Context of Practise: Session 2- Beauty, Style & Taste

For this session, we had to bring with us 3 examples of Graphic Design we liked and 3 pieces of Graphic Design we don't like. 1 of them has to be solely type, 1 has to be solely image and 1 has to be type & image.We had to be able to justify why we like them aesthetically and why we don't.

Type & Image:

Like:

"Objectified: A Documentary Film Poster" (2009) by Michael C. Place
Reference- Carusone, A. (2009) "Objectified: A Documentary Film Poster" Available from http://www.objectifiedfilm.com/official-objectified-one-sheet-poster/ (Accessed 14th November 2012)

Michael C. Place- This was chosen because of the grid layout and the placement of the type and image as you can tell that it has been considered. The seperation between the type and the image allows for a healthy amount of space between them so that they appear connected even though they are seperate. The imagery plays on the title and subject of the film, subliminally showing the title within the objects that have been used while, at the same time, objectifying these things to his manipulation.

Don't Like:



"The Coming Together Typeface" (2010) by The Society of Typographic Aficionados
Reference- Brunborg, E. (2012) "Respect Thy Typography" 14th March Smashing Magazine Available from
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2012/03/14/respect-thy-typography/ (Accessed 14th November 2012)

The Society of Typographic Aficionados- This was selected as a dislike due to the awful linework and poor exectution of the ampersand/logo image that has been produced. It's so disconnected and rough that it is painful to look at. The ampersands in the background seem to have been selected at random as there are only a few which are of a good quality. Plus, the the background colour of red covers all of the background ampersands turning them into a deep brown which doesnt compliment the image at all, instead highlighting how badly though-out the whole aesthetic is.

Type:

Like:

"TP DURO Font" (2010) by TwoPoints.net
Reference- Faisal, M. (2011) "Font Typography: 50 Brilliant Typography Designs to Inspire You" [weblog] Graphic Design Junction Available from http://graphicdesignjunction.com/2011/02/font-typography-50-brilliant-typography-designs-to-inspire-you/ (Accessed 14th November 2012)

TwoPoints.net- This was selected due to the clean and sleek aesthetic of the poster as it keeps it minimal with the use of 3 colours and only using 1 typeface as a focal point. The typeface juxtaposes the salmon pink colour of the poster background as it is quite ironic in its statement, however, they oddly go quite well together.The space is complimentary to the type and doesnt take away from it, allowing the typeface to work on a large scale and point size.

Don't Like:

"Fun Knitting" by Karolina Babiliute
Reference- Faisal, M. (2011) "Font Typography: 50 Brilliant Typography Designs to Inspire You" [weblog] Graphic Design Junction Available from http://graphicdesignjunction.com/2011/02/font-typography-50-brilliant-typography-designs-to-inspire-you/ (Accessed 14th November 2012)

Karolina Babiliute- Taking into account the fact that the poster is in another langauge, this has been selected because of the illegible typograsphy used which makes it difficult to read as the letterforms are not very prominent, particularly in the red/orange colour. The idea of it being knitted is interesting but the holes left within the letters from being woven make it difficult to read. Overall, the threads have been left strewn out all over the background making the poster appear messy and cluttered which too much going onin the image.

Image:

Like:

"You Sir, are a Sophisticated Poster" (2012) by Blaine Levy Graphics
Reference- Blaine Levy Graphics (2012) "You Sir, are a Sophisticated Poster"[weblog] Blaine Levy Graphics Available from http://blainelevygraphics.tumblr.com/post/21510951849/you-sir-are-a-sophisticated-poster (Accessed 14th November 2012)

Blaine Levy Graphics- This one was chosen as it is a simple yet sophisticated image which works well with the image of a gentlemanly silhouette as it keeps the overall tone as classy and elegant. The use of only 2 colours keeps it clean yet not too underworked as the scale of the image gives it some presence, emphasized by the large amounts of negative space which compliment the silhouette.

Don't Like:

"Web Media Upload" by MediaVengers
Reference- MediaVengers Avaiable from http://webmedia101.com/graphic-design-tutorial/ (Accessed 14th November 2012)

MediaVengers- This was selected for being incredibly overworked as it relies heavily on computer generated graphics which are unrealistic and don't require alot of skill. The work is non-sensical and has no real message behind it which is reinforced by the lack of structure and order within the image.

From these 6 images, we had to discuss on our table the reasons for our choices. The fact that we had to have a justification for our choices made us realise about how important aesthetic is in regards to how successful a piece of graphic design is.

