Venizia

In a recent trip to Italy we had a quick stop in Venice and I've always found it such an inspiring place. Last time I went it was the Canivale and so busy with tourists you couldn't even move and yet it was buzzing with culture. This time the place was almost deserted....quite creepy! Walking through Venice I saw some delicate and beautiful type.
I also came across this tiny little bookshop with some incredible handmade books and diaries.

...And hen he created Islington Wharf

We received this Christmas card through our postbox the other week - a nice piece of promotional work printed on lovely stock with overlaid text. One cover its subtle and uses some great old images of Manchester whereas the other side contrasts in colour and juxtaposes a modern image of Islington Wharf with bright yellow type.

When did I stop having fun? .....

Just come across this on CR's Blog. It's got me thinking about instinct. I'm reluctant to admit it but I am continuously producing work whilst doubting if its right. If its what people or my tutors want to see. The work by these students in Salford just looks inhibited. They've acted on instincts and gone with their individual styles and had fun doing it, and this comes through in the ideas - It made me wonder, at what point did I stop really having fun with my projects?
This cover is my favorite of the bunch, its got personality, its bold and it makes me happy to look at it. I rather think these thoughts stem from the fact I've just arrived home and the first things I do are to check the MMU Blog and Intranet - No fun :(

PDP

Following my PDP session with Hitch yesterday I have a clearer idea of what I need to focus on and to produce by January. For my Silence project Hitch gave me some constructive criticism about how I can work with the film I am trying to make - how to handle the content and audio and when best to add the pauses. I'd watched the film Hunger the evening before and was really influenced by Steve's direction. His use of silence, framing, visual metaphors and timing have made me think about incorporating a similar editing style into my own video.

I got some feedback on the Resistance project. I believe the final images still require more development, Hitch preferred my images using the block arrows but maybe to crop the image in a way that lets the viewer discover the arrow - not to just see it. I was really happy with my experimental work that I was doing in my Resistance sketchbook and was keen on continuing to experiment with this. I had began doing some 3D drawings/collages using geometric shapes, sketching and layering to illustrate the physical nature of resistance.

Hitch and I discussed what I should do for my personal project over Christmas and we came to the agreement that I could merge to projects together. I was interested in doing the Orion HG Wells book jackets as well as continuing my 3D drawings and collage experimentation. I will be using my 3D drawings to illustrate the themes in some of the HG Wells books. For example in Kipps a main theme is social class and for this I can experiment with balance in a visual way.

My List for Christmas:

- amend essay and make corrections
- distribute questionnaire and collate results to write into essay
- experiment with printing blog/journal into small book
- Use filming equipment to record more footage/audio for Silence project
- Edit footage and produce film
- Finalize posters for Resistance project - submit?
- Work on Personal Project. Work on 3D drawings and produce HG Wells Book Jackets

Wow, lot to do! I'm quite concerned about the Silence project as I have no access to the editing software until we return in January - so that will be a very busy week I think!

Resistance

I chose the don't panic brief for this recent 3 week project. An A2 poster illustrating the theme of resistance.

I began to explore the idea that resistance is the last one standing, the last one left. The one that perseveres to hold onto what they believe in. Ideas on how to represent this came in the form of a last leaf on a tree, a bowling pin left standing etc. I didn't like the route these visuals were taking so I began looking at old Penguin book covers and I began experimenting with geometric shapes and physical barriers through shapes. I thought I could illustrate my idea using arrows. I decided to have lots of arrows following one direction and then one arrow which was going to opposite or taking its own route. This tests the idea of non-conformity, an example being the resistance to follow suit with the masses, the norm even society.These ideas I played with and developed them,
I liked how the layers and the white space worked together. I also did this sketch which is in a contrasting style but also works well by itself.
I began to think how else I could communicate this idea of one person, one mind resisting what its being told. I thought about lights, bulbs and lamps - how a mass of bulbs with only one on or just one not lighting up could symbolize a greater meaning or refusing, resisting or leading. I worked with the following illustrations and then developed these.
Ideally, when I first envisioned this idea I wanted to photograph the real thing. With the time constraints I just decided to go with the next best thing...an illustration of the idea.


Still unsure about which idea im going to run with - I haven't had any peer feedback so I think I'll see how it goes tomorrow!

Going West by Anderson M

I came across this stop frame animation on the CR Blog. It just stopped me in my tracks - I can't believe the entire story is carved from a book. The Art Direction of the piece and the style of animation are beautifully complementary. You can almost touch the page the textures and shadows play into the story. The patience and precision that has gone into this is hard to get your head around. Brilliant piece of work by Andersen M Studio in London. "The entire film is handmade, using only 10A scalpel blades and paper," explains Martin Andersen. "It was photographed on two SLR cameras and lit using Dedo lights."(CR BLOG)

Object......React with Johnny Hardstaff

I definitely think Johnny should come back up for another workshop - The only criticism I put down for the course feedback was that I enjoyed shorter briefs and one/two day briefs.

