This brief has been written to intend the work of Sir John Tenniel for the cover work of a book called Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
The choice of illustrator is because this classic imagery is part of many childhood memories of book reading, it is a classic title and the text is submitted with these most familiar images that are recognizable to this story book.
The brief:
The illustration is for the front cover of a hardback book.
The illustration will accompany the title text, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and will cover two thirds of the cover. The cover will be 18cm x 24cm.
The image needs to include the main character plus another character from the story. The main character is Alice, the name in the title. Include forest scene from the story within the imagery.
The image needs to convey the intrigue of the story to both male and female from the ages of 8 years to 13 years. Or those old enough to self read.
It needs to project the story as mid childhood story, a scene from the story to capture and embrace with the reader.
The colouring needs to be muted modern inks and also incorporate some heavy shaded work to express that there is a darker side to this story.
The illustration needs influence of grotesque style and disambiguation of some characters and keep the main character with a sense of beauty.
Decorate the book edging with a frame, these needs to echo the Gothic aspect.
The work requires ink, pen and line drawing which will be translated to engraving for printing, colour suggestions and washes to be added.
The overall image needs to hold aspects of wonderment and clarity, it needs precision the sense of reality to enthrall the reader and ignite imagination for the rest of the story.
Exercise:Writing a Brief - Course work
Exercise: Writing a Brief. (learning log)
This exercise is learning about how to construct and also deconstruct a typical brief that would be presented to an Illustrator to achieve a successful job.
I firstly broke down the brief to understand all aspects of the criteria.
Identify a piece of work by an illustrator whose work you find some connection with. You might, for example choose a particular illustration because you admire its conceptual or narrative dimension: Conceptual: Based on ideas or principles, Narrative: a story or description of a series of events, Dimension: a measurement of something in particular.
Now try to write the brief for the illustration you've chosen. Starting from the context in which the illustration is positioned: setting for the event, statement or idea. Context as in what is the illustration for, where is it set etc.
Direct the illustrator in terms of what content should be included. If the content has text, identify the connection between the image and the written content: The content of characters, what will the title say, what is the connection between the text and the image. Direction of what the image should convey.
Advise the illustrator about the role the image will perform. Consider whether it is extending the meaning of the text, decorating, informing or educating and potential ways this can be achieved. What colours? What flavour?: Is the image going to convey any form of message such as educational. Is it for enhancement, encouragement, will it be directly linked to the text. Decision on colour palette to be used, is there a season of shades and tones or feel to acquire.
Be clear about who you think the intended audience for the illustration is: Clarify the gender if specific, the age range, the reading capabilities, the interests of the intended reader.
Briefly indicate which stylistic aspects you admire: The influences you want the work to be similar to or aspects of, for example: other artists or illustrators or period influences.
Describe the effects that you would like to see in the image, which aspects of distortion and what use of tools and materials is appropriate to the idea: Any special styles you prefer to see in the final image, use of paints, inks, pencil work, etc.
I am going to use a classic illustration by Sir John Tenniel who is known for his images that accompanied the Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. This is a classic and immensely popular collection of illustrations that has still the power to create imaginations along side the book.
Feedback - My intention to create the brief is maybe to in depth. I looked over this again and was unsure over whether to revise this section or not. As Tenniel was an established illustrator would he have been given a lesser of a brief? But I question whether at this period of time the direction would be quite specific and pointed, though in this situation for this cover, would the relationship between the two - author and illustrator be of that where a brief would be quite simple and they would develop this over the work that pursued until both reach pieces or styles that were suited to how they both fell they can portray the story.
Now, personally myself, a find a brief is helpful and having certain directives will help create a piece quicker, but this maybe rather lazy and in fact the better of my work comes from not having a brief because I take many more ideas and amalgamate them, rather than take one idea from the brief and develop that within the brief boundaries.
Exercise: Spider Diagrams.
The method of spider diagrams is to enhance and understand a word or theme placed within a brief. The spider diagram gives a chance to offer a diagnoses on the word and inspect the many aspects such as other linked words, the meaning, the description, the feeling, the flavour and the essence of what the word can mean. The point of this being is to step out from the original word and elaborate and extend what it could mean and in turn fuel ourselves for more ideas, suggestions and to see things in a different perspective and create as much as possible from the brief.
Method:
The suited method that I found for creating Spider Diagrams starts with making sure I am under no distractions and placing the word in the centre of a blank sheet. The first words I lay down maybe fairly obvious. For example, with Seaside I start with the physical objects such as beach, shore, sea, sand. From these words I can break them down a stage further, thinking of sand I instantly think of sandcastles, to buckets and spades, to plastics, red, blue.
Once I feel I have become stuck with furthering words, I look in the dictionary and thesaurus and some of the words I found surprised me as they had not occurred to me. From these words I could expand slightly more words. After I had completed this I used images online via searching the original word and again some images represented the word gave me more information about the subject. Doing this as my strategy for Spider diagrams has been the successful method for myself.
Difficult words?
Most words I can find a similar or at least one or two words to link with the starting word. Some words however the most difficult words I find have been adjectives. The word "Angry" did not fruit as many words as: Seaside, Childhood and Festival.
I think this is because to describe an adjective such as a feeling or tone is quite personal and depending on personal experience and emotions the outcome or results can be different or possibly restrictive if they have little experience of the words meaning.
Using a secondary person to offer their links to the word is helpful as a second, third or fourth insight to a word can create legs to the diagram that would not be found in a book or online as the word creates a different connection to ones personal experience of the word or feeling.
Exercise:Spider Diagrams - Course work
Exercise: Spider Diagrams. (learning log)
Spider diagrams is a method I have partially used before for coming up with different ideas from a theme or title. Here on this exercise we are using four different words: Seaside, Childhood, Angry and Festival. Using the suggestions in the exercise I did all four words to see what I could dissect from these. There is ways of extending the words, via dictionary, thesaurus, internet images, google.
I find doing this method of word sourcing quite achievable and works well with diagnosing a word or theme. The most hardest words are using adjectives to enhance the spider diagram. Mostly, the adjectives are triggered by actual experience of the word and what best describes the object or feelings.
Using the spider diagram as a method of breaking down a brief has been very interesting and worthwhile exercise.
Exercise: Turning words into pictures.
This exercise explored the processes of making notes from a selected word which for instance my appear in a illustrators brief. I must admit at first I struggled with this as to draw in this manner freely but related was quite hard to let myself produce images and not be bound by perspective or where it needed to be on a page, but to keep adding to the page as words and images came into my head.
The word "Kitchen" is the theme and conveying this in images became easier the second time I repeated this exercise. I also found rather than adding images randomly, that creating a scene and building the images up as I started from one object worked better for me as the images came to me in quite quick concession as I thought and sketched one item another one or an adjective of the item came to mind.
Making a board in my sketchbook of colour swatches helped, it gave me a sense of the word and incorporated colours from the sketches.
Producing some items I did kind tricky in the sense that to draw an egg is easy, but how do you suggest it is a fresh or new egg? how do you suggest the freezer compartments are cold? I used colours, shading, and really contemplated ow to convey this in the sketches.
To test this I also did some mini sketches on a page and tried such words as: Fresh, new, cooking etc. This was a very worthwhile exercise for me.
