Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication Publication 2014
Geoff Haddon. Central London Partnership. Geoff brought reductive drawing techniques to the course that examined the way in which redundant elements of the image could be removed. (Right) Tony Pritchard. Music with Changing Parts by Philip Glass performed by Icebreaker. Tony’s work with Icebreaker represents an enduring working relationship with this experimental ensemble. This cover exhibits the basic design principles encountered on the course including colour theory, structure and typographic hierarchy. (Right)
Introduction
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The Design for Visual Communication (DVC) courses at London College of Communication (LCC) celebrate their tenth anniversary in 2014. I know this to be the case because Catalina, who was in the first cohort, gave birth to her son (who is now ten) during the course. She only took three weeks out and returned with baby and granny in tow. The course began in 2004 with eight students and this has risen to 55 students across a part-time and full-time provision. The course was conceived for two reasons. Firstly, there was a demand from attendees of short courses for a more substantial period of study leading to a recognised qualification. Secondly, the Masters courses wished to have a place to refer applicants with potential, but in need of further preparation. This gave rise to a comment from Tim Molloy, former Head of Creative
Direction at the Science Museum, that our programme was akin to a postgraduate foundation course. Looking back, the majority of students were those wishing to convert career with an intense one-year course. They wanted a no nonsense basics experience. At the course validation event I sat between Ian Noble and Russell Bestley. I remember saying ‘great course who’s running it?’. They both stared back at me. ‘Guys?’ I replied. Heck! How was I going to run a course with pronouncements in the handbook such as, an examination of ‘the philosophical assumptions underpinning research’? I guess we worked it out somehow! A special mention for former Dean, Mike Bradshaw, who had a personal belief in the course from the start.
Hybrid Practitioners
Sophie Hallett. Visual Language. This project examined the basic shapes existing within manhole covers beneath out feet. Sophie’s previous sphere of work had been in fashion merchandising. (Above) Susanna Foppoli. Type Classification (Baskerville). What started as a student project ended in a one woman show entitled ‘The formal beauty of type’ as part of the London Design Festival. Susanna had studied philosophy prior to the course. (Above Right)
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Over the first two years the course grew rapidly and international demand became more prevalent. It was also becoming apparent that there was a uniqueness emerging amongst applicants – they weren’t coming in as trained designers. The diversity of previous subject disciplines was something new. Students had studied linguistics, micro-biology, geography, molecular genetics, philosophy, psychology and history amongst other topics. Opera singers, rugby players, lawyers and government policy advisers were seeking an education in visual communication. They saw graphicacy as an equivalent to
literacy and numeracy. There was a sense of purpose behind a wish to blend graphic design with their original subject and often as a result becoming hybrid practitioners. Sarah Schrauwen had studied literature and linguistics prior to the course. With visual communication skills she joined Unit Editions as designer, editor, blogger and book promoter. For those applying, the course was equally unique – we were often found at the end of a long and exhaustive search.
The Teachers
Geoff White. The problems of the graphic designer lecture poster. Geoff is much loved and respected by those who have met him through his teaching at Ravensbourne and LCC. (Below)
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Early collaborators on the course were the two Geoffs: Geoff White and Geoff Haddon. I was thrilled to teach alongside Geoff White. In truth, I was learning from him as well. Geoff is one of the few design educationalists who can genuinely hypothesise, weaving in diverse references. He has so many stories and resources to hand (‘I’ve got a book about that’). Geoff never wishes to pontificate, he is always too interested in the other person and their motives for studying design. I worked with Geoff on visual grammar and typographic hierarchy projects. It was Geoff who introduced the idea of Gestalt Theory and its principles to the class. He has his own bespoke posters that analyse different styles of typographic layout. Geoff Haddon is a true cross disciplinary designer. He can take a car apart and build his own furniture. He is also one of the best technical illustrators I know. You haven’t heard of him because he was part of that previous generation who put design and the consideration of others before celebrity and notoriety. Geoff influenced the image output of the course with projects involving reductive drawing that
examined which parts of an image were redundant. Darren Raven arrived on the scene and confronted our perceptions of drawing and visual perception. Interaction designer and lateral thinker, Tory Dunn, broadened the course view through applied creative thinking. Tory was the antidote to my minimalist typographic exercises. Teal Triggs introduced the socio-political impact of design alongside semiotic reading of media images. From those early hotchpotch sessions emerged a generation of graduates who were primed to think differently and engage with the changing forms of visual communication. Geographer Nick Hearne, who also met his wife on the course (Janneke got the better mark!), was an early success from the second cohort. He has been in constant employment and works across media with some of his dream clients utilising augmented reality into campaigns. Rebecca May had her college project on Portmanteaus published and took up employment as senior designer at the Design Council. Alison Guile set up her own design practice and opened a design-related shop in Brighton.
