Belfast Culture Festival (Paperjam Design)

Last night 25/9/09 I visited this quite rare event happening in the Cathedral Quarter of the Belfast around my University (University Of Ulster) called Culture Night Belfast. The main aspect of the festival I particularly wanted to see was a projected design which was hosted by the Design Company called Paperjam, The aim by these graphic designers! was to do certain types of artistic and stylized drawings using a projector on the side of a building adjacent to there HQ.

They illustrations where being drawn using the tools in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop, but consisted of tedious drawings of characters or objects of one certain color. After reading the Culture Festival Brochure it said that this company were one of the leading practitioners within N.Ireland of Motion Graphics, so I presumed sum kind of Live Graphics. But was a wee bit! disappointed when this drawing that they were doing carried on for the whole hour and a half that they were projected to do. But I was impressed (not) by the way they used the brush tool and made a drawing of a cupcake seem like a lifetime to complete.

Here are a few Photograph's of the site,

Photograph's Courtesy of Karla Burns

Graphics Explained (Brand Identity Research)

There is a book called,

Graphics Explained: 7 Top Designers, 7 Briefs, 49 Solutions... In Their Own Words

This book strongly represents and demonstrates the world of clients and the relationships that evolve between the designer and client, and how they manage working in these environments. It also show's the direction followed and how each specific company developed the brief they had been given.

It takes you through each groups process and show's you the different applications and methods that each company applied to there brand identity's. I think this book would be very beneficial to anyone wanting to gain insight into the working environment/the creative process used by pro's.

FARROW Design Company

"Make things look better"

These words are quoted from Mark Farrow, founder of the company FARROW, This self taught designer has established himself if the design world elite with clients such as the BBC, Atlantic Records, Channel 5, EMI Records, MTV and many other companies.

He describes his work as follows, "it doesn't matter which we are working on, be it a 12-inch sleeve for Kylie Minogue, a gallery for the Science Museum or a global labeling system for Levi's the aesthetic is the same and the approach identical.

I'm drawn to his way of experimental identification that surrounds his work and the power behind some of his concepts, his bold use of color also sets him apart from others in the sense of play and interpretation.

Above, Project: "Manic Street Preachers: Lifeblood" album cover illustration, 2004
(Client Sony/BMG)

Iconic Photography

Iconic Photographers and there Photographs Joe Rosenthal

Man = Joe Rosenthal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Rosenthal

This simple but striking photograph of a group of American Marines hoisting a flag of the United States is one example how a photograph can change lives on a massive scale.

This snapshot shows strength, patriotism, glory and most of all hope. For during the time of this Photograph was taken the second world war was in its gloomiest days, this photograph was featured in a truly epic movie I watched and directed by Clint Eastwood called Flags of our Fathers. The picture is a national icon and symbolizes so much more than just a victory on top of the island of Mount Suribachi.

It relates to such images of families, men united, country, struggle and overall all victory. This photo also has some controversy around it since the moment the picture was captured. The flag was actually the second flag that was raised on the day of battle, the occasion took place ninety minutes before but those watching considered the flag to small. Luckily for Joe Rosenthal he was present the second time round and captured this image, which won him a Pulitzer Prize and has since appeared on stamps and posters everywhere.

Iwo Jima 1945, Gelatin Silver Print

Intro Design Company

"Style through process and development" words quoted from a publication in the book Contemporary Graphic Design by Charlotte and Peter Fiell, Intro Design company was Co-founded by Katy Richardson and Adrian Shaughnessy in London England. They deal mainly with the Design/ Direction/ Production running of a design company, They have an extremely productive output, with work being made for such clientele as the BBC, British Council, FIFA, EMI Group, Oasis, The Prodigy and many other successful clients.

Good Talk (TED) by Sir Ken Robinson

This video for me personally has hit on a thoughts I've been having these past couple of years, Coincidence dently enough ever since I left school, I feel it is very important for me and others in the same stage as me in education, to be alert and open to the facts of life and how education (Past and Present) are the foundations of our life's work, This talk from www.ted.com (http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html) by Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.

Last years Pixel Portrait project

When looking through the work that I have produced whilst in first year of the Viscom degree course, I have decided to try and critique the work produced and see what I have gained from the experienced.

One of the most quirky projects was a week long assignment based on creating an image using pixels. You were able to use any media (non computer based) and had to have a spec of 32 x 32 pixels.

I opted to use small colored sticker, which when used with a grid I manipulated and was able to form an image related to my main aspects of face e.g. eyebrows, hair, nose, eyes and lips, are all distinguishable from one another, inspiration came from early Nintendo video games such as Super Mario and Tetris.

