I thought I’d make a list to share of all the Apps and shortcuts I have to design related webpages/blogs on my iPhone. If you are an iPhone user, then these are all must haves. If you are like me, I like to keep up with the current trends and inspiration through Graphic Design even when I’m away from my MacBook Pro or Wifi connection.
Apps:
Facebook
Perfect for most of us, go on admit it, you’re addicted to facebook. Great for keeping in contact with fellow students and designers.
ActionMthd
This App is great! Its put out by the Behance Network, and is the answer to all your productivity and project management nightmares! A great tool for working on projects, both client and designer based tool.
Evernote
Evernote is pretty much what it sounds like, a great tool for recording and taking notes, saving and sharing files. A must have!
TweetDeck
Is a FREE Twitter client for iPhone’s and Mac. I’m not going to explain what Twitter is. Its the best I’ve used, and above all, yes its FREE! Aside from the odd crash here and there on iPhone OS 3.0, its still the best Twitter App out there.
FontShuffle
If you’re a designer, you should be in love with type. If not, you should still download this App. Its made by FontShop and lets you sample type from their huge catalogue. Great for proving those ‘what is that typeface’ arguments when you’re out with other designers!
KERN
A FORMation Alliance product, KERN is a minimalist typography experience challenging you to precisely place a missing letter into a falling word while avoiding and unnecessary ligatures! Good fun! Re-playability due to the scoreboard!
okimok
Think Flickr for iPhone users. Made purely for people to upload photos from their iPhones and share within the community, also includes a similar system to Twitter where one can Follow other users, and see their photos uploads.
WhatTheFont
Just like the online equivalent, except made easy for the iPhone.
WordPress
Post to your blog, edit and moderate comments all on the go from your phone.
Webpages:
Abduzeedo
deviantART
Flickr
Glyphboard
FFFOUND!
Digg
Engadget
hugeType
I Love Typography
Kotaku
Netvibes
Threadless
By going to any of these websites on your iPhone, you’ll automatically be redirected to the mobile friendly version.
There you have it, all my favourite Apps and webpages that get used most days on my iPhone! Have any you use?.. and would like to recommend? Please comment and share!
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Tags: iPhone, Tools
Monthly Inspiration #3
A large collection of images this month. Most images come with links back to their respective sources. I think I’ll work on a Video Inspiration post in the future, as I’m increasingly coming across some great design related clips more and more lately. Enjoy!
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Amazing photography by Shinichi Maruyama, I love it!
Absolutely amazing work, this last image shows the working process if you like…
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Tags: Graphic Design, Inspiration, Photography
I’ve always been interested in the distinction between Video Games and Art, and even the idea of Video Games as an Art Form, which in my point of view, Video Games are a kind of ultimate collaboration of many areas of the Arts. This is a different approach again, creating something new from an existing Video Game and bringing it out of it’s native medium and putting it into something new–Painting…
“A series of landscapes painted from video games. These aren’t from screenshots I found online; I navigated around inside of each of the games until I found a composition I liked, and then made a painting of it. I certainly spend more time in games than wandering the idyllic countryside. There’s a whole spiel behind this, starting from frustration at 3D games slavishly imitating real life (though this has been lessened thanks to Braid and others), but really, artists should shut up and make pictures. Just think of me with my blue smock, sun hat, and luxurious beard in front of an easel on a hill in Fallout 3. Mmm, radroach meat.”— James Barnett
A rather fascinating concept.
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Tags: Painting, Video Games
Research Proposal v2.0
Two months ago I submitted my research proposal. Now, things have changed. So I’m revising it.
As far as I see it, my current objective and direction is to generate a Flash based interactive gaming environment depicting the story or experiences of a piece of type. In other words, bringing to life something such as a singular type form, giving it humanistic qualities and a will to live. Something it wouldn’t normally have, generating interest and personal character development throughout a story driven experience. From creating the code in Action Script 3, the story and visual aesthetics with illustrations, to the possibility of sound during the experience.