The Teaching
Chloe Morris. This timeline attempts to connect changing lipstick colours to socio-political events. Chloe was a make-up artist before the course. (Below) Tom Hornby. Every Station and Stop was created by feeding data into Processing. It illustrates the growth of the UK industrial infrastructure. (Bottom of page)
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I’ve always believed in the relationship between teachers’ practice and students’ practice. To me, they are related and one informs the other. In some respects we’re all teachers and learners – we shouldn’t practice one thing and preach another. When I left college in 1984, I joined my tutor Peter Gill in a studio of practitioners and teachers. The two aspects were immediately intertwined. The course began on the third floor of the LCC print block far away from prying eyes, which allowed us to dust down some unfashionable ideas such as visual identity and stationery design. Whilst others might be keen to integrate buzz words such as ‘innovation’ and ‘ground breaking’ into their promotions, we stuck with the learning of traditional and fundamental design principles. From ten years of interviewing applicants and hearing about their undergraduate experiences, there might be a lot of breadth in terms of fun diversions, but not a lot of depth in terms of useful practice learnt. At the start of the course, projects were a little random as we trialled ideas. We were always open to discussing ideas with students – what worked, what didn’t and why? The development of the curriculum was a joint project. As assignments were tried and tested,then dropped or kept we began to refine a repertoire. The current ‘set list’ of design principles workshops include:
visual language and grammar; typographic hierarchy (https://vimeo. com/13418563); type classification; colour; and information design (https: //vimeo.com/101971880). These projects are not media constrained and students are encouraged to use, and combine, the LCC analogue and digital facilities as appropriate. Visual research methods and knowledge of related theories that informs practical work are integrated into the studio sessions. Theory and practice are not divided between the studio and the lecture theatre. The design principles workshops are conducted off the computer using low-tech, hands-on techniques. This slows down and intensifies the learning process.We use analogue sketchbooks augmented by digital sketchbooks such as blogs. As the course progresses, students determine their own projects and this allows them to demonstrate independently what they have learnt.
Margot Lombaert’s visual language piece was adapted to illustrate the golden ratio for inclusion in the GraphicDesign& publication. Margot had previously worked for Givenchy. (Below)
The Taught
Tom Hornby. Graphic Dialogue is from the typographic hierarchy workshop classic and shows Paul McNeil’s idea of one thing big the rest small. (Above) David Graham. This visual language image highlights basic shapes as the component parts of living structures. (Top right) Benedict Richards studied under Dave Dabner on HND Typographic Design. He runs his own practice. (Right)
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The biggest kept secret is that so called non-designers, if such a thing exists, who are open to learning visual communication, can learn it and apply it in different ways to that of the traditional graphic designer. The entry profiles of applicants to the course are genuinely fascinating. In my experience these types of applicants that wish to acquire complimentary skills are rewarding to teach. In a short period of instruction, they demonstrate excellent research abilities, refined design techniques and production knowledge. If other courses woke up to this secret they would want these students! The profession already knows the benefits of such graduates and are employing them. Dan Shannon and
Tom Hornby have both worked at Sea Design with Dan also spending time at BibliothĂŠque. Both see this time as an extension of their learning. Sateen has been employed at Browns for a number of years. When Sarah left Unit Editions, Adrian Shaughnessy contacted me to enquire after a suitable replacement. Science writer and DVC alumna, Linne Jenkin is currently with them. Carolina, who exemplifies the concept of try, try and try again, is currently with DixonBaxi. Space limits the successes and achievements I can list. Graduates have also progressed to Masters level study at institutions such as the Royal College of Art (RCA), Goldsmiths and Brunel as well as gaining distinctions at our own MA Graphic Design.
New Staff, New Ideas
Linne Jenkin is a science writer now working for Unit Editions. In this composition Linne eschews digital rendering in favour of traditional analogue media to convey colour theory. (Above)
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As the course continued to grow it was time for support from permanent staff. This came in the form of two people. Paul McNeil, a graduate of the LCC MA Graphic Design course and partner in MuirMcNeil, brought typographic rigour and experience of major project management. Vanessa Price, who studied her MA at the RCA, brought a fresh approach to editorial design and the relationship of image to text. Vanessa, alongside Susannah Rees, strengthened the research methodologies aspect of the course. The mantra: document, experiment, contextualise and evaluate, was established around this time. Examples of this visual research approach can be seen in the video presentations of graduates Henrietta Ross (https://vimeo.com/84144071) and Cat Drew (https://vimeo.com/ 100719922). It was during the period
with Vanessa and Paul that a distinctive flair and obsession with editorial and information design took hold. Since graduating Valentina D’Efilippo has gained an international reputation with her co-authored book ‘An Infographic History of the World’. Piero Zagami (from the same year as Valentina) produced the poster that set alight the debate with London School Of Economics over whether design clarifies or clouds communication. Piero is now with the Information Is Beautiful studio. Currently teaching staff comprise associate lecturers Ben Richards and Susannah Rees. In 2014 animator David Daniels (who has worked with Led Zeppelin and Honda) and English artist and selfconfessed image junkie Mark Pawson joined the course to conduct specialist workshop sessions.
Future DVC
Cat Drew. Type Fight. Senior Policy Adviser for the Home and Cabinet Office, Cat Drew, joined the course fuelled by her passion for presenting data in a way the public can use to hold public bodies accountable. In this piece Cat laser cut the letters out of plywood, letterpress printed them before scanning, to be digitally incorporated into a design that showed the idea of type classification to undergraduate students. (Above)
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In the midst of assessments, publications and shows, the course is continuing to recruit to its January 2015 start. The course has become an increasingly popular and the economic choice for those changing direction in career or who wish to add visual communication to their skills. For some, a career in graphic design is not the goal. They see the challenges within their own discipline being met through visual communication. The course is not a one off year in an individual’s life. Participants form part of an enduring continuum. I can no longer tell the years apart. Graduates whether part-time or full-time, independent of their year of study, are now crossing paths in our small world. The shared memories of the experience are their constant companions.