Exercise:Turning words into pictures - Course work
Exercise: Turning words into Pictures. (learning log)
This exercise seemed to me as a form of taking quick notes in drawing form. Observing from memory and producing various images linked to the word the images relate to. The set of words included some which automatically I could imagine a multitude of items, objects and scenes, for instance, Destruction: atomic bombs, rubble, collapsed buildings, dynamite, dust and explosions. I methodically worked through the seven words, and decided to opt for Kitchen.
As a word, Kitchen automatically produces a room. I tried to dissect this into sections and what was in a room and items I thought of I put down with pencil or ink and a splash of colour.
My first attempt at this exercise went okay, though I filled the page pretty quickly and initially could not decide on how much detail I am entering or if the sketches are projecting the meaning of the word.
It is a case of noting images down as in making notes from a lecture or minutes from a meeting. Getting the images down, putting in detail if it needs to convey the feel, texture or colour.
I sketched my first page, the second attempt I started by sketching a sink in the middle and built a scene around it, not in any form or perspective, just of items elating to the word as I thought of them, but this time taking a few moments longer to add any detail, trying to get the feel for the word.
I also took some time to pinpoint some colours and textures to associate with the word. I kept these swatches together so I could review them and either add or adapt as I went in further.
The third attempt at turning the word into images, I segmented a page and tried to inform the image of the adjectives used to describe the word: Kitchen. I wanted to look at the actual descriptive words in my mind which occurred thinking of Kitchen. For example; Fresh, shiny, new.
Exercise: Making a Moodboard.
Creating a collection of accumulative items and images that reflect one word or subject. I decided to choose TRAVEL from the previous exercise. I started the exercise by using a spider diagram on the word TRAVEL, just to express some linked words to fire some ideas and give myself some inspiration.
I used colours, magazine clippings, photocopies of some images from google searches on TRAVEL and decorative papers and a selective amount of text.
Exercise: Making a Moodboard - course work
Exercise: Making a Moodboard. (learning log)
This exercise at first glance, I admit I thought would be quite easy. It has the similar concept from the spider Diagram that the moodboard evolves from the chosen word. However, I found I started out being to specific and missing opportunities of images and samples that would be suitable for the moodboard. However, I left it and came back to it and tried again, this time I built the sheet up and located items and images as I found them and where they belonged in terms of linkage, such as the adventure side I added the colour chart relevant for that section and scenes that linked this side of travelling. I incorporated some words which I think wee difficult to pinpoint in imagery and thought about travel as in movement (the boots, a bicycle, car and airplane). I also compiled a spider diagram on the word Travel, in my learning log to investigate some words that might come across in images which I may have missed.
Overall I enjoyed this and found it surprisingly challenging.
Exercise: Using Reference.
The collection of reference is a great source of information for many sections of illustration. I have now started to accumulate different articles and images. If I come across something I like or find interesting I have been saving it. Also using my phone camera to document anything of interest, texture and shape I see, whether it is relevant to what I am doing now or not.
This exercise has extended this way of thinking and habit, to gather reference for now and future.
The visual aspects of the 1950's decade is a feast for our eyes. The period accepted into it a huge flow of major influences in one huge gulp. The first being the ending of austerity and mainly end of western wars. From the war we have the introduction of all things modern, plastics, man made fibres and domestic technology. Also the evolution of the nuclear age ad family meant there was an expected standard of having perfection to the outside world.
The launch of the cinema to the whole world meant that the start of screen icons really enveloped around the fashions, styles and idealism's. The film industry also introduced the B movie and the theme of space exploration as countries competed in leaving the world to explore. This influenced the curves and the geometric shapes we see a lot of. Also the fabric patterns and paper designs had what I would suggest is a celestial theme.
After the war also came the explosion of the use of colour, in fabrics, plastics and homes. This was often colour clashing and mixing three or four colours within prints. The popular colours were, baby blues, turquoises, orange, browns, greys mixed with greens and shocking reds. We all went design mad and the real age of consumerism began too. This stopped years of "Make do and Mend" and new was the fashion, shiny, chromatic, bold.
The main launch of the 1950's was the birth of the "Teenager", the period of free thinking, being brash and embracing music, films and socializing. All these changed the way we dressed, lived and looked at the future. This echoed the newness of products and the sharp colour palettes. The home became an extension of us and the use of colours and accessories meant we could be individual for the first time in a long time and it was irrelevant if you was super rich or average wage earners.
The 1950's designs lay down the foundations for quite a lot of influence on today's art and designs. The 1950's has been one of the only decades that was all new, where people had a huge optimist outlook and after the wars and decades before it meant nearly anything goes. You can look at even he artists such as Hamilton where the foundations of pop art began. Pop art is still strong and nearly all modern designs including digital designs extend from veins of the original pop arts which bled through to the 1960's from the likes of Hamilton, Lichtenstein and Wharhol.
Also because the excitement of fabric printing had begun using abstract and modern designs, this is still quite prevalent in designs in fabric today.
I have made an illustration which I think typifys the 1950's. I have included elements which I think are the biggest infuences.
TV.
Magazines. Publications.
Music. Launch of the Portable record player.
Prints.
Designed furniture.
The launch of personal leisure time.
Colours.
Nuclear age.
Exercise: Using Reference - Course work
Exercise: Using Reference (Learning log).
Feedback - Some great direction from tutor and suggestions! There is a great website which has some relevant information regarding the era and illustrative work produced in this period after the second world war and the end of the Korean war and how it changed the styles and colourations and expanding works of many illustrative work in the public eye via TV - Cinema and of course magazines.
Exercise: An Objective Drawing.
I selected the item "Hat" from the suggestions. I wanted to choose an item that has; shape, texture and tone. I have used pencil only.
As the fabric of the hat is worn and soft, I placed the hat down on a white sheet and let it collapse naturally. This way I have been able to use the drawing to obtain and relay what the item is.
Exercise: An Objective Drawing. (learning log)
This exercise has been really useful. I have not done still life or any forms of objective studying for a long time. I found it took more time than I expected and definitely more work! The hardest part is conveying the feel and textures. I used pencil and in the one tone it was difficult to process what I could visually see to what I needed to add to the pencil work. I found that breaking down into basics at the beginning helped, lightly adding where the shade lays, detail such as the eyelets and the worn tufts on the hat. The further stages began with adding the lines and making sure I kept details all in focus as seen. This was applied to the stitches and the fabric weave. Overall, it has been extremely worthwhile.
Exercise: A Subjective Drawing
The object I have used for this exercise is a seashell. The first section of the exercise is to break down the physical vision into what the item is functionality, textural, shape, sound, feel and all its qualities.
I made a collection of words and selected "Natural" as the word to base my moodboard upon.
I created a basic line drawing of how I see the shell, the basic shape, I tried to interpret the most important parts such as the lines, the shadow and movement.
Exercise: A Subjective drawing - Course work
Exercise: A Subjective Drawing. (Learning log)
I found this exercise quite difficult in terms of working from the descriptive session and the mood board rather than wanting to view the item and draw it objectively. Though I found this interesting and allowed me to use different mediums which I would normally shy away from wanting to use. The overall result looked better than I anticipated. I understand that the final piece is to project the meaning of the item rather than what it physically is before my eyes. It was interpretive and would use this method again.
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| This is the designed cover by Sir John Tenniel. The brief has been designed to produce a piece of work that is like this. |
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I have used the information via the exercise to dissect the illustration and create a brief that would hopefully produce a similar piece of work. The piece of artwork is one of the images I always aspire to.