This all came from somewhere, surprisingly. My initial obsession with traditional typeface design, layout and grid systems was a starting point. I began delving into the traditions and obsessions of Swiss and Dutch based typeface and layout design. Also taking a liking to modern approaches to the style or movement reformed by studios such as the well known Experimental Jet Set and even closer to home Experimenta. My Grid layout for our first brief this year is solely based around these principles.
I then attempted to include my interest of modern mediums such as projections in a gallery space, like that of Build’s interactive poster ‘It’s okay to touch’. This interactive poster uses conventional print display systems to create animated posters that come to life. A kind of merged media installational concept, or the intersection of graphic and interaction design. I’ve since come across many inspirational works similar to this. Pushing the boundaries of animation, the inclusion of sound in some cases even music videos, and interactivity. This short music video by Venetian Snares illustrates amazing emotion and atmosphere through the simplistic use of the elements. Following that we have this interactive music video by Labuat which demonstrates how interaction between the viewer can immensely heighten the experience, bringing to it something completely different to that of traditional video formats. I’ve also explored the internet vastly looking at a huge amount of interactive flash websites and environments, applications and the like. Another of partcular interest is that of Yugop.
I’d like to now demonstrate some research I’ve done in the direction of games based around design, and namely typography. A blog that I frequently read was a great starting point. I Love Typography is a huge inspiration for me and a huge resource for all things type related, new and old. On this site is the first of a number of type games I’ll be referring to, and its plainly called ‘FontGame‘. Through this simple web based game, users are tested on their knowledge of typefaces and their names. Its rather difficult. But it’s totally making the process of learning slightly more interesting. Another typographic based game is at Deep.co.uk and is also titled ‘FontGame’. This explores the same principle, although with a bigger approach to the aesthetics and visual flare. Users go about the same task of distinguishing typefaces but use a more advanced gameplay mechanic by which you ’shoot’ the required/incorrect typefaces. Something a little different is this idea of making a static board game to do with type. Like this game called ‘Name That Typeface‘. Although, I’m more interested in the medium of flash and action script for this research project. The most recent typographic game I’ve come across online recently is at Veer.com; and is called ‘Kern in Space‘. An interesting game which you are lead to believe is about kerning, but after playing, its simply a basic ‘Lunar Lander’ type game and doesn’t really have much depth to it at all.
So after exploring some ideas about interaction, design, typography and games, I can now talk about the direction in which I’m heading. I want to create an interactive experience, call it a game, experience or work of art. But primarily its about the experience and how one can control that experience or process. I’ll be illustrating, coding and telling the story of a singular pice of type as it enters the world from conception after being designed, drafted and created. Then following the form as a character through its experience of life, as it explores, and starts being used by designers. To being pressed into posters and printers. The type form then escapes the confines and explores the world, discovering other instances of type around the world and the environment that the player or character moves around in. In comparison, here is a website made by the Wellington studio Resn. Made for the band Minuit, Its an interactive experience, with a platform nature where the viewer becomes the participant, selecting a character which comes to life having a personality, the viewer then becomes enveloped amidst this whole new world, and therefore begins to explore it unravelling its mysteries.
I wish to create a much more story driven experience than the above game references. With complex animations and interactive aspects to the work. With scripted motion events happening to and around the character. I wish to push the boundaries of game interaction rather than it simply being about the participant or viewer only controlling an entity in the game, but to draw them in as part of the experience. I don’t want this to simply be an educational game that one would play to learn about type or design, but for it to be accessible, interesting and exciting to anyone by its narrated story telling nature and enjoyable gameplay mechanics. To do this, I’ll need to increase my knowledge of Action Script, and I plan on continuing to do this during university holidays. In some ways I’m restricted to what I can do because of my knowledge of the software and programming language, but my imagination is not. So the more I learn about the Action Script language the better I can push my imagination into fruition. I do however currently have a working model and example for the flash environment I wish to create but is only a work in progress and nowhere near complete. But its enough to give an idea of what I’m aiming for.