Aesthetic- The visual quality of work

              - Instant reaction dictates whether they engage with the work

              - All about audience and reaction

              - However, it can begin to override the message

          

The subjective opinion can stop you from seeing other work

            - We shouldn't believe that what we like it right- need to be Objective

            - Process of Evaluation

            - Design for people and not for Designers

We then came up with a large list (individually and as a class) of descriptive words to do with aesthetics:

Good:

Clean, Controlled, Purposive, Spacious, Specific, Bold, Considered, Simple, Thoughtful, Legible, Clever, Memorable (?), Structured, Distinctive (?), Geometric, Powerful, Sophisticated, Balanced, Modernist, Quality, Professional (?), Impressive (?), Striking, Intricate, Crisp, Intriguing (?), Different

Bad:

Illegible, Disjointed, Over-Worked, Garish, Kitsch, Ostentacious, Cheap, Generic, Tacky, Cluttered, Over-Powering, Busy, Messy, Pointless, Unclear, Misplaced (?), Common (?), Static, Mediocre (?), Chaotic, Underworked (?)

We then went over the list and found that some words were not specific to the aesthetic (strikeout words) and some were borderline (those with a ?)

We then had to chose 3 of the images we had and chose 5 words to describe them aesthetically (see picture).

Chosen 3 images and my 5 word descriptions

Then we had to swap our images with a partner and had to write descriptive words having seen it for 5, 10 and 20 seconds respectively, coming up with 6 words for each. We also had to decide whether our partner had chosen the image because they liked or disliked it.

Images I was given by my Partner and my descriptions

Then we had to compare our descriptives words with each other and find out whether we had been correct in thier choice for like or dislike. Thankfully we both got them all right.

Comparing the descriptions we made for each one

From this exercise, as a partnership, we had to come up with a list of 10 aesthetic rules of Graphic Design that we could both agree on:

1. No more than 3 typefaces or fonts
2. No more than 3 colours
3. All design must be structured
4. Message must be clearly communicated
5. Composition of the design must be balanced
6. Type must be legible
7. The aesthetic must help contextualise the image
8. The aesthetic must not overpower the function
9. Aesthetic should be refined
10. Simplicity is Key

Then this was to be narrowed down to 3 rules of your own individual choice. My rules are:

1. Type must be legible
2. Simplicity is Key
3. Message must be clearly communicated

Study Task:

We then had to select 2 images from anyone else on our table: 1 we liked and 1 we don't like. It could not be one of our own images and discuss why they do or do not fulfil the aesthetic rules that we had produced.

Good Image

This image was chosen as it fulfills the aesthetic rules because it is a interesting concept that using info-graphics on a large scale to clearly communicate the directions necessary for the audience to use, therefore making it an interactive piece as well. It is simple in its appearance, reflected in the legible sans serif typeface and the subtle colouration changes that separate the letterforms making it readable.

Bad Image

This image was chosen as it doesn't fulfill the aesthetic rules because it is kitsch, garish and brass in it's cheesy campaign to encourage the audience of socialites. The poster uses several different typefaces that has no consistancy between each other and the small block of text in the corner is illegible due to its point size. This also doesn't aid the message that needs communicating to the audience thereby making it over-complicated.

After that , we needed to demonstrate the rules that we had put in place with 3 examples for each:

Type Must Be Legible:

"Woodletters Helvetica" (2012) by Mr. Cup
Reference- Mr. Cup (2012)"Woodletters Helvetica" [Internet] Available from http://www.mr-cup.com/work/self-initiated/item/wood-letters-helvetica.html (Accessed 25th November 2012)

Mr. Cup- This may be seen as cheating as it is not exactly words or phrases but these Wood Blocks are too beautiful not to include. The choice of Helvetica makes the blocks appear stylish and classy in thier distinct legibility and the choice of media is old fashioned yet timeless which makes them a perfect combination. The fact that they are Handmade as well shows the crafting, skill and amount of time that has gone into creating them, making you appreciate the outcome even more.

"The Italic Poster" (2007) by Eivind Molvaer
Reference- Molvaer, E (2007) "The Italic Poster" [Internet] April 2007 Available from http://eivindmolvaer.com/#The-Italic-Poster (Accessed 25th November 2012)

Eivind Molvaer- This simple yet clear poster relies on the shape of the poster but also the legibility of the typeface itself for the viewer to understand the concept, which is aided by the clear and readable font used despite it being italisized. This emphasizes the need for the legibility within the poster. The form of the poster is particularly interesting as it is defined and immovable, especially with the choice of using black and white colour which pushes the point home even more.

