blinds within a window. This co-insides with the central theme of the city within the film. I can see they have taken an image or still of the person whom is being quoted (within the image to the right) and used that to make up the typeface displayed upon the landscape. In regards to the image on the left they have taken another image from the city, seemingly of a skyscraper’s windows – this further creates the illusion of blinds – and duplicated this while using a filter to distinguish between the two layers. The curtain blind look can give off a sense of wanting privacy in such a big brother environment, in regards to the celebrities and the paparazzi.
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Ellen Driscoll
I find Driscoll’s work particularly interesting as she depicts the very possible future struggles initiated by the hungry market for oil. This is highlighted more so by the medium in which she has created the installation piece, plastic, more accurately plastic from used milk and water bottles, 2600 of them. So not only is she bringing awareness of the affects of oil pollution on our environment, but also the shear scale to which this is happening and how it has developed over the past three centuries. Within her 3-D model piece are depictions of collapsing landscapes and deserted plastic ridden dumps.
The idea of movement is presented within this piece in the way of a sudden panic as oil spillages contaminate the land and water levels around it. There is a sense of movement in the way Driscoll has juxtaposed the black marks in an unstructured yet central manner, to represent sudden oil spillage.
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StreetGraphic / Jason Thielke http://streetgraphic.kojesolutions.com/gallery/26/ http://www.jasonthielke.com Jason Thielke “Jason Thielke observes, documents, and designs urban landscapes and their inhabitants, providing commentary on modern life. Thielke’s work is linear, layered, dynamic and multi media in nature. It encompasses both contemporary and traditional techniques much like the architectural design of today. His process of drawing, composing, and eventually transferring images to wood is parallel to the planning, deconstruction and reconstruction phases of urban gentrification.” Thielke uses mixed media to create these interesting deconstructed images. He then has used elements from the deconstructed imagery to build up a completely new image. Within the first image I get the sense that the artist may be portraying angst or anxiety, this message comes across through the high use of geometric forms across the lower and middle area of the woman’s body combined with the physical posture. This can indicate a gut feeling or anxiety within oneself. The image to the middle makes use of pre-existing materials taken out of context to create a grungy urban environment. I particularly like his use of colour and shape within the image to the far right. I like how the forms provide a t-shirt pattern of sorts while the surrounding texture gives a slight contrast to define the woman’s top while still emerging her into the canvas.
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Streetgraphic / Ross Featherstone http://streetgraphic.kojesolutions.com/gallery/56/ Ross Featherstone ross@rossfeatherstone.co.uk The works of Ross Featherstone.
I Find the first two images of particular interest. In regards to the top image I find the use of geometric form works well in creating this simulacrum to that of a block of flats, therefore emulating the city in a more simplified form. I find the mixture of photography, paper and typography creates an interest feel to the piece directly below. It has a rock album feel of a care-free and laid-back attitude. This feel to the piece is presented through the person’s body language and the colour theme employed throughout, while the overlaid elements create a grungy edgy feel.
At first glance the collage below looks as if it were a photograph taken of a run down building, but on closer inspection the image is actually made up of a combination of materials, papers and images. It works so well as one image due to the carefully chosen hue of each element and positioning upon the page as to give perspective.
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Nunzio Paci I find the forms Paci has created as seen to the left, very inspiring. Rather then focusing on the dark, inevitable cease of existence side of human life Paci rather flips this on its head and looks at the energetic, thriving to survive side of living. He portrays this and social issues through his amalgamations. He portrays within these surreal images the concept of survival and how this is a trait common with every living being. He takes that further and explores how people and animals may evolve or mutate. He states that his “whole work deals with the relationship between man and Nature, in particular with animals and plants. The focus of my observation is body with its mutations.”
In regards to the first viewpoint, this particularly sticks out in mind due to a recent article I found on a clever way to remember your passed on loved ones while helping to give back to nature. This invention named “Bios urn” enables you to have your loved ones ashes set below a tree seed, which would eventually become fertiliser for the said tree. You can then set the co-ordinates to the planted seed onto an app which keeps track of the tree’s growth and enables you to easily find your loved ones memorial.
The social issue aspects to the paintings could be interpreted as ways in which the human race may evolve to give back to nature and help heal the harm caused to the earth through man-made means. Another viewpoint could be that it is highlighting how man and animals have a common need and if we are not careful, we will wipe out certain species due to varying factors while also showing that we need to be kinder to animals.
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Streetgraphic / Claudia J Brookes http://streetgraphic.kojesolutions.com/gallery/48/ The constructed Image claudiajbrookes@yahoo.co.uk “A small collection of images that discusses and challenges the perception of photography the relationship between the photograph and painting. I create an arena to question our reliance upon the photograph as evidence of truth, opening up a dialogue between the thing itself and the representation of my impression of it, questioning photography’s role in presenting actuality and its’ ability in the manufacturing of aura.” These images are “set-up” as it were, to create a look of something which was not and to challenge that of “what you see is what you get”. Photographs are typically regarded as showing a true picture of things, when in reality photographs can be made to look a certain way. This can either be through perspective or setting up a scene. In regards to the pieces below both apply, as it appears the industrial man-made looking scenes are actually cut-out, possibly cardboard objects, which have then been placed upon a surface and photographed from a worm’s eye view. The lightening depicted within the images may have been created by shining a lamp through a surface such a paper. If you look closely you can actually tell that the source of the light is in fact coming from behind the camera and therefore being pointed towards layered up pieces of what seems to be A4 paper.