The final product presentation for the end of year submission will include limited edition packaging similar to that of recent video game releases, with box art design, including extras such as a limited edition concept and artwork book, a manual, and also some kind of figurine of the final concept for the character design I’ve settled on. For example, something like this special collectors edition for the game Alone in the Dark.
I’ve now begun generating a series of concept landscape or environmental world ’scapes’ as it were, types of environments that I’d like to utilise through the experience. You can see these in the previous post on this blog, or click here.
REFERENCES:
Experimenta, Wellington, NZ.
http://experimenta.co.nz/
Video of the ‘ITS OK TO TOUCH’ Installation in London:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMKIgmHHWwQ
Documentation of ‘ITS OK TO TOUCH’ poster and print process:
http://www.wearebuild.com/projects/osmotronic
Experimental Jet Set:
http://www.experimentaljetset.nl/
Lecture by Experimental Jet Set [23 rd March 2009] on their influences and thought processes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2pzHa6ks0M
Venetian Snares – Szamár Madár Music Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PBeKzVhWHY
Yugop – Graphic Designer with an AMAZING flash based website.
http://yugop.com/
TYPOGRAPHIC GAMES
FontGame at ilovetypography.com
http://ilovetypography.com/fontgame/
FontGame at Deep.
http://deep.co.uk/games/font_game/
Name That Typeface Board Game
http://www.magpienest.org/feathersofhope/511/name-that-typeface
Veer’s ‘Kern in Space’
http://ideas.veer.com/features/kerninspace
OTHER RESOURCES
Resn – Interactive Design Agency based in Auckland.
http://www.resn.co.nz/
Minuit interactive flash based website
http://minuit.co.nz/
Great source of information anything type related:
http://ilovetypography.com/
Rules and informative posts related to modern grid systems:
http://www.thegridsystem.org/
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Tags: Flash, Games, Interaction, Research
Flash Project Concept Artwork
Just a quick post. Here are some images I have drawn recently as possible backdrops/landscape for the game I’m working on. They are in no particular order.
Simplistic lines illustrate the images with a nice sense of detail.
Flat areas of grey’s and blacks help distinguish main themes or highlighted items of interest.
You can’t tell in these low resolution images, but I’m really liking the current black and white style, but with tiny highlights of color. Like the lights on the printer and on the stereo.
I’m contempt with the idea of this game having a narrative, leading the character through a story, or in a way, its ‘life-cycle’ as a piece of type. Its revelation into realising what and who it is. As a pure form and entity. The critique room represents a drawing board, a beginning, a conceptual stage in its life, possibly even ‘birth’ or the beginning of the typeface.
The press, I guess in a way signifies the type being applied to a work, pressed onto paper, becoming a reality, and having a purpose or use.
So, ideally, the game will allow the player to explore these ‘landscapes’ or ‘environments’ as he or she wishes, learning more about the life and story of this particular type form who is thinking outside the box, and wondering about some kind of alternate purpose in reality.
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Tags: Flash, Graphic Design, Illustration
Monthly Inspiration #2
Here’s this months bunch of interesting images I thought were note worthy towards my research. And just plain wanted to share them.
Great! A shorter selection of works this month, But, more relevant content.
I feel like I should be linking all of these works to their respective owners sites. I’ll work on this.
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Tags: Inspiration
Okay so I’ve begin playing around with flash. I’ve managed to figure out how to create a basic side scrolling environment, place images and backgrounds into the environment whilst also have a character that moves and looks realistic thanks to some basic animation. Here’s some screen shots, I wont share the final .swf until the project is complete.
Something that cannot be expressed through screenshots is the way in which I’ve animated the character ‘A’ to physically appear to be walking across the screen, and therefore bringing it to life.
The character also appears to jump when instructed, allowing it to get through or past obstacles through out the experience.
This landscape was just taken from a previous work I done to test the way landscapes could be used.
So, at this stage, most of the content is just place holder content, as I haven’t finalised a narrative or story line, I think now that I have the game engine running, I’ll step back a little and finalise some story boards and the main purpose of this work.
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Tags: Flash, Research
Alright, So here’s what I’ve been working on over the last few weeks.
