a visual and critical exploration of personal design philosophies,
sources of inspiration, research processes and design solutions.
DESIGNER TYPEFACES USED
Sabina Oțelea Aktiv Grotesk Ex Light, Thin and Medium by Dalton Maag Odisseia Light by Plau Migra Extralight Italic by Pangram Pangram
FORMAT DATE
A5 February 2021
CONTENTS 000 001 002 003 004 005
INTRODUCTION : THE GHOST BEHIND THE SCREEN
001// 006
PROJECT ONE : DESIGN PHILOSOPHY x MANIFESTO
007// 030
PROJECT TWO : BRAND CONCEPTUALISATION
031// 060
PROJECT THREE : INTERACTIVE BRAND COMMUNICATION
061// 086
PERSONAL FINDINGS x CRITICAL ANALYSIS
087// 096
BIBLIOGRAPHY x LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
097// 102
000 INTRODUCTION THE GHOST BEHIND THE SCREEN
001
DESIGN AS QUESTION
DESIGN AS ANSWER
002
Ever since I started pursuing graphic design in a more serious manner, which has started as soon as I began studying it at university, I have tried to establish a set of reasons as to why I feel most comfortable with myself when designing. Self-expression through visual means has always been something that I naturally gravitated towards, as far back as I can remember, but I have never understood why. This piece will not answer that question , which I do not yet have the answer to, but will discuss my attempt at understanding my design practice. The word at the centre of this piece is ‘exploration’. A work-in-progress fabricated solely with the purpose of helping me understand my process in order to expand the potential of my designs. The premise that generated these outcomes was that, to me, graphic design is a device. A device not only for creating effective ways of communication, but visual spaces that facilitate shared experiences between viewers and designers alike. I see design as a means of asking questions and providing answers. In order to start my visual exploration, I decided to establish a series of questions and test whether I can answer them through the designs developed over the course of six months, which are presented in this piece.
DESIGN AS QUESTION
DESIGN AS ANSWER Through looking at my design process as a set of deconstructed elements, I was able to see how these individual steps influenced each other, and how each and every one of them was its own self-contained cluster, alive and reacting to everything surrounding it. Each one of the projects presented in the following chapters was created as a response to one of the following questions: ‘Who am I?’, ‘What do I believe in?’, and ‘How can I implement my beliefs into the design pieces I develop?’. In that regard, design, in its primordial stages, is asking questions. Through looking at the things that I actively surround myself with, the places from which I gather inspiration, and how I understand and internalise these findings, I am simultaneously asking the question ‘who am I?’ as well as starting to develop responses to it.The responses are not just the, in this case, visual outcomes produced, but the entirety of the process which defines the foundation of the outcome, from research, to conceptualisation, to production. All these stages are reactive, helping to construct my personal response to a particular brief. Graphic design is the medium through which I react to the world, and I believe it does not have to be limited to visual outcomes. I have always seen design as a means to an end, not the ending point itself, the tightest loop within an ever-expanding spiral.
003
In that sense, graphic design could be seen as a spectrum of progress. It holds a vast amount of practices within its field and it is in a constant state of change as the environment in which it resides changes. Within this spectral field, I like to look at designers as ghostly figures, picking and choosing the ideas, aesthetics and concepts that fascinate them and holding them close to their practice while their works wrap around these ideas, holding them at their centre. My favourite creatives rarely talk about the work they produce, as the pieces speck for themselves, a phenomenon which adds to the aura of mystery around their creative process. Despite that, they never shy away from the core set of values that make them who they are, both as designers and as human beings. This is one of the things I have set out to achieve over the course of this design exploration: identifying the aesthetic and conceptual values that I believe make up the foundation of my design practice at this moment in time. This are most definitely subject to change, as everything is, but I believe that the personal findings I have come to define as a result of my work will always be found in the work I will produce in the future, even in the smallest capacity.
While each chapter showcases the outcomes of a project developed as a response to a question, what has always been more difficult for me to show is the cyclicality of my process. I was never able to pinpoint with confidence why the creative part of my mind works the way it does. I always felt like my creativity was driven by some sort of ebb-and-flow that I could not grasp, a back-and-forth between ideas and creative decisions too subtle or too raging at times to register or understand, and, sometimes, to frustrating to even try to understand. Despite that, I have noticed patterns in my creative practice and the ways in which I approach different projects and briefs, and I have learned to work in its favour, not against it, and embrace the multitude of fields that I am interested in. Instead of narrowing each of these down, I have decided to use graphic design as the elements which connects all of my other passions. As different as they might seem at first glance, I believe them to be intrinsically connected, creating the overall driving force of what I consider to be my practice as a creative. In an attempt to showcase that, this curated collection of research, sources of inspirations, concepts and interests I have accumulated has brought me closer to the tightest loop of the spiral, and will continue to do so as my creative practice expands and evolves.
004
I really lov you get th combinat feelings th against ea
ve it when hat strange tion of hat play ach other.
STANLEY DONWOOD
001 PROJECT ONE DESIGN PHILOSOPHY x MANIFESTO
007
FINDING INSPIRATION
013// 016 LEARNING STYLES
011// 012
DESIGN DRIVE
009// 010
PERSONAL AESTHETIC
017// 018 CREATIVITY AS SAFE SPACE
019// 024 DESIGN MANIFESTO
025// 030
008
DESIGN DRIVE
In preparation for the first design project, I realised it is necessary to determine just why I am pursuing graphic design. Before this project, I have never answered that question in detail, so I decided to take the beginning of the project presented in this chapter to explore that. Whenever I describe graphic design to someone, or what I believe graphic design should try to achieve, I always resort to the same metaphor. To me, graphic design is like a vessel- it holds information and carries multiple ways of communication within it. And just like pouring a liquid into a glass, designers pour messages and meaning into their work, connecting aesthetics, ideas and people together. I want to be a part of a generation of designers that engages with practices from outside the field of visual design, while contextualising their findings within the realm of graphic communication. I want to produce work that makes me, as well as my audience, feel more engaged with the world around us, while simultaneously allowing us to expand our horizons when thinking of what our world could be. My aim is to cultivate my practice to be as multidisciplinary as possible, giving myself the space and surrounding myself with ideas that will make me a more aware, more engaged and more creative designer with a proactive approach to their practice.
010
In my attempt to cultivate my awareness towards design and the spaces it flourishes in, I became increasingly aware of the importance of understanding the ways in which I register and analyse information , and how that affects how I engage with the world around me. I have always considered myself to be a visual learner. I have always been attracted to things that had a logical system, that were orderly and that presented information in a way that was both clear and focused on facilitating understanding, while still weaving enjoyment into the process. My previous educational background required me to develop a set of skills that allowed me to digest large amounts of complicated information at once, and I believe those skills have deeply influenced my creative practice. By relying on visual learning techniques, I was able to cultivate said skills, which have translated into my design work. I have always found it easier to understand and retain information that was presented visually rather than not, whether through the use of colour, diagrams or various other annotation systems, and I believe this is why I found myself gravitating towards graphic design in the first place.Despite the fact that design is inherently visual, over the past year, I realised that that is not why I enjoy working on my design work so much.
