Bills Page

Visual Communication 1

2008-11-02T17:57:00.004Z

Level 2
CHK Design
A multi-disciplined design studio working for clients in architecture, art design and fashion.

Client

Miser & Now
A magazine incorporating fine art, photography, film and video games as cultural entities. It encompassed progressive discussions on contemporary culture. Each issue was based on a relevant cultural theme. The publication ceased in November 2007 after 11 issues.

Christian Küster was the art director of the magazine so it was his company (CHK Design) that designed several magazines, Miser & Now being just one of them.

Miser & Now had a very clean and crisp look to it. The magazine paid a lot of attention to type and layout, using differing letter forms for different articles, giving each article an individual feel and look, while keeping to a very symmetrical layout. The head and foot margins remained linear.
In the magazine some articles were placed in thick black boarders, that draw the eye to the piece, making the reader linger on these pages just that little bit longer if just flicking through the magazine.
This is something I would not have noticed in the past. I have found myself looking at magazines in a new light, noticing things like spacing, margin sizes and paper quality, things that are just taken for granted.
Miser & Now looked like an interesting magazine and it is a shame that it has ceased publication.

www.chkdesign.com/

Pentagram

Multi-disciplined design firm with offices in New York, London, San Francisco, Austin and Berlin.

Job
First down, Houston: The birth of an NFL Franchise. The book accompanied a major exhibition at the Museum of Fine Art Huston that paid tribute to the American football team the Houston Texans.

Client
Museum of Fine Art (Houston)

This is a “coffee table book”

From the example shown on the portfolio page of Pentagram, the book reminded me of my magazine/book design. The similarities being that the text runs across both pages and in spoken word using comments from fans of the Texans. The typography is clean and crisp and seems to me to be the same font. The leading in the piece is interesting as it is never the same from one statement from the other, I like this effect and it works well on the pages displayed against the black background. I tried this with my piece and it didn’t work out so well. It does on this piece.

I have also looked at other pieces from the company’s portfolio and I was very impressed. They have created signage for King’s College London and the EasyInfo digital gate display, providing passengers with up-to-the-minute flight information for United Airlines. They also designed the Stowaway Keyboard (a portable folding keyboard Palm Pilot) and other handheld PDAs.

www.pentagram.com/

SAS

Design company specializing in branding and graduate recruitment, shareholder communication and corporate websites.

The Client
BDO Stoy Hayward

The Brief
The challenge was to create a campaign approach that would fit with the firm’s positioning and values and would increase applications from students. SAS needed to get the most out of guidelines that had been developed for B2B (business-to-business) marketing in a space where being too formal does not work well.

The answer
SAS centred the campaign on the positive difference of a career for graduates, and offered students support during their professional exams, in order to ensure that they had a good work/life balance, amongst other things. This is captured in the line “You’ll notice the difference” and illustrations which bring the campaign to life. In addition it ran a competition to underpin one of the key messages that allowed students to enter their names in order to win £1000 worth of support during exam time.

SAS have used simple illustration and colour to soften what could have been a very boring piece of literature, something that could have been overlooked very easily. The design makes the leaflet a bit more friendly and has the “flick through” value which leaflets need in this market.

I myself was drawn towards this as I investigated the websites, and the humour was why I chose this profile. I like to think I put a bit of humour into my work. The humour in this piece is used to break down the boundaries and appeal to students. They also use questions as header statements. The website also has some nice “handmade Type” titles on it, which I like.

www.sasdesign.co.uk/

BMF
Design company based in Sydney Australia.

Again the use of humour is very strong in a lot of BMF’s work, especially the viral internet campaigns. The piece I have chosen is “Introducing Ella.”

The Brief
Ella Bache, a skin care and beauty company, launched a “Skin Good Enough to Eat” campaign. The centre of the campaign was Ella, a giant naked woman whose skin was made up entirely from peaches (approx 24000).

The ad campaign for TV mixed live action with (what looks like) flash, and 3D vector graphics, showing the construction of an impressive statue of Ella made of peaches. It was unveiled in a park in Sydney next to the Museum of Contemporary Art, and was on display for 10 days for free.