As part of my research project for my 4th year at University studying Graphic Design, I’ve finally come to some kind of resolution or break through in regards to what I want to do for the rest of the year. I’ve come to a realisation that, in actual fact, it would be very helpful for me, to have a sound knowledge in writing Action Script 3.0 in the future. So I’ve begun learning it. Now I have done some programming before, but not for a number of years and I’m unsure of whether that’ll be much help anyway. After using Adobe Flash for a few years now, I’ve made a fair bit of progress in using it for animating, but never delved into Action Script.
I’ll lay it out simply. I’m proposing to spend the next six-months, generating on my own actual game, in Action Script 3.0 using the Flash environment. Now, the basis for this has come from the last near 3 months researching everything and all that interests me in the world of Design, and I ultimately belive that creating a game will be the ultimate culmination of a number of areas that I am rather obsessed with.
I love typography, and there for this will play a huge part, if not solely being the primary content producer for the piece. I love games, and they are a huge inspiration for me. I love the idea of Interaction design, and how people interact with art, and make it something of their own, bringing to it something new. And, I love the fact that I’ll be able to install this work into a space, using a high resolution projector, with the possible use of sound, to totally immerse the viewer, and giving them a controller or input device to interact with the piece. Now, this could well just spawn off more elaborate works or extensions of current ideas, but at least I have some where to begin, a thread to unravel, explore and express.
I don’t actually have anything much to share with you yet, as I’m only just beginning the basics of Action Script for Game Programming, aside from this nice poster I’ve made, containing one of the typefaces I’ll be exploring throughout the piece, Futura.
Its obviosuly in the early stages of merely being a conceptual idea, but I’m very excited about it never the less.
Has anyone done any Action Script 3.0 programming? More importantly, for game development?
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Tags: Flash, Research
Monthly Inspiration #1
After spending a lot of my time looking at other design websites and blogs, and personally keeping a folder of monthly inspiration to reference, I’ve decided to start a series of posts purely for inspiration. Mostly type and illustration based, but will include all kinds of imagery I’ve come across that relates to my work and I’d like to share with others. Hopefully something you haven’t yet stumbled upon already.
So, here is a collection of inspiration from April ‘09.
And thats about it for this month. Hope you enjoyed this post! Until next month.
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Tags: Inspiration
This is a TwoWeeker
I made this poster within an hour or so actually, BUT the reason I created it was just for a bit of a laugh. We just got a brief from our design lecturer titled ‘TwoWeeker’ and have to completely finish a work within that time space, so I made this to show him before I show him my ACTUAL work for the brief.
I love this typeface. You can download it for FREE. Its called Twist.
After generating those posters, I then moved onto something rather different. I started looking at what happens when an image is placed on a window and what happens when light passes through it.
I began making posters which changed during the transition of day and night. This spawned from noticing the next image I found online, I’d printed it double sided on A4 and had it in my window.
The effect of the type showing through from the other side was rather interesting.
I then attempted it with my own work with the same results.
The main interest is just to take note of how things are changed by the light, and time of day, and how one could utilise that in design projects with the use of typography.
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Tags: Posters
Here’s a nice wallpaper I’ve put together from a work in progress for a friend of mine.
Its set in Helvetica Neue Light and Helvetica Neue Bold. I’d like this to be printed on some nice heavy stock at some stage, or even on a tshirt.
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Tags: Typography, Wallpaper
Research Proposal
I’m currently working on my research proposal for this years body of work.
Here lies the outline of my proposed work for the entire University year. I’ll try and be as elaborate as possible.
My main threads of research are going to consist of the use of typeface layout and design in a Dutch and Swiss style, and how these can be applied to successful poster design. The development of using symbolism to convey ideas whilst replacing the need for type to tell the story. And, primarily to generate a work or series of works of the installational kind, that can be interacted by people within a space.
These ideas come from research into the history and current trends in Dutch & Swiss typography, but namely a modern approach to the style from the likes of modern studios such as Experimental Jetset, We Are Build and the now up and coming N.Z studio Experimenta based in Wellington. One of the designers graduated from Canterbury University. These styles and trends, be it a modernist approach to type and grid systems excite me the most.