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Boo “Zen Garden” and the “Smart Highway” by Danne Roosegaarde
Most recently his concept for lit up gravel has come to fruition at the Hometown of Van Gogh – Nuenen NL(as seen directly to the left). Created in collaboration with Heijmans N.V., the path ha been designed to resemble that of Gogh’s work “Starry Night” as to commemorate next year, 125 years since Van Goghs death. A photogrpagh of this can be seen to the top right.
Inspired by the glowing properties of jellyfish, these technological creations show how nature and machine can combine in ways otherwise thought impossible. Roosegarrde calls these creations “Techno-poetry”. Roosegaarde’s ideas behind these visually exciting and engaging creations, are to both improve life and develop on what we currently use and to invest in within cities. He has identified this as nighttime lighting; Not only does this require electricity which in the future may be problematic, but also as a safety need for nighttime walkers and drivers. He has teamed up with “Bioglow”, the makers of the first “glow-in-thedark” plant, to collaborate and create this concept and hopefully realise the vision of glow in the dark street paths and/or trees. For now he has created these mood
lighting installations as seen the the lower left, these alter in sound and brightness as the passer by interacts with them. The sounds they emit are that of crickets which could possibly create a serine, relaxed environment to meditate within. This is especially true knowing the piece is inspired by that of Zen gardens.
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Films https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wINqU7H5odQ WITHOUT YOU BY TAL ROSNER Within this video the author is visualising the mixture of sounds which appear within a busy city and how the emergence of both mechanical, human and natural sounds can be missed within the merged “noise� of the city. The author composes the chopped up images and film clips in order to visualise the activity of the sounds which the soundtrack features. The visual element mainly comprises of abstract forms of colour and texture with the odd appearance of natural form here and there. Overall the film aims to show how nature and built up cities can co-exist within one another.
Koyaanisqatsi by Godfrey Reggio This film is a clever combination of ever-atmospheric music and visual film. The soundtrack alters in pace and energy in accordance with the visual films shown which sets out to envisage different emotions and create a dramatic effect.
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Roadmap
Key Words • Culture • Technology • Simulation • Mythologies • Folklore • Commercialism • Symbols • Semiotics • Environment • Virtual • Biomimicry • Amalgamations
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Primary Research - The City
H
ere you can see a varied selection of photographs I took around Huddersfield (with the exception of a few from Leeds), which I feel represents the industrial connections of the town and includes some interesting textures. While capturing the photographs for this project I kept in mind the brief and its requirements, that being to reflect the “flux� or ever evolving change within a city and I decided to do so through two visual viewpoints. The first being that of textural engagement and how the city has a variety of old worn out textures as it also does of new, such as the buildings contrasted within the upper-left corner. The second vision I had was to capture the live action change within a city, that being the physical movement seen such as traffic or the construction of buildings.
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Primary Research - The City
O
n this page you can see my photos are becoming focused upon manmade architecture and the typefaces used to advertise inform within a city, or in this case a large market town environment. There is also some deterioration present within many of the images which denotes the time to which they have been present. I noticed some semiotic symbols to which I thought would be useful to photograph and document. In particular I found this symbol(as seen to the bottom left) appear upon a few walls in Huddersfield and also some steps in Roundhay park in Leeds. I have come to the assumption that they have been imprinted upon the concrete and walls as a signature by the company and/or individual whom worked on the task.
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Primary Research - The City
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Primary Research - The City
I
began to look at how the city environment is ordered in terms of directions. I found some buildings, when viewed at particular angles create an interesting geometric crop and so captured such as these. I found one building’s(second to bottom left) exterior decoration to be very modernist in shape.
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Primary Research - The City
I
began to concentrate on capturing the textures within a city and how they create a “feel� of the city. I wanted to capture the visual feel of the city through capturing its run down and vandalised areas which create feeling of disgust, sadness and age. At the same time I began looking more at how nature appears within a city and how it possibly fuses with such. Therefore I sought out to capture images portraying such.
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Primary Research - The City
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Primary Research - The City
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Primary Research - Natural
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Idea Proposals Ideas 1: • To envisage a merge of natural and technological elements within a city environment.
Idea to combine those shown left using symbology - Possible Outcomes:
• This may contain such as genetically modified plants, structures create to imitate that of the natural Swan – Modified – Revered as a pure natural being(religious symbolism) – set within or world and advances in medical engineering to enhance or aid human kind. modify as a more technological way(nature and technology) – surrealist stylising but in a Idea 2: 21st century way. • To highlight the loss of historical, generational and spiritual value both within family artefacts/ heritage, within respecting oneself and the loss of morals or religion seen within society.
• This could be encouraged through commercialism and increased time spent interacting with technology rather then face to face communication.
Possible model/sculpture of said swan as 3-D outcome
Idea 3: • Surrealist imagery representing the hectic lifestyles seen within a city. This can branch from similes that are said, such as cars as sharks.
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Idea Proposals - Thumbnails
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Swans, Their Symbolism and Use Within Graphic Design Brands who use the Swan as their icon:
Considered as a symbol of renewal, innocence, spiritual connections and pure everlasting love, the swan is a potent symbol.
Swan Vestas Swarovski Swan – designed for life Stabilo/Schwan-Stabilo Electric Swan – hard/psych rock band
Other meanings that can be derived from the swan is that of movement and fluidity as it glides upon the water it resides. Out of the Aristotelian elements the swan covers most, it has access to air, water and earth so can be envisaged on either of these. They are also a symbol of our more dream like thoughts therefore becoming mythical in a sense, while also appearing in many mythologies themselves. In dreams seeing a swan can be a guide to “take flight” as it were and perhaps explore new territory. In regards to colour swans which are white are regarded as pure and cleansing whereas black swans can be a sign of mystery.
