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GRAPHIC TEES

While having a browse online this week, following on from last weeks lectures about illustrations styles, I took some screenshots from ASOS of online graphic tees.

The first is very minimalist in comparison with the second and the price range between the two was vast also. The second being the cheaper of the two is much bolder in terms of design statement. The font size and typeface varies and the use of icons create a youthful appeal which differs from the Hugo Boss version. This shirt has the logo and brand name on a clear white T-shirt and uses strong primary colours to grab attention.

The last three shirts again have a very young appeal. They have illustrated imagery and text however all seem to have limited colour palettes so don’t overuse colour. This limited colour palette is a brand at the moment.

My preference would be for the simple design of the white t-shirts which use bold primary colours, like the Tommy Hilfiger design (which has incorporated the design meg gage with the Logo TH very interestingly) than the comic sans type, playful imagery of the end few.

#graphic t-shirts

Cool Design Studio

https://www.instagram.com/thelineanimation/

This animation studio is called The Line Studio and is based in London, specialising in 2D animation.

They have varying styles, the above being one of my favourites. I really like the combination of the simple line with the shaded use of colour. They use colour to add depth to the characters despite the 2d medium and it is very aesthetically effective.

The movement of their work is also very smooth and enjoyable to watch.

#animation studio

PHOTOGRAPHER - My Favourite

Vietnamese photographer : Tran Tuan Viet

This is definitely one of my favourite photographers for his use of composition and colour.

I’ve only added a few screenshots here but his instagram is definitely one to follow.

The first image, if you were to apply the golden ratio, brings the eye past the figure to the tree which is the focal point of the image and creates a perfect balance within the photo. It sets the calm and almost mundane atmosphere of the piece and is very interesting to look at.

The second picture is perfectly balanced without being staged, which is always more effective with photography. Against the cloudy, white background the workers pop and each one is in a different position despite carrying out the same work. The symmetry between the wires is also very effective and allows the readers eyes to zig zag up the up image, creating a sense of movement. Given the subject matter of the photo and the work being dangerous, this irregular composition is very clever.

The final two I included because I loved the sense of symmetry and the colour palettes uses. The reflection in the blue image splits in the image in half and creates an ominous atmosphere.

The picture go the girl combines a very limited colour palette , Blue, Orange and Browns which grab the readers attention despite the simplicity of the portrait.

#favourite photographer

GOLDEN WOLF - Favourite Design Studio!

Golden Wolf is a London Based studio that is very popular for 2D animated design work. This studio has been a favourite of mine for a while for their quirky and expressive animations. They use perspective as a distinctive feature throughout their work and create really impressive animations which flow seamlessly from one scene to the next through playful shapes and colours.

I only added three images above but their portfolio is beyond inspiring! Definitely a studio worth following.

https://www.instagram.com/runwiththegoldenwolf/?hl=en

https://www.behance.net/goldenwolftv

PERSISTENCE IS KEY

As the course continues in full swing and deadlines are popping up everywhere, just posting this as a reminder that perfection should not be the end goal with design. Instead the focus should be on self improvement and experimentation. I’ve been putting some time towards online tutorials and linkedIn learning videos and hope to focus on those for the next few weeks in the lead up to the poster assignment!

#tutorials are important

DESIGN THINKING

I just finished on online LinkedIn Learning curse about the process of design thinking to create customer orientated designs and products. Presented by Chris Nodder, it introduces the development process, which I think this imagine is a good representation of. There are alot of benefits to this way of thinking and the course was an informative watch.

DESIGNER : MARTY NEUMEIER

I came across this designer online and really enjoy his perspective on building a brand. He reiterates the importance of putting the customer to the forefront of all design solutions and he has numerous interviews on youtube that are easy to watch and very educational. Along with overviews of his personal experience he offers insights into the word of branding and the shift in the design world to design thinking!

#branding

DESIGNER : SAGI HAVIV

I am an avid consumer of all things National Geographic. From their documentaries to their podcasts, I regularly come across their bright and distinctive logo and decided to see where it came from. It has a very interesting origin and was introduced to National Geographic for six months before they finally decided to settle on it. Sagi Haviv is a designer from New York who worked on the project and I’ve watched lots of interesting interviews and talks he has given on this logo and design in general.

For him a logo needs to be distinct, memorable and simple and that is definitely a good description of the above logo.

