by Peter M. Pekalski
Blue Flame Artistry
DAVID LACHAPELLE
Most
recognized for his surreal style, the expressionist genius David LaChapelle
incorporates satirical humor, sex, meaning, and stunning visual elements in each of his projects. LaChapelle makes it clear just how non-existant the line that divides the taboo from the artistic really is. Having exploded onto the design scene in the 90’s, hundreds of projects later LaChapelle a director/photographer of sorts has retained a reputation as one of the most innovative and provocative designers of the digital age.
With
the desire to create, David LaChapelle began his studies at the North Carolina School of the Arts.
Afterwards LaChapelle continued on to New York City where the young designer not only studied at S.V.A. (the School of Visual Arts) but also worked in the infamous Studio 54.
Through a chance encounter, LaChapelle landed his first job after meeting the iconic Andy Warhol. The up and coming artist of the 80’s was highered as a photographer for some of the most recognizable magazines, gaining momentum with time. LaChapelle’s vibrant use of saturated colors and mis’en scene make his compositions aesthetically paralyzing.
Inspiration
can come from any and everything. Religion, activism, morality, bondage,
pop-art, and even watermelon have inspired the creative flow of David LaChapelle. His unique style and obsession to play with the boundaries of art makes his expertise desired by celebrities and media outlets alike. (for more information on David LaChapelle visit www.lachapellestudio.com & www.davidlachapelle.com)
Motion Graphics
have become an integral part of our viewing experience. Though most times it
goes without recognition, MotionGraphics such as title sequences, intro’s, commercials, and everything between, give us information no matter how trivial it maybe. These kinetic designs not only provide a pracitcal use, but are also intended for an aesthetic purpose. In much of the movies of the past 30 years, Visual Effects and Motion Graphics have increasingly played more of an important role. As seen below, Stranger Than Fiction impliments the kinetic technique of Motion Graphics as a way to emphasize key features crucial to the story. The protagonist of the film is obsessive compulsive and through the use of dynamic Motion Graphics, the auience can share the overwhelming sensation of counting and observing.
Imaginary Forces
is a Visual Effects, Motion Graphic, and Design Production Company
that has been part of some of the most innovative and recognizable Motion Graphic peaces. Showtime’s new series, Nurse Jackie is one of the most recent designs projects from Imaginary Forces. The black comedy about a veteran nurse with an addiction to pain medication looked to Imaginary Forces for an intro to the show. From the stills below you gather the most detailed information about Edie Falcos character.
Imaginary Forces was also responsible for a rather impressive Combic Book themed Target comerical starring Christina Aguilera. The Target logo’s littered the background replicating the halftones of the classic comics. The overall fluid movement, and kinetic Type was brilliantly choreographed. The desaturation contrasting the continuous vivacious Target red gave just a moment of relaxation, only to then bring back the vibrant saturations. (To view this video click here, or visit Imaginary Forces base site www.imaginaryforces.com)
is one
of the key elements of design. Typography, which includes fonts, their colors, and typefaces is one of the least acknowledged, yet most significant aspects of Graphic Design. Most people take the design process for granted, but as any designer can tell you, hours or days can be spent experimenting with a composition’s placement or colors, tweaking it in the hopes of perfection. Type is far from excluded from the design process. It may appear unnoticed, but like colortheory, the basics are present in everyone’s subconcious. Advertisments, Newspapers, Motiongraphics, Product Branding and packaging, even signs for public transport are all the result of a designers eperimentation. If you take the time to consider the products you preffer, or even the food or beverages you consume, how does the logo or Type appeal to you? Even if you do not prefer fast food, McDonalds packaging wrapers make it easy to examine Typography. The food targeted toward adults have a font similar to cursive writing, the food targeted toward teenagers are written in a more urban or grunge font, and even the food targeted toward children exemplifies this. Writen with rounded bubble letters, in a variety of colors, the Type is clearly meant to catch the eye of a child. The world of Typography is a vast one, and like Alice, it is incredibly easy to find yourself lost down the rabit hole.
TYPOGRAPHY
Communication
The many attributes a single typface can have are astounding to new designers. As illustrated to the right, the basic branches in Typography are Serif and Sans-Serif. Typefaces like Times New Roman are considered Serif, whereas those more like Arial are considered Sans-Serif. The Serif refers to the “hook” or “point” extruding from the characters. Like-wise Sans-Serif means “lacking serif”, refering to the smooth rounded look of the characters. Though each Typeface illicits it’s own texture, the two classifications do so in a general sense. Similar to the status one assumes by using a mac being that of artsitic and creative, Sans-Serif Type is often meant for a relaxed, welcoming feeling. Serif Type however, like the PC, is meant for business. Serif fonts originated for titles and urgencies, and is often used as so. The individual characters have segmented anatomy’s of their own. The Stem of the L, the Cap Height of the B, the Stroke of the N, and even the Counter of the e are each identifiers of Typeface and font. There are countless moments in my life in which I try to match up Typefaces, and more times than not just when you think you got it, the counter of the lowercase e messes you up. Typography has become a growing trend in Graphic Design. Branching out from Typography Pop-art, Kinetic Type has become huge. As the cousin of Graphic Design, Motion Graphics has become the new “stomping ground” for Type. A simple youtube search for Kinetic Typography, will no doubt result in plethora of results. One of the results will be a Kinetic Type peice in which a series of dialogue from PulpFiction is the focus. As the audio plays the sounds of the cult classic, Type is used in conjunction with placement, color, size, Typeface, and font illustrating the material at hand.