"Wim Crouwel Tribute" (2011) by Nathan Godding
Reference- Godding, N. (2011) "Wim Crouwel Tribute" [Internet] Available from http://www.nathangodding.com/#Wim-Crouwel-Tribute (Accessed 25th November 2012)

Nathan Godding- Despite the elongation of the stems and the manipulation of the vertical scale proportions of the letterforms, the text is still legible as it has kept its overall form and has a strong consistancy throughout. The black lettering on the block green background makes it stand out and appear powerful whereas the white lettering at the top provides clarity and a sense of context.

Simplicity Is Key:

"Charleston Ballet Theatre 2012-2013 Season" (2012) by Gil Schuler Graphic Design, Inc.
Reference- Gil Schuler Design, Inc. (2012) "Charleston Ballet Theatre 2012-2013 Season" [Internet] 20th August Available from http://www.gilshulergraphicdesign.com/charleston-ballet-theatre-2012-13-season/ (Accessed 25th November 2012)

Gil Schuler Graphic Design, Inc.- The minimalist approach to producing these posters creates a consistancy throughout that provides a uniformity to make them all work as a series. The posters have large amounts of negative space and minimal amounts of detail, sometimes even creating one combined image that illustrates the subject matter thereby having a simplistic aesthetic, particularly emphasized by the minimal amount of colours or text.

"BKLYN Larder Posters" (2012) by Franz Heuber
Reference- BKLYN Larder (2012) "BKLYN Larder Posters" [Internet] Available from http://www.bklynlarder.com/posters/ (Accessed 25th November 2012)

Franz Heuber- The use of geometric shapes is prevalent within these posters which aids the simplistic appearance of the posters as they are focused on the visual shaping and colour of the subject matter rather than on detail or producing a realistic image. This means that it simplifies the representation of the form of the objects and keeps the presentation clean and sleek.

"Movies // Posters" (n.d) by iamhingo
Reference- iamhingo (n.d) "Movies // Posters" [Weblog] Tumblr Available from http://iamhingo.tumblr.com/Work (Accessed 25th November 2012)

iamhingo- One colour tonal variation and straight, geometric shapes form the entire basis that these posters are built on, taking the visual aesthetic to its bare bones and illustrating the subject matter in its most simplistic form.  The basic composition and grid layout of the posters keeps it quite formal and structured while the sans serif text is small yet in keeping with the professional and sleek aesthetic of the film posters.



Message Must Be Clearly Communicated:

"Football Resistance: Swastika" (2006) by CLM/BBDO
Reference- Airey, D. (2006) "Ads Of The World" [weblog]  DavidAirey.com 24th October Available from http://www.davidairey.com/ads-of-the-world/ (Accessed 25th November 2012)

CLM/BBDO- The intention behind the advertisement is clear and direct in its approach with dealing with the subject matter of racism in football. The clever use of cultural symbolism manipulates the Nazi Swastika into the form of a football player, instantaneously communicating the issue to the audience. The choice of colour is specific to the subject matter aiding the communication furthermore and the slogan at the bottom of the poster contextualizes the imagery chosen.

"Indigo Bunting for Paperless Post Collection" (2012) by Erin Jang
Reference- Jang, E. (2012) "Indigo Bunting for Paperless Post Collection"[weblog] 13th November Available from http://theindigobunting.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/new-work-collection-for-paperless-post.html (Accessed 25th November 2012)

Erin Jang- These cards are successful in their message as the different occasions are depicted through the imagery which work without the use of text contextualizing what the images are and what they could be used for. In a sense, this allows for the cards to be used for several occasions and not just one, meaning that the cards are not stuck to a specific event. The style of the cards are quite naive and childish in their illustration yet the simple depictions keep it fresh and not overworked, with the bright colours and matching envelopes catching the eye of the audience.

"Velo" and "Wiggo" (2012) by Graphical House
Reference- DIRPETZOLD (2012) "Minimalist Graphic Cycling Posters by Graphical House" [Weblog] Weandthecolour 24th November Available from http://weandthecolor.com/minimalist-graphic-cycling-posters-by-graphical-house/18047 (Accessed 25th November 2012)

Graphical House- These topical info-graphics are focused and specific in their message thereby centered on the intention of communicating the success of Bradley Wiggins in the Tour de France to a large mass audience. Influencing the shape and lines within the work based on the information highlights the necessary message as well as the choice of the dominating colour, yellow to drive the message home.