Brand references:
Within Celtic mythology it is said that those whom have passed away may take the form of a swan as to visit our world though can only do so as a pair. They are also regarded as sacred to the sun and can be seen adorning silver and/or gold chains within some Celtic art, this is possibly symbolising their connection with the renewal of the day as the sun sets and the moon rises. Gold represents the sun as silver represents the moon.
http://www.stabilo.com/com/faq/question/42/ about-the-company/why-is-stabilo-calledstabilo http://buttes-chaumont.blogspot. co.uk/2007/08/swan-vestas-smokers-match. html http://www.houseofswan.com/heritage http://www.swan-brand.co.uk/our-history/ http://www.swarovski.com/Web_GB/en/ magazine?contentid=10007.228858
Furthermore various stories have been told of gods transforming into this animal in order to get closer to the other gods whom they have affection towards. By having this connection to transformation between gods and the swans form they can be closely compared to humans in a symbolic respect. Highlighted within the tale of the ugly duckling the Swan also has reference to that of inner beauty and how we can be beautiful within even though the appearance may be not so at first sight. It is referring to that of the beauty of the soul. “Swan gracefully glide through the water leaving hardly a ripple behind. Their natural, effortless beauty reminds us to move gently through the currents of life and not fight against them. “ – quoted shamanicjourney.com In regards to religion the Swan is said to be a messenger of faith within that of the Native Americans’ Lakota/Dakota religion. Not well known for their song the Swan’s was said to be “the most beautiful song the bird had ever sung” and only heard on the passing of a persons death. – Sourced from Pure-Spirit.com
http://www.electricswan.it
Symbolism References: http://www.whats-your-sign.com/swan-meaning-and-symbolism.html http://www.unc.edu/celtic/catalogue/feathers/ http://www.shamanicjourney.com/article/6089/swan-power-animal-symbol-of-inner-grace-balance-commitment http://www.pure-spirit.com/more-animal-symbolism/252-pure-spirit-minneapolis-st-paul-dog-training-andinternational-all-species-animal-communication-swan Page 26
Swan Vestas
Stabilo/Schwan-Stabilo The Brand’s name originates from part of the founders’ family name of “Schwan” which translates into Swan. Particularly of relevance was the swan icon when they began to produce the a new thing-lead pencil which was designed to last for as long as needed, if not longer. This ties in with the swan’s symbology of unity and strength. Meanwhile the black, white and red colour scheme co-insides with the modernist movement occurring at the time the company set up.
The poster advertisement displayed left could be compared to the tales in which the swan would sing to an instrument of music, almost suggesting that the matches shown are lyrical. This is suggested through the way in which the swan is reaching its head to the forefront of the boxes. “The swan was often pictured singing to a lyre in Greek tradition.” Quoted from - http:// www.shamanicjourney.com/ article/6089/swan-power-animal-
symbol-of-inner-grace-balancecommitment Starting off in 1883 and being herald as “Britains best selling match” in the 1930s, Swan Vestas are a well-known and loved product within the UK and their graphic elements are the same. Throughout the years the design of the packaging has only altered design by slight differences. When it has been altered this will have been to “update” the packaging and bring about a new fresh feel to the product to entice more buyers.
Swan Advertisement – 1928 – Cassell Magazine - http:// buttes-chaumont.blogspot.co.uk/2007/08/swan-vestassmokers-match.html Small Logos - http://www.stabilo.com/com/faq/ question/42/about-the-company/why-is-stabilo-calledstabilo
Apart from them being a Hard Rock/Psych Rock band I can’t find much information regarding Electric Swan, at least not as a brand. However from their 70’s influence with psychedelic music it is clear to see this has influence their emblem design. As you can see the swan is reaching out with tentacle like protrusions which are unlike to swans though the graceful slim line curved shaping remains. With them being named “Electric Swan” you could say the “arms” extending from the animal are that of electric currents,
Below is a photograph of a remarkable clockwork automaton depicting a silver swan. The use of silver within the piece may dictate the setting as being on an evening or late night, at one time the animatronic featured a waterfall behind the swan, though over time this was lost. The silver element to the piece may also be to further emulate that of movement reflected within the glass “stream”.
spreading the music’s wavelength. Lastly the connection between Swans and glorious tranquil music which is said to be able to send one into a blissful sleep may be another reason as for choosing the swan as their symbol. Though saying that the element of sleeping is likely less so a reason as opposed to the beauty of the song, which is said to be heard only at the point of someone’s death.
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Swan Electrics and Swarovski The domestic product brand “Swan” has seen its ups and downs. They began in the early 20th century with Bulpitt & Sons Ltd, to be taken over in the 1970’s by BSR only to be dissolved while under Moulinex in 1989. With a rough 100 year life span the brand was dormant until recently when some original Swan employees decided to resurrect the brand. While re-establishing the brand they gave it a new lease of life in the form of a new logo which can be seen to the direct left.
Swarovski’s interpretation of the swan is elegant in the way they have created a gradient effect upon its wing, signifying graceful movement. The symbolisation or purity connected with swans works well for this brands model with it specializing in precisioncut crystals. “A true icon of the brand, this beautiful creation showcases Swarovski’s exceptional craftsmanship. It perfectly captures the grace and elegance of the swan and enchants with its feminine silhouette. The mix of faceted and smooth clear crystal creates a truly exceptional shine. The popular design is now offered in this attractive medium size.” – As quoted from the decoration’s description.
The older logo, seen directly above has a much more geometric feel to it, almost confiding the swan within this square based context through the use of typography and form. However the icon does have an element of fluid form in regards to its wing shape and neck resemblance therefore keeping the symbol recognisable. The new logo however is a lot more streamline and circular, this produces the notion of fluidity more so then its previous design.