Natalie Hunter www.airside.co.uk

Natalie Hunter is a fabulous Graphic Designer who's career ambitions at start of academic study in college was in the subject matter of psychology and music. But as her life progressed she found from experiences that led her to crave the field of visual communications, She is a full blooded freelance designer but has formed an in house studio (Airside) to take her career onto a whole new level. Airside are a world renowned company designing for a diverse range of clientele such as the BBC, Carhartt, Channel 4, Greenpeace, the Hayward Gallery and many other prestigious businesses.

Work for Clients Lemon Jelly, Music, 12'' Vinyl Sleeve
and CD cover etc. (http://www.airside.co.uk/)

Interesting TED talk by Alain De Botton

Ever since being told about this website (http://www.ted.com/), the things I have learn't from watching the videos have been greatly beneficial to me in the sense of observing things, outlook on life, creative being and philosophy. I have mainly concentrated my efforts to watching the speeches about Creativity(Design and Photography), Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy. I have and would recommend strongly to anybody to try and watch even a few of the talks on the website.











Video can be found at:
http://www.ted.com/talks/alain_de_botton_a_kinder_gentler_philosophy_of_success.html

Jonathan Barnbrook

ABOUT Barnbrook Design

Barnbrook design has been active since 1990 and is one of the most well known design studios working in Briton today. It specializes in producing innovative books, corporate identities, CD covers, motion graphics, typefaces and magazines.

The Studio's clients range from international museums to underground music magazines and self-initiated exhibitions. Barnbrook design also believes in the power of graphic design to facilitate social change and promote discussion.

Barnbrook design is based in Soho, London and consists of four designers and a coordinator, originating from England and Japan. They are Jonathan Barnbrook, Elle Kawano, Marcus Leis Allion, Jonathan Abbott and Daniel Streat.

www.emigre.com, Rudy Vanlerlans

Rudy Vanderlans is a good role model for any designer who wants to learn about discovery and working in another country, born in the Netherlands he originally wanted to become an illustrator but enrolled in the graphic design department of the Royal Academy of Fine Art and it all started from there. He served an apprenticeship for a couple of years which turned out to be quite unsatisfactory so he went on a whim an decided to travel (emigrate unsure) to California to continue his profession, upon landing and starting practice in California it soon came about that he had picked the right time to work in this part of the world because the revolution of Graphic Design had taken hold and was flourishing throughout California. 

Now working at Emigre with a partner and a small team he continues to produce slick work and fine informative design.

  

ISEA 2009 International Symposium

ISEA 2009 International Symposium, This is an upcoming event happening at the University of Ulster starting on the 23rd Aug and on until the 1st September. ISEA2009 will promote, support and develop creativity in Northern Ireland and across the border building on the convergence of art and design driven innovation and creativity with advanced digital technologies. It will showcase Northern Ireland’s leading role in cultural, social and economic regeneration that builds on the development of the creative industries sector and the creative potential of its communities with a particular focus on the emergent generation of critical users of digital technologies.

Kim Hiorthoy/www.thisisrealart.com

This is just a brief post on this totally freelance designer, He seems a quite extraordinary fellow, He is a musician and designer who also write prose, makes films and draws. 1

1 Taken from the book How to be a graphic designer, without losing your soul and image from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ahWcZbCiO0u9WRN6JxZCJnPsiBq6oL5GKtzY69gU_3v-3xFxXjPqkkiiYtFDy0cxDjNgI4pWoVhDsDPRZZqxlcer1hp3x5pHFw7zrg7Yz5jrbiSmbO1pvr6zVaCOjdPFgfntWIVlE1Dl/s320/kim+02.gif

Updated Viscom/Jeanie McMahon

This is great news for Jean McMahon, a student at the University of Ulster, this prestigious honor is well sought after in the design world, I know after doing a wee bit of research into it, dominated by corporations, it is a great achievement on itself to get noticed never mind actually winning an award (The special pencil I call it). To be honest, at the end of year show, This students work was one of my favorites, not just because the work was impeccable but I got to meet her in person and shes comes across as a well centered person and with her feet firmly on the ground. I wish I could of asked her some questions but she was a bit to busy for an amateur like me.

A few Designs I can learn from:
http://www.viscombelfast.com/jeanmcmahon.html

slow shutter speed of motorway bridge

I am going to start experiment with this use of photography technique for exciting effects.

Names of some URL's I have been revising

The following are some names of websites and names of 8 designers I have been revising since I have started to read the book called How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul.