LEARNING
visual learner
011
kinaesthetic learner
STYLES
What I enjoy most about design is what lies beyond the screen, beyond the printer or press, beyond the finished outcome. I enjoy design pieces that start off twodimensional, as a sketch or scribble, or a written idea in a notebook, and evolve into something that exists in its own three-dimensional space. Identifying this aspect of my personal design taste has helped me realise that I also possess kinaesthetic learning tendencies. I love when designed pieces engage the viewers’ sense of touch, whether through textures or the types of materials used. I believe that the materiality of a designed object has an unsurmountable impact on the people interacting with it; it can shift or even completely change perspectives, and has potential for unlocking new dimensions of experience with that object. As part of my working process, I have noticed the important part that keeping a sketchbook plays in the production of quality work. While sketch booking does refer back to me being a visual learner, my learning experience is drastically improved when I interact with physical objects and actions: I would much rather write my ideas down by hand that type them on a computer, with the same rule applying to reading. By approaching learning in this manner, I can engage differently with my ideas, forcing myself to understand them fully before pursuing them.
012
After identifying how I engage with the world, I set out to discover which aspects of the world I gravitate towards and enjoy connecting with the most. Despite the initial, and potentially counter-intuitive, connotation of this statement, I rarely look at graphic design pieces for inspiration. I noticed that I can be very easily influenced by whatever enters my visual scape and I want to design work that is as authentic as possible. In the attempt of cultivating a multidisciplinary design practice, I want to broaden my sources of inspiration and make them as eclectic as possible. My previous educational background focused primarily on natural sciences, so biology, chemistry and physics have always been fields that I fall back on when I find myself in need of inspiration. I always turn to nature for inspiration, whether I am looking for colour combinations, striking patterns or insight into the workings of natural phenomena. I find myself deeply attracted to the textural aspects of nature, and how these textures and patterns can be employed within designed pieces. I have profound admiration for artists and designers who manage to garner the beauty of nature and shaping it within their practice, showcasing its delicacy or unleashing its powers.
FINDING
I believe designers must be in tune with the environment in which they reside, and that often means being aware of the natural elements surrounding us. I have always been deeply affected by nature and it occurring phenomena and, since starting to develop my design practice, I have tried to integrate as much of those feelings within my designs as possible. While I gather great amounts of design inspiration from scientific domains, there is one particular branch of graphic design that I have gravitated towards over the development of the project in this chapter, which is Scandinavian design. I have always looked for oddities in nature and developed passions for strange things, and I believe Scandinavian design manages to capture the dichotomy between beauty and strangeness through emotive type and intricate layouts. I love the idea of deconstructing typographic elements and recontextualising them to create new meanings, and, when it comes to that approach, I always refer to that area of design. One of my favourite publications is Nork Magazine, an annual printed publication from Tromsø, Norway, which explores art, culture and stories from Northern Norway’s urban wilderness. It is this connection between myself and the world around me that I try to emphasise in my work.
013
INSPIRATION
Olafur Eliasson is a Danish-Icelandic artist known for his sculpture pieces and his breathtaking large-scale installations. His art involves employing elemental materials such as light, water, sound and air to create an immersive experience for the viewer. Spanning across sculpture, painting, film, photography and installations, his philosophy is one of engaging the public with current world issues, such as sustainability and climate change. Eliasson blurs the line between artistry and activism, engaging in issues of environmentalism with unconventional materials, thus showing the deep connection between man and nature. The main focus of his studio is spatial research, a place where art and science can converge.
OLAFUR ELIASSON Samuel Burgess-Johnson is a creative director, graphic designer and photographer most known for his typographic and photographic work for British pop-rock band, The 1975. A selfproclaimed multimedia artist, his design aesthetic has chameleonic properties, ranging from photographic work exhibiting vibrant colour palettes to monochrome typographic work. Whether he is conceptualising identities through his botanical motifs or working within the classical image-making parameters of graphic design, Samuel admits he is happiest working within the music industry. Johnson’s work proves that typography can possess emotive characteristics, and that every designer has their own specific tone that oozes into their work. The evolution of his work has culminated with the discovery of a highly conceptual, constantly adapting voice.
IRIS VAN HERPEN
015
SAMUEL BURGESSJOHNSON
Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen is widely recognised as one of the most forward-thinking creative in the contemporary fashion landscape. Her pieces are heavily inspired by the symbiotic relationships found in nature. Herpen often works with a wide range of materials, textures and fabrics, most if which are deemed unconventional within the fashion world. Iris is one of the first designers to adopt 3D-printing as a garment construction technique, fusing technology with Haute Couture craftsmanship. She perceives movement as a metaphorical force which extends the forms of the body through organic, highly sensorial garments. Heavily inspired by physical and chemical processes occurring in nature, Iris’ work is based on the dichotomies between soft and hard, light and darkness.
STANLEY DONWOOD
Stanley Donwood is the pen name of Essex artist, graphic designer and writer Dan Rickwood. His primary and most prolific collaboration has been with rock band Radiohead, for which he has created all of the artwork, working alongside frontman Thom Yorke. Donwood’s style and Radiohead’s sound have evolved simultaneously, a range of evident changes which can be seen spreading across the development of the band’s album covers. Despite calling himself ‘woefully out of date, old-fashioned and ignorant of upcoming trends’, Donwood’s work is raw and timeless, ranging from print making to demonstrative monochromatic illustrations. The artwork of Radiohead can only be described as deconstructed, reducing the overall narratives of each individual record to their most elemental visual tropes. Stanley often took inspiration from nefarious sources, such the destructions ensued from war, which offered a political facet of his work that complemented Yorke’s lyrics. His style has a bleak story behind it, creating an eerie, post-apocalyptic aura around his pieces.
Jenny Holzer is an American neo-conceptual artist. Her text-based light projections and LED installations are the nucleus of her work, which is comprised of both moving and static visual pieces. Holzer’s collection of public works, titled ‘Truisms’ (1977–79), initially appeared as anonymous broadsheets scattered around Manhattan, and quickly became the force which propelled her into the public eye. Indulging in the feminist narrative that emerged during the 1980s, Holzer’s work has always been tinted with political commentary, which started a conversation around women’s rights, as well as women’s position within the art world. Using the rhetoric of modern information systems and the politics of discourse, Holzer speaks of violence, oppression, war and death, shedding light on ideas that are meant to remain hidden.
JENNY HOLZER deconstructed
elemental sensorial
empathic motion
experimental narrative immersive
escapism
016
the future of design is
human
My biggest struggle as a designer has always been my attempt at defining my visual style. In line with my vast sources of inspiration, a lot of that is driven by music. I am deeply inspired by designers that work within the music industry and their (AND YOU SHOULD EMBRACE THAT) ability to turn sounds into visions, which, despite their obvious differences, are incredibly organic things. And I think that is what I am attracted to and what I am always trying to achieve with my work: developing flowing designs that live organically in the spaces they are placed in.