Tony Pritchard, Course Leader Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication
London College of Communication (LCC) is a pioneering world leader in design and media education. The College works at the cutting edge of new thinking and developments to prepare students for successful careers in the creative industries of the future.
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication
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Lorna Allan 07791 887619 info@lornaallan.com www.cargocollective.com/lornaallan
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 11
Project Title Biomimicry
Biomimicry is the design and production of materials, structures and systems that are modeled on biological entities and processes. This project aims to examine prominent building in Central London that take inspiration from nature and its most elegant forms. The publication is an introduction to biomimicry in architectural design and first examines the Eden Project, a structure entirely based upon cellular forms. It then looks at the work of Norman Foster, whose buildings use elements inspired by nature in their heating systems and exterior tessellations. The final section explores how these principles can be applied to future projects.
Eleanor Baker eleanorbaker26@gmail.com
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 12
Project Title Tactilism
Our urban environment is often considered from a purely visual perspective and we tend to disregard the impact our surroundings have on our other senses. Experiencing the city through our sense of touch is often overlooked, but is a vital way of understanding the physicality of our environment. Tactile contact can bring us back to the present moment and improve our quality of life. The aim of this publication is to open people’s eyes to the materiality of their urban environment and to encourage engagement with this tactile landscape.
Zuzana Bartova zuzanac.bartova@gmail.com
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 13
Project Title DIY bookbinding: Manual for the Curious (Creative Techniques for Beginners)
This low-budget bookbinding kit for those new to the subject and prospective publishing houses includes step-by-step instructions for three very basic bookbinding techniques. These are: dos-รก-dos, a section within a section and Coptic stitch open binding. Each technique provides a link to online tutorials with images or videos posted by book arts specialists and enthusiasts. The project aims to introduce bookbinding skills to those new to the topic and open their minds to alternative ways of binding books.
Anna Betts 07763 259812 annabetts@gmail.com www.annabetts.com
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 14
Project Title A Kit for the Curious
A Kit for the Curious is for children (and interested adults) to explore different materials and ideas. Having taught in schools and run workshops in museums, this project expanded and developed upon previous professional experience, and resulted in the production of well-designed objects. New materials and optical illusions are visually engaging and exciting for children and adults alike. This project educates children about the principles behind the illusions they might not otherwise be able to learn about. I hope to continue to grow the set to include other mini projects, some in 3-D, and to run workshops on the same topic.
Victoria Breden 07951 897865 vbreden@hotmail.com
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 15
Project Title The Rhythm of the Night: Can the spirit of King’s Cross’ Lost Nightclubs live on?
Fifteen years ago, Goodsyard in King’s Cross was a gritty industrial wasteland, home to three nightclubs, which were major players on the London dance music scene. These all closed in 2008 to make way for an extensive redevelopment of the area, which has seen the construction of a dazzling array of new office blocks, as well as an extensive renovation of old industrial buildings. This project investigates the losses in the area as well as what has been gained by this venture and explores whether the redevelopment can recapture the gritty nocturnal spirit that once defined King’s Cross.
Caroline Chang 07977 507428 carolinelschang@hotmail.co.uk www.carolinelschang.com
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 16
Project Title Soundtracks Identity
The aim was to design a new logo and artwork for marketing materials such as flyers and posters. The purpose was to refresh and modernise the Soundtracks identity. The results are a new logo based on universally recognisable music and film references, a collection of Soundtracks brand identity artworks for website and communications uses and a selection of original themed artworks for flyers and posters.
Matthew Cleghorn matt@madebymatt.co.uk www.madebymatt.co.uk
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 17
Project Title Place-naming the Ashdown Forest
I developed a system for place naming within the Ashdown Forest that also highlighted some of the bye-laws of the forest in this project. The idea stemmed from a discussion with the conservators of the forest about the challenges they face in educating the public about what activities are allowed on the forest. My solution takes the form of two posters that exhibit the 3D text that would be installed at entrances to the forest. The aim is to use words and phrases that are specific to the location to increase public engagement with the forest.
Project Title Patrick Dignan 07972 375208 My Homes alive_and_kicking@hotmail.co.uk www.disignforlife.com www.cargocollective.com/patrickdignan
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 18
My project is a study of the architecture of the properties that I have lived in throughout North East London. The three buildings featured display a fair variety of architectural styles, from Victorian homes dating back to the 1890s, with ornate doorframes, bay windows and decorative signage, to the more streamlined and geometric style evident in the modernist architecture of 1950s tower blocks. This project celebrates the unique style of each property, exploring the shape of the buildings, their doors and windows, and any patterns formed by their combination, whether consistent or inconsistent, symmetrical or asymmetrical.
Mariano Fowler marianofowler@yahoo.co.uk www.marianofowler.com
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 19
Project Title The Bishopsgate Goodsyard
My work explores the relationship between old and new architecture in Shoreditch, East London, recording and documenting the contrast between Bishopsgate Goodsyard with the newly opened Shoreditch High Street Station. Building is invariably the act of changing what exists, and, whether intended or not, relationships are formed between the two. These correlations between old and new consist of utilitarian architecture and form a dynamic part of a city, but also present genuine meaning that incorporates heterogeneity, creative balance, cultural continuity, and sustainability. Old spaces are renewed and new spaces create relationships with existing conditions.
