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.