In relation to my main idea for this years body of work, I’d like to look at Build, and particularly a designer named Mathew Falla. Falla uses conventional print display systems to create animated posters. A kind of merged media installational conceptionalist, or the intersection of graphic and interaction design. Employing media from print to motion, generating a digital environment from a conceptual idea.
I’m primarily interested in deconstructing the work ‘IT’S OK TO TOUCH’ [seen in the above image]. Made in December 2007 in London. An A1 interactive poster design for “Intergraphics” show in the London ARAM Gallery. Users interact with the piece by touching the conductive ink, this then triggers a series of events (slogans, FlickR feeds and animations) beamed direct (via Bluetooth) onto the poster using a high resolution projector. The screen print is by K2 on G.F Smith Colourplan, with gloss UV varnish, fluorescent green ink and silver granules (suspended in a solvent).
The remaining questions, like if I should be focusing solely on one aspect of the above ideas, such as only pursuing the idea of interaction design, or doing a bit of that and working with my other huge interest in modernist typographic design inspired by the above studios is something I’m yet to answer Integrating the two would be one answer. Ultimately, I really wish to create work(s) that’s not only created or conceptually designed by me but is also given elements of design by the people or viewers that can interact and take part in the visual outcome of the piece.
References thus far:
Video of the ‘ITS OK TO TOUCH’ Installation in London:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMKIgmHHWwQ
Documentation of ‘ITS OK TO TOUCH’ poster and print process:
http://www.wearebuild.com/projects/osmotronic
Experimental Jet Set:
http://www.experimentaljetset.nl/
Lecture by Experimental Jet Set [23 rd March 2009] on their influences and thought processes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2pzHa6ks0M
Great source of information anything type related:
http://ilovetypography.com/
Rules and informative posts related to modern grid systems:
http://www.thegridsystem.org/
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Tags: Research
Research Presentation
This is a sequence of images that I presented to the class, kind of like a starting point of what I’m interested in and possibly some kind of direction I’m heading in.
This first image is a postcard created by Experimental Jet Set who were asked by a small exhibition space to design the invitation and catalogue for a retro-spec of Wim Crouwel. Called Typographic Architectures. This is obviously a photographic work, whilst turning the type into a spatial environment, even an actual piece of architecture. Crouwel adds a physical dimension to the piece.
This John & Paul & Ringo & George T-Shirt by Experimental Jet Set was designed for a japanese T-Shirt label 2K/Gingham. Referring to a T-Shirt genre itself, as an archetypical ‘band shirt’. Stripping it down to type rather than an image. Most archetypical bands like the Beatles/music being a huge inspiration to Experimental Jet Set. The Ampersand was added purely for straightened line endings!
This offset printed Helvetica Documentary Film poster was also made by Experimental Jet Set. Directed y Gary Hurstwitt. Created similar to a type specimen sheet. Inspired by movie posters from the 60’s and 70’s. Classic catch phrases referring directly to the typeface as the actor or introduction “Meet the Cast”. Giving the typeface even more humanistic qualities than it already has.
Ten Years of Posters was a solo exhibition by Experimental Jet Set, in London. Its a pure typographical poster, listing some of the things they’d been doing for the last 10yrs aside from making posters. Inspired by song lyrics.
Charity poster of a small print run. Experimental et Set were asked along with 20 other designers/studios to make posters around the theme of ‘health’. Quote from Satre — issues of life and death. Showing the abyss that exists under paper through a visible tear.
Experimenta website. Minimalist Swiss style.
Experimenta Poster 1
Experimenta Poster 2
Trip-Tych by Build. Commissioned by +81 Magazine in Japan. Under the theme ‘Think Global, Act Local’. Displayed in a Japanese clothing store.
Same theme, symbols replacing type.
Objectified Poster by Build. Featuring drawings of dozens of objects from designers in the film incl. the bottom row of images used to create the film. Metallic, Silver and Black—Lithograph.