PERSONAL
AESTHETIC
As my work developed over the past six months, I have noticed that all of my designs have a certain darkness to it, which is mostly denoted by the colour palettes I gravitate towards. I enjoy creating designs that mimic the appearance of light, either through the colour, shapes or textures used. A lot of that darkness comes from the inspiration of my design heroes, whose pieces are ethereal, bleak, mysterious and urgent, all at once. I love graphic design that looks like it is alive, breathing its message through all of the creative elements employed and executed.
CREATIVITY AS
Usually, my ideas are sparked by the friction between two conflicting feelings or ideas, and the entire development process of that designed element revolves around trying to find a common ground between those ideas. I have noticed I start every project with more rather than less, adding all of the elements I think that project needs. The following development stages consist of stripping back from everything I have added previously, in order to achieve the graphic balance I am looking for. This aspect of my process allows for a lot of experimentation, which is integral to my design process. I cannot decide whether a creative decision I want to make will be effective from a design point of view until I see it on paper or on screen (although the latter is involved much later in the process). I rely heavily on sketchbooks and laying my ideas down on paper by hand, as it helps me conceptualise my ideas before actually starting to design them. This connects back to my visual and kinaesthetic learning tendencies: I am fond of making moodboards by cutting and pasting images I have found, either online or from magazines, and writing ideas down next to them, in order to create a much more rounded, fully-fledged concept. This gives me something to return to if I feel lost during the development of a project.
SAFE SPACE
For me, graphic design has always relied on my instincts. Since a lot of my work is driven by emotion or abstract concepts, my intuition has played an incredibly important role in the way I push my work forward. After coming up with a series of ideas for a project, I noticed I always gravitate towards the first idea that struck me. In that sense, I believe my work is very close to me, as the initial ideas are the ones that prove themselves to be most true to who I am as a designer and person in the long run. With that said, a lot of my design process happens in an abstract space, so to speak. While I would be completely lost without a sketchbook, before my pen touches the paper, those initial ideas live in my mind for a while before coming to light. I try to visualise what they might look like, the potential of their materiality and the impact they could generate in the people that interact with them and the spaces they inhabit. I have always found that primordial stage of my design process comforting; my ideas have infinite potential and I can expand or condense them as much as I please. Once my ideas exit that place, I am also stepping out of my comfort zone, which helps to ultimately push my designs to their maximum potential.
020
With all of the findings I have discussed so far in mind, and thinking forward towards the outcome developed in this chapter, I have set out to curate everything I have discovered about my design style and process and distill that information into a set of concepts which define the values at the core of my design practice. Starting from the stages at the beginning of my process, I acknowledged how important having the opportunity to experiment with my designs is. By analysing my sources of inspiration, I am able to incorporate as many of my findings into what I eventually produce, cultivating my work to be interdisciplinary.
facilitating connections and dialogue between the piece and the viewer, between the piece and its environment, and the viewer and their own beliefs. CORE Dynamism, I believe, is essential to design. The world itself is in a constant state of change and motion, so, in order to adapt to our needs, design must shape-shift and evolve accordingly. Motion within design is also about engaging audiences on a visual as well as a cognitive level, by creating a sense of space. The rhythm of that motion creates patterns that audiences register, whether consciously or unconsciously, and which unlocks a new dimension of meaning for the parties involved. This aspect links with the ideas of interaction described previously, as motion is nothing but elements acting and reacting according to everything surrounding them.
designing to understand and be understood by the world around me, by having an intuitive and compassionate approach to design.
finding new ways of improving my design process and incorporating science and technology creatively, by always looking for future design practices.
From the process of creating the designs I produced prior to these projects, I have become fascinated with the concept of interaction within design. I am attracted to pieces that spark a dialogue with the viewer, and house the dialogue generated between the viewer and their own personal set of beliefs. I have discovered how interaction can stand in as the driving force of design, for it is through interaction with certain elements and concepts that our views truly change. Interaction also leads to immersion, which is, in my opinion, an integral part of the design practice I wish to develop, for only by losing ourselves within the world of an idea are we able to truly understand it.
CONCEPTS
developing organic, sensorial designs which create a sense of space and immersion and infusing storytelling into my design practice.
I have always been fascinated with storytelling. I often classify it as the first thing I was ever good at. A lot of my inspiration for design comes from literature, specifically poetry, and most importantly, films. Just like design, films are words turned into visions, and can host immense amounts of empathy. The device that drives both these mediums is storytelling, which allows designers and filmmakers alike to connect with their audiences and engage them with the ideas they are conveying. I believe good design has a story behind it, and designers must decide what stories they want to tell and what is the most appropriate medium for those stories to thrive.
I always tr work that the viewer co-produc shared rea
ry to make activates r to be a cer of our ality.
OLAFUR ELIASSON
With all of this personal research behind me, I decided to condense all of my findings into a personal design statement that encompasses everything that I believe in, in relationship to design, and how those small discoveries translate into my practical work. The developed manifesto takes the outcomes of each section of this chapter and condenses it into one cohesive written piece, which I believe captures who I am as a designer at this particular moment in time. It is a written piece that I refer back to at the start of every project, to ensure that I am reminded of all of the things that drive my designs and the core beliefs that help me more forward with my practice. The text could be divided in multiple parts: where I gather inspiration, how I internalise and integrate that inspiration based on my learning tendencies, the elements and ideas I enjoy working with most and the things I wish to attain and nurture within my creative process. The configuration of the manifesto text relies on a set of key words which represent my curated findings, distilled from the previous sections of this chapter. These words are both part of the core concept I have identified for myself and the elements I have identified within the works of designers and artists that inspire me, which I have resonated with.
DESIGN
what I believe
025
what I create
MANIFESTO
Despite all these findings, the manifesto text is abstract. I have decided to create a design piece that would best represent my visual style of design as well as encapsulate all of my findings into one condensed, coherent piece. This has resulted in the development of a two-sided A1 size poster, which features a fully justified version of the manifesto text on the front, and a tubular graphic element on the back, which is supposed to represent the cyclical aspect of my design practice. Each of the key words within the text is highlighted with the use of an ellipse, a symbol I have become increasingly fond of during the development of the manifesto project. The words presented on the back, ‘spectral’ and ‘daze’, are a reference to the way in which I see my design persona as a ghostly figure. For this outcome, the method of presentation was incredibly important, as I wanted it to be a reflection of my design philosophy as much as the text itself. I decided that all of the typographic elements of the poster would be printed in UV ink, with the viewer having to engage directly with the piece by using a flashlight in order to read the text. The viewer would be guided by the ellipses presented, as they would be printed in regular ink. I believe this project is a manifestation of my fascination with things that are not truly there.
026
002 PROJECT TWO BRAND CONCEPTUALISATION
031
RESEARCH PROCESS
037// 040 FILMS AS INSPIRATION
033// 035
CONCEPTUALISATION STAGES
041// 054 FINAL DESIGN SOLUTION
055// 060
032
illusion
reality
FILMS AS
While the previous chapter focused on my response to the question ‘who am I?’, this one will focus on answering the question ‘what do I care about and believe in?’. When thinking of that question, the branch of graphic design that best answers it is design for non-profit organisations. I decided to develop the brand of a non-profit organisation, from its values to its visuals, centred around one of my greatest passions outside of design: films. I developed an organisation that would encourage its audience to go to the cinema instead of using streaming platforms in a post-COVID-19 world. I started by looking at the things that resonated with me when I first started watching films actively and trying to understand the thought process behind them. The first aspect that I identified is the togetherness that surrounds us when enjoying the same experiences.Stories bring people together, and good stories make people better. I wanted to evaluate the mentality behind shared experiences and implement the innermost aspects of that into the narrative of my brand. While we distance ourselves from the our little worlds, we nestle ourselves into timed pockets of wonder and we see our own fears, dreams and life stories onto a screen. And we feel like we belong - one of the most comforting feelings someone could ever experience. These are all of the things that I wanted to channel into the work discussed in this chapter.