Sir John Tenniel has created some fantastic pieces that accompany the Alice book series by Lewis Carroll and these images have influenced countess versions of the book. Using the points raised within the exercise to create the brief, I worked back from the imagery on this book cover and broke down the segments such as decorating, meaning of text, colouration, purpose, target audience, context and information, education and potential of achievement within the brief set out.
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Exercise: Writing a Brief. (learning log)
This exercise is learning about how to construct and also deconstruct a typical brief that would be presented to an Illustrator to achieve a successful job.
I firstly broke down the brief to understand all aspects of the criteria.
Identify a piece of work by an illustrator whose work you find some connection with. You might, for example choose a particular illustration because you admire its conceptual or narrative dimension: Conceptual: Based on ideas or principles, Narrative: a story or description of a series of events, Dimension: a measurement of something in particular.
Now try to write the brief for the illustration you've chosen. Starting from the context in which the illustration is positioned: setting for the event, statement or idea. Context as in what is the illustration for, where is it set etc.
Direct the illustrator in terms of what content should be included. If the content has text, identify the connection between the image and the written content: The content of characters, what will the title say, what is the connection between the text and the image. Direction of what the image should convey.
Advise the illustrator about the role the image will perform. Consider whether it is extending the meaning of the text, decorating, informing or educating and potential ways this can be achieved. What colours? What flavour?: Is the image going to convey any form of message such as educational. Is it for enhancement, encouragement, will it be directly linked to the text. Decision on colour palette to be used, is there a season of shades and tones or feel to acquire.
Be clear about who you think the intended audience for the illustration is: Clarify the gender if specific, the age range, the reading capabilities, the interests of the intended reader.
Briefly indicate which stylistic aspects you admire: The influences you want the work to be similar to or aspects of, for example: other artists or illustrators or period influences.
Describe the effects that you would like to see in the image, which aspects of distortion and what use of tools and materials is appropriate to the idea: Any special styles you prefer to see in the final image, use of paints, inks, pencil work, etc.
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| Pencil work by Sir John Tenniel. His work was mainly for Punch Magazine but his renowned and know work is for the Alice in Wonderland series. |
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| Learning log page - notes |
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| Learning log page - notes |
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| Learning log page - notes |
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| Learning log page - notes |
I am going to use a classic illustration by Sir John Tenniel who is known for his images that accompanied the Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. This is a classic and immensely popular collection of illustrations that has still the power to create imaginations along side the book.
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| Photograph of Sir John Tenniel, his work for Lewis Carroll was his most known work and the images are still used on all forms of modern pieces in today's society, |
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| Here, the cover has been reissued and the text changed to suit the period of which it was published. The importance is the illustration is still being used approximately published 90 years after the original. |
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| Sample page illustration from the book. |
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| Sample page illustration from the book. |
Now, personally myself, a find a brief is helpful and having certain directives will help create a piece quicker, but this maybe rather lazy and in fact the better of my work comes from not having a brief because I take many more ideas and amalgamate them, rather than take one idea from the brief and develop that within the brief boundaries.
Exercise: Spider Diagrams.
The method of spider diagrams is to enhance and understand a word or theme placed within a brief. The spider diagram gives a chance to offer a diagnoses on the word and inspect the many aspects such as other linked words, the meaning, the description, the feeling, the flavour and the essence of what the word can mean. The point of this being is to step out from the original word and elaborate and extend what it could mean and in turn fuel ourselves for more ideas, suggestions and to see things in a different perspective and create as much as possible from the brief.
Method:
The suited method that I found for creating Spider Diagrams starts with making sure I am under no distractions and placing the word in the centre of a blank sheet. The first words I lay down maybe fairly obvious. For example, with Seaside I start with the physical objects such as beach, shore, sea, sand. From these words I can break them down a stage further, thinking of sand I instantly think of sandcastles, to buckets and spades, to plastics, red, blue.
Once I feel I have become stuck with furthering words, I look in the dictionary and thesaurus and some of the words I found surprised me as they had not occurred to me. From these words I could expand slightly more words. After I had completed this I used images online via searching the original word and again some images represented the word gave me more information about the subject. Doing this as my strategy for Spider diagrams has been the successful method for myself.
Difficult words?
Most words I can find a similar or at least one or two words to link with the starting word. Some words however the most difficult words I find have been adjectives. The word "Angry" did not fruit as many words as: Seaside, Childhood and Festival.
I think this is because to describe an adjective such as a feeling or tone is quite personal and depending on personal experience and emotions the outcome or results can be different or possibly restrictive if they have little experience of the words meaning.
Using a secondary person to offer their links to the word is helpful as a second, third or fourth insight to a word can create legs to the diagram that would not be found in a book or online as the word creates a different connection to ones personal experience of the word or feeling.
Exercise:Spider Diagrams - Course work
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| Angry - Spider Diagram |
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| Childhood - Spider Diagram |
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| Festival - Spider Diagram |
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| Seaside - Spider Diagram |
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| Angry - Spider diagram part 2: The black words depict my original words, the blue words are from the dictionary and thesaurus. The Purple words are inspired by engine search images on the web and the green words and the words that are ticked are from asking a secondary person to offer words that are related. Again, this adjective word proved t be the hardest to expand. |
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| Childhood - Spider diagram part 2: The black words depict my original words, the blue words are from the dictionary and thesaurus. The Purple words are inspired by engine search images on the web and the green words and the words that are ticked are from asking a secondary person to offer words that are related. The secondary words such as Pets and scouting are personal to this person and offer words I necessarily would not have thought of. |
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| Festival - Spider diagram pat 2: The black words depict my original words, the blue words are from the dictionary and thesaurus. The Purple words are inspired by engine search images on the web and the green words and the words that are ticked are from asking a secondary person to offer words that are related. The majority of words were practically the same on this diagram. Maybe if I knew someone who frequented festivals their selection of words would be completely different. |
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| Seaside - Spider diagram part 2: The black words depict my original words, the blue words are from the dictionary and thesaurus. The Purple words are inspired by engine search images on the web and the green words and the words that are ticked are from asking a secondary person to offer words that are related. There were some interesting words from the secondary view, such as linking Seaside to kites, beach ball, boats and traffic! It takes a second perspective to sometimes open up some other alternatives. |
Spider diagrams is a method I have partially used before for coming up with different ideas from a theme or title. Here on this exercise we are using four different words: Seaside, Childhood, Angry and Festival. Using the suggestions in the exercise I did all four words to see what I could dissect from these. There is ways of extending the words, via dictionary, thesaurus, internet images, google.
I find doing this method of word sourcing quite achievable and works well with diagnosing a word or theme. The most hardest words are using adjectives to enhance the spider diagram. Mostly, the adjectives are triggered by actual experience of the word and what best describes the object or feelings.
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| Learning log page - Notes |
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| Learning log page - Notes |
From the four words: Seaside, Childhood, Angry and Festival I have created four sheets with some very diverse options. having a secondary person helped and it not only confirmed some of the words I had used but also it enhanced the diagrams by adding words I would not have thought of!
Exercise: Turning words into pictures.
This exercise explored the processes of making notes from a selected word which for instance my appear in a illustrators brief. I must admit at first I struggled with this as to draw in this manner freely but related was quite hard to let myself produce images and not be bound by perspective or where it needed to be on a page, but to keep adding to the page as words and images came into my head.
The word "Kitchen" is the theme and conveying this in images became easier the second time I repeated this exercise. I also found rather than adding images randomly, that creating a scene and building the images up as I started from one object worked better for me as the images came to me in quite quick concession as I thought and sketched one item another one or an adjective of the item came to mind.