To expand on this, we needed to identify 5 more examples for each of the 3 rules, however, these examples were not to come from a Graphic Design discipline:

Type Must Be Legible:

"Glass Letter Sculpture" (2008) by Oskar Wrango
Reference- dsgnplus (2008) "Glass Letter Sculpture" [weblog] D+ 3rd June Available from http://dsgnplus.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/glass-type-by-oskar-wrango/ (Accessed 28th November 2012)
Reference- The Magenta Links (2008) "Oskar Wrango- Glass Type Sculpture" [Internet] 10th Feb Available from http://www.themagentalinks.com/2008/10/02/oskar-wrango-glass-type-sculpture/ (Accessed 28th November 2012)

Oskar Wrango- This Sculpture Type is legible in the sense that the letterforms are clearly distinguished and, when it is ordered, it is narrow yet clean. The 3-Dimentional, Glass media highlights the sheer skill in the crafting and production of the sculpture and gives a whole new physical dimension with the shadows playing off one another. It allows for audience interaction as it is a physical being that may help people be more appreciative of the forms of the type if they can experience it for themselves.

"Lowther Children's Centre" (2012) by Patel Taylor
Taylor, P (2010) "Lowther Children's Centre" [Internet] Available from http://www.pateltaylor.co.uk/works/work/lowther-childrens-centre/ (Accessed 28th November 2012)

Patel Taylor- The legible typeface is part of the architecture of the building, keeping it upright and fitting into the structure of the building due to the choice of the wood. The typeface is fluid and rounded in its form, aided by the malleable material of the wood, as the sans serif font is minimalist yet clean in its presentation. You can easily read the name of the hospital within the letters and it helps build an identity and brand for the institution.

"ABChairs" (2010) by Roeland Otten
Reference- Otten, R. (2010) "ABChairs" [Internet] Available from http://www.roelandotten.com/ (Accessed 28th November 2012)

Roeland Otten- This typographic series of chairs is made so it is easy to use as furniture to sit on whilst also being fun to interact with (that can be used to spell words and phrases) which would be fashionable in an office setting. The production of the furniture gives the type extra dimensions of depth which add to the overall aesthetic of the furniture. The font is quite quirky in its appearance yet is distinctive aiding the legibility of the font.

"Protect Me From What I Want" (1983-1985) by Jenny Holzer
Konsthopp (2012) "PROTECT ME FROM WHAT I WANT" [weblog] 1st May Available from http://konsthopp.com/2012/05/01/protect-me-from-what-i-want/ (Accessed 30th November 2012)

Jenny Holzer- This LED signage projection is readable in regards to the large scale that it has to be on due to its environmental placement. The strong, bold sans serif font aids the legibility as it gives the impression of being a confident and self-assured statement. The choice of media is reflective of the environment that it is in, surrounded by bright lights therefore it is vying for the attention of the audience yet the nature of the 'Truism' statement means that its successful.

"Helvetica/Numbers/Uppercase/Lowercase Scarves" (2012) by Little Factory
Reference- Little Factory (2012) "Helvetica/Numbers/Uppercase/Lowercase Scarves" [Internet] Available from http://littlefactory.com/scarf/ (Accessed 28th November 2012)

Little Factory- These contemporary fashion designers have made a series of type-based laser cut scarves which carefully individually carve out every single letterform. The type is legible due to this meticulous cutting yet I think this is helped by the choice of typefaces, particularly in the Helvetica scarf as the letterforms are larger in size which makes them easier to identify. The pieces themselves give a delicate appearance as the white colouration makes them appear fragile and easily breakable, like snowflakes.


Simplicity Is Key:

"Fade Lounger Armchair" (2009) by Skram Furniture
Reference- Skram Furniture (2009) "Fade Lounger Armchair" [Internet] Available from http://skramfurniture.com/products/fade-arm-chair/ (Accessed 3rd December 2012)

Skram Furniture- Side-on, this ebonized rift white oak lounge chair is thin and barely existant but head-on is overbearing and quite foreboding in its stature. It's simplistic in it's make-up as it has no decoration and is minimal in its colouration. The angular appearance is quite cold and has a lack of warm personality towards it, making it seem more likely to belong in an office rather than in a family home.

"Composition with Red, Yellow and Blue" (1927) by Piet Mondrian
Milner, J. (1992) "Mondrian" 1st ed., London: Phaidon Press Limited

Piet Mondrian-  Mondrian keeps his fine art paintings to a minimal aesthetic by playing with the geometric shapes and lack of decoration. His choice of primary colours for certain squares seems basic yet this only helps to aid the simplistic appearance, making the white negative space seem even larger.

"White & White LED Digital Clock" (2011) by Vadim Kibardin
 Kibardindesign (2012) "White & White" [Internet] Available from http://www.kibardindesign.com/en/collection/collection-13/white-and-white-digital-led-clock.aspx (Accessed 11th December 2012)

Vadim Kibardin- Minimalist digital clock design that is compromised of 4 digital 8 shapes that simply light up and tell the time. The fact that there is nothing framing them makes the design all the simpler as it allows for the design to do its purpose and just focus on that. The lack of decoration actually adds to the chic and clean aesthetic and the white colour choice allows the the transparent material to appear invisible in the dark, making the digital aesthetic seem otherworldly.