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Gareth Procter
On this page are images displaying a simple idea but one that is very effective. I brings across the feel of the brand and its name. I notice how the designer has chosen white, silver and a light beige varyingly(dependant on the background colour) to present the brand’s name this, especially so with the white and silver variations creates a sense of beauty and pristine shine. The use of typeface is the major element to this design and is crucial in order to create an answer which works. The Sans Serif font he has chosen works nicely to produce what resembles a swan’s neck and head while still being clear as to the letter it represents.
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Further Ideas - Experimentation Ideas • Footsteps faded into ground. • Coffee stained napkin – shape of swan revealed - Present the ever expanding demand for working hours over sleeping hours through caffeine consumption. This would reflect the busy lives taking place in cities and elsewhere. • Leaves used to create pattern of swan. • The word value. • Swan moving through rubbish filled lake - present the issue of animals demise through city construction and takeover of land. • Silhouette of swan – possibly through rust or stains. • Tipp-ex used to create swan.
Below is a mind-map I created in order to identify areas in which I wanted to take my experimentation. To the left is a further list of experimental ideas.
• Personality flux – the flux and uncertainty in life – through social perceptions we change ourselves.
Abstract interpretation
Observational drawing
Rubbing
Mark-Making Use of negative space
Figure-Ground
Cut-out
Origami Swan out of leaves
Experiment/ medium ideas & further visual prompts
Collage
Technology and modern lifestyles
Stamp Lino Printing Sketch
Footprint..tyres
Crops
Dip pen illustration
Reflection of swan inspired by Salvadore Dali
Montage Typographic The city that never sleeps
Wires/Signals suggestive imagery
Communicatio n
Hat
Internet
made to look "Perfect" Sexual connotations
Altered DNA or altered/ modified body
Wearable Garment The "Ideal"
Loss of self through idealistic expectations
Imitation lake for the swans to reside upon
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Experimentation - Collage I saw this building (shown left) in Huddersfield and found the geometric design to the building to be inspirational. Nearby I saw the below rectangular bricked wall which in the image shown has a visible sense of decay. From viewing these architectural designs I decided that I would at some point add an element of geometric design into my experimentation. This can be seen within my collages shown right and also that of my screen printing.
I decided to go to the second hand market and while I was there looked at what vintage memorabilia there was which I could possibly use to aid my design work. Following this I bought a selection of postcards, a map, and an old empty cookbook. I found some appealing designs on the postcards and had liked how the handwriting which had been written on the cards was beautiful calligraphic. One item I came across was that of a postcard filled with collectable Swan stamps, I proceeded to use this within some of my designs.
Collection of items I purchased at the second hand market.
The above collages were created using packaging material which I had handy and my aim behind creating a collage out of these material was to represent the impact of commercialisation and globalization on the earth and its rainforests. Within the first collage(top), I wanted to depict the city as a dangerous and threatening foe against nature. However due to the naivety of this collage attempt, it looked too much like that of a rubbish bin’s contents and so I incorporated little tag lines as indicators to the piece’s context. If I were to recreate these collages I would take a much more methodical approach in terms of planning and work out a solid message to communicate, whereas here I created the narrative as I went, as the ideas came to mind. For the second collage(bottom row) I had the idea of displaying how every gift, letter and communication we send and receive today, becomes documented through bar-codes and electronic systems.
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Experimentation - Collage and Photo Montage I created the following collages as a more considered approach compared to those shown previously. i used mixtures of new and old material with varying textures and ensured to incorporate semiotics in the forms of signs into my collages. This is because cities are scattered with signs, they tell you to cross the road, inform drivers, provide directions and promote events using posters. Creating Collage in this way was suggested by my tutor and throughout the project I found it difficult to see how they can be relevant within my project. My reason for not seeing how they related was due to my chosen topic regarding the city, which was how the city affects its inhabitants in terms of moral standards. However, looking back on these they could be used as a textural and compositional way in which to interpret the city and its architecture, especially combined with the use of type and signs. I later scanned these into the computer and then using the material I bought from the second hand market, made a montage of the different textures and elements. These collage and image montages can be seen below. I feel the overlapping of the postcard handwriting paired with the map, creates an interesting overload of information look to the piece.
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Experimentation - Collage and Photo Montage
Above are a couple of crops which I created from the collage and scans of memorabilia. In particular reference to the image on the right-hand side, the conflation between the signs and type give off a computer like trail of information.
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Experimentation - Textures, Photo-montage and Icons
Final version of rust bark experimentation.
One experimental photo montage I devised was that depicting a tree, but with rust appearing as the bark and therefore linking it into the city’s architecture. The final image is shown on the far right, whereas the first two show the variations in effect I could achieve. I found this gave a surprisingly convincing natural look to the tree, although its image was untrue. I took this technique of combining nature with man-made in further photo-montage pieces, such as one demonstrated later in this document which uses the image of a Swan. The images shown to the bottom right display the leaves I collected in order to create a print which was hoped to resemble a swan. However, I feel the print was too obscure to use and therefore left this idea. Also using the leaves as a medium to print with proved more difficult than imagined and therefore it was a one use test.
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Experimentation - Textures and Icons
I decided to experiment with creating different grunge like textures which would represent the wear and tear which can be visible within a city. I decided to use the old method of using hot teabags to create these “stained� colours. I decided to experiment with how other types of tea, such as camomile would look as a colourant(seen third across) as to get a range of textural material. As demonstrated in my screen printing experiments I aimed to create a geometric simplified swan. I wanted to re-interpret the Swan as a symbol and attach negative, degraded ideology to the character. In the middle image you can see my initial attempt at creating a geometric swan, though these sketches are just initial ideas.