Making a board in my sketchbook of colour swatches helped, it gave me a sense of the word and incorporated colours from the sketches.
Producing some items I did kind tricky in the sense that to draw an egg is easy, but how do you suggest it is a fresh or new egg? how do you suggest the freezer compartments are cold? I used colours, shading, and really contemplated ow to convey this in the sketches.
To test this I also did some mini sketches on a page and tried such words as: Fresh, new, cooking etc. This was a very worthwhile exercise for me.
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| This is a selection of sketches and colour swatches related to "Kitchen". There is such words as Fresh (The egg!) Lines (The black & white sketch of the kitchen scene) Also using the light blue to express coldness in the fridge, the brightness and shiny plastic for the cleaning bottles, The exercise has shown me how to enable documenting and expressing words in various forms, descriptive and physical. |
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| Kitchen - This is my first attempt at creating a visual exchange of images for words in this exercise. I sketched images as they came to me when thinking of the word "Kitchen". It started with a hand mixer, and progressed through to some other unexpected items such as a Diner neon sign. |
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| Kitchen - From my first part of this exercise I then repeated it again, I started with working out the first initial thought onto paper, which was the kitchen sink. From his I added quick pen and ink sketches in the scene, thinking about items, shapes, textures etc. the dimensions are not in any form of order, I placed one image down and as soon as I thought of another I placed it in to the scene. |
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| Kitchen - Here is a collection of colour swatches I collected to relate to the word. I imagined steels, greys, shiny blacks, brilliant whites, reflective vinyl surfaces, wood, gingham materials, reds, blues. On this swatch collection there is the wood and metal effects and shiny materials. |
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| Samples of sketch work. |
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| Kitchen - Mini images of parts of what the word Kitchen brings to mind. I have thought of edibles, fresh, plans, waste, black and white floors. |
Exercise: Turning words into Pictures. (learning log)
This exercise seemed to me as a form of taking quick notes in drawing form. Observing from memory and producing various images linked to the word the images relate to. The set of words included some which automatically I could imagine a multitude of items, objects and scenes, for instance, Destruction: atomic bombs, rubble, collapsed buildings, dynamite, dust and explosions. I methodically worked through the seven words, and decided to opt for Kitchen.
As a word, Kitchen automatically produces a room. I tried to dissect this into sections and what was in a room and items I thought of I put down with pencil or ink and a splash of colour.
My first attempt at this exercise went okay, though I filled the page pretty quickly and initially could not decide on how much detail I am entering or if the sketches are projecting the meaning of the word.
It is a case of noting images down as in making notes from a lecture or minutes from a meeting. Getting the images down, putting in detail if it needs to convey the feel, texture or colour.
I sketched my first page, the second attempt I started by sketching a sink in the middle and built a scene around it, not in any form or perspective, just of items elating to the word as I thought of them, but this time taking a few moments longer to add any detail, trying to get the feel for the word.
I also took some time to pinpoint some colours and textures to associate with the word. I kept these swatches together so I could review them and either add or adapt as I went in further.
The third attempt at turning the word into images, I segmented a page and tried to inform the image of the adjectives used to describe the word: Kitchen. I wanted to look at the actual descriptive words in my mind which occurred thinking of Kitchen. For example; Fresh, shiny, new.
Exercise: Making a Moodboard.
Creating a collection of accumulative items and images that reflect one word or subject. I decided to choose TRAVEL from the previous exercise. I started the exercise by using a spider diagram on the word TRAVEL, just to express some linked words to fire some ideas and give myself some inspiration.
I used colours, magazine clippings, photocopies of some images from google searches on TRAVEL and decorative papers and a selective amount of text.
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| This is my moodboard based upon TRAVEL, I have created a division on the word as some items gravitated towards one side or the other, one side being the adventurous side of travel and the journey of travelling, which includes aspects of direction, locations and natural colours and earthy images. The other side is more for obvious terms such as the global images, holidays, bright and tropical. City, sites and sun. |
Exercise: Making a Moodboard - course work
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| Moodboard - The side of the adventurer. |
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| Moodboard - The side of the Tourist. |
Exercise: Making a Moodboard. (learning log)
This exercise at first glance, I admit I thought would be quite easy. It has the similar concept from the spider Diagram that the moodboard evolves from the chosen word. However, I found I started out being to specific and missing opportunities of images and samples that would be suitable for the moodboard. However, I left it and came back to it and tried again, this time I built the sheet up and located items and images as I found them and where they belonged in terms of linkage, such as the adventure side I added the colour chart relevant for that section and scenes that linked this side of travelling. I incorporated some words which I think wee difficult to pinpoint in imagery and thought about travel as in movement (the boots, a bicycle, car and airplane). I also compiled a spider diagram on the word Travel, in my learning log to investigate some words that might come across in images which I may have missed.
Overall I enjoyed this and found it surprisingly challenging.
Exercise: Using Reference.
The collection of reference is a great source of information for many sections of illustration. I have now started to accumulate different articles and images. If I come across something I like or find interesting I have been saving it. Also using my phone camera to document anything of interest, texture and shape I see, whether it is relevant to what I am doing now or not.
This exercise has extended this way of thinking and habit, to gather reference for now and future.
The visual aspects of the 1950's decade is a feast for our eyes. The period accepted into it a huge flow of major influences in one huge gulp. The first being the ending of austerity and mainly end of western wars. From the war we have the introduction of all things modern, plastics, man made fibres and domestic technology. Also the evolution of the nuclear age ad family meant there was an expected standard of having perfection to the outside world.
The launch of the cinema to the whole world meant that the start of screen icons really enveloped around the fashions, styles and idealism's. The film industry also introduced the B movie and the theme of space exploration as countries competed in leaving the world to explore. This influenced the curves and the geometric shapes we see a lot of. Also the fabric patterns and paper designs had what I would suggest is a celestial theme.
After the war also came the explosion of the use of colour, in fabrics, plastics and homes. This was often colour clashing and mixing three or four colours within prints. The popular colours were, baby blues, turquoises, orange, browns, greys mixed with greens and shocking reds. We all went design mad and the real age of consumerism began too. This stopped years of "Make do and Mend" and new was the fashion, shiny, chromatic, bold.
The main launch of the 1950's was the birth of the "Teenager", the period of free thinking, being brash and embracing music, films and socializing. All these changed the way we dressed, lived and looked at the future. This echoed the newness of products and the sharp colour palettes. The home became an extension of us and the use of colours and accessories meant we could be individual for the first time in a long time and it was irrelevant if you was super rich or average wage earners.
The 1950's designs lay down the foundations for quite a lot of influence on today's art and designs. The 1950's has been one of the only decades that was all new, where people had a huge optimist outlook and after the wars and decades before it meant nearly anything goes. You can look at even he artists such as Hamilton where the foundations of pop art began. Pop art is still strong and nearly all modern designs including digital designs extend from veins of the original pop arts which bled through to the 1960's from the likes of Hamilton, Lichtenstein and Wharhol.
Also because the excitement of fabric printing had begun using abstract and modern designs, this is still quite prevalent in designs in fabric today.
I have made an illustration which I think typifys the 1950's. I have included elements which I think are the biggest infuences.
TV.
Magazines. Publications.
Music. Launch of the Portable record player.
Prints.
Designed furniture.
The launch of personal leisure time.