I visited the museum on Monday as I couldn't make the Wednesday trip. There were some fascinating items in the museum but for a certain reason I really connected with my chosen object. I thought It had a brilliant use and stood for something much bigger than its physical size.



I took this photo of the butterflies as the reflection in the glass showed the lights trailing down the wings. I thought it could be an interesting concept to have a butterfly display with small perforations in the wings which light shone through. One thing I was impressed with at the museum was the lighting of the animals and insects. Some of the bats and birds wings were beautifully lit.




The object I chose in the museum was a pair of gold eye covers which are placed on the corpses eyes before mummification so that they are able to see in the afterlife.



After Johnny came into brief us I realized the logical reaction I had to pursue with the object was to brainstorm ideas for how the exhibition could become an experiential museum exhibition. My ideas was to have the whole exhibition appear as if you were walking into an embalming chamber or a pyramid. Atmospheric lighting that flickered as if candle light, ambient sounds of whispers and prayers/spells being read out. Shadows projected through the surroundings. The information about the pieces would be printed onto sheets of cotton or papyrus that would hang from the ceiling. Screens fitted into position in the brickwork would demonstrate how the objects would be used and handled to give the objects context and purpose. These screens would have a thin, light material over them to fit into the environment. My idea for my object was that a large gold eye would display an animation of what a dead Egyptian may see when they cross over to the afterlife. Moving Hieroglyphics would transform slowly above the items referencing the objects which were displayed underneath. A voice over would be activated when a person approached the area and question their own visions of the afterlife - what do they believe they will see in their afterlife?

Helen Murgatryod - Drawing and Printmaking

I remember seeing Helen's work way back in first year - in particular the mapping work she did for the graduate show. I really liked her illustrative style and the concept of mapping a house or a process such as food preparation. It was nice to see a graduate from our course taking a different route after finishing in Manchester. She really enjoyed working in her own style and was confident in pursuing what she loves despite not knowing where it may take her.
Her current work and investigations into creating print making devices or machines is really interesting and the work she has produced is quite unique.
I empathized with Helen because I have recently been unsuccessful with some graduate applications and being rejected by a place you really want to go to is quite hard. She now see's her first rejected application to the RCA as a "Blessing in disguise" and you really have to give the decision some perspective - It can all work out in the end.
I wish her all the best I think she'll be really successful.

A workshop with Gary

Thursday 26.11.09

On Thursday Gary came in to help us with some of our projects. I'd been in touch with Gary about my Silence project - as it has taken me down a film path. Gary helped me figure out exactly what equipment I required to gain the best audio from my Interviews. Gary talked to us all individually and he actually sat down with me and taught my Final Cut Express, which has been useful - apart from it doesn't work properly in the Mac suite! So I'm just working on cutting up my footage and audio (I had over 50mins of footage to cut down.) Over Christmas I will be hiring the same equipment to get some better footage, now I'm more confident using all the equipment.

Hamish Muir - Trying to murder Helvetica

I look forward to seeing the range of work from all our visiting lecturers. Hamish's was really different and the path which his career has taken him is very interesting too. Its understandable to hear that some designers have some sort of early onset OCD - I wonder if these early traits help develop our visual language for the future? Originally he planned to pursue a career in science - but this did not work for him. As a result of studying Graphic Design in Bath and then furthering his studies at the Basel School of Design, Muir came into contact with some of the best designers in the business.


ARMIN HOFFMAN











WOLFGANG WEINGART



































KURT HAUERT

and the type designer ANDRE GURTLER. (Haas Unica, Basilia, eqyptian 505...)
I think we are all familiar with the experience of seeing a piece of work that looks 'out of this world' and for Muir this was the work of Wolfgang Weingart in particularly. Some of Hamish's early work didn't really appeal to me, but I can understand that 8VO had a style. I would have preferred to see some photographs of the posters which used fluorescent or metallic inks. I think the entire feel for something like that is lost in a digital presentation. Because I thought some of the colours were quite garish - but these colours may not be the same as the ones of the printed material.


You could really sense a difference as 8VO's work began to develop. The work for the Boymans Van Beuningen Museum was much more refined and simplified. I really liked this style of work.




Out of all the work 8VO did for Factory Records, this poster was probably the one I thought worked the best. I could imagine the silver, metallic ink and imagined it would look really effective. His idea for a poster that would fade of react to water is really itneresting but facing realities "water soluble ink - not a good idea in Manchester."



Seeing examples of how 8VO worked with their collage techniques and building layers, constantly changing the images physically has inspired me to get out of my sketchbook and yes...onto the floor. Whilst developing my ideas for the Resistance poster I'm experimenting using shapes and layering these. You really do loose your focus when staring at a blank sheet in Illustrator. The fact that 8VO's collage fell off the wall because the weight of all the layered papers caused it to become too heavy, that's true development. Seeing their way of photographing through layers reminded me of multi-plane animation - which I guess it is in a way.

Click here for Hamish's website