033
INSPIRATION
It is in your to find a wa very tender
r self-interest ay to be r.
JENNY HOLZER
The research process for this project was extensive, as I wanted my brand to work as effectively and authentically as possible. It was decided into multiple categories: audience research, where I investigated the ways in which my brand could engage with its audience based on their needs; analysis of the brandscape that the organisation would operate in, and curating a collection of personal inspiration that my creative decisions regarding the brand will be based on. The research conducted at the beginning was focused on the brand’s potential audience, figuring out the age groups it could engage and what they would be interested in seeing from a brand of this kind. All of the findings from this research section were derived from a questionnaire I developed, comprised of question focused on what films genres people gravitate towards the most, thus identifying the taste of my potential audience, analysing what people experience when watching a film, correlating the psychological implications of cinema with potential representations of the brand and asking audiences what would be the primary incentive for going to the cinema more often. After this research stage reached its completion, it was time to look existing brands for visual inspiration, as well as audience engagement strategies.
RESEARCH
aesthetics
037
purpose
PROCESS
I started by conducting case studies on existing video streaming platforms, to identify the aspects that people are attracted to and to formulate a strategy for my brand that would increase the brand’s unique selling point. I knew I wanted to gather inspiration from multiple types of brands within the film industry, so I decided to look at the visuals produced for film festivals (primarily the Sundance Film Festival), film institutes (such as the British Film Institute), and production companies and film distributors outside of streaming platforms (the likes of A24). I wanted my brand to contain a lot of visual references towards the technical aspects of filmmaking, such as camera equipment and filming techniques, so I decided to also look at filming equipment and film retailers. A lot of my initial inspiration for this project came from the idea of home-made videos or home movies, which were a major part of my childhood, so, naturally, I researched brands such as Kodak and FujiFilm, both of which have strong brand identities when it comes to the products they sell, their advertising and overall cultural impact. An integral part of my research were films themselves: the colour palettes employed, the cinematography and composition techniques, and the marketing materials produced for theatrical releases, such as posters.
038
A24 FILMS An integral part of my research, A24’s brand identity has redefined what film production companies and distributors can do, from the unconventional films they helped to produce to the strong, cultivated relationship they have with their audience.
MUBI An online video streaming service that provides audiences with indie, small budget and foreign films as well as blockbuster hits. Mubi’s brand identity is more subdued, allowing the wide range of motion pictures they provide to shine through.
contemporary design style which helps connect audiences with a common passion for cinema.
accentuated attention to detail, showcasing a wide range of visual inspiration and film genres.
SUNDANCE Studio Lowrie’s identity for the 2020 edition of the Sundance Film Festival is whimsical and dynamic, resonating with the effervescence of the young voices emerging in the film industry. Exciting boldness through colour, type, motion and communication systems.
a prestigious establishment adapting to a new generation of untethered creatives.
KODAK A brand that has become a cult-classic, loved by amateur photographers and established filmmakers alike. A recognisable brand that had revolutionised the film industry and that has been the device for capturing my childhood.
a deeply loved brand that has stood the test of time due to its powerful visual elements.
I let my initial design inspiration inform a lot of the creative decisions I have made during the development of my brand. I knew I wanted to step out of any comfort zone and use bold colours, as that has always been an aspect of graphic design I would be reticent towards. I set out to develop my brand with a rough idea of the art direction I wanted to employ within its representation. I knew I wanted to focus on the typography that the brand showcased, and add as much colour and dynamism to that as possible. I was heavily inspired by Hiroshi Sugimoto’s photographic collection of film theatres, a series of black and white photographs in which he captured an entire film in one frame by exposing the photographic surface to light for the entirety of the film. I was intrigued by the potential of colour existing outside of the images associated with my brand, so I decided to use that as a reference to classic film techniques and the rise of technicolor. With Sugimoto’s photographs being a documentation of time and an exploration of memory, and with the rest of the research conducted, I was inspired to look at my own past; specifically at the memorabilia that surrounded me as a child that could be related to my passion for films. Thinking of this as a premise, it was time to craft the name that would tie the brand’s identity together.
No Signal. Just the silver screen.
CONCEPTUALISATION
The brand name idea is rooted into one of my earliest memories of me and my father. He used to have a Sony Handycam that I was in love with as a child. Most of my childhood was captured with that camera; for that, it holds immense sentimental value. Sometimes, when I managed to get my hands on it, I would film the things around me. When I look back at those tapes now, I see the world through the eyes of a four year-old again, a distant microcosm that I once created for myself out of pure curiosity. However, there were times when my minor masterpieces were faulted, and after trying to play them, the VHS player would show the error message ‘NO SIGNAL’. That made me think back to my initial intention: convincing people to go to the cinema instead of using streaming platforms. Nowadays, if there is ‘no signal’, whether that be an internet connection, TV satellite or cable providers, or a faulted tape, the only option for seeing films is to go to a film theatre. That is the idea that I am trying to perpetuate with the name of the brand. Using this pocket of memory as the foundation for the brand identity, the strapline was developed naturally. If the name ‘NoSignal’ negated something, or showcased the absence of something, it was necessary to show the audience what NoSignal does have to offer, and so, the line ‘Just the silver screen.’ was developed.
041
I believe the slogan captures the essence of my brand perfectly, as this organisation would be focused on bringing the immersive, escapist aspect of going to the cinema back into people’s lives. I was really fond of that idea, so I decided to implement that into the icon of the brand. During this stage, I knew I want to reference more of the technicality of filmmaking. With this goal in mind, I started researching the different film formats used for screenings, based on geographical location. I have identified the various aspect ratios used in different countries, and I instantly knew I wanted to use those ratios to create a logo that would be geometric, minimalist, but with immense potential for embedding meaning into the entire brand identity. I started by experimenting with different layouts and layering options for rectangles that maintained the ratios identified previously until I found the most balanced option. After the monochromatic outcomes were completed, it was time to add colour. For that, all of my previous research on brands such as A24 and Kodak, in terms of their identity and product design options, proved to have immense value and insight. I decided working with a limited colour palette that was bold and vibrant enough to communicate my passion for filmmaking to potential audience members.
STAGES
Learn. Escape. Connect. Belong. Create.