Colours.
Nuclear age.
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| This is my piece to depict the 1950's to a teenager looking in. I have used the influences and samples form my reference collection to elaborate the illustration. I have also used a collection of papers as backgrounds and piece them in as the walls and floor an the dress to simulate a style used a lot in 1950's illustration. |
Exercise: Using Reference - Course work
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| I decided to create a scrapbook to encapsulate my collection of 1950's references. I created pages for the different sections from People & Costume to Pattern & Decoration. |
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| Page selection within. I picked up images I liked and those that I think typified the period. Many adverts fell into two or three categories: Beauty, Home & Fashion. What I was surprised at was the amount I found that were aimed at men. I would expect that even though the world was changing it may have been men that had the expenditure income. |
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| More pages: I also collected some of the 1953 coronation as this was much a turning point in the UK. Though our biggest influence for the 50's decade was USA! The record player on this page influenced my design in the picture as did the huge box TV! |
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| Extra ads and pictures I have saved within a wallet for reference. These were images or patterns and illustration works I really liked and text information. |
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| Learning log page - Notes |
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| Learning log page - Notes |
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| Learning log page - Notes |
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| Sketch book idea layouts for main piece. Choosing the correct artifacts that would appeal to the teenager to find the images interesting enough to want to know what the illustration is representing. |
Exercise: Exploring Drawing & Painting.
This exercise seemed to me all about experimenting and trying different media under different usage.
I collected several samples of papers, foils, cards and texturized materials. Also, I got all my inks, pens, pencils, colouring implements to hand and made full use of the exercise.
My object was a cheap ice lollipop on a tray. I wanted something slightly plain but enough to allow me to embellish my work. I started the piece my pencil line work on smooth hot pressed ivory card at about 280gsm. This allowed me to put in lots of detail and line shading with soft pencils.
I then used this image as my remake for the further work. In this exercise I produced quite a lot of different samples. Each I have kept records of the technique. Some, I was surprised at the end result and learnt how it looks works well. A few of them, I was not so impressed with and preferred other methods. Overall, the exercise has actually been a step into discovering I can experiment ans try new projects within what I have at hand. Also I have found that sketching an image does not always have to incorporate the pen and smooth paper I am so used to relying on.
Exercise: Exploring Drawing & Painting - Course work
I have made samples of using such methods of crosshatching in my main sketchbook, I have used inks, pen and pencil.
I experimented on different sketches with using line and mark work to create the same sketch each time. The one i like the most is covering board in a matt acrylic and using a fine liner to create the image with shading and line work.
Exercise: Exploring drawing & painting. (learning log)
Feedback - Other options for this method of creation will come in time and I think a I grow with the course I will acquire other mediums and mixed media products to try and see how I can integrate them. My tutot suggested some othr options such as photography, collage, stamping and stenciling. I have made labels on the back of the ones I have done and will continue to experiment.
This exercise seemed to me all about experimenting and trying different media under different usage.
I collected several samples of papers, foils, cards and texturized materials. Also, I got all my inks, pens, pencils, colouring implements to hand and made full use of the exercise.
My object was a cheap ice lollipop on a tray. I wanted something slightly plain but enough to allow me to embellish my work. I started the piece my pencil line work on smooth hot pressed ivory card at about 280gsm. This allowed me to put in lots of detail and line shading with soft pencils.
I then used this image as my remake for the further work. In this exercise I produced quite a lot of different samples. Each I have kept records of the technique. Some, I was surprised at the end result and learnt how it looks works well. A few of them, I was not so impressed with and preferred other methods. Overall, the exercise has actually been a step into discovering I can experiment ans try new projects within what I have at hand. Also I have found that sketching an image does not always have to incorporate the pen and smooth paper I am so used to relying on.
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| Here is the sketch pad I have created. It is 5 x 7 inches and is a handy size to keep on my desk. I have created an envelope on the back cover to add any extra samples. Also I have bound this by one ring so I can add further tests as I go along and also flip my pages over quickly to view the samples and the ingredients recorded on the back. |
Exercise: Exploring Drawing & Painting - Course work
I have made samples of using such methods of crosshatching in my main sketchbook, I have used inks, pen and pencil.
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| Here is my samples of shading, crosshatching and line work using ink pens, markers and pencils. |
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| Acrylic on board, fine liner for sketch detail. |
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| packing board, ball point pen sketching using cross hatching. Colour added with alcohol ink. |
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| Using textured cold pressed card stock. I sketched the outline shape, covered with masking fluid and splattered paint onto the image, and brushed ink on one side. I tried to remove the masking fluid and it did not work as well as usually on canvas. Once removed I did stippling with a black marker pen to give the image some shade and detail. |
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| here is a selection of implements and colours I have used to create the sketch book of methods. This has allowed me to experiment with inks, pens and paints which I have had and never used in such ways. One being children's wax crayons. I used these on acrylic paper, the wax was coated in ink and repelled it and the effect looked amazing, which I will think I would use again! |
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| Here is a selection of my samples. The surface medias include: Acrylic paper, sugar card, smooth card, vellum, high quality card stock, acetate, smooth white card, textured card, lined write paper, glittered card, metallic card, kraft card, watercolour paper, canvas paper, packing board, flexi-board, corrugated cardboard and matt board. |
Exercise: An Objective Drawing.
I selected the item "Hat" from the suggestions. I wanted to choose an item that has; shape, texture and tone. I have used pencil only.
As the fabric of the hat is worn and soft, I placed the hat down on a white sheet and let it collapse naturally. This way I have been able to use the drawing to obtain and relay what the item is.
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| This is my pencil drawing of an old army cap. I have taken all the aspects of the item in front of me and tried to convey the details I can see onto the paper. |
This exercise has been really useful. I have not done still life or any forms of objective studying for a long time. I found it took more time than I expected and definitely more work! The hardest part is conveying the feel and textures. I used pencil and in the one tone it was difficult to process what I could visually see to what I needed to add to the pencil work. I found that breaking down into basics at the beginning helped, lightly adding where the shade lays, detail such as the eyelets and the worn tufts on the hat. The further stages began with adding the lines and making sure I kept details all in focus as seen. This was applied to the stitches and the fabric weave. Overall, it has been extremely worthwhile.
Exercise: A Subjective Drawing
The object I have used for this exercise is a seashell. The first section of the exercise is to break down the physical vision into what the item is functionality, textural, shape, sound, feel and all its qualities.
I made a collection of words and selected "Natural" as the word to base my moodboard upon.
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| For the mood board I extended on colours and textures such as sandpaper, I used some old buttons that had the shiny, pearlescent feel of the shell. I picked up on colours such as pearl, pinks, blue/greys and natural stone and sand tones. |
I created a basic line drawing of how I see the shell, the basic shape, I tried to interpret the most important parts such as the lines, the shadow and movement.