Zara Greisman 07779 970872 zaragreisman@gmail.com
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 20
Project Title Don’t Judge a Book by it’s Cover
Cover design draws us towards a book; a redesign can attract a new audience and reshape a genre. Mills and Boon have a reputation for ‘cheesy’ romantic novels, and thus presented a powerful challenge requiring a bold rethink. Their covers have not changed dramatically since they began one hundred and sixty years ago, and invariably consist of a man and a woman in a passionate embrace. Time for something new.
Amanda Perry-Kessaris 07584 085704 ajkessaris@me.com
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 21
Project Title What can Graphic Design Reveal about Law?
A set of 14 designs, each expressing a perception or expectation of law, using just the word itself. Designed by a legal academic, and tested using social media, the series is intended to provoke and facilitate conversation – about law, about design, about law and design – within academia and beyond. Produced across a range of formats: a set of A5 collectors cards, to appeal to legal academics and practitioners; a durable poster for small group discussion; and an online virtual private view, so that legal academics and laypeople everywhere might experience the excitement of engaging visually with law.
Ievgeniia Kovryga margosha.ukr@hotmail.co.uk
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 22
Project Title Tate Modern: Today, Yesterday, Tomorrow
My project analyses the influence of gallery space visitors’ perceptions of artworks and the works themselves. The Tate Modern’s building is an example of adaptive reuse. Built in the late nineteenth century, it has since been deconstructed, and is now a space for the general public to rediscover. The works of Jacques Derrida, the founding father of deconstructivism, inspired my research. In a chaotic world of flux and change, where do we stand now? What does modern society accept and reject? The design of the book is underpinned by the principles of deconstructivism, whilst its content hints at the instability and imbalance of our life.
Will Priddle w_priddle@hotmail.com
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 23
Project Title 1666 Imagining Rebuilding London
For just over four days in 1666 the Great Fire ravaged London. Although its impact on the lives and livelihoods of many Londoners was catastrophic, it provided an exciting opportunity to rebuild and restructure a chaotic medieval city. This publication takes a look at the plans put forward by some of London’s brightest minds at the time. We also take a look at the structure of London before the fire and what was eventually built in its place. The historical and political context of the rebuild is discussed; it had a profound influence on modern London, as we know it today.
Jess Prior 07834 179492 jessieloisprior@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/jessprior
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 24
Project Title Handle With Care: A Closer Look at Museum Collections in Store
Museums are havens for the curious, displaying objects that inspire wonder and awe. Seemingly full, most museums’ cabinets only display on average less than 10% of their collections. My interest lies in what happens to the remaining 90%, which are kept beyond reach in secret stores. Handle With Care is an A3 publication which opens up to A2, exploring the concealed collections of the Horniman Museum. The design is intended to provide the reader a sense of the ‘closed’ opening up, and the ‘unseen’ being revealed.
Dominic Rafferty 07960 956916 domrafferty@hotmail.com www.dominic-rafferty. squarespace.com
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 25
Project Title Shadows
My project is about shadows. Inspired by a walk along the River Thames in bright sunlight, I have looked at the use of light and shadow in architecture, and the idea of shadow as a revealer of texture and pattern in buildings and objects. This resulted in a publication containing my own writing, photographs and graphics. I have contextualised my work by looking at how shadows have been addressed in architecture, film and art. The design of my book incorporates shadow directly, using methods including embossing and experimentation with photocopying.
Barbara Rocheta barbararocheta@gmail.com www.behance.net/barbararocheta
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 26
Project Title The Overground Collective
The logo and launch campaign for the album of a free form jazz band was inspired by the behaviour of metamorphic rhythms the band incorporate into their music. The logo comprises of six different forms each formed of three modules, which shift to reflect the mood that the music conveys. The album release campaign had a small budget; the brief required a simple and straightforward design. Thus, the campaign was kept to a minimum of four clearly defined stages.
Marta Ruiz Castaneda 07542 888459 mruiz87@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/martaruiz
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 27
Project Title Cycling Tourism
This project consists of three cards with landscape-orientated double folds. These display three different ‘tracks’ for different users of Hyde Park: children, tourists and cyclists. Each group has different interests, and uses the park for their own purposes. The colour-coded walking paths around the park accommodate these, showing off points of interest to the relevant groups. This highly practical project aims to help the general public make the most of this special park.
Marcello Tanzi 07876 421832 marcello.tanzi@outlook.com www.marcellotanzi.com
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 28
Project Title (De)structured
This book is all about a struggle between two opposed forces: the human will to design and control nature, and nature’s will to interfere with human design, in an attempt to destroy it and re-establish the original organic formation of the environment. This dualism generates an elegant balance between structured and unstructured, organic and geometric, artificial and natural, and ultimately shapes our world and the way we see it. I have also attempted to classify the ways in which nature interferes with human structures, and organised them in five possible categories: overlaying, organic structure, erosion, rupture and growth.
Alison Tebbutt alison_tebbutt@hotmail.com
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 29
Project Title Structure in the City
This project was based on my interest in how building structures can establish an identity that reflects the cultural movements of their time. In the 1930s the Odeon cinema building became known for its celebration of Modernism. The streamlined curving motif of Odeon cinema design gave these buildings a unique identity that was in line with a cultural desire of the 1930s for everything to be progressive and new.These buildings represent a golden age of cinema and its influence on the recreational habits of the local community, which have changed dramatically over time.