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Experimentation - Lino Printing
Following on from my previous experiments I continued in the same aim but using different mediums and techniques. Here I have taken the photograph of the swan, printed it out, traced it up and then traced it down onto the lino before carving the impression. Something that is important to remember when using lino printing is that any image you carve will print backwards. This is called relief printing and this is one of a few ways in which to carry out relief printing. Due to architecture, predominately modernist architecture featuring geometric shapes I decided to create an abstract “wing” to print from. I also wanted to depict the busy streets within a city and how there are many “hidden” invisible footprints left behind by the busy bustle of the city. To create this latter experiment I simply took my old shoes and created a relief print from them using Encre lino block printing ink.
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Experimentation - Screen Printing
You can see the process I went through during the screen printing workshop, from pencil drawing to final print within these images.
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Development I decided to use not only the prints from the workshop but also the stencils which were used to create the prints. This was to further create a sense of geometry within the digital collages. I felt the bursts of block colour would bring a sense of confusion and bemusement when merged against the neat sketching and prints. I experimented using the original colours and then began to alter the hue of the overall image to an off-lilac/blue. This was to denote royalty which reflects the idealisation of the Swan but with a sense of grief and/or sadness at the loss of character. The third image (bottom-left) has a brick-like pale burgundy to brown hue, this is to reflect the ever increasing architecture within a city as it develops and grows. Last but not least is the image to the bottom right, here I have extensively experimented with different layer blend modes as to see the possible outcomes and I found this outcome, a bright neon red against pale grey to be of most value. I say this as the city is typically grey with buildings and especially so with modern day concrete and glass buildings, however these are lit up spectacularly at night and typically has a proportion set in bright neon.
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Experimentation & Development - Photo-montage and Icons To the top of this page you can see I have used live-trace in Illustrator to see what effect this had upon the Swan. I decided I would take this further and trace the swan myself but as an outline alone. This was so that I could create what you can see in the third image. What I have done here is used the outline of the swan and multiplied it before lowering its opacity as to give a multi-expose effect. My purpose for doing such was to visualise the swans grace falling into a sunken disgrace, however I felt the idea was too vague as to bring across its intention. In the below images I have composed together an image of the swan with that of a worn at wall which has its paint deteriorating. I juxtaposed the swan above this and to my delight found that the curvature of the swans neck fitting well with the shaping of the decaying paint.
I applied various means of manipulation to the piece including but not limited to levels, overlays and the hue/saturation tool. In order to ignite a dreary, sad affliction within the viewer I applied a further texture of some ripped corrugated cardboard and set the Hue to a soft blue tone. This was my way of using colour theory to bring the characteristics I have applied to the swan into a device which shares its emotion.
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Development
To further extenuate on the theme of confusion and loss of interpretation in a world which is highly saturated in messages, I translated this within the screen printing montage by creating this “noise� appearing upon the image, therefore interrupting the audiences senses and engagement with the piece. I would this soft, earth toned burgundy as to display a sense of anger through the use of reds while incorporating a subtle hint of unknown through a tinge of orange as to bring forward the construction element to a city combined with confusion and dismay.
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Experimentation & Development
In order to further the association of the icon with the environment it resides, I took the decision to experiment with double exposure style photography. In this way I was able to incorporate decaying textures with that of the swan, this attains a connotation of aging and depreciation. To further its attachment to an emotional and living state I incorporated colour theory into my developments of such. In the first colourisation experiment(seen to the far right) I am merely just testing its technical and aesthetic value to the concept.
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Development
I had an idea of bringing across the pressures we face in the modern day, typically within busy cities. The issues of demand for long working hours and therefore producing lack of sleep and further demand for coffee. I decided to display this through the use of a used and stained napkin. In this particular case I have used one of Subway’s napkins and aimed to have visible a portion of the text as to deliver recognisable connotation to lunch-time breaks, though I felt in a few of these this may be difficult in terms of copyright. This is because the company may not want their logo used in such a manner, especially if it is particularly pointing them out. Therefore I removed the subway logo gradually and ended up entirely doing so. However, I feel this was distracting from the aim of the brief of reflecting the image of a city. Therefore I went onto further development for alternative images.
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Development
I took the images from my collaging process and also from my relief printing and merged the two. I felt on their own they were arbitrary and so needed further elements to visualise the aims for the outcome. I aimed to enhance the prints affect as an icon and as seen above gradually develop the personality to co-inside with its backdrop. I feel the first experiment(shown top left) using green to symbolise money in a world of commodity, failed to represent its concept clearly. I believe this is due to the vignette and bright green which I used, as this was odd in comparison to the surrounding colours. However, I took this and developed it into the next image. I decided to take two colours that were apparent within the backdrop and create an overlap with the swan to present a duel personality. I chose the colours red and yellow from the McDonald’s receipt as this presents hunger for commercialisation, as well as a sense of self-gratification. Using the same colour palette works well with this example as it creates a unified image as oppose to the previous example.