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| This is the finished drawing. I copied the line drawing to thick watercolour card which has a natural texture. I am not a great user of water colours but think the softness is what the shell needs, I did not paint delicately as the shell still needs to show its fluid shape. I used the palette from the mood board, I did not want to draw in details but add layers to create the feel and movement of the shell shape. I mixed some sea salt with the paint to create the roughness of parts of the shell such as the inside cavity. I also added a layer of glaze under the paint surface to make it have that matt texture but hard look. Once it had completely dried I dicided to give the outer of the shell a layer of acrylic gloss to make the feel of lines which run around the shell pattern. I did this by applying it thickly. I was not trying to be precise with the background or foreground but I thought the dark shadow was important to show it is hard and solidness. |
Exercise: A Subjective drawing - Course work
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| This is the shell I used. I found it quite hard not to draw it in a literal sense and precisely rather than actually think about the contact of what the shell is and adjectives to describe the item. |
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| Breaking down the visuals into a series of words, the shape, feel, textures. Solid, cold, smooth, natural, pointy, twisted, aged. |
Exercise: A Subjective Drawing. (Learning log)
I found this exercise quite difficult in terms of working from the descriptive session and the mood board rather than wanting to view the item and draw it objectively. Though I found this interesting and allowed me to use different mediums which I would normally shy away from wanting to use. The overall result looked better than I anticipated. I understand that the final piece is to project the meaning of the item rather than what it physically is before my eyes. It was interpretive and would use this method again.
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| Learning log page - notes |
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| At this stage I had layered a matt glaze onto the shell. I had added streaks of brown, coral pinks and even light blues and grey. I wanted to simulate the lines running around and across the shell. |
Exercise: Using Black and White
From the selection of themes I opted for the Sea. I have taken the concept of line work being quite basic and trying to make the line work I use count and not relying on detail so when we use the black and white selection it is this that can help converse with the viewer and imply the mood and feel of the illustration.
The seas offers an amazing space to play with and also has the added use of all the darkness that surrounds the vast waters. I want to express the movement of the water and the enormity of the foreground to the little fishing boat in the distance.
Exercise: Using Black and White - Course work
Exercise: Black and White - (Learning log).
To start the exercise I created my design using pencil and then redefined in black fine liner. My initial design was printed onto A3 card (Well, sheets of A4 masking taped together!) I did the same with it inverted. I found cutting out the pieces and re-layering quite an innovative way to think of laying out an illustration, rather than the permanent commitment of inking a block. I also found that after a while my picture looked quite tatty, the solution was to upload and use photoshop to reorganize and align the pieces.
Feedback - I got some great feedback from this piece. I am pleased with this method and I think it is something I am going to use in the future for sure.
From the selection of themes I opted for the Sea. I have taken the concept of line work being quite basic and trying to make the line work I use count and not relying on detail so when we use the black and white selection it is this that can help converse with the viewer and imply the mood and feel of the illustration.
The seas offers an amazing space to play with and also has the added use of all the darkness that surrounds the vast waters. I want to express the movement of the water and the enormity of the foreground to the little fishing boat in the distance.
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| Layering pieces of the inverted copy onto the original, it gave me the option to turn the illustration into a night scene and use the water reflection to optimize the use of the black and white. At first I thought that I had made a big mistake using the whale. But leaving parts of him black works really well against sea and sky. The third layer is pieces of the white but cutting out a choppy pattern to simulate the shape of the waves under the moon light. I overlaid white on the eye of the whale and on his under belly lines. |
Exercise: Using Black and White - Course work
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| Line work |
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| Inverted version! |
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| This was a stage I had looked at and could not decide immediately if I wanted the rays to be sunlight or light from a bright moon. |
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| Experimenting with layers of white on black. |
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| Filling in parts of the spaces with the black rather than leaving white. |
Exercise: Black and White - (Learning log).
To start the exercise I created my design using pencil and then redefined in black fine liner. My initial design was printed onto A3 card (Well, sheets of A4 masking taped together!) I did the same with it inverted. I found cutting out the pieces and re-layering quite an innovative way to think of laying out an illustration, rather than the permanent commitment of inking a block. I also found that after a while my picture looked quite tatty, the solution was to upload and use photoshop to reorganize and align the pieces.
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| Contemplating design using simple lines so when I invert and cut the image it won't be too complex and over lined. |
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| Sketchbook designs of the sea using line drawing. |
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| First original design using pen and ink onto A4 then blown up on scanner and inverted. |
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| This was the second session of paper piecing I attempted. This time I started to cut the black pieces up so I could create the moonlight / sun effect. (at this stage I did not really decide which parts would be permanently negative.) |
Exercise: Choosing Content.
Within the brief of this exercise the passage contains information to convey in a picture format of what I see from exploring the words and extending what I can see from creating the mood boards and sketches.
I read the piece several times and made notes within my learning log of the first questions regarding what the main character would be like, clothing, and the surrounds.
Here is a selection of my notes:
"He would be life worn, grey to dark hair, tall, once athletic and strong. His features are wearing, grey skin and his characteristics would be methodical and masculine. A smoker. He would be a father, maybe widowed by the blitz, his child/children would include a daughter (maybe of similar age to the victims).
He wears a suit, over sized typical of the day, shirt well pressed maybe he was ex-military, smart functional shoes, well worn but well kept. His suit grey/thick woolen.
A fairly void room, a wooden desk and chair, maybe leather seated, one or two large filing cabinets. A desk lamp and a telephone. Ashtray. Wall: Calendar, maybe a map and a basic clock."
For visual reference I collected selected images. I used the images from the internet and gathered images relating to the paragraph.
To create a moodboard I started with the word "Smoke" - The reason behind this word comes from three aspects of the story. 1. I imagine wartime London to not be smog infested but smoke from the buildings and from the burning rumble at times of bombing. 2. The smoke the character is blinded by being stuck on the case for 15 years. 3. The smoke he has when he thinks, contemplates through his day and time in the office.
Creating the simple portrait was not as "simple" as I expected. I started with a clear vision in my mind, I originally set out with intentions of using a heard and shoulders portrait, but then as I studied the boards and extract, I decided to depict him as a sole silhouette. A short crop hair, in a 1940's styled suit. He is stood contemplating over his window view. I picked out the shades of grey from the board. If I was to recreate this again, I think I would focus on the fabric of the hat and maybe not put the full figure into silhouette.
Exercise: Choosing Content - Course work
Exercise: Choosing Content. (Learning log)
Within the brief of this exercise the passage contains information to convey in a picture format of what I see from exploring the words and extending what I can see from creating the mood boards and sketches.
I read the piece several times and made notes within my learning log of the first questions regarding what the main character would be like, clothing, and the surrounds.
Here is a selection of my notes:
"He would be life worn, grey to dark hair, tall, once athletic and strong. His features are wearing, grey skin and his characteristics would be methodical and masculine. A smoker. He would be a father, maybe widowed by the blitz, his child/children would include a daughter (maybe of similar age to the victims).
He wears a suit, over sized typical of the day, shirt well pressed maybe he was ex-military, smart functional shoes, well worn but well kept. His suit grey/thick woolen.
A fairly void room, a wooden desk and chair, maybe leather seated, one or two large filing cabinets. A desk lamp and a telephone. Ashtray. Wall: Calendar, maybe a map and a basic clock."
For visual reference I collected selected images. I used the images from the internet and gathered images relating to the paragraph.
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| This is a collection of images I used for visual reference. The furniture and photographs all echo the period and theme of the extract. |
To create a moodboard I started with the word "Smoke" - The reason behind this word comes from three aspects of the story. 1. I imagine wartime London to not be smog infested but smoke from the buildings and from the burning rumble at times of bombing. 2. The smoke the character is blinded by being stuck on the case for 15 years. 3. The smoke he has when he thinks, contemplates through his day and time in the office.