Symbolism Poster. Using the everyday graphic language of symbols. A1 poster created by Build. Screen printed in phosphorescent ink. Limited Edition of 100.
Three-way collaboration with Build. Bold prints encased in custom frames. As well as Vinyl wall graphics.
This is a ONE off custom framed presentation piece by Build. Commissioned by Sony for president of Sony Computer Entertainment Phil Harrison. Screen printed design on 6 layers of plexi glass, incased in a custom acrylic box.
The following Illustration is part of a design production for an original hand-painted artwork for a T.V Commercial to promote a new ‘Pritt’ correction roller.
The last two images are by Build and Mathew Falla. It is an A1 interactive poster design for Inter-Graphics, a show in London. Users interact with the pice by touching the conductive ink, this triggers a series of events. Slogans, Flickr, and Animation Feeds. Beamed directly via Bluetooth onto the poster using a high resolution projector.
//End
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Grids and Typographic Hierarchy
One of our first brief’s this term was to create a layout and grid system to use with all our previous years workbooks, including the possibility of using it for this years work also. Here are a few of the spreads I’ve come up with.
I’ve created a 6 x 6 grid system to work with, and begun to work with Bookman Old Style as the heading typeface, whilst using Interstate Light for the body text.
I think these two typefaces compliment each other nicely.
This is all aligned to a baseline grid for overall unity.
Ultimately this will, by the end of the year hold a complete retrospective of all my four years of Graphic Design at University.
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Tags: Grids, Hierarchy, Typography
Periodic Table of Typefaces
This table lists and displays 100 of the most popular, influential and notorious typefaces ever.
Not only informative but great for a wallpaper!
Full size version. Click.
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Tags: Typography
Graphic Design Podcasts
I’d like to make a quick post about a few podcasts I listen to. I find them very helpful, informative and interesting. Its always great to listen to people discuss the things you are constantly thinking about.
Read Between the Leading although only running for 5 episodes so far but is absolutely brilliant. Its a couple of American design students discussing Type, Grids, Graphic Design in general with the odd special guest.
TypeRadio has been going since early 2004 and is a couple of Dutch designers who travel the world visiting Designers and Design events, interviewing big names and any who wants to talk about Design. This is probably my favourite.
Freelance Radio in a broader sense, is not only about Graphic Design, but about being a freelancer, dealing with clients and the like.
Thats it for now. If you have any recomendations of other podcasts similar to these, let me know!
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Tags: Audio, Graphic Design, News, Podcast
Graphic Design 401
Yeah, so it’s been another couple of months since my last post. But I’ve been on holiday and haven’t really done much design to tell the truth.
I’ve just gone back to University, and the first week back was reasonably quiet. I’m rather excited about this being my last year, not only because I’ve nearly finished my degree, but because of the freedom we get within our personal practice. The fourth year of design is based upon research and influenced by the work you have tendered towards from previous years of study. Although we have been given a small brief to kick start the first few weeks of study which I’ll talk about in a new post. Lets just say, Grids.
On a side note, I’m currently in the market for a new mobile phone due to my trusty Nokia finally becoming unusable. I’ll admit it, I really want an iPhone, but at this stage I really can’t justify the price tag. I’m also curious if Apple is reasonably close to dropping the prices and releasing a newer model, I’ve heard the rumors.
Secondly, I’m interested in buying a new camera. Preferably a DSLR. But, I think I’m going to wait a little longer or until DSLR’s finally standardise features such as native 1080p video recording.
Okay, well thats enough off topic talk, next up—grids.
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Tags: Graphic Design
Creating DVD Cover Art
I’m Currently in the process of creating a cover for a DVD containing a short instructional piece on Yoga. Here is my current concepts and I’ll update this soon with an image of the final work. I’ll also be creating as stamp for the disc to complete the look.
I’m going for a very sparse, clean aesthetic, as obviously Yoga itself is about a healthy, non-toxic, free-breathing lifestyle.
I’m also staying away from stamping generic brushes all over it like everyone else does. That annoys me very much by the way. Can we please move on?
