Time to Edit

I felt the photo shoot was really successful and after presenting my images to the students in my class and getting positive feedback I went on to edit my photos in the style that I had previous practiced. Below are a few of my edits;

I felt I woudl experiment with ways of editing as I felt if I had a selection of similar themed but slightly different edits it would ensure my work style had a house stlye but didn't get to recurring or boring. My favourite effect is the high black and white contrast combined with the vertical grain texture effect that gives the image an old style film reel appearance. 

Photo Shoot

After deciding on my desired layout and getting positive feedback from the students around me, I felt it was time to go out and capture my own photos. After a few hours 'facebook' stalking so to speak of my friends I found someone who I felt would be most interesting and also have the style to make the photos most intriguing. To keep with the theme of a 'media exhibition' I decided to hire out a querky film camera to use as a prop. Shown below are a selection of the shots that I took.

Could this be the one?

I began searching the interent for grunge/urban style borders/ textures etc as I felt this would add something more interesting to my work and also create a visual identity as the border would combine with the theme of the pictures and the text.

After finding a few good tutuorials I settled on the background and border you can see above. I felt this border had just enough rugged/ urban detail that it didnt become too overpowering. I became to make a few mock ups of possible layouts, and the bottom one of the three became the one I desired the most to use in my project.

Pin pointing an idea

After flicking through numerous black and white, graphic, urban ( you name it) magazines I began tp pin point an area of interest. I realised after experiments on photoshop that straight up digital graphic design wasn't my strongest element for design. I realised that my best style of design was digital photo manipulation, so I felt that if I could find a media related subject for my shoot I would be away.

After internet browsing I managed to find the photos beneath.






 I took a liking to the second image, the (greyscale one) and went about seeing how I could continue to digitally enhance the image to suit the urbany. graphic/ grunge style design I was hoping for.

Below is how my first edit came out. Through numerous changes in 'contrast, brightness, overlays and blending effects I have found a style of photo manipulation that suited my theme.

Developing my idea

After a long few hours searching blogs, flicks and google images for inspiration, I began to find a pattern in what designs I was attracted to. I already had a vague idea of using black and white, as the potent contrast that is created can be used in various effective ways. However, I had no style/trend as of yet that I could incorporate black and white contrast into. After re-viewing some of my previous designs it struck me that the urban style graphics seemed to be the style that I had the strongest attraction for, therefore I felt if I began to aim my search along these lines I would hopefully find some inspiration.
Below is a selection of images that I found that sparked inspirational thoughts into my mind;

Pictographs

Pictographs have played an effective role in representation, dating back to prehistoric drawings and paintings found on rock walls and caves. A pictograph has become one of the most simplistic but also most established forms of representation. Pictography is a form of writing which uses representational, pictorial drawings to convey meaning, instruction etc.

Although I have previously stated I am extremely fond of the idea of simplistic design, pictogram's are too simple and child like for my liking. Although they have become such a natural part of everyday life I feel pictogram's are only effective for animation, cartoon, or humorous design; like the pictographic story I have created below.

As you can see in the above image that I created, pictogram's have no interest and idea of space and proportion and often are used in design in an humorous way. Below are a few more examples of humorous pictogram's, that are used so often on geeky, graphic t-shirts.

Designs

As a homework task we were ask to combine designs that we found inspirational into an InDesign page. I categorised my ideas into themes such as; black and white urban, watercolour, high speed photography and a focus on the street designer, Banksy.

Above is the page themed ' Urban, black and white'. I am fascinated by the idea of the black and white contrast that is contained within silhouette and stencil work. I will consider the use of embedding small specks of colour within the black and white to add an attractiveness to the work, as seen above, with the small specks of gold.

Above are a few examples found online of high speed photography. I find high speed photography an amazing technique as it captures every minute piece of detail that can only be captured in that split second during the point of contact. If i incorporated high speed photography within my design I would develop my experimental segmentation of the images above, and create an effect of the image shattering, as well as the subject within the image.