I wanted each layer of the NoSignal icon to have one colour from the palette assigned to it, and each of the layer to represent one stage within the experience of watching films. The first stage would be learning, represented by the first vertical rectangle of the icon. When watching a film, audiences first learn about the premise of the film and the characters, slowly escaping into the world unfolding on the screen in front of them. This exploration of films through escape is associated with the second layer of the icon. Once we are hooked to the silver screen, we develop a connection with the story and the characters inhabiting it, thus completing the next step of the process. Stories make us feel like we belong, our own personal stories embraced by visions that are not ours, but are understood by multiple people at once, a phenomenon which could lead us to creating something of our own. All of these stages have ultimately been conceptualised to represent the NoSignal values, which have been perpetuated through the brand’s identity. The icon’s core purpose is to represent immersion, with each of the layers resembling both doors and the cinema screen. With that concept in mind, I decided to develop a side-view of the logo that could be used as a guide for three-dimensional representations of NoSignal’s identity.
042
2.39:1
1.85:1
16:9 1.66:1 4:3
Garamond Premiere Pro Medium Caption Aktiv Grotesk Black and Medium
Create. Belong. Connect. Escape.
Learn.
With a concrete brand identity and a strong sense of what NoSignal’s goals are, I set out to implement the branding I created on as many physical outcomes and platforms as possible. By thinking about the marketing strategies that my competitors have (i.e. streaming platforms), I realised that one of their major selling points is the idea of a subscription service, a monthly self-renewing commodity that customers don’t have to think about too much and that will be brought to them at the beginning of each month. That determined me to think of ways in which I could create a subscription service that would bring people a mystery movie ticket to a cinema in their local area (to a different screening and venue every month). I wanted this to be the main element of the service, which would take the form of an actual box or crate providing products and merchandise centred around films, filmmaking and the NoSignal brand. The prospect of creating something so elaborate was exciting to me, but now it needed a fitting name. Since the subscription service would essentially bring people a movie ticket every month, that would mean eliminating the process of queuing and buying a ticket at the front of the cinema, which is also called a box office. So...no box office. That is how NoBoxOffice was born: a sub-brand of NoSignal, a fully functional subscription service.
DESIGN
aesthetics
055
purpose
SOLUTIONS
I chose what products should go inside the box in order to make it as attractive as possible to my audience. To honour the questionnaire responses that stated that audience members would like to be able to purchase good merch, I started designing the box that the merchandise would go into, in line with the guidelines I have established for myself during the research stage of this project. The box’s dimensions are rotted in the same contextual outlines as the logo, maintaining two of the aspect ratios employed in the icon (4:3 for the top and bottom, 2.39:1 for the long sides). The top of the box was designed to represent the on-screen output of digital anamorphic cameras used in the film industry. The colours have been chosen to illustrate a dark cinema screen (with the faded black and silver grey). The logotype for NoBoxOffice has the same specifications as the NoSignal logotype design, the only difference being in the colour showcased on the box and the fact that the logotype for NoBoxOffice is stacked. The contents of the box are designed according to the NoSignal visual guidelines I have established and are comprised of a collectible movie ticket, multiple poster outcomes, several t-shirt options, sticker packs, tote bags and a monthly film menu publication titled NowShowing, showcasing the causes supported by the brand and options for films and screening venues.
056
003 PROJECT THREE INTERACTIVE BRAND COMMUNICATION
061
RESEARCH PROCESS
067// 070
IMMERSION BY DESIGN
063// 066
CONCEPTUALISATION STAGES
071// 074
FINAL DESIGN SOLUTION
075// 086
062
As I have stated in the first chapter of this piece, at the start of every project, I tend to return to and re-read my design manifesto, in order to remind myself the direction in which I want my design practice to progress. I want to exploit my core beliefs to their maximum potential and feed as many as my personal findings back into my work. Over the course of the previous project, I have become fascinated with the side of branding that focuses on conceptualising identities: developing a brand as a space in which my own personal beliefs and passions can expand, and through this expansion, engage my audience. One of the most important aspect of the NoSignal brand, for me, was immersion. Graphic design can allow many opportunities of engagement and interaction and it can create fully-rounded experiences for the users benefiting from said designed piece. Despite the fact that I have developed a strong identity for NoSignal, what it lacked was a space for its identity to cultivate the community aspect and the togetherness described by the brand’s values. With that in mind, I decided to create an interactive platform for the NoSignal users and supporters, a place that would house all of the information necessary for users to have the complete NoSignal experience. This platform has been developed under the form of a website design.
IMMERSION
space
063
expansion
BY DESIGN
By looking at the foundations of my design practice and the contextual grounds of NoSignal’s identity as an organisation, I was able to identify the ideas that I would like to work with over the course of the project and adapt them in order to produce the most effective graphic communication outcome. With the non-profit nature of the organisation’s background, I knew the platform had to be created with a certain sensibility and a sense of responsibility that would earn its audience’s trust and gain their support. This idea also required emphasising the community aspect behind the brand, through a shared passion for cinema and a shared responsibility for the impact of films on our daily lives, as well as their impact on a larger scale. I decided to use the concept of immersion that was represented in the icon of the brand as a device for raising awareness and reinforcing the educational profile attached to NoSignal. I have always believe graphic design to be one of the tools within visual communication that could best be used for education and making audiences aware of various issues, so I set out to analyse the ways in which a designer could utilise these strong assets in order to deliver a well-crafted, sensible message, with the use of intentional interactions and deliberate immersion within an online space.
064
Having an e taking part Taking par is really abo responsibil
experience is t in the world. rt in the world out sharing lity.
OLAFUR ELIASSON
Due to the intricate research conducted during the creation stage of the NoSignal brand, the research for this project had a powerful foundation. All the visual assets discussed within this section have been heavily influenced by the previous research stages, in order to maintain the cohesiveness of NoSignal as a brand. Using this as a starting point, I began by reviewing NoSignal and identifying the strongest elements that the brand possessed, both visually and conceptually. Looking at the brand’s previously established over-arching goals, I decided that the NoSignal website would be a fantastic opportunity to test my design skills, by setting out to embed a sense of togetherness into the interactive platform. I wanted the brand values to be at the centre of the user experience. I wanted it to be educational and to raise awareness, while also offering a degree of escapism through the content presented and the connection established between audience members, through the use of the brand. The interactive platform had to be feasible for use for people who might not be able to support the brand financially, as I wanted those users to be able to gain something from each interaction they have with the brand. With that in mind, I started looking at how other brands have achieved that.
RESEARCH
aesthetics
067
purpose
PROCESS
Before conducting a number of case studies, I decided to define a clear set of criteria that each brand’s interactive representation must adhere to: the engagement the interactive platform can produce, how accessible the platform is for audience members, ease of use, the reliability of the functions the platform showcases, and the relationship the interactive platform had to the ‘parent’ brand. In relation to my previous research, I decided it would be appropriate to look at the websites of some of the brands that I have already familiarised myself with. Ever since I discovered A24, I have grown to love their identity more and more, and the same love goes towards the brand’s website. In terms of video streaming services, the platform that I resonated most with was Mubi, as, apart from the film streaming options, it also provided educational resources, opportunities for the audience participation and merchandise for supporting the brand. The British Film Institute was an insightful source of information regarding the inner workings of an organisation of its kind, as well as showing how a non-profit brand could create partnerships with other organisations and institutions. In order to link this project to my personal design practice, I decided to look at the website of Olafur Eliasson, who has been incredibly influential for me as a designer.