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| The mood board was built up as I found colours and designs I felt would be typical of the time and of the character. I feel lots of dark shades, old metallic and browns and deep reds. Worn wood and any patterns were symmetrical and not lively. |
Creating the simple portrait was not as "simple" as I expected. I started with a clear vision in my mind, I originally set out with intentions of using a heard and shoulders portrait, but then as I studied the boards and extract, I decided to depict him as a sole silhouette. A short crop hair, in a 1940's styled suit. He is stood contemplating over his window view. I picked out the shades of grey from the board. If I was to recreate this again, I think I would focus on the fabric of the hat and maybe not put the full figure into silhouette.
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| Finished piece of the character. |
Exercise: Choosing Content - Course work
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| Sketch work on deciding for the portrait and depicting the figure in poses that would convey his meaning and purpose within the story. |
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| I worked on the basis of doing a portrait of the character head and shoulders, trying to decide his age, as he would likely be middle aged to have been working on a case for 15 years and yet not too old to warrant being an active officer in a crucial time in history where a police officer of all rank would be overly relied on to keep peace in a war time city. |
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| I looked at the possibility of detailing the character minimally and using subtle parts of the image to express this person. Such as his height, his stature, the room and objects around him. |
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| Here is my first portrait. I intended this to be my piece but I was not happy with it. I had tried to encapsulate him as older, wise, and worn by using shadow and grey shading. But to me, it did not tell enough about who he is or what he is. |
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| Learning log page - Notes |
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| Learning log page - Notes |
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| Learning log page - Notes |
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| The start of my mood board. I want to express greyness and almost the Film Noir that the extract brings to mind. |
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| I had images in mind for the portrait of the character, I wanted to show the hat as I think he would likely of been a hat wearer of the time. The shadow of his character is all that is behind him. I styled his shape on a loose trouser suit from the 1940's. Turned up trousers, strong shoulders in the jacket, a short hair cut and an upright body. As part of reflection of this exercise I am unsure if I have over processed the production of creating a portrait. I wanted to keep the simplicity in mind and yet still be able to convey to the viewer what this man is about, what he looks like, what is he doing? what is he thinking? |
Feedback - When I received my feedback regarding this piece I looked back over the final illustration and could easily see the point made. I think when you work alone on a project or assignment you kind of develop it around what you interpret as good or correct and can lose objective views. The points raised about the line work would have made the image just a touch more synchronized with the atmosphere I wanted to create.
Exercise: Visual Metaphors
When I first read the paragraphs regarding the visual metaphors I have to admit, I thought I am not going to grasp the concept easy, but as I have collected and looked at more and more images. I have found how easy it can be to break them down and strip back the image, photograph or illustration and see the sentiment, the message or meaning. As we use a lot of text on imagery these days it does make us quite lazy in reading visual metaphors. But then the way we view things is much more different now, we see things for shorter of periods of time and we "Snap" want the information instantly so some metaphors maybe are becoming more to the point, less complex. The illustration and art metaphors remain detailed and personal to the designer to convey their message or the message from the brief.. The Artist Banksy is typical of visual metaphors used in art, the metaphors are simple and clear and proven by his popularity that they work well.
Exercise: Visual Metaphors - Course work
Exercise: Visual Metaphors (Learning log).
Using the method of creating a metaphor visually is via the imagination of the person creating the metaphor. I would guess we all would come up with different suggestions and ideas for the same word or word set.
I found doing a spider diagram did help as it allowed me to incorporate words and themes that I may not have otherwise thought of.
before I started the exercise I googled the Visual Metaphor to help understand a little bit more about the term. This small paragraph was very helpful.
A description of Visual Metaphor:
A visual metaphor is an image used in the place of or in conjunction with another to suggest an analogy between the images or make a statement with them. In Western culture, metaphors are generally thought of as being verbal. In other cultures where the tradition is oral rather than written, metaphors may be primarily visual and are interpreted in a different way. Even in Western culture, it is beginning to be understood that metaphors can be extended from the verbal into the visual realm. Both verbal and visual metaphors are a way of organizing knowledge and understanding and can be used to express ideas.
Assignment Two: Point of Sale Display
The first piece I created is based on Summer. The fruit chosen is Strawberry as this typifies Summer in the United Kingdom. It is not an overly cheap fruit and is associated with links such as Wimbledon. An ideal fruit to aim at the customers whom would shop at a supermarket known for their quality of supplies and products.
The second piece to use a fruit or vegetable that depicts the autumn time, out of a selection I viewed and investigated I decided to select the onion. The onion is a typical British home grown vegetable and the shape and shade is interesting, the basis is every person who may cook with fresh ingredients would consider purchasing onions.
My images depicting the two seasons, proved quite hard, I first looked at the season itself and tried to capture the idealism of where you would want to see each item.
My inspirations for the style and colouing comes from the old dairy diary books from the 1960s and 1970s. They often used drawn images and I have tried to emulate their style. My reasoning behind this is that views would remember these images and associate the images with home life and get a sense of comfort and appreciation of them.
Assignment Two: Point of Sale Display - Course work
Assignment Two: Point of Sale Display (Learning log).
I was a little unsure what medium to use for the point of sale for the strawberry, as the work was required to use direct observation. I wanted it to look fresh but keep the realism of the fruit. I decided to try another attempt at watercolours, which I sometimes struggle to use. I found that using watercolours made the fruit look a little insipid and I possibly have over painted the finished piece though I did eventually achieve the darker red I desired.
I found my second attempt at this, doing the onion was slightly easier, I think I had found more of a opening in how to view an object and transfer it to paper. I also decided to use familiar medias with my second imagery. This helped a lot. Using pen and ink and pencil, I found I had more control and could process what was in front of me on to paper in an objective way.
The use of watercolour in the first image was a good move as it did let me experience using different media and help me expand in using these methods.
If I was to do this again, I think I would plan my ideas around what my abilities are with tools and medias and work from that as I think the second (Autumn) board came out better than the first one.
The section on designing the two pieces of art for each season and including the fruit and vegetable. I found this quite hard and looking back think I would have done them differently. I would think the best way to promote the images in illustration would have been to have committed to a less absorbed style. The over linage on the work distracts from the images and think I over thought the final piece and made them too intense in places.
In an overall look, the assignment has been useful as have the exercises. It is making me consider how I illustrate and letting me actually present other ideas that in my day to day life I just would not attempt.
When I first read the paragraphs regarding the visual metaphors I have to admit, I thought I am not going to grasp the concept easy, but as I have collected and looked at more and more images. I have found how easy it can be to break them down and strip back the image, photograph or illustration and see the sentiment, the message or meaning. As we use a lot of text on imagery these days it does make us quite lazy in reading visual metaphors. But then the way we view things is much more different now, we see things for shorter of periods of time and we "Snap" want the information instantly so some metaphors maybe are becoming more to the point, less complex. The illustration and art metaphors remain detailed and personal to the designer to convey their message or the message from the brief.. The Artist Banksy is typical of visual metaphors used in art, the metaphors are simple and clear and proven by his popularity that they work well.