Edit: This was the final DVD Cover that was used:
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Tags: Freelance, Graphic Design, Illustration
Coen Brothers Silhouette
After being blown away by the movie No Country for Old Men, and at the time having to generate a work for a brief related to the Coen Brothers I created this silhouette. I then later cut it from vinyl about 4 meters wide, and also laser cut it from 2mm thick sheet metal whilst mounting it and giving it a light source. Quite an enjoyable brief from beginning to end.
This illustration is taken directly from screen grabs at certain points during the movie and then I stitched them together. I recreated the entire thing by drawing it as a vector based image.
I can really appreciate the movie from a different light after deconstructing the imagery throughout it to come to this result. The harsh cold reality and stillness of the images generate a dark atmosphere and portray the movie for what it really is.
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Tags: Graphic Design, Illustration
A Killer Review
Excuse the lame pun, but I couldn’t resist! Its been two days since the latest album from the American Pop/Rock/Indie/Electronic group The Killers released their latest studio recordings titled Day & Age. I’ve listened to it at least ten times through and its surely a worthy album on their part.
Heading again in a new direction, like their previous album, the new songs are vastly different from their debut album Hot Fuss. Long gone are the bands raw sounding double pick ups indie licks and garage sounds and in come the commercialised big beats and catchy even-dance remix sounds. In fact this album is much more along the lines of their compilation of fan released tracks on Sawdust.
If you are a Killers fan then this is a must buy, as you’ll love it no matter what, but if youre a new comer, give it a listen to first. I know I’ll be chilling out to this sweet album for years to come.
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Tags: Music
A Complete Abstract Diagram
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Tags: Graphic Design, Theory, Typography, University
I Neglected You, And I’m Sorry.
There you have it, its true. I Neglected the blog which I’d only just started to regularly keep up with. But here’s to trying to amend that over the next few months. I’ve completed my year of graphic design and my submission went great! I have a bit of spare time now until the course starts again in february for the final year of study.
Over the next week or so I’ll be uploading some images of work I had spoke about previously and have since completed. I’ll then delve into a bit of research and begin to try and figure out what I want my next years study to be based and influenced upon. And I’d like to share that online in this space, which is great just for documenting it for myself.
I wonder if I actually have any viewers?
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Creating An Abstract Diagram
First post for a few weeks, I know. I’ve been on a 5 week holiday and have returned to university ready for semester 2.
My latest brief at university is quite simple yet quite complexe nonetheless. We are to apropriate an existing diagram, remove the content from it and enter our own in relation to our practice. Being that I am avidly awaiting a move to London I chose the London Underground map.
I then proceeded to recreate the map in illustrator using the pen tool and simplified it to an extent.
I’m still working on this project and coming up with new ideas for the theory side of things. As you can imagine its actually quite difficuilt defining what influences you and how your creativity flows and in what way plus on top of that illustrate it in a diagram!
I’ll be sure to update this with my final outcome later on.
UPDATE: Still a work in progress but here it is in its current state.
I will upload a high resolution version as soon as this project is complete.
Filed under: Graphic Design | 2 Comments
Tags: Diagram, Graphic Design, Theory, University
Firefox 3.0 and PicLens
Just a quick link to a neat add-on I’ve discovered for FireFox 3.0, its not very pracitcal but looks great and is fun to use. Its called PicLens and is only about 2mb’s to download.
The add-on basically lets you browse image and video based websites such as Google and YouTube with a three-dimensional wall, and it works great!
Filed under: Internet | 4 Comments
Tags: Internet, Software
Making A Light Box
I recently made a light box for a poster I designed at university and thought why not share the process online for those about to do the same. Its not a complete guide, but it will head you into the right direction.
Building a light box yourself will save you about half the cost of buying a new one and you can easily build it any size. It takes less than a few hours depending on where you get the materials from and how you put it together. You will need someone to do the wiring for the lights, do not attempt it unless you know what you are doing.