Angels Vicente 07544 950626 mvpe1985@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/angelsv
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 30
Project Title Recycled Buildings: A Walk Through the Old Truman Brewery
Several abandoned old factories around East London have recently been transformed into new trendy businesses that are often highly successful and exclusive. A prime example is The Old Truman Brewery. I wanted to present the beauty of this building in printed form, taking readers on a journey around the building, using typography, image and colour to imitate walking pace. This visual walk around The Old Truman Brewery explores the general characteristics of adapted industrial buildings, and examines several aesthetic aspects of it. The brick is considered as a timeless unit of one of the most rudimental grids in human history.
Megan Warner mnw3@kent.ac.uk
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 31
Project Title Personhood: Notes on Social Anthropology
This publication aims to make social anthropology more accessible to a wider audience, using visual methods such as typography, illustrations, and photographs. It takes the form of a small designed booklet, imagined to be part of a wider series entitled Anthropological Introductions: Notes on Social Anthropology, which would be presented in a pack. Booklets in the series would follow the design of this publication, which examines the theory of personhood. It provides an introductory overview of personhood, including the theoretical development of the topic, which is accompanied by ethnographic examples.
Farrah Washash 07526 450597 farrah.washash@gmail.com www.washash.com
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 32
Project Title Fertile Structures
This project explores the tenuous relationship between the construct of the city and the organic using photography of fertile structures. It focuses on man’s creation of a functioning ecosystem within the restricted realms of urban structures. This involves the utilisation of existing structures within the city grid, which no longer serve their original function and have been developed with the purpose of incorporating fertility into the urban environment. My research was informed by literature on antiarchitecture and deconstructivism, and its analysis of the city as being devoid of practicality and rationality, having lost its primal connection to nature.
Stephen Wood stephenw90@btinternet.com
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 33
Project Title Top 7 Salvation Army Buildings
In this publication, Salvation Army buildings are judged in terms of the aesthetics and functionality; the results of which are displayed in a visual hierarchy. The top three buildings are displayed visibly larger than the bottom four, to represent the quality of their design. Photos of the buildings contextualise the decisions, and a conclusion provides justification for judgments made.
Kim Yeandle-Hignell kymberlysteel@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/ kimyeandlehignell
Postgraduate Certificate Design for Visual Communication 34
Project Title Happenings
This A3 publication captures memories, feelings, thoughts and opinions from those who regularly use Elephant and Castle’s colourful subways. Plans to remove the pedestrian subways of Elephant and Castle have caused some controversy; not everyone supports their removal. This topical and meaningful project, entitled Happenings, does not take sides, but instead creates a graphic study of attitudes and captures the appearance of the subways as a memento. The cover for Happenings was printed using letterpress, to create impact and capture the look and feel of the subway tiles. The publication is accompanied by twenty limited edition letterpressed prints.
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Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication
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Shahina Ahmed shahinaa.ahmed@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/ shahinaahmed www. behance.net/shahinaahmed
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 37
Research Question How can interactive design encourage us to converse rather than connect?
It is a disheartening sight to see friends sitting together at a restaurant, staring at their phones. As Sherry Turkle put it, they are ‘alone, together’. For my project I designed an app entitled Disconnect, which works with restaurants to provide users with a discount. To use it, everyone at the table must participate in ‘disconnecting’. The app tracks phone usage and deducts the discount proportionately. I aimed to incentivise turning off technology to remind participants of the pleasures of spending quality time with others. I also designed tent cards and a book to inform users about the app.
Himshikha Bansal 07795 278944 +91 9971 900884 himshikha2011@gmail.com
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 38
Research Question How can graphic design help raise awareness of girl child education and bring a change in society?
Laadli is a social campaign to spread awareness of the benefits of educating girls in Rajasthan, India and highlights various constraints on female education in rural Rajasthan. I aimed to reduce the gender disparity evident in India’s education system and empower Rajasthani women. The project challenges radical practices, such as child marriage, and female infanticide through education; information and understanding can put an end to horrific acts. This was inspired by a tour I did during the summer; it was incredible to interact with villagers and help them with their daily issues.
Salma Barakat salmab_14@yahoo.com www.cargocollective.com/ salma-barakat
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 39
Research Question How can a new visual identity and wayfinding strategy enable a wider cultural appreciation of public Egyptian galleries amounts a local audience?
There is a need to build cultural experiences in Egypt: therein lies the birth of this project, which focuses on branding – recognising its proliferation amongst art institutes today. A visual identity for a local gallery was developed to extend across the brand collateral, including way finding. Setting a clear signage system for visitors to follow enhances the spatial experience. The outcome is a set of design guidelines in the form of a manual, journeying through the visual development of the brand’s new image. It is intended for an internal design team, as well as the wider community interested in understanding the gallery’s transformation.
Kim Beard kim.beard@live.com www.cargocollective.com/kimbeard
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 40
Research Question How can graphic design be used to highlight the benefits of equestrian sport in an aim to diminish the negative perceptions?
Horse riding is a very unique sport where horse and rider form a team, surpassing challenges together. Personal experience of this distinctive relationship inspired me to challenge the general public’s negative perceptions of equestrian sport. My outcome is a series of vouchers for children that aim to show that horse riding is in fact an accessible sport. These vouchers each contain an A–Z alphabet, an information leaflet about the sport for parents and a series of fun items for children.
Tamsin Bright tamsinbright@hotmail.com www.cargocollective.com/ tamsinbright
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 41
Research Question How can environmental graphic design enrich the commuting experience for passengers using the London Underground?