A very interesting designer with great informative resources online.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcF1KBnlvTc

DESIGN SKILLS

“Understanding the fundamentals of design and mastering modern creative software is a great start, but this is by no means enough on its own to carve out a successful career. In short, the creative industries demand you have the right mindset, not just a skillset.”

An interesting read on the skills needed in the design industry.

https://www.creativeboom.com/tips/why-core-graphic-design-skills-are-no-longer-enough/

FUN LOGOS

Found these logos while researching branding and logo creation on Pinterest. My board is now too full to manage but here are just a few fun and simple logos/ideas that make logo design such a creative endeavour.

#fun logos

Continuity VS Proximity

I was researching the gestalt theory and learned so much about the perception of design!

Here I found two very similar yet also very different poster.

So the Good Dinosaur is a Disney animated movie. Its target audience would be young and I’ve noticed a significant amount of movie posters that have characters faces and expressions as the focal point of the image. This image is a great example of that.

As many films will produce numerous versions of posters, both of these are very effective for different reasons and each applies a throes of the gestalt theory.

The first poster is a great example of Continuity. Its composition draws the viewers eye into the scene. This is through the effective placement of the fireflies. As we know from the golden ration, the viewers eye often starts at the bottom left of an image, and in a spiral like motion land on the center of the upper third. Here the designer has placed the name and release date oft the movie, which is very important information and shows how influencing the viewers gaze to create information quickly and efficiently is very effective.

The second poster relies on the principle of proximity. This composition has a zig zag effect as the placement of the text/shapes directs the viewers eye to jump from block to block. Starting with the large eye catching text on the upper right of the image the viewer reads “Tiny but Tough” before being drawn to the big expressive eye in the next “block” which is looking down at the character on its back. From the dinosaurs gaze, the viewer averts their gaze to the character and because the grouping mechanism of the brain is engaged, the viewer continues to the bottom left corner of the design, the final block, where the important information of the poster rests and what we, the designers, want the viewer to read.

I think but these posters are great designs. They are very clear and aesthetically appealing.

#poster design gestalt theory

Limited Colour Palette

Pink and Blue. This is a great colour combo and is often used in design. While researching for the poster design assignment I found this illustrated design for the film, Drive, and thought it was a simple yet effective use of a two toned colour palette. I also liked the hierarchy of the text, so will use as reference later on.

POSTER DESIGN

Same Film but two very different perspectives. I think the bottom poster could just be a fans interpretation but its really clever use of colour and shape, creating a merged shape of the gun and the taxi through contrast.

The top Image, which is much more detailed and illustrative has very interesting placement of text in relation to the compositional balance of the poster. It creates a triangular composition that emphasises the illustration in the piece without loosing the title in the design. This is helped by the white vs Black contrast and the bold statement of the text compared to the light line of the illustration. Overall just a very interesting piece and a good reference to have for the upcoming project.

Importance Of Pictures

We are learning in class the importance of imagery and how little time a viewer spends actually reading text, instead choosing to scan. With that in mind I think it’s interesting that nowadays the vast majority of youtube thumbnails have text incorporated within their imagery. Could it be for that reason?

Personally I find that I do in fact choose a video to watch because of it’s thumbnail, before I read the title and so I included the above thumbnails as two examples where I would not read the title but would choose to watch based on the information I am getting from the image/thumbnail alone.

#thumbnail design

BRANDING - BAGS

I was comparing the text of the Dunnes Stores Bags and thought it was very interesting that they use a different look for their grocery bags than they do for their clothing and homeware section. I found other bags that have interesting use of type so I included there pictures above too.

BRANDING

So many type families and font here! It’s interesting to see the different hierarchy created with the text and the use of Serif type for the richer, dark chocolate products in comparison to the bubbly and script text used for the more “fun” chocolates.

MY FAVOURITES

Very different packaging for what is ultimately the same product. However, the foodie market brand emphasises it’s use of no palm oil whereas the dunnes stores brand has a much simpler message, and states that it is high in protein. This could be that the first brand is appealing to environmentally aware consumers. These consumers are often the younger demographic and so the brands use of bold font, which has a friendly comic sans appearance, would be very effective. The second brand might be appealing to a consumer who is more health conscious, who perhaps focuses on facts and science. So the light text, accompanied with a minimal colour palette and placement of product imagery on packaging, might be a more effective marketing strategy.

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