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Development
I reviewed the photographs I captured throughout Huddersfield for this project and came across this photo of an alley way. At the time it was taken the light shone across the alley in an interesting manner as to light up the left hand side wall, the darkness present in the photo maintains the dark and depressed atmosphere that alleyways typically present. With discussion from a friend about the project I imported the geometric swan into the photo and laid it against the wall, almost as if it had been painted onto the wall. The swan on its own was evidently not bringing the message across the message, so therefore I considered how I described the concept to my friend and then created a few tag-lines to incorporate within the piece. I aligned the text with the brick layers of the wall, almost as if it were a lined page within a book. As mentioned previously and can be seen in later developments I have once again implemented use of colour theory as to achieve an emotional response. I feel the subtle red tone applied to the second image gives a sense of insecurity, as red is a colour associated with warnings after all. Whereas although I have aimed for a melancholy effect through using the dark blue, it has in fact created more a sombre feel. Between these examples I feel the upper right has the nearest success. Page 44
Development
In the top left image you can see I have developed on those shown previously. My idea for removing the swans head was to bring across the sense of disembodiment of traditional values, therefore this is reflected by dismembering the swan. However, I feel the piece becomes disconnected from its message through this as due to the dismember of the Swan’s head, it no longer looks recognisable as such. I moved on to look at placing my multi-exposure icon upon the map. I chose to include a map as to represent the city through the interconnecting routes. This would then in theory, reflect not only the personality of the swan but also the city it resides.
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Development
In the above far left image you can see I have extenuated the stained effects upon the napkin and set it to a sepia shade as to introduce a sense of nostalgic reflection. Following on from my images regarding the Swan in the alleyway, I combined the image of a bin, which with a bin being the subject matter gives a sense of “trash� life and degradation on its own; with that of a corrugated concrete wall. This gives the image further texture and almost a grid structure with combining such. I then placed the head lowering swan upon this and as to ensure it looked unified I took to manipulate the image to appear as though it had been spray painted upon the bin. I achieved this through experimenting with blend modes, changing the opacity of the layer and most importantly using the smudge, blue and sponge tools to soften the edges while creating a drip like effect.
indicates a link with nature and the coffee/tea industry. However, I feel the piece isn’t very clear in message just due to seemingly randomness to the components. Finally I added further texture to the earlier painted wall image. I ensured the corrugated texture became more apparent and therefore give out more of a rough texture. I also further tweaked the Hue to the piece.
For the third image across I laid the lino print icon over a scanned used teabag. My idea for using teabags within the imagery is the same as that for the Subway napkins and in order to avoid causing tension with Subway I covered their logo, with the exception of a leaf, with the teabag. This
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Development
Here we have further developments in regards to the alleyway depiction of the iconography. To the bottom right is the previous collaged and printed montage and here I have further added texture using my tea stained papers. I think this piece came out quite well in terms of aesthetic appearance, though perhaps loses its message with the extra texture. My reason for saying this is because with the amount of different elements, type and textures featured within this the viewer may be at a loss as to its most important elements, whereas in the previous example the swan matched the colour scheme to the receipts. However, on the other hand it also dictates as sense of reflection on past actions, i.e. past purchases.
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Chosen Idea Path and Outcome Proposal Initially after speaking about my ideas in the study groups I had decided to incorporate all three ideas into one outcome. However, as my project and outcomes progressed it became clear they were moving towards a single idea in particular, that being of a societal reflection of the city.
Due to the amount of time I spent on experimentation I initially overlooked who my audience would be and the final outcome to which they would view the images. After reflecting upon my previous mind-maps and ideas I thought about what sort of outcome would be effective and engaging.
Idea 2:
Initially I had considered creating a poster series and that I would create a montage similar to that of M/M Paris though our tutor advised us to think outside the box and choose an idea which would be less predictable and therefore give the piece originality. After finding Ellen Driscoll’s work I considered creating a 3-D sculpture form of the Swan, though as the project developed this option was phased out due to the nature of the material I was creating. Finally I decided upon creating a booklet out of the images. Following on from asking my peers and friends their interpretation of my imagery, it became clear the idea was too vague and therefore became lost on the viewer. Due to this I decided the best course of action was through creating what I like to call “Taglines”, these are short summaries surrounding the concept and idea behind the images meanings. This would aid the booklet efforts and ensure the audience has both a visceral and literacy device to gather their own interpretations from.
• To highlight the loss of historical, generational and spiritual value both within family artefacts/heritage, within respecting oneself and the loss of morals or religion seen within society. • This could be encouraged through commercialism and increased time spent interacting with technology rather then face to face communication.
I considered my audience and who they may be, who I want to connect with to share my message. I wanted to create a piece which would be suitable for all, whether they be young or old and therefore I chose a design option which would be contemporary in approach but also have a clear, precise, high-brow form of communicating. Although I have chosen to aim the piece at a wide audience, this would not include that of young children or young teens. My reason for this is due to the age range the message relates to as well as the depth of thought and knowledge of the world it requires in order to read the semiotics of the piece. In terms of social differentiation I am aiming the piece at the working and middle class as it is these social groups particularly that of the working class, that are most targeted by mass-produced products and services. Another area which I would aim to influence with the booklet is that of the politically involved. This is because the issues it raises are social and moral concerns and therefore could be discussed in local councils as to work on improving community interaction and encourage positive and healthy morals. Audience and Outcome Idea Mind-map.
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Final Outcome Inspiration - Further Research Following on from my decision to incorporate the images into a booklet, I began to look at different designs and how other designers how placed type with image. I wanted to keep the main focus upon the images while still bringing some attention to the accompanying text. The postcard design to the left I like due to into simplistic use of text and consistency in colour saturation. At first I had thought the front cover main body text was laser-cut from the front due to its colour match with the below page. However, I now have realised this is in fact an embossed metallic material chosen at a colour to match. The below booklet In particular I find inspiring for my own design. I notice they have a two page spread with a messy swirling pattern, though while keeping in with the colour theme running across. In particular I like how they have set the text in contrast with the image. The use of sansserif keeps the text from distracting against viewing the image, while the image as seen on the last page, has a clean simplistic border to guide the eye.