Voices of the Underground is a digital typographic installation, which aims to enrich the experience of travelling on the London Underground. It explains the scheme through descriptions and illustrations. The installation would be staged on digital displays along the walls of a 40m travelator walkway in Waterloo station. Voices of the Underground poses light-hearted questions via Twitter, such as ‘what is your idea of happiness?’ to passengers, who in turn tweet their replies. Responses are subsequently displayed on the screens, immersing the passengers in a cinematic display of words as they travel along the moving walkway.
Derya Buyuksavci 07999 276362 deryabuyuksavci@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/deryab www.behance.net/deryab
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 42
Research Question How can visual storytelling encourage middle-aged Turkish tourists, who do not know English, to travel to London more independently?
This project aims to provide a graphic solution for the problems that non-English speaking Turkish tourists might encounter during their visits to London. It is composed of two components; visual instruction leaflets and translator phrase cards. Visual instruction leaflets provide information on how to get through each step of their journey, especially through passport control procedure; and the translator phrase cards include the Turkish and English translations of specific sentences they might need on the same card. Combined, they provide tourists the chance of communicating with the British officers without needing an interpreter’s support.
Emma Collum emmacollum@hotmail.co.uk www.cargocollective.com/ emmacollum
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 43
Research Question How can a better use of visual identity help a charity shop to become more informative, unified and accessible in order to inform and engage current customers and attract new ones?
Several years of working in visual merchandising gave me a strong interest in retail design and I wanted my project to reflect this. A great report, which looked into the social and economic benefits of charity shops, inspired a focus on this area of retail. Often cluttered and chaotic, charity shops all have the same jumble sale, apologetic image. I wanted to create a new, fun experience, to encourage customers to return and promote the charity’s message through social media. I used letterpress prints combined with bright colours, animal characters and footprints to create an exciting and informative experience.
Dina Darwish 07795 362112 dina.af.darwish@gmail.com www.behance.net/dinadarwish
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 44
Research Question How can a print-based campaign improve the negative image of Islam, caused by the media, for young adults in the UK?
An initial exploration of the misunderstandings between western and eastern cultures concluded that the most widespread misconception regards the precepts of Islam. The visuals summarize eight fundamental misinterpretations of the religion perpetuated by western media. The posters’ shocking and often ironic content was achieved using collage, and was employed to attract the viewer and expose them to the unseen reality of life as a Muslim. This is: The Other Side of The Story.
Olivia D’Cruz 07981 883103 olivia.dcruz@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/oliviadcruz
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 45
Research Question How can GPs work with graphic designers to create clear communication lines with their patients in a financially viable manner?
The NHS is suffering from financial pressures unlike any seen before. General Practitioners are the first point of entry into this complex health and social care initiative, and have a wide range of digital and print needs. This document invites GPs to recognize design’s ability to redirect patients to appropriate information or services, and reduce unnecessary appointments and patient anxiety. It provides advice about the design process and templates for common primary care design projects. Spending on accessible, user-centered design is an investment not a luxury: it has great potential to save precious time and money.
Kamilla Dereva 07548 565555 +79 0644 44055 derevakamilla1130@hotmail.com
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 46
Research Question How can graphic design change the perception of beauty ideology among teenage girls and prevent the obsession in self-modification?
The fashion industry presents a singular vision of female beauty. This has a powerful impact on young women’s self esteem, promoting unrealistic ideals. My campaign for an idealised feminine clothing store includes hangers, tags and T-shirts designs, that depicts the female body reflected in a broken mirror. Six famous women, who achieved success without conforming to industry expectations, inspired this image. Instead of using numerals to indicate sizing, the names of female celebrities indicate fitting sizes. I aimed to celebrate body shapes of all different sizes and proportions, and expose young women to more realistic feminine forms.
Priyanka Dharnidharka priyanka.dharnidharka@gmail.com
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 47
Research Question How can graphic design help in the promotion of street food in Central London?
This project uses graphic design to encourage people to discover the varied range of street food in Central London. My love of food led to the discovery of some sumptuous treats; I wanted to share these delights with others. I was also impressed by how progressive and sophisticated markets in London have become. People ought to know about them, so I created a guide to central London street food markets in the form of a book and a leaflet. They aim to capture the essence of each market and inform the reader of what they can find there.
Zheng Duan 07410 511502 hellodorisduan@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/dorisduan
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 48
Research Question How can graphic design encourage people to become more informed about dining solo?
The number of people who live alone is on the rise, and our lifestyles are becoming increasingly fast-paced; as a result, eating alone has become commonplace. The aim of this project is to deepen people’s understanding of dining solo, and document our society’s eating habits through motion graphics and short films. These films remind the audience that there are plenty of people who eat alone, as well as inform people of the benefits of dining solo. This is to help remove the stigma associated with eating out alone.
Mirabel Fawcett 07969 131597 mirabelfawcett@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/ mirabelfawcett
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 49
Research Question How can the use of modern and traditional technologies influence and enhance editorial design in independent publications?
My project is an investigation into the possibilities of form, production and finish in independent publications. The final outcome is a Coptic stitched book entitled Composite; its sections demonstrate different ways of marrying form and content on paper. It combines a variety of print and production processes and makes use of its physical, tactile form to engage the reader, allowing exploration and discovery with the turn of every page. Ultimately, Composite is a celebration of print as a continually innovative and timeless form of communication.