What I like is that I used the same technique they used for my first flash project i.e. the look of a signature writing itself. This is a simple technique and is very effective at the beginning at the TV advert. Just knowing how this is done has added interest to me.

The whole website is well put together and looks, in my opinion, brilliant. The hand drawn look (in Biro) is eye catching and makes the visitor want to investigate the rest of the site. Also the use of humour, which as I mentioned before is very important to me, is prevalent on every page.

www.bmf.com.au/

Reviews Revisited

2008-09-10T22:33:00.000+01:00

http://www.mediafire.com/?agspxggkf9q
The second one.
http://www.mediafire.com/?q7nqzkrohnm
The third and final one.

These were added not because of a lack of knowledge of layouts
( which I wil not pretend I have).
But as an experiment for myself, I need the practice.

Degree show reviews

2008-09-09T18:56:00.000+01:00

Over the next few days I will be placing several layouts for the degree show review.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/izdbzcils80/essay review.pdf

Interaction stage 1

2008-02-25T17:16:00.000Z

20th Century Fox

20th Century Fox was formed in 1935 with a merger between Fox Film Corporation and Twentieth Century Pictures. The company has branched out since then into the video game industry, TV, Home Entertainment and has opened several highly successful tourist attractions around the world.

The logo of the company is striking and instantly recognisable. It is a culmination of the two original company logos joined together and has developed over the years. See logo.

The logo has a number of spotlights on it. Over the years these have been removed and placed back again. The name under the main logo is the only thing that changes to the name of the subsidiaries i.e. television, film or home entertainment. The company also tries to incorporate the logo into the title sequence of its major film releases.

I like this logo, maybe because I am a bit of a film nerd, but I think the logo liked with the horn section are the brand everybody recognises instantly.

Universal

One of the oldest film companies still producing today, formed by Carl Laemmle who incorporated 8 smaller companies and his own Independent Moving Picture Company. These evolved into Universal Film Manufacturing Company, which developed into Universal Picture Company in 1925. The company now owns film studios theme parks and a home entertainment branch.

Its logo is (excuse the pun) universal and instantly recognisable, as it is a simple globe of the earth spinning in space. An older logo had a plane circumnavigating a silver globe; they later dropped the plane but kept the silver globe. The globe later developed into a full colour representation of the earth.

Again another film company logo. This one I also like but its hard to define why. When I see it I know there is history to this company, there is a nostalgia to the logo in which I feel comfort.

Batman

Referred to as the Bat-Man Created by artist Bob Kane and Bill Finger, published by DC Comics, which started out as Detective Comics in the 1930s.

The character has had its up and downs over the years, Batman was in decline in the eighties after the camp series in the sixties had done a lot of damage and had taken it away from the darker parts of the characters psyche. This was returned by writer artist Frank Miller who wrote ‘Batman: The Dark Knight Returns’ in 1986. When Tim Burton started the Batman film franchise in 1989 this started the character’s rise in popularity again. The dark tone was carried on to the TV with ‘Batman’ the animated series (Warner bro) that intermingled the thirties styling with modern technology. 2005 saw the popular ‘Batman Begins’ film released and later this year its sequel.

The film ’Batman Begins’ also brought a re-imagining of the bat insignia or badge that Batman uses as his sign. Again my nerdy-ness knows no bounds I am a fan of the Batman comic and film and love the old and new bat insignia. There isn’t much more to say.

Superman

One of the most (some say the most) famous comic book superheroes of all time. Created by Jerry Seigal and Joe Shuster in 1932.

Superman has not really changed much over the years, when he first appeared in Action Comics he could not fly thus the saying “can leap tall buildings in a single bound”. It was not until the early forties that the decision was made to make Superman fly. This was incorporated into the Fliescher cartoons from 1941 to 1943.

The popularity of the superhero soared again in 1978 when Christopher Reeves donned the tights for four movies through to 1987. Superman also had a animated series rebirth in 1997 from the same stable as the Batman animated series (Warner Brothers).