What you need:
Milky white translucent perspex, about 4.5-5mm thick
16-18mm thick Melamine chip board to create the box
Beading or small amounts of wood to create a ledge for the perspex to sit on
Two fluorescent battens
A bunch of screws and nails
Power cord
Drill and screwdriver
Putting it together:
Cut the wood to size and put the box together.
Add the beading or rebate.
Drill a hole for the power cord.
Mount the lights and wire them.
Place the perspex inside.
Affix desired poster or image and you are finished.
You can also place a switch on the outside if you desire, but I chose not to which means you have to unplug the box to turn it off.
Filed under: Graphic Design, Light Box, Posters | Leave a Comment
Tags: Graphic Design, Light Box, Posters, University
Great Movie Posters
After reading through a list of the 100 Greatest Movie Posters, I thought I’d select some from that list that I actually liked and had also seen. I ended up with the following 9 posters, I think they all convey a good message that portrays a reasonably accurate message about the film. These are not necessarily good examples of graphic design in the way of layout and typography, but they fulfill there purpose in describing the movie.
When I come across more movie posters I appreciate, I’ll update this list.
Filed under: Graphic Design, Movies, Posters | Leave a Comment
Tags: Graphic Design, Movies, Posters, Typography
My Workspace
I think a designers workspace is an integral part of their life. Not only is it a place where they generally spend huge amounts of time but it also curves the creativity process into certain directions. Therefor I shall share mine with you.
I currently primarily use a 17” MacBook Pro with a secondary 28” Viewsonic LCD. I have a couple of external hard drives for extra space as the MacBook is limited in that respect.
Another huge part of my workspace is the addition of some fantastic speakers, music plays a large role in the creative process for me and I cant live without it, I have a 5.1 Logitech setup.
Because I am currently flatting, my workspace is actually my bedroom. Therefore I’m also surrounded by bedroom objects such as a bed, clothing, snowboarding gear, music, movies and a large game collection.
Being a designer I am a visual person in most ways, and I surround myself with images which are all over my walls.
In theory I think a sense of order is needed in ones workspace, but not too much which could begin to restrict you, and not too little. Its all about finding that balance which suits you, right?
Filed under: Graphic Design, Personal | Leave a Comment
Tags: Creative Process, Graphic Design, Music, Workspace
At Present
I currently study full time at Canterbury University towards a Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in Graphic Design. In my weekends I work in a record store and have done for the last few years.
But, I think it is time for me to seriously look at getting some experience in the design industry. I’m currently on study break for upcoming exams and then have a number of weeks holiday. Once I return to university I am going to make a point of actively looking for some part-time work whether it be working at a printer or idealy an in house designer position.
I will keep my progress up to date on this blog in the mean time. I’m feeling quite confident and excited, as I am certainly ready for a change, and even better if I can begin my career as a designer before I finish university and graduate, just to get that extra little bit of experience.
Filed under: Personal | Leave a Comment
Tags: Graphic Design, University
Photoshop Brushes
I have spent a good portion of the day downloading and playing around with Photoshop brushes. There are a huge amount available for free on the internet but finding well made and high resolution ones can be tricky. These two websites are the best I’ve come across and have a large range of brushes, Noupe and Brusheezy.
Filed under: Graphic Design | Leave a Comment
Tags: Photoshop, Photoshop Brushes, Plugins
A New Beginning
In this blog I will be voicing my inspirational outbursts and deepest concerns or questions towards the recent Graphic Design research I have jumped into. I study Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury, and have decided to delve into the depths of the internet with my work. I hope to create a positive response and look forward to sharing my work with the world.
And so it begins.
Filed under: Personal | Leave a Comment
Tags: Graphic Design, University
Recent Entries
- Graphic Design iPhone Apps and Websites.
- Monthly Inspiration #3
- Shinichi Maruyama – Liquid Photography
- Paintings of Video Game Landscapes
- Research Proposal v2.0
- Flash Project Concept Artwork
- Monthly Inspiration #2
- Flash and Action Script 3.0 Experimentation
- A Day In The Life As A Piece Of Type™
- Monthly Inspiration #1
- This is a TwoWeeker
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