Leore Greene leore.greene@hotmail.com www.cargocollective.com/leore
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 50
Research Question How can design be used in conjunction with music and film to raise awareness of homelessness?
The values of a society can be judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable. My aim was to change negative attitudes towards the homeless by using design to raise awareness and invite people into discussion. Music and film, which both have strong ties to design, have always been evocative vehicles to relate social issues to the public. My work was split into two parts: a live project for the homeless film festival, designing posters and postcards for their publicity campaign and a prototype for a vinyl album sleeve. This included a booklet containing statistics and personal stories from homeless individuals.
Sarah-Jane Hammoudeh 07711 272814 Sjhammoudeh@hotmail.com www.ventprojectdotco.wordpress.com
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 51
Research Question How can environmental graphics transform public space at LCC into a dynamic meeting and interactive place for a postgraduate students welcome event?
Inspired by the great Alan Fletcher and The Art of Looking Sideways – my project transforms lost public space into active space through fundamental aspects of visual communication: type and moving image. Depression, isolation and suicide are hallmarks of the modern condition. Thus, all universities should budget for active, positive spaces that contribute to the overall wellbeing of their students and staff. This is what my project seeks to do. It is a usercentred, functional installation, which brings the postgraduate community together at LCC.
Wan-Ting Huang 07597 603568 c9659@ms8.hinet.net
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 52
Research Question How can I use graphic design to develop a new visual language for visualising the issue of marine plastic pollution and making people aged 18 to 35 become more aware of the problem?
This project aims to raise awareness of the problems caused by marine plastic pollution among young people aged between 18 and 35. Four scenes were created and shot using macrophotography, made up of miniature figurines and fragments of plastic litter from beaches to illustrate four key aspects of the issue respectively. These were used to create a series of four posters, a booklet and a set of eight postcards. Each poster highlights one key aspect of the issue, the booklet provides more detailed information and the postcard set contains important statistics to give the audience a quick overview of the problem.
Laurissa Jones jones.laurissa@gmail.com www.laurissajones.co.uk
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 53
Research Question How can the visual communication of the book as museum encourage a personal and participatory approach to the way a visitor explores a museum?
This project encourages a personal narrative view of the museum visitor experience. Initial research explored the idea of the book and museum as containers and collectors. Inspired by this metaphor and based on the Pitt River Museum of Oxford, the outcome is an onsite tear away book block on which visitors write their responses to exhibits and a living hinge book. Here, the responses are collected and rebound into unique volumes, which themselves become an exhibition of visitors past. Thus, the book functions as a museum; it is an alternative route into reflecting and viewing cultural collections.
Dorottya Kocsis dorka.kocsis@gmail.com
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 54
Research Question How can editorial design and photography be used to promote the importance of travelling to young people?
AEGEE encourages young people to cross borders, and broaden their minds. It enables over 2000 young Europeans to travel every summer, and be guided through new cultures by local young people. My project aims to inspire young people to travel and step outside of their comfort zone using this and similar organisations. This hardback book documents my explorations of Europe, using high quality prints mounted on heavy, lay-flat pages. It is an invitation to open one’s mind to new experiences, break down barriers and crumbles stereotypes through travel and exploration.
Hsin-Ting Lin 07999 210874 hsintinglinsyd@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/ hsintinglin_syd
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 55
Research Question How can graphic design help window displays to communicate a fundamental message to public?
My project aims to promote the technical resources available at London College of Communication by using effective window displays. The vast array of facilities available at the college are not apparent when viewing the building from outside. I wanted to exhibit everything LCC has to offer to passersby. The college’s Technical Passport, a printed book with facility descriptions and a map, requires the reader to go online for more detail. A simple QR on my display directs the user straight to a comprehensive website instead of requiring reference to a printed book.
Giordana Marino 07780 754734 marinogiordana@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/ giordanamarino
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 56
Research Question How can graphic design be used to inform graphic designers about ecosustainability issues and help reduce the potential negative environmental impact of graphic design?
This project explores the relationship between eco-sustainability and graphic design. Designers’ choices strongly affect the environmental impact of the wasted paper and other related packaging. People who undertake this profession hold a great deal of responsibility towards society and the environment. I wanted to get designers more involved in environmental issues and inform them about what they can do to reduce the environmental impact of their designs. So, I produced an eco-sustainable agenda for graphic designers, where each month acts as a “green� guide outlining steps to follow and tips to help sustainable graphic designers plan and produce their projects.
Shruti Murarka 07845 371724 +97 79802 030494 murarkashruti@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/ shrutimurarka
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 57
Research Question How can visual communication promote handmade paper of Nepal?
‘Paper is no longer a simple carrier of information’ Catherine Fishel As a part of my final project, I decided to do a product promotion. Lokta paper is handmade that comes from a sustainable source and creates employment for the poor in the rural part of Nepal. Keeping graphic designers in mind, I decided to show the possible uses of this unique paper. My aim was to show that handmade paper can be used in printing process and break the stereotype of it being simply a craft product.
Ellie Palmer elliep_132@hotmail.com www.behance.net/elliepalmer
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 58
Research Question How can typography and editorial design visually communicate cultural attitudes and personal experiences of death?
This project explores the thoughts and attitudes towards death and the way we deal with it. My aim was to look into different perspectives on death; through culture, television and film, art, modern day, as well as historical writings, and gain an insight into this difficult to discuss subject. While the end of life is universal, I asked myself, how can death be visually represented through graphic design? Using type, image, colour and symbol, these publications invite you on a journey and highlight the many aspects of this subject, leaving you to reflect on your own thoughts.