2001 brought in another take on the superman legend, ‘Smallville, Superman the early years’, life before tights for the young Clarke Kent. In 2006 Bryan Singer tried to kill the legend by giving us ‘Superman Returns’. This again brought about a re-imagining of the Superman chest insignia trying to make it more modern, we will see, the logo hardly looks different to me, i wouldn’t have messed with it.

Tomb Raider (Lara Croft)

Maybe one of the best-known video game characters of all time. Designed by Toby Gard and first seen in the game ‘Tomb Raider’ in 1996 by Eidos Interactive, Lara Croft was basically an Indiana Jones rip off with big breasts.

The character has not changed much since conception; the only real change has been the improvement in technology.
Croft was presented as an English woman of good stock who travels the world ripping off ancient ruins of any or all artefacts, while killing wild animals and henchmen with little or no hesitation. And all this while wearing a small pair of hot pants and a skintight green top. This made the character more appealing to male game players, but the inclusion of very good puzzles dragged in more gamers.

The character has starred in two motion pictures an animated series and several comic books.
She was dropped after the dismal ‘Tomb Raider; Angel of Darkness’ but has recently been given a new lease of life. The company Crystal Dynamics has tweaked the character with ‘Legend’ and then reinvented ‘Anniversary’ a reworking of the original tomb raider game, another game is due out later this year.

Amnesty International

Amnesty international is a human rights movements, based in the UK. Designed by Diana Redhouse in 1961, Amnesty’s powerful and enduring symbol of a candle wrapped in barbed wire was the brainchild of the organisation’s founder, Peter Benenson.

When briefing artist Diana Redhouse, Benenson recalled the ancient Chinese proverb:”better to light a candle than to curse the darkness”.

Taken from the book ‘LOGO’ by Laurence King:

What can I say about this in my eyes brilliant logo, again instantly recognisable (which all logo’s should be) as the leaders in the fight for human rights around the world.
The indication of the barbaric things one human can do to another represented by the barbed wire used in torture, wrapped around a candle a symbol for hope.

Big Brother Eye

The eye logo for the Reality TV show has become well known in this country. The programme ‘Big Brother’ started its life in the Netherlands and was quickly imported to other countries including ours. It has become a worldwide success and an annual event.

I will not go into the premises of the show but just say that the idea was novel and in my opinion is now like flogging a dead horse and is dragged out because of laziness on the part of the programmers.

The eye motif has developed just as the programme has. It started out in this country as the image of an eye, representing the Big Brother of Orwellian origin the omnipresent watcher. Each year the motif has changed enough to make the new series different and distinct from previous years but it has always remained recognisable as a symbol of the programme.

I have included some examples from over the years. I actually like the logo despite the fact that I loathe the programme with a passion. My wife on the other hand loves it - go figure.

Likes and Dislikes

Likes

Vehicle manufacturer, Germany. Logo designed 1909; modified in 1916 and 1937.

The name Mercedes and the symbol of a star came together by complete chance. Emil Jellineck, an aristocrat who sold Daimlers to friends in high society, also raced vehicles under the pseudonym of his daughters name Mercedes. His orders were vital to the Cannstadt factory, and in 1900 it was decided to make Mercedes the trade name for cars.

Also wanting a symbol, Paul and Adolph Daimler recalled the significance of the star in the career of their father and the company founder, Gottlieb. Starting work at the Deutz Gas engine factory, the young engineer had sent a postcard of the town to his wife, marking his house with a star. One day, he wrote, a star would shine over his own factory.

A three-pointed star was registered in 1909. It was enclosed by a ring in 1916 and, when Daimler merged with rival Benz in 1926, the latter’s laurel leaves and the name Mercedes-Benz encircled the star. In 1937, the logo with a plain ring was seen for the first time.
Taken from the book ‘LOGO’ by Laurence King:

This is a classy logo, with a nice story behind it which is quite sweet and poignant so just adds to the strength of this brand. Instantly recognisable as a good make of vehicles and one for reliability.
I like this simple and elegant design.

Dislike
Car Manufacturer, Japan

Designed in 1997the Mazda’s ‘M’ symbol features a central V that is ‘symbolic of the company stretching its wings as it soars in to the future’.