(For more information on Typography and Kinetic Type, review the Turoials and Resources section of this issue.)
Graphic
LUKE CHUEH
Designer
Known for his “morbidly cute” designs, LUKE CHUEH of Los Angeles, merges creativity with activism to form his unique yet recognizable concepts. Having worked as an illustrative designer for guitar manufacturer Ernie Ball, Chueh has since designed album art for
Fall Out Boy’s Folie à Deux.
Above is Chueh’s cover art for
Fall Out Boy’s Folie à Deux.
Chueh’s repetative use of the
illustrated bear juxtaposed
with rich colorful backgrounds, helps the iconic symbol capture the viewer’s eye. This technique
is employed in each of Luke Chueh’s works. As conveyed in the above peice, Chueh often has depictions of simplistic
yet odd characters interacting with each other, or by themselves in self-harming or dangerous ways. The reoccurring theme hints at Chueh’s struggle with identity, expressed Graphically.
Growing up in Phillidelphia as a Chinese-American, Chueh was the victim of racial prejudices. Because of this, problems and emotions Chueh dealt with in the past, are brought to light in what can only be described as his “bitter sweet” illustrations. Political as well as social statements shroud each of Chueh’s peaces. Exemplified by his works “Disintegration”, “Screwed”, “BUBBLE TROUBLE - HOIST BY MY OWN PETARD", and ”Oil” (top left to bottom right), Luke Chueh refuses to censor the grotesque, macabre, and at times political stance he conceives. Many feel that by it’s very definition, art is not to be censored... clearly Chueh embodies this.
Despair is merely one theme in this artist’s acrylic based work. As depicted in the above work deemed “White Wash”, (top left) Chueh addresses the overwhelmingly dominant “white” presentation of the media. Though his concepts are disturbing, they are often merely exagerated literal interpretations of the subject at hand. As seen in “Appetite for Destruction”, “Hope Extinguished”, and “ Inspiration” (left to right) the conveyance of self-struggle or inner turmoil are contemporary and relevant to all. In a similar fashion “Honey Comber”, “Impailed”, “15 Minutes of Shame”, and “My Monkey” (bottom right, counter-clockwise) each deal with addiction.
Caution by example appears to be the single strand
running through Chueh’s collection. With the exception of his stylistic interpretations of characters such as Frank of Donnie Darko (to the left), the pain and strife his characters endure are not in vain. Each peace is a cautionary tale. Whether it be addiction to fame or drugs, issues with finding your identity by shedding layers, or merely being obsessively driven by emotion, Chueh’s characters urge a silent warning. Just as fairy tales, folk lore, nursery rhymes, and proverbs carry life lessons, Chueh’s “morbidly cute” characters remain frozen in dismay, living in terror in the hopes that you won’t have to. (For more on Luke Chueh and his work, visit http://www.lukechueh.com )
Tutorials and Resources As a young designer, the internet has proven to be a wealth of knowledge most abuse. Below are a couple of Artist’s and Web sites I have found that have proven useful. Whether for inspiration, tutorials, or even stock, the internet is truly a one stop shop for design.
Computer Graphics psd.tutsplus.com has pleanty of tutorials, interviews, and other resources any Graphic Designer would he interested in.
Related to PSD tuts+, cg.tutsplus.com has tutorials and other resources relevant to CG 3d modeling. Deviantart.com is the “myspace” of the design world. Regardless of your experience after creating a profile, you can post anything including video, for the interactive community to see.
Motion Graphics Created by Visual Effects artist Andrew Kramer, VideoCopilot.net not only has a compilation of Kramer’s tutorials, as well as basics, but also a bit of stock. Motionographer.com is a blog format site updated daily with the latest news, and links to creative and interesting work in the field of design. XPLST.tv is a portfolio site in which artists from across the web post reels, music videos, comercials, and even shorts. As discussed in this issue, Imaginary Forces is an innovative Visual Effects company. There base site, imaginaryforces.com not only has information on their latest work, but also archives clips of what they have already accomplished.
Typography Typeinspire.com compiles inspirational Type based Graphic Designs.
A 20 minute lesson in Typography courtesy of PSDtuts+ (http://psd.tutsplus.com/articles/techniques/a-20-minute-intro-to-typography-basics)
Stock Images Sxc.hu is a multi-purpose site which, after becoming a free member, makes readily available a myriad of downloadable high quality stock, tutorials and forums.