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| This out of the four drawings made the most impression to lean to what the metaphor wants to convey. I asked two people and both understood the message of censorship. |
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| This drawing suggested the paper has no news, even though it states daily news and Latest. The censorship is shown via the crossed out information and the blank space and then questioned by the reader. |
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| I looked at the press in publishing and thought that the censorship covers TV too. This shows the news reader gagged but with microphone paused ready to read the news. |
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| I know this one is a bit messy but I wanted to convey that "press" covers the written and spoken word. The prison window shows both incarcerated. Prison means no freedom. The freedom restriction is on the microphone and the pencil. The censorship of press. I showed this to see if if a friend could read the image and their reaction was close. |
Exercise: Visual Metaphors - Course work
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| Visual Metaphor in advertising: This advert is brilliant. They have added text but with the symbol of the musical guitar in palm of a hand it does self explain the sentiment. The brand logo would have been enough to secure the meaning. |
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| Visual Metaphor in advertising: The Nissan vehicle is showing the strength and durability, Rather than advertise a shiny new car it shows it filthy and bizarrely carrying a cow to show its strength. |
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| Visual Metaphor in advertising: This advert is quite literal in its metaphor of the inhaling of toxins into your body and passing them to the child in your family etc. The showing the smoker as relaxed and not in any way alarmed shows the unknowing impact it has to convey this to the viewer. |
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| Visual Metaphor in advertising: Using their brand and familiarity this company has just put whole tomatoes in the bottle to show they have this much fresh tomatoes in their product. You see the bottle like this and then in store the metaphor of the fresh ingredients would work. |
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| Visual Metaphor in advertising: This quite simple illustration of the elephant on a background of sky, and flying birds, lets the viewer know that this brand of drink is "Lite". The word lite & Light meanings are different in sense of one is weightless and one is less of bad ingredients but the two mean one thing in this metaphor. |
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| Visual Metaphor in illustration: These sort of metaphors are extremely common in political satire and publications. Placing otherwise serious figure heads in comical situations to establish the political movement or situation they are in. The toppling tower shows a lot. The German politician desperately waiting t catch the falling Euro symbol. The British politician enjoying the view in relaxed state (Shown as a tourist) The type of tower and the scenery lets us know its relating to Greece. |
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| Visual Metaphor in illustration: Banksy uses visual metaphors in most of his works, often using typical items that are unoffensive than adding an offensive or provoking item/s afterwards. Here the dove of peace is overlaid with the bullet proof vest and the eye of a rifle aim on it's chest. |
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| Visual Metaphor in photography: The simple shot of the smoke and the chili sends the message this is going to be a hot pepper! |
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| Visual Metaphor in illustration: The pen and the large building and the surrounding people arriving express the building is popular, who to? the building is a fountain pen, this points to writer's. |
Using the method of creating a metaphor visually is via the imagination of the person creating the metaphor. I would guess we all would come up with different suggestions and ideas for the same word or word set.
I found doing a spider diagram did help as it allowed me to incorporate words and themes that I may not have otherwise thought of.
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| Learning log page - spider diagram |
A description of Visual Metaphor:
A visual metaphor is an image used in the place of or in conjunction with another to suggest an analogy between the images or make a statement with them. In Western culture, metaphors are generally thought of as being verbal. In other cultures where the tradition is oral rather than written, metaphors may be primarily visual and are interpreted in a different way. Even in Western culture, it is beginning to be understood that metaphors can be extended from the verbal into the visual realm. Both verbal and visual metaphors are a way of organizing knowledge and understanding and can be used to express ideas.
Assignment Two: Point of Sale Display
The first piece I created is based on Summer. The fruit chosen is Strawberry as this typifies Summer in the United Kingdom. It is not an overly cheap fruit and is associated with links such as Wimbledon. An ideal fruit to aim at the customers whom would shop at a supermarket known for their quality of supplies and products.
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| This piece is a square 12 x 12 inches and has been segmented into three strips. The black borders the image like a piece of art and the font is in a classic clear style. The idea behind my imagery for this is that the consumer would look at the point of sale board and acknowledge the fruit as a piece of art, something to own, even if very temporary. It is saying that this strawberry is set apart from the other fruit, it is even worth framing. |
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| Again, as before this is designed for a 12 x 12 board, it has the similar feeling of the piece being an artwork. The message is to encourage shoppers to look at the onion as an ingredient and a purchase. The image is precise, clear and to the point. |
My images depicting the two seasons, proved quite hard, I first looked at the season itself and tried to capture the idealism of where you would want to see each item.
My inspirations for the style and colouing comes from the old dairy diary books from the 1960s and 1970s. They often used drawn images and I have tried to emulate their style. My reasoning behind this is that views would remember these images and associate the images with home life and get a sense of comfort and appreciation of them.
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| Strawberry fields: I used three tones of coloured papers, I chose the red and green to simulate the colour from strawberries and the soft pink and blue to be reminiscent of the past decades. |
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| Onion picking: I feel that onions are such an earthy vegetable the best way to show them is outside on the field. I wanted t get the sense of autumn (use of browns and creams, and the natural habitat that we grow them in. Again, I wanted to emulate the old style of illustration and used thin fine liners and also thicker lines to give a style of printing. |
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| Onions revisited - After my feedback on this assignment, I looked at how this piece worked and tried to influence the importance of the onions in the image. By bringing in another layer of colour over the onions it picks them out to be more prominent in the image. I like this. It has worked well. |
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| Strawberries revisited - Having a change of colour and enhancing the evening sun in the image to try and convey the sentiment better than my original. Not sure this one works as well as the onions. Looking over this I think I put too much information into the back ground and it did swallow the foreground (the strawberries)! |
Assignment Two: Point of Sale Display - Course work
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| The mood board for summer fruits. I chose images that were crisp and clear, I made colour charts to see what colours looked fresh but included the feeling of summer fruits. I made tags for each section and on each tag I extended the fruit word with associated words. I originally chose Kiwi, Orange, Raspberry and Strawberry as suggestions. |
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| Studying the sections of strawberry to try and get the detail and best angle imagery to use for the POS poster. |
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| I created a mood board for the Autumn vegetables to see what colours and shapes became available. I expected pumpkin to be a typical autumn choice and very popular to do. I wanted a vegetable that was available to me and can offer options to promote on the 12 x 12 board. The first choice I liked is Beetroot, but one issue I had would be getting hold of a fresh rooted item, I want to draw this objectively and not from images but as a view-able item. |
Assignment Two: Point of Sale Display (Learning log).
I was a little unsure what medium to use for the point of sale for the strawberry, as the work was required to use direct observation. I wanted it to look fresh but keep the realism of the fruit. I decided to try another attempt at watercolours, which I sometimes struggle to use. I found that using watercolours made the fruit look a little insipid and I possibly have over painted the finished piece though I did eventually achieve the darker red I desired.
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| The strawberry sliced and sat on a white plate to allow less distraction when trying to emulate in drawing. I did find to get the seed effect was quite difficult without making the fruit look speckled and not shiny and fresh. |
I found my second attempt at this, doing the onion was slightly easier, I think I had found more of a opening in how to view an object and transfer it to paper. I also decided to use familiar medias with my second imagery. This helped a lot. Using pen and ink and pencil, I found I had more control and could process what was in front of me on to paper in an objective way.
The use of watercolour in the first image was a good move as it did let me experience using different media and help me expand in using these methods.
If I was to do this again, I think I would plan my ideas around what my abilities are with tools and medias and work from that as I think the second (Autumn) board came out better than the first one.
The section on designing the two pieces of art for each season and including the fruit and vegetable. I found this quite hard and looking back think I would have done them differently. I would think the best way to promote the images in illustration would have been to have committed to a less absorbed style. The over linage on the work distracts from the images and think I over thought the final piece and made them too intense in places.
In an overall look, the assignment has been useful as have the exercises. It is making me consider how I illustrate and letting me actually present other ideas that in my day to day life I just would not attempt.
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