I dislike this logo mainly because until I researched it didn’t understand what it was trying to say. I didn’t even know it had a V in the logo, I thought it was a crap m in an oval.

It also looks like many other Asian motor companies, which seem they need to enclose their logos in a circle or oval. I think they are trying to emulate the Benz star, but that’s just me. It may be a bit harsh and I actually like Mazda’s cars, I think it’s just an aesthetical thing?

presentation

2007-12-06T11:56:00.001Z

http://www.mediafire.com/?djqxnb5ypev

2007-10-25T21:16:00.000+01:00

More images of THE BURNING

Sun

2007-10-25T21:11:00.000+01:00

Getting to the end of my photo sessions, today I destroyed £2 worth of screwdrivers with a blowtorch. It was strangely gratifying mainly because it ended one section of this project, a huge sigh of relief from me.
I also blowtorched the dolls I have been using, this was going to be for another set of photograph, but the dolls didn’t burn properly so they where binned. £10 in the bin. The bin men are going to think we’re bloody weird in our house.
Well as I said destroying screwdrivers with a blowtorch, interesting and nearly fatal. For one cheap screwdrivers catch fire very easily, which is quite distressing on a safety basis.
The next the bloody fumes nearly killed me and filled my yard with thick black smoke.
Some of the images I have created during this project are to me quite shocking, I dislike them and by the look on my face in some of the images you can tell.

Sat

2007-10-25T20:48:00.000+01:00

Well did a lot of the photos with the offal today. Had the meat (?) out for a few hours… god the smell.
Pigs harts f**kin stink I have never photographed anything wanting to retch before, I am happy with the photos but not the subject matter.
Also being covered in chocolate sauce isn’t the nicest thing I can think of doing on a Saturday. This entry is starting to sound like a cheap porn novel, I am slowly working my way through cheap genres very quickly.

FRIDAY

2007-10-25T20:11:00.000+01:00

The problem I am having at this moment, with this project is that I can’t get the blood consistency right.
God thousands of crap horror films out there and I just end up with something that looks like what it is. Bloody (excuse the pun) chocolate syrup.
Anyhow I did get the animal parts I was looking for.
Two near perfect pigs hearts, Jesus I am sinking into a really bad slasher movie.
I sound like a deranged psycho. The type the neighbours say “oh he was such a nice man, never would have thought that of him”.
Wait until the pictures are done, Damien Hirst has got a lot to answer for…I can’t really blame him for everything, but I’d like to

ARTIST AND OBJECT (VISUAL THINKING)

2007-10-25T20:06:00.000+01:00

Damien Hirst often uses the bodies of real animals in his artwork, for example ‘away from the flock’ and ‘mother and child divided’. He has even used real human remains, ‘For the Love of God’ has real human teeth in the piece and a cast of a human skull was used. I am not comfortable using human or animal remains and wouldn’t even know where to get those sorts of things from, so I have improvised.

I did get a pigs heart from a butchers but that was as far as I wished to go, even that was revolting.

I wanted to use images of screwdrivers taking life, so I decided to use two baby dolls. These dolls where used to illustrate innocents.
For the blood I looked at what special effects people used for films years ago. I found chocolate sauce looked like blood in black and white photos so I used that.
I had to dilute it and with a few experiments came up with the right consistency.

I used the pig’s heart, as it is very close in size and shape as a human heart. Our hearts keep us alive so this is a very direst way of looking at death.
The screwdriver through the heart also looks like cupids arrows. The photos I have taken are not something that you would find on a Valentine card though

Hirst “uses shock almost as a formal element… not so much to thrust his work in the public eye… but rather to make aspects of life and death visible.”
Using provocative materials he continually explores theme of mortality in a brutally honest and thought-provoking manner.

Label Turner retrospective exhibition, Tate Britain.

2007-10-18T18:40:00.000+01:00

Here is the proposal i am working on at the moment.
I have collected the items needed to hopefully complete this project.

Shrigley essay

2007-10-18T10:49:00.000+01:00

http://www.mediafire.com/?3gzmmztwxvz

Test

2007-10-17T10:11:00.000+01:00

Test page for my Blog.