Again I find the careful consideration of the colour theme to be very affective in the image to the left. Their geometric arrangement of text and alignment to the grid also aids the hierarchy and visual appeal to the piece. I have also noticed that they have stuck to using just white and black in addition to the bright neon blue and pink. This helps to ensure that the page doesn’t become too busy and ensure clear easy reading. In regards to the bottom right image I find the use of big headers contrasted with considerably smaller body text to create an interesting contrast while using mute colours to tie in with the images content.
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Final Outcome Inspiration - Further Research The booklet shown to the left I find inspiring due to the combination of materials used and laser-cut pages overlapping the images. I think this could be a clear way to incorporate the messages into the image, it would be such as way as to have the message “hidden” in theory. I say “hidden” as the message wouldn’t be directly readable within the image until the text was placed on top, therefore revealing the message while using the image to create the letter-forms. However, my aim for the booklet is to ensure the images are the feature point.
visual attraction. Furthermore I find the idea of using an inset to incorporate the text an interesting one which requires the viewer to physically as well as mentally interact with such when viewing the image rather then the text.
The book cover shown below has a simplistic but effective design. The ambiguity of the circle inviting the viewer to explore its contents, while the contrasting metallic background creates I find the use of typography as image within the booklet to the right creates an interesting contrast from the pages which feature illustration and in particular with this design I find the use of serif font to work well with the detailed imagery it accompanies. The use of the serif font creates an upmarket feel therefore also attributing a higher sense of value to piece.
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Final Outcome Inspiration - Further Research This design uses just black and white as its colours of choice and by doing so concentrates on the content. I like the white border placed around the images as this brings the images to the viewers attention. The centre aligned test against the photos creates a centred sense of spacial awareness. I find the use of letter form as the headers to be visually interesting due to their removal of the bottom half horizontally. They have however ensured the letterforms can still be read, this is through ensuring that enough of the letter-form is viable as to be legible.
The two images shown to this side of the page display the “Bean Brothers� business leaflet. This leaflet design is effective due to their appreciation of white space and has a clean sophisticated yet friendly look due to the soft curved sans serif used within the document. As mentioned previously with the other examples, I find the use of a few select colours to be an effective tool.
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Development - With Type As a little change from the previous images, I decided to see if I could create a man-made, industrial looking swan, within a natural setting. I decided to look into and learn how to create double exposure imagery. However I feel the attempt at such with the below using three separate images is poor and remains amateur. Due to this I have learnt that for more ambitious multi-exposure pieces I need to practise the technique further before being able to employ it to a high standard. I also found such an abundance of natural features, especially so within the backdrop took away entirely from the message I intended. Due to this I abandoned this experiment and continued on those worked on previously. To the right you can see I have selected Futura Medium as the typeface of choice in Italic. I chose this typeface as due to its geometric nature it reflects well the feel of a city and after learning about the modernism movement this is clear more-so due to its origins within modernism. I selected white as its colour to contrast against the darker texture seen at the bottom of the image. Furthermore I set the text in italic as I felt this would reflect the fragile nature of the decaying paint in the image.
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Development - With Type In the below images you can see I have looked at introducing type to the image and I have considered the form of the type while doing so. For these examples I have used Myriad Pro Bold and also Semi-Bold as I felt using a sans-serif which have a thick width would best co-inside with the use of rectangular forms present within the piece. The first image(from left to right) has the most effective result, this is due to the coherence in opacity between the swan and the text in contrast with the background image. The second is better in terms of having a greater sense of deprivation through the alteration of levels within the piece, however the wall layer is too bright in contrast which gives off a look of misplacement. Last but not least the third image across is a larger version of the previous two and as can be seen when compared against the previous two, the first image is more focused in terms of visual hierarchy and therefore is more effective. However, the third image has more space for the eye to wander and gives the text room to breathe, this required further development as seen on the next page.
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Development - With Type
I feel this image works well in terms of working to a grid system, as I placed the text within the rectangular markings. However as a whole I feel it would work better as a crop, though not cropped as tightly as those seen on the previously page as the text still requires a sense of space.
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Refinement - Final Outcome Options - Imagery
I narrowed down my imagery to those seen on this page and the next. I then proceeded to further select a set of four images from these, to include within the booklet.
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Refinement - Final Outcome Options - Imagery
I created three variants of the tea stained image as to see how the different interpretations of the Swan icon would work with the image.
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Refinement - Final Outcome - Chosen Imagery
I selected the first four images shown for the content and the latter image I chose as a cover image. I chose this piece for the cover as I felt it gave a nice reflection of the deteriorated rendition of the city, in which I portray throughout the booklet. Although the “hidden� wall Swan image was one of my first initial experiments within digital montage for this project, I feel this is one of the strongest pieces created, along with that of my alleyway icon. I placed al images in my booklet as portrait, with the exception of the alleyway image. This was because although it is landscape it would lose its charm when cropped down to a portrait.
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Grid Layout - Thumbnails
I started my booklet designs by creating these thumbnails to quickly sketch out my ideas. This enabled me to judge whether they would work before putting them together in InDesign. Using thumbnails is a really useful tool for designers and is used often within the design industry as to give the client a basic idea of how you understand a project. It is also useful to show them how you believe they would like it to be visualised and in this way you can quickly produce a variety of different possible outcomes without spending too much time on the initial idea stage. This enables you to effectively produce and deliver an outcome that the client is happy with.