1. www.thisisrealart.com, Kim Hiorthoy

2. www.emigre.com, Rudy Vanlerlans
3. www.airside.co.uk, Natalie Hunter
4. www.tomato.co.uk, John Warwicker
5. www.houseindustries.com, Andy Cruz
6. www.designmachine.com, Alexander Gelman
7. www.alorenz.com, Angela Alorenz
8. www.researchstudios.com, Neville Brody

Over the next couple of weeks, I will delve into each of the designers work and express my feelings on this blog.

What technique did he use?

From my most recent post I have been trying to find out how Shane Carmicheal accomplished the design of the of the first set of images shown in my last post. I have seen the technique used quite recently in a magazine called Computer Arts Projects, where the artist (which I have to get the name of and will post) used a technique of offsetting (by 0.5 -1 mm) the two layers of typography and lowering the opacity of the underlying layer thus creating this wonderful effect. 

http://www.viscombelfast.com/shanecarmichael.html

This students work http://www.viscombelfast.com/shanecarmichael.html, show really good examples of how to use color scheme in design work effectively, using also a nice layout
structure with good Information design skills.

I love the use of defined text and abstract techniques used to accomplish some of the effects produced in his work, The first set of images are a nice example of these techniques in practice.

Last night was quite an interesting experience!

Last night whilst in a club in Belfast I encountered a student who was one of the final year students at this years end of year show. Her name was Clare O'Toole, It was one of the most interesting conversations I've had in a long time, consisting of what work she was most interested in and how she was going to apply herself further in her field of design, It was of keen interest to me to learn about her stage of life, where she has just left Uni and how is trying to get a foothold on the ladder of the current design scene.

I had seen her work on http://www.viscombelfast.com/clareotoole.html before and was very interested how she approached work and her general outlook on things. Her main ambitions now in her career is to find work in the field of childrens book illustration (Money maker).

I found it very beneficial talking to her as I will be in her boots (so to say) in 2 years, Here is some of her work:

Over the summer/Books

Over the summer, I personally have had ambitions to continue not in as much practice but to study the theory behind the Graphic Designer as a worker in the big wild world, such awareness I feel is necessary for my self development. So here is list of books I have delved into of late and they are starting to make a huge impression on my outlook on the future.

More Reflection on http://www.viscombelfast.com/

Another student who's work has impressed me is http://www.viscombelfast.com/chrislyttle.html.

I am quite fond of his work due to his keen use of print media and experimentation carried out throughout his art pieces. I have a passion for lino-print and wish to use this medium more in the future, his work sort of as a real feel about with the aesthetic and first hand resources he uses. Here are two examples of his work.

Urban Interests/http://hawksey1.deviantart.com/

Over the past few years, even before I started my degree in Visual Communication, I have always been interested in graffiti and urban design, more of a hobby than a necessity for my academic career, I have been offered job placement merely due to some of the work I have done, I was offered this vacancy at the end of my Higher National Diploma I studied in the years 07-08, The employer was Paddy Power an online Gambling site looking for a new website/graphic designer to spruce up their ideas etc. I declined, mainly due to my ambitions to complete a degree and maybe develop myself and go farther afield rather than picking the first job that's offered, I don't regret the decision I made and have gained a lot from dedicating my time to practice at the
University of Ulster. Here's one piece of the work I completed and have SOLD!

Piece 1, Based on ethnic color, direction, difference and city life.

More content that I have produced can be found on http://hawksey1.deviantart.com/

Urban Interest/Computer Arts Magazine Cover

Continuing comments about Viscom/End of year show

When attending the end of year show 2009, I was impressed by the organization of the pieces on display and the cleanliness of the whole set up. This was the first time I had been to a show in the University of Ulster, I have done shows before in previous years but not of this magnitude, it was inspiring to see such a vast range of work being producing by the same students that have just completed my course.

Philippe Apeloig

Hello, I'm going to show one of my favourite typographers/graphic artists, the name of this person is Philippe Apeloig, He is noted for his posters, many of which are in the collection of MoMA, and his typography, including the typefaces Octobre. I am particularly impressed with the color combinations used throughout his work,

Some of Alan Gilletts work,

Looking at Alan Gillet

I have grown quite fond of some of the work that has been published on the Viscom Website, Especially Alan Gillet, (http://www.viscombelfast.com/alangillett.html).

His work has a contemporary feel about it, Showing good use of color and compositions with text & alignment etc.

I also like the U2 and Bob Dylan pieces he's done, using the red very strongly with mark making in the background of the text.