068
A24 FILMS A24’s website reflects the quality of the films they produce, showcasing them within a clean website design with intuitive navigation and a plethora of micro-interactions that keep the users engaged. Akzidenz Grotesk and strong imagery are at the platform’s core.
MUBI One of the only streaming services that supports indie productions and filmmakers, Mubi’s website successfully highlights the wide variety of options for users while also creating a space focused around their identity and the shared passion for film.
BFI The BFI’s platform shows the creative liberties that can be taken when working with a brand that is engaged within multiple partnerships. Features sections focused on educational resources and upcoming events for young creatives and established filmmakers alike.
designed to allow the imagery speak for itself and engage users with insightful features.
extensive educational resources that work alongside the brand’s hightened awareness for film.
intuitive platform with ease of navigation that values communication over interaction.
ELIASSON Hosting a body of work that is at once ethereal and urgent, Eliasson’s website shows mesmerising interactions that enhance the experience of his work within an online space. It features insight into each one of his pieces, focusing on user interaction.
the transformation of a simple website into a virtual gallery space that traverses boundaries.
The first step in conceptualising the website’s identity was to define a set of requirements for what the NoSignal interactive platform should include, while simultaneously defining the website structure. From looking at the different strategies the brands I researched used for creating their websites, I noticed how almost all of them featured similar types of content in terms of the pages of the website: a landing page with the most recent information regarding the brand, a page defining the brand’s backstory, values and purpose, a page devoted to the details necessary for contacting the brand and a page to host their products and merchandise. The nature of websites designed for non-profit organisations is, however, slightly different. All of the pages must converge towards one final goal: engaging as many potential users as possible and attracting their support, by showcasing their brand’s practices and goals with full transparency. Taking that into consideration, I started developing the structure of the NoSignal website. I settled on creating a five-page website, one page for each of the purposes mentioned before, with an additional page focusing on users engaging directly with the NoSignal brand and the causes it supports through the use of a call to action. At this stage, it was time to define the relationships and links between each page.
finding the balance between the aesthetics, functionality and greater purpose of each interactive element within the website structure.
CONCEPTUALISATION
I had a succinct design process in mind before starting the project; I knew I would have to start by planning the connections between each page and establishing a direction of navigation. In order to make the website design as close to a real, coded platform as possible, I decide to employ a circular system of navigation. Each page in the website would be connected to every other page, making the navigation bi-directional between each two pages of the website. Each page would feature numerous previews on different topics, previews which would feature an interactive button that would take the user to the complete version of that page, showcasing all of the information relevant to that topic. Since this was a project for a website concept, I decided to focus on these previews instead of designing every page on the website, in order to test the functionality of may ideas and cement the aesthetic values that I wanted the platform to have. Each one of the interactive buttons attached to the previews leads the users to a ‘page in construction’ section of the website, designed purely for playing a part in showing the functionality of certain objects on the website. After connecting the pages together and blocking out the content areas with simple shapes and typographic elements, I added the content of the website and started to animate each interactive element.
071
The art direction of the website relied entirely on the visual guidelines established in the previous project. Taking inspiration from Hiroshi Sugimoto’s collection of theatre photographs, I decided to use mostly black and white images for the website, trying to use colour deliberately in order to highlight a message or a particular visual asset. The images would focus on presenting the cinemas supported by the brand and highlighting members of the audience and volunteers aiding the brand. The overall look of the website resembles the dark mode that most devices have nowadays, this aspect being a reference towards the darkness within a screening room. After running multiple colour and contrast checks for the colour configuration used, this creative decision proved to increase the accessibility of the website, making it easier to look at and engage with. In terms of the typographic elements, I decided to use an extended version of the typeface used for the NoSignal logotype, Aktiv Grotesk Extended, in a much larger size, in order to increase legibility and to expand on the boldness of the brand. I believed this decision worked to my advantage, particularly since most of the content of the website revolves around raising awareness towards the importance of cinema and certain issues, and the message delivered had to be as clear as possible.
STAGES
creating a virtual space that uplifts young creative voices through filmmaking and raise awareness towards issues important for the community.
In order to make the NoSignal website as engaging as possible and to guarantee that it would capture users attention, I decided to develop a series of simple animated interactions that would serve that purpose. With my intention of adding a lot of insightful content within the website structure, it was important to create interactions that would be surprising without being jarring or distracting the users from the true meaning and purpose of the website. This stage has required me to find a balance between what I wanted to achieve and what the capabilities of Adobe XD are, given that this was the programme used for creating the website design. Simple changes within the state of different elements were made to depict interaction: some headlines, as well as the elements within the side menu appear as if they light up when the user hovers over them, the cross buttons rotate at a 90° angle when hovered over, and the blocks of colour by the logo are linked to a scrolling animation that shows the user’s progress when navigating the website. This was the perfect opportunity for me to test how far the NoSignal brand can be pushed without violating the visual guidelines established. Many of the visual elements presented on the website are references taken from the stages of research, from the packaging of VHS tapes to the look and layout of film reels.
072
LOADING SCREEN
HOME
LOG IN
ABOUT PAGE
SUPPORT NO SIGNAL PAGE
SITE MAP
SITE MAP
PAGE U CONSTR
uni-directional navigation bi-directional navigation scroll feature indicator
PAGE
pop-up menu indicator
SITE MAP
UNDER RUCTION
MERCH STORE
CONTACT PAGE
SITE MAP
SITE MAP
The final outcomes produced as a result of this project consisted of a five-page website concept for the NoSignal organisation. Each page of the website serves a specific purpose and has been divided into clear sections depending on the types of content presented. The ‘Home’ page spotlights the organisation’s film choices of that specific month, choices divided by the type of film: feature, short or documentary. This page also shows the cinema supported by NoSignal that month. Since I wanted NoSignal to be an organisation engaged with social justice issues, I decided to dedicate a section to current relevant movements and events that have been shaped by and depicted through cinema (in this website concept’s case, I focused on the Black History Month 2021 in the US and LGBTQ+ History Month in the UK). At the bottom of the page, there is a section devoted to a potential NoSignal podcast, where member of the NoSignal team could discuss films that have shaped them and the aspects of cinema that they are most intrigued by, as well as the relationship between topical events and filmmaking. The ‘About’ page of the website focuses on NoSignal’s backstory as a brand, its values, passions, and intentions moving forward, as the organisation and its audience grow alongside eachother, guided by the same love of motion pictures.
DESIGN
aesthetics
075
purpose
SOLUTIONS
The page focusing on the call-to-action of the brand features the message ‘Film has the power to change the world. And so do you.’, to remind audience members of the power they have to support the brand and work alongside it to create change. It informs users on the causes supported by the brand, options for users to get involved with NoSignal’s work and the brand’s over-arching goals for the future. The bottom of the page is dedicated to a reminder that the user’s passion matters, acting as an encouragement for audience members to engage with the brand directly, by sharing the things they are passionate about via the brand’s social media channels. The NoSignal shop presents the NoBoxOffice subscription service available as the easiest and most effective way of supporting the brand (alongside creating a NoSignal account and becoming a member of the NoSignal community), as well as all of the products within the box available as individual purchases. The page has a section dedicating entirely to providing users with full transparency on the brand’s sustainable practices of production. The ‘Contact’ page features sections on ways to become a supporter, current volunteer positions and projects, our community and the option to subscribe to a NoSignal newsletter. A loading screen countdown animation was created to re-insert immersion into the website design.