 Above is a collection of images using the techniques of 'watercolour' and 'overlay'. These techniques are one my favourites within art and design, as I feel they often combine Banksy's use of silhouette with layers of colour that add an visual aesthetic to an image. If i was to incorporate these techniques into my work, I would steer clear of the use of figures and concentrate on the splats, drips and flicks of paint that I feel are so simple but add such an attractiveness and eye catching feel to the above images.

Last, but by no means least is my focus on Banksy. The above image contains a selection of Banksy's work, all of which incorporate the use of silhouette. As Banksy has proved within his work, silhouettes are so simple but yet so effective. My favourite out of this selection is the 'scissors' image and the 'cctv' image. In my opinion this is the epitome of design; simple, clever and witty design that often suggests and leaves the underlying message up to the audiences imagination, rather than putting it on a plate for them.

Simple but effective?

Banksy's style of quick stencil street art lead me on to consider the effectiveness of such simple designs. Many other designers encorporporate the very simple minded approach and I often feel that this simple but suggestive style of design is more successful in drawing an audience in and sometimes causing them to question the deeper meaning within the design.

All of the above images are pieces of Banksy's work, the top and bottom images being the most recognised and popular of Banksy's work. What I am keen to highlight and take away from viewing these images is the effectiveness upon the eye of such simplistic designs. When we analyze the pieces of art, they are all very simple but done in a very skilled manner. The simple use of stencil art, contrasting a few bright colours with black and white, and a child like flower is all the above images are, but the style and effectiveness that they all carry through into the audience makes them a special design. The bottom two images, have a childlike nature to them and through this the viewer is caused to reflect upon their own memories and consequently becomes interloped with the work. For me, this is what design is all about. Although, I have to admit, I am in awe with people who can create pages of explosive patterns and colours within design, it is simple designs like Banksy's above that draw the viewer in physically and emotionally that attract me the most. The bottom image of the girl releasing the balloon is so simple, yet so ambiguous. The meaning or reason for her actions is unknown but the ambiguity draws the viewer in to question and console, and for me this is one of the best forms of design because of this.

Milton Glaser:

Milton Glaser is a renowned graphic designer that's work consist a lot of simplistic designs and colour contrasts but is consequently highly effective. Arguably his most prestigious design, and one of the greatest ever simplistic designs is his 'I Love NY' design that has a worldwide recognition. Glaser design is so simple, yet so effective that in almost every city you will find a duplicate, personal 'I love....' memorabilia.

'I Love NY'.

The above images highlight how Glaser design has taken off across the global market, in a variety of forms of merchandise. I find it amazing how such a simple design consisting of one 'smiley' and three letters could carry so much power and dominate the merchandise market as it does today.

This is Glaser other most renowned and famous pieces of design. A poster design for the Front cover of Bob Dylan's book, that consequently went on to sell over 6 million copies. Obviously not just because of Glaser eye for detail in colour reproduction in this image, but I am sure it helped. Creating a design for a book has to be attractive and eye catching and i feel Glaser captures all of this and more within this design. I am a massive fan of the use of black and white contrast, and like Banksy the stencil/ silhouette technique once again proves its effectiveness.  I also feel the range of colours in a gentle wavy motion adds a great attractiveness to the image and is a technique, combined with a silhouette that I will definitely look into myself.

Seeing all of these images brought me to the reality that something doesn't have to be an extremely complicated or difficult design to gain popularity, recognition or even meaning. Banksy highlights through all of his quick stencil work that sometimes less is more and that it is better to suggest than to put the answer or entertainment on a plate for the viewer and I completely agree and will use this idea when thinking about my designs. Much like Banksy, there is not a better person than Glaser, to prove that a simplistic design has the capabilities to take over a global trade market, much like his I Love NY design has done.

A picture is worth a thousand words..

I decided to research designs that incorporated certain feelings, expressions and moods in the hope to familiarise myself with what is necessary in creating such a feeling within my design.