"Ghost House" (2010) by Jin Otagiri
DATAR/ ARCHITECTURE (2012) "Jin Otagiri" [Internet] Datar/ Architecture, Japan: Tokyo Available from http://datar-arch.tumblr.com/ (Accessed 11th December 2012)

Jin Otagiri- This building was created with the intention of producing an aesthetic of minimalism throughout the house, not just in regards to structure but in reference to the colouration and the layout of the house. The spacial awareness it creates from the sparseness of the area makes the house appear infiniate and larger than it actually is. Due to the white and black colouration, it means that it would look simplistic even if there was furniture inside, especially with the white staircase and hallways that seem neverending.

"A/W 12/13 Collection: Simple Complexity Complex Simplicity" (2012) by Arena Page
London College of Fashion (2012) "MA _12: Arena Page" [Internet] London College of Fashion Available from http://showtime.arts.ac.uk/arenapage (Accessed 11th December 2012)

Arena Page- The long pieces of fabrick with simplitic silhouettes and minimal patterns allow for a narrow, elongated visual that makes the pieces appear like they are floating on the model.  Its cut so that the piece wears the model rather than the model wearing the piece, shown by the fact that the model's figure is hidden by the dresses as they take on a life of thier own.

Message Must Be Clearly Communicated:

"Your Body Is A Battleground" (1989) by Barbara Kruger
Kruger, B. (1989) "Your Body Is A Battleground" [Internet] Available from http://www.barbarakruger.com/ (Accessed 11th December 2012)

Barbara Kruger- The manipualtion of the photograph in the visual artwork makes the female in the image seem robotic and inhuman as the inverse negative of her face makes her feel cold and emotionless. The iconic strapline slogans that adorn Krugers artwork are usually confrontational and used to argue a message to the masses, in this case that of the law on abortion and the female body being governed by law rather than the female in question.

"Vietnam- Looking Into The Past" (2011- 2012) by Khanh Hmoong
Kay, N. (n.d) "Vietnam- Then & Now Photos by Khanh Hmoong" [Weblog] Photography Blogger Available from http://www.photographyblogger.net/vietnam-then-now-photos-by-khanh-hmoong/ (Accessed 11th December 2012)

Knanh Hmoong- The merging of the past and the present really drives the message home to the audience as Hmoong demonstrates how the world has physically as well as culturally changed in such a short space of time. The way that he has perfectly aligned the photographs allows for the images to tell a story to the audience, which fills them with charm and authenticity. His full collection of photographs are available from his Flickr account http://www.flickr.com/photos/hmoong/sets/72157627891376819/

"Never Forget" (2007) by Lisa Anna Auerbach
Auerbach, L.A (2007) "KNOCK KNOCK WHO'S THERE" [Internet] Available from http://www.lisaanneauerbach.com/projects/Sweaters/911.html (Accessed 11th December 2012)

Lisa Anne Auerbach- The knitted jumpers that Auerbach produces usually have some type of political or opinionated statement on a social topic, making sure that they are incredibly vocal and sometimes controversial in the message she is convaying to the public en masse. The jumpers are usually busy and have alot going on in them yet this is probably due to the media choice meaning that the contents have to be larger in order for them to be legible.

"Sticks and Stones" (2010) by Eric Cooney
Cooney Studios (2010) "Sticks and Stones" [Internet] Available from http://www.cooneystudios.com/portfolio/sticks-and-stones/ (Accessed 11th Decemeber 2012)

Eric Cooney- Cooney uses sculpture as a way of taking profound topics within our society and expressing his messages through his sculpture/installation medium. His way of taking objects and putting them in thier dangerous context makes the messages he produces quite confrontational and shocking for the audience at first, particulrly his continuous references to the armed forces and war, however this makes his relevant to our social conciousness.

"Georgie" (2009) by Mary Jane Ansell
Ansell, M.J (2009) "Georgie" [Internet] Available from http://maryjaneansell.com/portraits/ (Accessed 11th Decmeber 2012)

Mary Jane Ansell- Portraiture is used by Fine Artists to communicate there subjects personality as well as the physcial atributes they are painting and Ansell manages to do this by considering her colour choices, subject composition and her manipulation of her mixed media. The way she presents her subjects is how she manages to communicate so well to the audience, for instance presenting 'Georgie' as otherwordly like a mystical angel due to the innocent and pure colouration.