076
004 CONCLUSION PERSONAL FINDINGS x CRITICAL ANALYSIS
087
PERSONAL FINDINGS
091// 094
PROJECT ANALYSIS
089// 090
MOVING FORWARD
095// 096
088
In light of all of the work I produced throughout the three projects described in this piece, I decided that looking at them in retrospect was an important part of my creative process. At the end of each project, I like to analyse my work as objectively as possible, to identify the findings, both personal, conceptual and practical, that I will tale forward into my work. I will discuss each of the defining characteristics, strengths and downfalls of each piece produced, in the natural order in which each of the projects has been tackled. Starting with project 001, which entailed creating the text of my design philosophy and manifesto, and placing it within the context of a poster. I have found this project to be the most challenging of the three, as I have always found it difficult to produce work that is intrinsically related and entirely dedicated to myself, my personal taste and inspiration and my overall design practice. At the start of this project, I was still trying to find my feet when it came to identifying my personal design style and translate that into a visual outcome that would eventually become my personal branding. I believe that this project was entirely driven by experimentation, which was insightful, and at times slightly frantic. The research conducted was based entirely on my inspiration at the time of developing the project.
PROJECT
All of the visual and contextual research has deeply influenced the ways is which I look at the graphic design surrounding me and at my own practice. In hindsight, I believe the outcome produced (the poster design), while effective, is not relevant to my current design style. It has, however, seeped into the work I am trying to produce now, which I believe to be a more cohesive, refined version of the outcomes produced at the start of this process. The documentation aspect of the project was not as effective as I hoped, given my initial struggles surrounding the type of design content I wished to analyse. However, I believe this issue was resolved over the course of project 002. One of the reasons for this was the nature of the project, as it was focused on something that I was deeply passionate about, but that was relatively external to myself. I believe I was capable of conceptualising a brand identity that works effectively, both visually as well as logistically. I treated the project as if it were not purely fictional, but an organisation that could function successfully based entirely on the foundations I have created for it. This was an incredibly enjoyable process, as it was an opportunity for me to employ techniques that I was unsure of when starting the three projects, such as working with colour and a variety of concepts for physical implementations of the brand.
089
The completion of project 002 gave me a solid foundation for the work developed during project 003. This stage was unbelievably satisfying, as it was a way to test whether the brand I developed was capable of fulfilling all of the tasks and attaining the goals I have established for myself, in relationship to the design methodologies I wish to develop over the course of my studies. It challenged my way of thinking about design and forced me to break out from the static, two-dimensional world that we often associate with graphic design. I believe I was capable of constructing an engaging representation of my brand, that works effectively towards reinforcing its image, as well as becoming the force that drives the overall prospect of NoSignal towards fulfilling its purpose. While the website I developed is not as well-rounded as I would have liked, I believe it is an accurate virtual representation of the types of interaction that I would like to work with in the future. Over the course of this project, I learned to appreciate the hard work that lies behind virtual spaces, and how, within these spaces, my design beliefs as well as the audience needs and expectations converge into one cohesive collective experience. I believe the website reached a balance between the two styles I have worked with during projects 001 and 002, which I plan on refining in the future.
ANALYSIS
To present the outcomes of a process running over six months, I designed this piece, the evolution of my design practice during that time. After completing the three projects, I wanted to create something that was entirely true to myself and that employed all of the technical, contextual and creative design skills I have garnered in the process. With one of the core concepts identified over the course of project 001 being experimentation, my initial intention was to make this editorial piece as experimental as possible. I realised how much I enjoy working with large, slightly outlandish typographic elements by re-contextualising letterforms in various ways, so I wanted to utilise as much of that as possible. Since I spend a lot of time working on my designs, I often feel stuck within a routine, which then makes the entire process less exciting for me. With that in mind, I decided to tackle all of the areas of design I thought I lacked experience in, such as working with colour, relying entirely on typography and trying new ways of working with hierarchy, imagery and graphic elements. I wanted to classify this piece as a ‘visual exploration’ and I wanted its design to reflect that. I believe it to be a cohesive body of work that illustrates all of the specialist ways of working I have developed in this process, which I will keep developing in the future.
090
reality escapism space
illusion
empathy
PERSONAL
aesthetics design as question
what I believe
expansion storytelling
rhythm
kinaesthetic learner
design as answer
purpose
what I create
FINDINGS
motion
experimentation visual learner interaction
I’m creating that’s betwe and dreami
g in a space een reality ing.
IRIS VAN HERPEN
MOVING
The production of all of the outcomes presented, including this editorial piece, lead to a collection of personal findings that I would like to expand on as I move forward with my design work. Since the projects focused on multiple types of branding, I was able to identify which areas of branding I resonate and enjoy working with the most. In terms of the process, I enjoy the rigour needed to create a set of visual communication guidelines that define the ethos of a brand, through its visual assets and its tone of voice. I love working within the realms of interaction, adapting static design elements to different types of motion and implementing them to define a space in which the brand’s values can flourish. This period of time had helped me understand the importance of time management and the impact it has on the development of your ideas. At certain stages, I was faced with having to make the decision of either compromising on an idea that I wanted to develop, and compromising on the evolution of the project long term or keep moving forward with my work, refining as I go. This has been a valuable skill to have learned, as it enables me to test my ideas before materialising them, and question whether a design decision is worth pursuing in depth. With that said, I realised how important it is for me to add multiple layers of depth and meaning to my work.
FORWARD
In terms of what I want to pursue in the future, these projects have highlighted my love for the prospect of conceptualising identities, whether for other brands or slowly leaning towards the fine-art aspect of graphic design. I have become increasingly interested in graphic design pieces that can exist in physical spaces, such as galleries and museums, or that is used to define the parameters of a space when thinking of its identity. Looking at the work of my design heroes, as well as my previous projects, has given me incredible insight into the areas of work that I am interested in and that I would some day like to be a part of. I believe my generation is producing work that is converging towards the democratisation of design, with a focus on diversity and accessibility in terms of the subject matters and the methods of representation. That is an area that I would like to gain more experience in, as it would transform my practice into its most extensive, interdisciplinary form. Exploring the world of branding for non-profit organisations and the thought process behind such establishments has opened my eyes to the impact my voice and personal passions can have when funnelled through graphic communication. From now on, my graphic design practice will continue to be a spectrum of progress and evolution.
