Book Binding

On wednesday we looked at book binding. We began by making a Circle Accordian, this was a simple design but it was really important to make the folds and cuts completely accurate or the overall effect is ruined. I used some of my letterpress as a front cover which created an interesting abstract effect.

After the Circle Accordian I tried Japanese binding. This book had a more substantial look and had many more variations to make it more interesting. Again it was important to make sure the measurements were accurate as even small mistakes show up easily.

Glyphs PPRD

I have not worked with Illustrator before so this project allowed me to learn and practise with the software. I looked at the work of many other artists to attempt to understand what made a successful glyph. The work of Oded Ezer and Otl Aicher were particularly useful and it was interesting to see how pictograms had developed through time. It was difficult to find images that would create good glyphs from the photographs I had taken in Poole but I think the ones I have used are clear and simplistic enough to create an effective visual metaphor. I decided to use block shapes as silhouettes rather than using line drawings as I felt this made the glyph more substantial. I used the text from a Printing shop sign as an icon. The way the photo I had taken put the text on a slant made a more interesting tracing of this text.

Grids and Layouts

Yesterday we had our first session on grids and layouts, learning the characteristics that make each, and then the difference between the two. Within groups we then created the layout of a magazine spread, which is shown above. This idea really made us concentrate on the layout of each page and how these double page spreads came together as a whole.

Letterpress Again

Today was the second workshop of letterpress so today, rather than experimenting, we began working on designs based on the words we had been given to produce a series of creative typographic designs. These words were: boundary, extensive, sequence, freedom, extend and outside. I have already explored the meanings of these words using a dictionary and a thesaurus, so i now had to try and show that information using the letterpress. This week we had many more colours to choose from and a wider range of paper. One of my best designs was done on tracing paper with white ink creating a much more interesting effect.

You Are...

Glyphs

I have now had two sessions to learn Illustrator and with practice I'm beginning to get a better understanding of it. The brief to fulfill is to create a glyph or pictogram from the photos taken in Poole using Illustrator. I've not used Illustrator before so it seems to take a long time to do anything. I have made images from a boat and from a bollard so far. The image above is some experimentation with different effects to use to manipulate text.

Type and Tape PPRD

The typeface the group I was in created for this brief is called 'Wonderland'. For inspiration we looked at several existing typefaces. Those that caught the group’s attention were 'Royal', a serif typeface that often doubles up with two lines, and also 'Torino Flair' and 'Torino Italic Swah' which caught our attention because of their almost script/cursive quality. Our typeface replicates these qualities but also has a slightly more random feel, living up to the 'wonder' in its name. We have made the typeface non-lining so that it looks less unified giving it a slightly childlike feel. Our group chose to display our new typeface on a metal fence surrounding a building site. We chose to make it there because we felt it was slightly ironic to have the building work going on in the background, making the surroundings not such a wonderland. The typeface looks very unique and looks just like our designs. It was difficult to get the lines and angles to be exact as it did not stick well to the fence, particularly because it was raining, however the slightly less accurate lines add to the effect giving it an interesting unpredictable effect. Whilst making the letters we experimented with adding different colour tapes to give the letters more depth and make them stand out better. This experiment was successful and so the colour was retained

Tape & Type

Today working in groups, we used tape to create a new typeface. After researching existing typefaces our group decided on a flowing type with a handwritten feel. We put the tape on a fence surrounding a building site so that you could see behind the text whilst looking at it. The word we wrote was 'Wonderland' as we felt this suited the style, and also because we liked the irony of the building site behind, on a rainy day, being far from wonderful. Our group worked really well together and I think we were all pleased with the outcome.

The Art Of Lost Words

The Art of Lost Words is an exhibition I visited in March at the German Gymnasium at Kings Cross in London that ties in well with this project. The exhibition was of design, typography and Illustration inspired by forgotten words. 47 artists chose from the dictionary's forgotten words with an open brief to create an original work inspired by their choice.

This was a great exhibition with a really wide range of images. The ones I feel will be useful for the letterpress project are Brian Webb's 'Plegnic' incorporating letterpress and image, 'Rubefacience' by Alan Kitching and 'Pseudisodomous' by Kelvyn Laurence Smith.

The Art of Lost Words Exhibition

Letterpress

I have now experimented using letterpress which was really interesting. It took a lot of thought to decide on a composition particularly tricky making sure all the letters were faced the correct way. I love the way the technique looks so distinctive and how mistakes, smudges or some letters bolder than others, can actually contribute positively to the overall image.

I have also researched into other letterpress artists, and am particularly interested in the work of Alan Kitching .

Poole - A Visual Insight PPRD

I have created a pen line drawing designed to be featured within The Guardian newspaper. The idea behind this image is to use the concept of regeneration to show how the old Poole can be used as a positive foundation for the creation of the new regenerated Poole. After looking into Poole's history I considered ideas connected to the old buildings and with Poole Pottery, however, the composition I felt had the most impact was one that connected with Poole's fishing background. It appears that this was thought about by those involved with the regeneration as the shapes and angles of the RNLI building and of the new apartments on the quay, captured in my photographs on our day trip to Poole, replicated those of large ships. Using this connection I developed the idea of two boats rising from fishing nets entangled with floats and fishing related objects. I kept the upper half of the image simple with sparse clean lines to show modernity; this then moved down into much more detail and shading on the buildings as they developed and flowed into the fishing nets. I used several thicknesses of pens to create the different lines, and ink to create shading on the closest objects and to accentuate the perspective on the buildings. The black and white technique is very effective and shows the idea of regeneration well although, as mentioned in the critique, I could have used colour. I did experiment with watercolour paints, pencil colours and gouache but felt this unsuitable as I wanted all aspects of the image to fit in with the Guardian’s presentational style. I liked the complex architectural feel of the image that the typical Guardian reader might appreciate.

Poole - A Visual Insight

For this brief we were asked to produce an editorial illustration to feature in one of a series of articles in a national newspaper, shedding light on the regeneration of Britain's key coastal towns. The image must illustrate the article focusing on aspects of the regeneration of Poole in Dorset.

Link to Borough of Poole Regeneration

For this brief I used the sketches and photos that I had taken the previous week on our day trip to Poole as inspiration. I also went back again to collect some more images once I had an idea of the direction I would need to go in.

The buildings that caught my attention were the RNLI building and the apartments at the end of the Quay because of their modern futuristic look, but also because their shape reminded me of boats. With the idea of regeneration in mind, (OE definition: 'Bring into renewed existence') I thought I could incorporate Poole's Fishing history with the new regeneration.

The Critique for this brief was very useful, there was a wide range of ideas and the feedback was always constructive and interesting. It was suggested I experiment with colour for my image as it is currently black and white so this is something I will look into.

Poole

After the trip to Poole I have visited again to get some further inspiration and also collected a selection of sketches and photographs. I have tried to pick up on anything that I find visually interesting, particularly typography and also aspects I feel give a good idea of Poole and its historical background.

Look Again

Summer Brief

This is an open brief we were given over the summer to prepare ourselves for the course. Although it is not included in the final mark I was very pleased with some of my photos, especially since photography is not one of my strongest areas.

Everyone’s final piece for this brief was very different and it was interesting to see the way in which each person had interpreted it.

I used the idea of Look Again and text that catches your eye, making you look again and also text in unexpected places where I played with different techniques on the beach.

The Beginning...

I will be keeping this blog and updating regularly, in line with my university course. I will include work to briefs, my own sketches and images and all things beautiful and interesting.

Enjoy.