I began with irony and humour and went about finding art and designs that could carry such a emotion through such a small piece of art containing no words.

The work of Banksy was my immediate find. Through such simple use of stencils his work can carry such emotion, irony and social problems. Below are a few of his works that suited this criteria the best:

One of the most appropriate Banksy stencils I found in reference to this digital media course. Although it carries the humour and derogatory nature of the policeman, which lets be honest we all thoroughly enjoy, it also incorporates the 'yellow smiley face', one of the newest and most popular digital icon in the past decade. This piece of art carries the underlining message of the attractiveness and popularity that such a simple design can carry.

I felt this sketch just captured an ironic and rather cynical view of the police department in the last few years. As i said above, just a simple and quick stencil, that took Banksy no more than a few minutes carries a broad social view of how the police are too keen on smaller, petty crimes and asserting their power, Rather than being out there stopping the real crimes, which we hear called for continually through our society.



This is one of my favourite Banksy sketches as he captures such humour by such a simple trick of contrast. What strikes me is that the food in the animals hands, has barely any detail but when i asked my friends to look at it almost all referred to it as McDonald's. I feel this reference highlights the immediate popularity that can be created through such simple design and leads me to beg the question; that is less more??



Another humorous and ironic Banksy sketch that again manages to incorporate a social issue/ problem using such a simple device. I find Banksy's work amazing in how he has the creativity to think of something so simple but so effective that combines not only irony but also a strike at the social complications of our culture.

By reflecting upon Banksy work, I feel I have gained some valuable techniques and confidence for when I begin my design process. Through such simple but clever ideas Bankys work speaks volumes for society, with his ironic and humourous gestures that cause the audience to reflect and feel a part of his work, it is no doubt something that will be key for me to attempt to capture in my promotional package, in order to succeed in attracting the right attention.

On a hunt for graphic designs

I wanted to begin by searching for graphic style designs that stood out and interested me when i looked at them. I felt if i could find a selection, i would be able to notice the styles and techniques that I find most appealing and attractive.

I felt there was no better place to start, than to look through CD covers in my iTunes library. Cd covers are renown for there design style that has to capture the eye, therefor I felt this was the best place to start...

 

I grouped these two covers together, as i felt they incorporate very similar styles. Both covers contain the use of silhouette, half tone that really captures my attention. James Blunts album also incorporates the idea of the 'golden section' with the wavy pictographic images leading the viewers eyes toward the face and the title.

I do, however, prefer the cover to the right, as I enjoy the use of   heavy light and dark contrast combined with a few details of colour, as I feel it has a more intriguing and interesting motion that would attract viewers.

 

I felt these two covers also went well together due to their similarities. Although they use different shapes the bubbles(left) and the lines(right) both lead up and off the page from practically the same spot in the bottom left of the cover which I feel provides a nice touch and would look good if it continued down the back of the cover. What interests me the most about both of these covers is the use of the scratchy, kind of worn down rugged appearance of the background. I feel it provides a nice touch and adds a sense of value to both covers.

The two Cd covers on the left are very similar in style. I have a strong liking for the use of simple black and white contrast, as I feel it has such an impact and effect upon the viewer. I prefer the top cover so much more as i feel the bottom one looks slightly too washed out and grey scale, rather than enhancing the powerful contrast. Similarly to the cover above, what also attracts me is the wires and also the other wavy lines leading off of the cover, and again, as i said above it would look even more effective if the wires and lines continued around the back and bind of the cover.

Although it could be argued that this cover is lacking in the graphic design aspects that the above covers have in abundance. i do that this is still a great and effective Cd cover. What really attracts me is just the plain and easy simplicity of the cover, that somehow carries an emotion in the viewer. When i look at the Cd it takes me back to old school days, with the rugged paper that the image is stuck too with some dirty masking tape. The image itself is off a baby which adds to the idea of an old school memory, and to me this makes me happy and draws me into liking the the cover, and no doubt, as i did, consequently buying the Cd.