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Refinement - Final Outcome Options - Grid Layout
I decided to set the booklet sizing to A5, I chose A5 as I felt it should be pocket sized at first, however I then realised it would be difficult to incorporate the text at a size all can read from. Furthermore being A5 the images within the booklet would be an ideal size to be taken out of the booklet and hence used as a miniposter. This gives the audience a further use for the booklet, the first being thought-provoking and inspirational and secondly as an album or pull-out poster book. After setting up the margins and bleed for my document, I designated by eye two areas in which the title and page numbers will be placed. Lastly as the majority of the document will require white space and solid images, rather then assigned columns to the pages, I split the page up into four sections. This was to gauge the spacing when placing items upon the page.
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Refinement - Final Outcome Options - Type
Here I have considered whether to use serif or sans serif type as well as considering the width and the type options for the author credits. I have looked at how they work with the icon. From the selection shown I feel the second to last image is most appropriate. This is due to its thick width sizing which matching that of the Swan’s image. However, I felt the image itself was too fragmented for the front cover in comparison with its backdrop. However, looking at it now I believe that if the swan was re-drawn in illustrator by tracing over the key features manually rather then using live-trace, that it would have more of a crisp finished look.
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Refinement - Final Outcome Options - Layout
I experimented with what I could include on the initial first few pages. I looked at the title, author and the possibility of including a mini intro to the project. I decided having an introduction would be arbitrary due to the messages included throughout.
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Refinement - Final Outcome Options - Title Typeface
The Social Decline - Portmanteau Regular
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Prototype - Rough Home Printed Test While in the refinement process I decided to print out the booklet at just under A6 sizing as a tester. I then used glue-stick to initially stick the pages together and sewed up the spine. I must admit this is a very amateur attempt at such and as a result isn’t the most appealing piece. However, it served its purpose as a tester booklet in terms of enabling me to see how the booklet printed, the images appeared on paper and how the type worked with the image. Before adding the images to the document, I must say that I had ensured all images were converted if not originally at CMYK as to ensure the very best printing quality. It was from reviewing the booklet in this way with my tutor that it became clear, the type being set in Italics wasn’t working. Instead the italic type was directing the eye to be read as more important, rather then accompanying the image. Also I had set one image to be square within the middle of its page, this lead to the text overtaking the image further.
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Refinement - Final Layout
I decided to use one of my texture images as the background to my front and back cover. I chose to use a textured backdrop as I felt the deteriorated grunge like appearance would best reflect the tone to the content’s message. In keeping with this I searched for a font which would work with the cover. I found the font used here, called Portmanteau Regular as the de-fragmentation of the font fitted the feel I required. As inspired by my research I took a minimalistic approach to the page layout. At first I had used Futura PT Book in Italics, though after creating a prototype of the book it became apparent that it overtook the image and therefore required a regular font instead. I feel the italic type worked within the double-page spread due to the size of the image in contrast with the Quote. However I was aiming for a unified look as without that it would be mismatched. Due to this I set all quote type to Futura PT Book in Regular.
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Refinement - Final Outcome Options - Typeface Options I chose Futura PT Book as my main body test due to its clean sans serif cut and the sharp crisp edges. With the curved letters being soft in approach this helped keep a friendly tone towards the reader also. I used Minion Pro for my page number and credit text. I found this font has a professional concise look due to its serifs which are similar to Times New Roman. I decided a more formal looking typeface was needed for this part of the copy as it was to inform of the book’s production rather then the content.
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Final Outcome
From left to right: Front cover, pages 6 to 7 of the booklet.
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Final Outcome - Evaluation
How did you find it? I found it interesting to start with though found myself getting caught up in the research element of the project. I would have liked to have spent a bit more time on refining the outcome as I would have liked to experiment with different materials in which I was printing upon. Also, as mentioned below I would like to have created a few of my initial cover designs before sticking to one. I found the experimenting process to start off with slow, though once I had become focused on an idea I pushed this forward into the different printing experiments seen throughout this document. Although I had developed the look of the photographs I had taken around Huddersfield, I would have liked to have experimented with a wider variety of photo manipulation techniques, particularly in the style of M/M & Paris. In regards to the final images, I first tested their effectiveness in terms of how they spoke to the viewer by asking my peers, family and friends what they imagined the images to be relating to. It became clear my images were too vague in message and therefore I added what I have called in this document “taglines”, short paragraphs describing the concept and ideas behind the imagery. Did you achieve what you set out to accomplish? Yes, though not to the standard I would have liked. I am pleased with how the images turned out in terms of their compositional elements as I feel the Swan looks fitted to its surrounding, even when out of place. The main element I would like to change is that of the paper used to print on as I feel the images reflect too much light on the standard paper and would therefore prefer a recycled paper perhaps. A paper that is an earth tone would possibly have been interesting to use, although it would have altered the background colouration. Further to this I would have liked the booklet to have a more textured feel to it in terms of its physical attributes and so this is reflected in my above comments. What would I change? In regards to the cover of my booklet, on reflection and after conversation with my tutor I feel I was wrong in choosing the design I did, as although it may reflect the message it doesn’t reflect the composition of the message. This is particularly obvious when viewing my sources of inspiration and how they are consistent throughout in terms of colour and style. Therefore If I were to develop this element to the piece I would go back to using the Lino-cut Swan as the front cover’s image, though I would of re-drawn this using the pen tool on Illustrator and then sent it to the laser-cutter to create a more fragile and delicate presentation to the booklet. Using such a delicate cover would have reflected the overall design of the booklet and also that of the deteriorating social constructs in which I was representing as a causal effect of city life.
Final piece shown above after printing.
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City In Flux Nicole H.D.W. Sinclair University Of Huddersfield Š 2014