Heidi Purnama heidi.purnama@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/ heidiantonia
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 59
Research Question How can haptic typography be used to engage visitors at a dinosaur exhibition?
Our sense of touch is crucial for our ability to learn. Museums are prime places for learning, so considering the haptic – conscious exploration or manipulation of an object, primarily through the sense of touch – is necessary to evaluate how to better communicate information to visitors. My project reimagines aspects of the dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History Museum, exploring type as form to add modern, interesting and informative elements, alongside digital renderings of environmental typography to be integrated within the museum. I created a ‘fact file’ with foldout posters as well as embossed information cards based on the largescale type.
Nandita Rajasekaran nandita.rajasekaran@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/nandita/
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 60
Research Question How can illustration and typography work together effectively to communicate and understand the contents of Thirukural?
This project aims to bring ancient Tamil literature, Thirukural, to an international audience through illustration and typography. Thirukural contains 1330 poems, which are expressed in concise aphorisms on subjects of varying nature, concerning almost all facets of human life. Its wisdom is applicable to all; it has relevance to those of any religion, culture or country. Although popular in literary circles, the general public still remains ignorant of its presence despite being its target audience. I hope to change that by illustrating the poems and using typography to communicate its timeless values to a wider audience.
Hugh Rees hugh.d.rees@gmail.com
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 61
Research Question How can breaking down the design elements that make a successful movie poster help explain graphic design to students?
This academic, educational exhibition targets students of design at the University of the Arts London. It deconstructs the basic design elements of movie posters, and explains the reasoning behind the choices. The exhibition is split into three categories: typefaces, artwork and colour. Typefaces create a unique voice to convey the movie’s style; colours are used as triggers for human reactions. Stanley Kubrick’s posters are prime examples of using these elements impeccably; deconstructing them proved very educational. He is renowned for maintaining high standards of design throughout all aspects of his movies.
Isabel Roldan Mones 07523 790772 isa.roldan.mones@gmail.com
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 62
Research Question How can graphic design capture the work of the architect Toni Peric贸?
This publication explores the work of Catalan architect Toni Peric贸, and his eye-catching constructions on the island of Menorca. The aim of the project was to express the essence of his work through the architecture of the book: the structure, the grids, the materials and the typography. The aesthetic of the book is intimate and abstract. The main protagonists are the pure shapes and colours that flood his work. The box, and pop-up cover of the book evokes the facade of his houses, while the book itself represents the interior.
Laura Rooney 07473 905863 laurarooney88@gmail.com www.laurarooney.ie
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 63
Research Question How can print design inform young designers of the common paper and ink related mistakes in print production?
There are many text heavy, technical manuals, which instruct designers how to prepare artwork, produce and finish projects correctly. However there are few resources that show you what can go wrong and how to avoid printed mistakes. The inexperienced designer may not be aware of the problem until it confronts them in a printed or bound form. Problems such as creep, paper cracking and faded blacks are just a few examples. A series of simple, but engaging posters shows examples of what can go wrong and explains how to prevent each one.
Vanessa Wong 07961 975169 vanessawong.art@gmail.com www.vanessawong.ca
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 64
Research Question How can typography and language be integrated to establish a system of writing, that visually enhances the meaning and narrative of a text through the book format?
My project explores the relationship between typography and language and how they can be integrated to enhance meaning and narrative. Emphasized through the voices of different characters, each book within the final series applies different methods of writing from Karl Gertsner’s A Compendium for Literates to visually interpret text from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The final outcome experiments with typographic forms beyond the basic principles of type hierarchy, considering the physical structure of a book and how different formats, paper textures and finishing techniques can influence how typography functions on a page.
Devina Yadav devinayadav22@gmail.com
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 65
Research Question Can graphic design change the perception of feminism in the 21st Century?
A new wave of feminism is currently spreading its wings across many modern cultures. Women’s issues are receiving more attention and support in the UK; misogynistic male attitudes reinforced by objectifying attitudes pervasive in the media are being challenged more so than ever before. However, men and women alike, misguidedly equate feminism with anti-male, oppressive attitudes, challenge this push for equality. This project aims to communicate what feminism truly stands for and the issues it addresses to the general public. Naivety amongst women poses just as much of a problem as uninformed men.
Yulia Yakusheva 07473 930677 +79 1690 79701 yulia.yakusheva89@gmail.com www.cargocollective.com/ yuliayakusheva
Postgraduate Diploma Design for Visual Communication 66
Research Question How can information & interaction design and new technologies transform the National Gallery museum education experience?
Modern technology can create new opportunities to learn in museums and galleries. This project focuses on the National Gallery, as well as other museums and galleries that do not use technology to inform their audiences, leaving art students particularly uninformed. With this in mind, I created a tablet app, which helps people browse the collection of the National Gallery and learn about artworks independently. I also developed a series of informative posters, which were inspired by the concept of ‘augmented reality’ technology. This notion greatly informed my project; technology can help you see more than your eyes perceive.
This publication was produced at London College of Communication University of the Arts London Layout Mirabel Fawcett Laura Rooney Vanessa Wong Photography Lorna Allan Leore Greene Copy Editing Olivia D’Cruz Printing and Finishing Scott House Tony Yard Letterpress Alexander Cooper Christian Granados