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005 BIBLIOGRAPHY VISUAL x ACADEMIC RESOURCES
097
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
099// 100
PROJECT RESOURCES
101// 102
098
001
013//014 Eliasson, O (2016) Rainbow assembly [photograph of installation] At: https:// olafureliasson.net/archive/artwork/ WEK110117/rainbow-assembly#slideshow (Accessed 19/02/21) Burgess-Johnson, S. (2017) Rennaissance [photograph of lily] At: http://www. samuelburgessjohnson.com/ (Accessed 19/02/21) Burgess-Johnson, S. (2015) Obsessed With A Life You Are Not Living pt.2 [photograph] At: http://www.samuelburgessjohnson.com/ (Accessed 19/02/21)
015//016 De Brabant, A. (2015) Portrait of Olafur Eliasson [photograph] At: https://the-talks.com/interview/ olafur-eliasson/ (Accessed 19/02/21) Drake, D. (2016) Portrait of Samuel Burgess-Johnson [photograph] At: https://www.behance.net/ gallery/32620113/Hypebeast-Issue-8 (Accessed 19/02/21)
LIST OF
Stevens, L. (2016) Portrait of Iris van Herpen [photograph] At: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ lifestyle/style/iris-van-herpensastonishing-designs-dont-looklike-clothes-they-look-like-thefuture/2015/11/09/43bad698-776b-11e5b9c1-f03c48c96ac2_story.html (Accessed 19/02/21) Penguin Books UK (2020) Portrait of Stanley Donwood [photograph] At: https://www.penguin.co.uk/ articles/2020/feb/stanley-donwoodinterview--on-radiohead--bad-thingsand-being-a-.html (Accessed 19/02/21) Tillmans, W. (2010) Portrait of Jenny Holzer [photograph] At: https:// thegentlewoman.co.uk/library/jennyholzer (Accessed 19/02/21)
099
017//018 Playlist by saccharinebleu (2021) [Spotify, screenshot] At: https://open.spotify.com/ playlist/6Uv5PQcKeHt7v9VIovNhDM (Accessed 19/02/21) Prodan, D. (2019) Untitled_blue [photograph] At: https://www. instagram.com/p/BseEcS9lCHl/ (Accessed 19/02/21)
002
033//034 View of time portal [film still] in Dark: Season 3, Episode 8, Germany, Netflix, At: https://www.netflix.com/ search?q=dark&jbv=80100172 (Accessed 19/02/21) Kate Winslet as Clementine [film still, DVD] in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, United States, Focus Features Thom Yorke in Anima [film still] in Anima, United States, Netflix, At: https://www. netflix.com/search?q=anima&jbv=81110498 (Accessed 19/02/21)
039//040 A24 Films motion logo (2021) [screenshot] At: https://a24films.com/ (Accessed 19/02/21)
ILLUSTRATIONS
003 000//000
Spin’s Mubi logo (2019) [screenshot] At: https://www.itsnicethat.com/ articles/spin-tony-brook-efe-cakarelgraphic-design-180219 (Accessed 19/02/21) Sundance Film Festival poster by Studio Lowrie (2020) [screenshot] At: https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/ studio-lowrie-sundance-film-festival2020-identity-graphic-design-240320 (Accessed 19/02/21) Kodak logo (2016) [screenshot] At: https://www.designhill.com/designblog/history-of-evolution-of-thekodak-logo (Accessed 19/02/21)
A24 Films logo with photograph (2021) [screenshot] At: https://a24films.com/ (Accessed 19/02/21) Still of Frances McDormand in Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland (2021) [screenshot] At: https://mubi.com/notebook/ posts/golden-globes-2021-nominees (Accessed 19/02/21) BFI Flare festival logo (2020) [screenshot] At: https://www.bfi.org.uk/flare (Accessed 19/02/21) Olafur Eliasson glacier animation (2021) [screenshot]n At: https://www.olafureliasson.net/ (Accessed 19/02/21)
100
001
Goldie, P. (2009) Philosophy and conceptual art, Oxford : Oxford University Press. At: https:// ebookcentral.proquest.com/ lib/ucreative-ebooks/reader. action?docID=415656 (Accessed 20/01/21) Olafur Eliasson (2021) Artworks At: https://olafureliasson.net/archive/ artwork (Accessed 19/02/21) Olafur Eliasson (2021) Your uncertain archive At: https://olafureliasson. net/uncertain (Accessed 19/02/21) Olafur Eliasson (2021) Artworks At: https://olafureliasson.net/archive/ artwork (Accessed 19/02/21)
Samuel Burgess-Johnson (2021) Home page At: http://www. samuelburgessjohnson.com/ (Accessed 19/02/21) Maher Milroy, D. (2019) Multidisciplinary artist Samuel Burgess Johnson on his work for The 1975 At: https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/ samuel-burgess-johnson-graphic-designthe-1975-250319 (Accessed 19/02/21) Iris van Herpen (2021) About At: https://www.irisvanherpen.com/about (Accessed 19/02/21) Robertson, E. (2016) IRIS VAN HERPEN: “I TRY TO STRETCH THE BOUNDARIES” At: https://the-talks.com/interview/irisvan-herpen/ (Accessed 19/02/21)
PROJECT
Jenny Holzer (2021) Biography At: https://projects.jennyholzer.com/ biography (Accessed 19/02/21) Khayyer, J. (2010) Jenny Holzer: The outspoken artist is really quite shy At: https://thegentlewoman. co.uk/library/jenny-holzer (Accessed 19/02/21) Donwood, S. (2021) Stanley Donwood At: https://www.slowlydownward.com/ stanley-donwood/ (Accessed 19/02/21) Penguin Books UK (2020) Stanley Donwood : ‘I don’t know why people think I’m a paranoid recluse’ At: https://www.penguin.co.uk/ articles/2020/feb/stanley-donwoodinterview--on-radiohead--bad-thingsand-being-a-.html (Accessed 19/02/21)
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002
A24 Films (2021) A24 landing page At: https://a24films.com/ (Accessed 19/02/21) Mubi (2021) About At: https://mubi. com/about (Accessed 19/02/21) Mubi (2021) Feed At: https://mubi.com/ feed (Accessed 19/02/21) Sundance (2021) About: Sundance Film Festival At: https://www.sundance.org/ festivals/sundance-film-festival/about (Accessed 19/02/21) Studio Other Spaces (2021) Home page At: https://studiootherspaces.net/ (Accessed 19/02/21) Boddington, R. (2020) Studio Lowrie’s Sundance Film Festival identity proves small studios can take on projects of any scale At: https://www.itsnicethat. com/features/studio-lowrie-sundancefilm-festival-2020-identity-graphicdesign-240320 (Accessed 19/02/21)
RESOURCES
003
BFI (2021) British Film Institute landing page At: https://www.bfi.org. uk/ (Accessed 19/02/21) Studio Other Spaces (2021) Perspectives At: https:// studiootherspaces.net/ archive#perspectives (Accessed 19/02/21) Hiroshi Sugimoto (2021) Artworks At: https://www.sugimotohiroshi.com/ artworks (Accessed 19/02/21) A24 Films (2021) A24 landing page At: https:// a24films.com/ (Accessed 19/02/21) Mubi (2021) About At: https://mubi.com/about (Accessed 19/02/21) Brewer, J. (2019) Reinventing an icon: how DBLG transformed the BFI’s “cascade” symbol for London Film Festival At: https://www.itsnicethat.com/ features/dblg-bfi-london-film-festival-brandidentity-graphic-design-021019 (Accessed 19/02/21) BFI (2020) BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival At: https://www.bfi.org.uk/flare (Accessed 19/02/21)
102