Connectivity

ITAP

Lecture 1

Rob Gib

28/09/10

Connectivity

Key Principles

• Notions Of Originality
• Recontextualize Ideas, Be Comtemporary

Is it possible to be different and original in the 21st Century?..
The answer to that is one to challenge. I found throughout lifes as we grow before we can even speak or talk we absorb and come across things others have already witnessed years before us, Yet we all individually interpret things into our own understanding. These thoughts are helped and pushed further by opinions, voices and statements therefore artist's and designers are constantly being influenced by past present and future ideas.


Who had the idea first?..

Notions Of Originality

Todays contemporary artists strive on trying to gain recognition. All wanting to create something new and fresh 'original'. But ideas that are derived all come from some sort of past and present influences, so people may challenge wether it is possibe tp be orginal if one has reused or rethought ideas. However, I feel it shoud be taken into account that in order to recreate or reuse an idea one has to have the imagination to look at notions thats others have discovered and be able to create new ways of portraying or percieving to be somewhat original. Saying this, ideas are constantly forever flowing. So analyzing previous historical or even current work concepts and ideas allow artist to attempt to potray their work slowly bringing out ones individuality.

Andy Warhol. Marylin 1962

This piece by Warhol is one of his very well known and most recongnised for. This due to his unique approach of the portrait and Marylin's iconic photograph. The image is visually stimulating due to the use of bright and playfull colours which are asscoiated  with pop art. The main focus is her face, this being enough for the viewer to be able to recognise. Warhols was known best for his mass production of work. So Bertollio's restyled interpretation with an alternative characters are able to connect and target the media.

Recontextualise Ideas, Be Contemporary.

Matte Bertolio- Tank Magazine, 2004

Here is an example of Bertollis work which I was referring to. In comparison to Warhols piece there is a stong similarity in terms of similar use of bright colout, the composition is also familiar however this peice shows more of the neck rather then a close of up of just the head. The image was published in Tank Magazine, therfore mass production like Warhols works. I feel this image works because it is immediately recognisable as Marylin became somewhat a social icon, almost a brand. So because the viewers already have prior knowledge it makes the piece furthermore accepted by the audience and successful. This being the comtemporary outcome there are differences to the original concept such as it having more neater lines,graphically done, smooth, almost air brushed look. The main different within the two pieces is the compositions and the image of the male face in the hair.

Originality : 1. First or earliest.
2. New, not copied or based on something else.
3. Being able to think up new ideas.
 4. First version from which others are copied.

Reffereing to that definition, do you think it is possible to be original in the 21st Century?

Illustration

ITAP
Lecture 2
George
05/10/10

Key Principles

• Practice Within Illustration
• Inspiration

Illustration as any other practice is made up from key points which are research, practice, visual vocabulary, inspiration and audience. The point all hold a great deal of significance when exploring and understanding a practice.

Practice.
Within illustration one should be able to illuminate, exemplify anf demonstrate. It is important to gain a broad range of knowledge and understanding on various practices as it allows you as an artist or designer to progress and advance further having understanding other areas. A deeper understanding can be enhanced by constantly observing, collecting, studying and exploring the subject.

Marion Deuchars

Versitile illustrator who is capable of utilising a range of media to create unique and imaginable solutions.



Example of one of many or Deuchars published book covers. From this you can see that she has a great understanding on other subject areas and not just wholy on her focus, you can see the understanding of typography and the thought into the seemingly carefree compostion aswel as the use of inks to create some of the imagery. Her broad minded view on they way she works is portrayed through the desings of her covers.

The role of an illustrator would usually involve illuminating text, clarifying, elucidating text and narratvies and creating pictures in order to communicate. In order to be able to constantly do this as an illustrator for various works being able to be inspired and find inspiration is vital.

Inspiration.


Inspiration can stem from everything and anything, collecting, observing and drawing can also be essential when gaining and exploring inpirational sources.

Mark Wigan - ' Thinking Visually' 2003

'The ability to think visually comes from the basics , and being open minded'

'Visual research plays an important role in the creative game'.

The statements I agree with , inspiration is all around us and the smallest of things can have the biggest influences. Researchingnplays a part of inspiration as collecting things and having the knowledge and being able to understand particular subjects stimulates the brain helping the thought process resolving in creating something fresher. In order to create a create a solution, inspiration and understanding of ones practice is vital. This knowledge is what leads to a unique resolved outcome aswell as being open minded to all things around you and the ability to feel and be inspired.

Ryan Hughes

Constantly sketching, thinking and reading, Feeding various sources into his brain, allowing them to filter down to one elegant solution.

*example of work

Illustrators find that the notion of inspirartion derives from constant inquiry based research.

The Design Process in Graphics

ITAP
Lecture 3
Colette

Key Principles

• Legibility
• Visual Hierachy

Legibility.

Typeface, typesize and layout need to be considered itelligently. As it needs to be appropriate for the intended purpose. Many things need to be considered such as colour for example yellow and white wouldn't be seen as legible. Other things such as headings, images need to be taken into account also.

Find examples of visual communication that are legible or illegiable and explain why?

Here is an example of the New York Times newspaper, which I feel isnt legiable due to the way it has been put together as an article. As the type face is an innapropriate size and causes a strain upon the reader, also the layout to close and compact making it hard and somewhat fustrayting to read through. In terms of colour, black and white is an obvious combination that works, but in this case as the type is so small and portrayed in a boring way it lacks prominence therefore isn't stimulating to the viewer.

This is an example of a piece I feel is legible, in comparison to the pieces above you can see it is immediately alot more visually stimualting and so much more easier read. This is due to the differet type faces, aswell as the various font sizes, attaracting the reader to different areas of the newspaper. Aswel as a combination of different coloured text makes the pieces legibale aswell as the thought out composition of the images used. All these aspects combined make this newspaper appropriate for the intended purpose. 

This newspaper example leads appropriately into my second key principle, Visual Heirachy as this is a good example. Visual Heirachy means what do we see/read first. Foreground, background, priority of information.

 Here is another example of an image where this is shown.

I immediately was drawn to 'Miley Cyrus' photograph as it is so porminant on this cover, this also being the main selling point of her interview within the magazine. There are many devices designers use, such as high contrast, here the magazine is white but as she has been photographed in black clothing and her tanned complexion on this plain background makes her stand out. This is the play that designers have on viewers, they may put the least important things smaller and the most important aspects bigger and bolder. Everything is cleverly thought out and put together in order for them to benefit. Magazines, books, newspapers are all designed in a way so you see what they want you too first in order for them to intrigue and attract the viewer into being interested and hopefully leading into a purchase. The order in which you read is usually the title, image, headline, smaller text (article) other smaller images, then the lower level of text. Where your eye is drawn to first could be down to the use of repitition, contant message and signs, key point being stated, colour palette, and the play on image and text, for example light and dark. The Elle magazine above is a key example of this. There are many desing devices thats create and make up the visual heriachy these being colour, typography, image, light, weight, scale, composition, structure, grids, grouping, movement and sound.

Graphic communication is all about communicating something to an audience and communicating information in a visual form such as text, image, time and sound.