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Some zines I gave out!! So nice seeing people’s reactions! 

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Reflective Statement

At the beginning of GRAP2199 In the first lecture my objective for the course was “To develop more confidence in my designs, and take more risks”. I would always be too afraid to show my designs to anyone as I thought they were not good enough or too generic. In terms of achieving this goal, I think I am a little bit more confident than I was at the beginning of the course. I think being introduced to new programs like indesign, opened up new possibilities and opportunities to improve my designs, but I still have a long way to go, and am definitely guilty of still sometimes being ashamed of some of my designs and being scared to ask for feedback. I think this platform was actually super helpful because it kinda forces you to put your work out there for others to see and interact with.

The lecture sector of the course has also been really eye opening, I have loved delving into some historic elements of design, helping me understand how we have got to where we are now. As a dancer I was particularly intrigued by the Tradisches Ballett and the way that Oskar Schlemmer was able to create a beautiful piece of communication design using the body as a media. It was also very interesting seeing the dramatic contrast in styles between different design eras, looking back at the clay tablets then switching to post modern rebellion within only a few weeks was very cool.

Because of this course I have become inspired to incorporate more hands on forms of media in my future deigns. I thoroughly enjoyed manipulating existing imagery to create collage as well as using imprinting techniques to create letterforms and symbols in clay. I found that this more intimate connection between the method and material means you are a lot more careful in the process, as you can’t just simply press the undo button numerous times.

Overall I have thoroughly enjoyed GRAP2199 and look forward to embracing the skills I have learnt across other courses in the future. :) Thanks heaps Karen and Andy, you guys are legends!!  

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Many thanks to my brother for letting me photograph him and his beautiful plant covered desk :) 

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Finished Zine 🙃

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Creating some zines to share :) 

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Recently I have been looking back and having a read of some of our old lecture topics and looking through the readers. One of the most interesting things I found was that Bruno Munari was able to essentially define what a designer is in a singular sentence “He is a planner with aesthetic sense”. I found this engaging because remembering back to one of the first lectures we were asked the same question, although I believe no one came up with this solution and we all had very very different answers.  

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Found this video I took a couple of weeks ago when I was trying to find ways to experiment with cut outs in my zine. Having a shape the cuts all the way through looks super effective and ads a lot of interest to an otherwise simple design.  

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New found obsession with small zines 

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WEEK 11

This weeks lecture we looked at the influence of technology in design.

The eyewriter - looking at technology that enables people to create works with just the movement of their eyes. Giving people back the power to create when they have been stripped of almost all movement.

Panametric design - can be defined as the use of geometry, utilising variables and algorithms to generate mathematical stylistic designs. This process allows for a range of solutions that may not be trialed. Through the development of technology this method of design gives us the ability to generate really interesting, detailed and precise designs.

Image refernce - https://weandthecolor.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/1-Parametric-design-the-Curvilign-Bench-a-furniture-concept-by-Clément-Loyer.jpg

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Created 2 practise mini zines to double check which style I preferred. I used a natural parchment paper and a normal white paper, also experimenting with 2 binding techniques, hand sewing and stapling. 

I have decided to use a natural parchment as it creates a more rustic / natural impression which is a lot more common in her work, as she usually draws on a cream paper rather than white. On the back page in particular the ink is less permanent, creating a worn out look as the book is held more and more. I think this is an interesting concept because it plays with the idea of permanence, as each zine will be slightly difference depending on the amount it is used. This also ads to the imperfect / rustic look I am after. I have also decided to stick with the hand sewn method of binding, because again it links to that worn aesthetic. 

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Researching different ways to bind and create zines :) 

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10/05/19 (week 9)

Lecture - Postmodern Design

- In todays lecture we learnt about the late-20th-century postmodernism movement in the arts, architecture, and criticism that was a deviation from modernism. This term and concept of postmodernism is associated with scepticism, irony and philosophical critiques of the concepts of universal truths and objective reality. Here are some examples of postmodern graphic design:

(April Greiman with Jayme Odgers, Wet magazine cover, 1979. Source: Victoria and Albert Museum, London)

(You are not yourself by Barbara Kruger)

I have noted that a lot of postmodern designs utilise collaging and adapt a punk style. Additionally postmodernism impacted architecture and industrial design.

(Howard Meister, Nothing Continues to Happen chair, 1980. Photograph: V&A, London)

(The Denver Public Library by Michael Graves)

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Post-modernist poster designs - PUNK

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I made a few different test zines, experimenting with size and paper weights. I decided to stick with a red / orange colour scheme for my zine because I feel like it reflects the artist the most and also creates a very cohesive aesthetic when all pages link. I also recoloured the photographs with duotone, again to enhance the zine’s aesthetic quality. 

The smallest zine I made was printed on  a natural parchment paper which channels the artist’s rustic style while also adding an interesting textual element, so I am leaning towards that. I am also experimenting with red acetate, and am currently trying to figure out a way to bind it seamlessly. :)

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After the collage making class, I tried my hand at a hand made zine. Because my artist has a very simplistic style I wanted to try and incorporate colour as much a possible through my own markings to keep it interesting. Above I used acrylics and copic markers to do this. I also experimented with different binding techniques, above shows the hand sewn version I made as a test. 

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Today in class we delved into the postmodernist movement. Our task was attempt to discover letterforms in magazines, creating a collage style piece. It was very eye opening getting back to basics, reflecting on a time when photoshop and illustrator wasn’t easily accessible to everyone like it is today. For me personally, I found that a lot more thought was put into each snip / edit because you are unable to just undo your mistakes again and again. There is also a rawness to hand cut collage that cant be falsified through editing programs, which creates a very authentic and almost special feel. Above is the letters  I created: A B C as well as some of the other letterforms found by other students.

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Although I wasn’t able to attend the lecture, I did a bit of my own research on the bauhaus era of design and in particular the Triadisches Ballett. I find it so beautiful and interesting that communication design isn't just restricted to things like posters and packing, but can be communicated through things like costume design in more elaborate ways. As a dancer myself, I find it incredibly inspiring that Oskar Schlemmer was able to combine design and dance using the human body as a canvas. Reflecting a visual style and aesthetic through colour and shape, while also keeping the connection to the space through dance and movement, giving the viewer a very intimate experience which is a lot more interesting than a flat design.