Michael's Monster

[frankensteinunbound]

[mikealsan]

Week Thirteen: The Unbound Publication (Part Two)

I wanted this publication to be handled like a book but not act like the typical bound art book. It is clipped on the sides to allow people to see it as a whole but then it is quite hard to open without taking the clips off. I wanted each “sin” to have a full impact and I felt that by binding it, it would constrain the work.

Letting the pages be unbound also allowed me to play with the layers using acetate and translucent paper to make it more interactive than just flipping the pages. This format allowed the viewer to be curious about each page and how they could play around with the elements or swap layers around to create something new.

I settled on a simple ‘7′ as the publications title as a subtle way of hinting what it was about but at the same time now spoon-feeding and being direct about the concept. It would eventually become clear what it was about as a viewer interacts with the book and delves further inside.

[frankensteinunbound]

Week Thirteen: Some Thoughts and a Reflection (Part Five)

I have never had such a fun, exhilarating and thoroughly exhausting semester such as this one, and all because of this studio. Frankenstein Unbound has really challenged me in so many ways in terms of my outlook on what it means to be creative and the kind of work I could be doing in the future. It has pushed my comfortable preconceived ideas of what communication design can be and what makes a publication, a publication. All of these past semester’s research and activities has culminated in the final project, a climactic finish to a roller-coaster ride of a semester. 

The past two weeks has been the most intensive and fulfilling work I’ve ever done in this course. I had never been given the complete freedom to run wild and explore so many ideas and concepts before. Project three has allowed me to really enjoy creating something I’m really proud of but at the same time sucking all my time, energy and passion. It really has been a labour of love, toiling away at the field of creativity looking for these thought bubbles to bear fruit - and this time it has.

Producing this publication with all it’s technical difficulties, media variety and stylistic diversity has really pushed me to places a brief has never done before. The amount of work that I’ve created in the past couple of weeks has made me lose sleep, miss meals and began to get sick, and you know what, I don’t really care because the sheer joy and thrill of holding something in your hand that you’ve agonised over for weeks on end, is worth it. 

This past few months have been an absolutely fantastic joyride. Andy picked us up as eager little novice designers and sped down a wild adventure through all sorts of terrain. It led us to work together in many different ways and bond as group in this culture of collaboration and cooperation that we created. Even though there were time were we spun out of control, and were completely lost, I think I’m crazier, riskier, and more stronger as a designer than when we started - and I couldn’t be more happier.

[frankensteinunbound]

Week Thirteen: The Guts & Insides of 7 (Part Three)

I wanted striking imagery for every ‘sin’ that would intrigue the person looking through my publication and keep them engaged wether it be through peeling off layers they didn’t realise were seperate, finding hidden pages, secret posters or rearranging the pages, I never wanted to keep the viewer guessing about what might come next and surprise them with something that was new and different from the previous spreads.

[frankensteinunbound]

Week Thirteen: Project Three Publication Process (Part 1)

For my final project, I struggled to find an idea that would fit with the rest of the class’ themes and would be a perfect piece for my folio. I had spent the previous years in studios that didn’t allow for any useful work to put into a portfolio so I was dying for something, anything, really that would fit a huge gap in work. 

It had been Week Ten and I still didn’t have something tangible as a first prototype or even a useful idea. I had come up with woeful ideas that even I wasn’t sure of and I was starting to panic. 

There was this theme of horror, sci-fi, surrealism and everything Frankenstein-esque from everyone while all being incorporated in wild publication designs and concepts. I just decided to focus on my illustration skills, which was predictable and boring after not having flexed this skill last year. I then chose a theme and fell on monsters. 

I wanted to do something that allowed variety and exploration of different techniques and styles but all in the one publication. So I did some research about what was the meaning of monster. I realised that if I wanted to illustrate monsters it would take too long to come up with the types of monsters and then do character design on a whole set so there would be enough to fill a publication. 

I had to narrow it down. I grounded it back down from mythical or made up monsters and made it to focus more on what makes humanity monstrous. I researched different things that make us monsters from Psychopathy to serial killer attributes, but found these subjects to be too macabre and could be done quite horribly if there wasn’t any thorough research and handled sensitively. 

So I looked to more historical elements that make us monsters in terms of what society says and settled on the Seven Deadly Sins. This allowed a set of “monsters” to illustrate, it had consistency as I would only use a portrait from the public domain as a hero image and it still allowed me to explore different style and techniques in the one publication.

So off I went and decided to start designing a publication that would soon take over my life in the weeks that came after...

[frankensteinunbound]

A Reflection on the Semester & Tumblr (So far)

Throughout this studio I’ve been really enjoying this aspect of using Tumblr to document and reflect on the work I’ve been doing. I think it’s been really valuable to have a platform outside of class where we can discuss with each other’s ideas and opinions, as well as bringing in research and other designers/artists’ works. I found it made the whole process of gathering and looking up designs more fun and engaging and it really didn’t make it seem like work. It’s so great to have something at the end of all this and see all the research and discussions we’ve had. It’s something I can look back at and use in future design projects.

Tumblr Progress Update:

Original Posts: 19

Reblogs of Student Posts: 9

Reblogs of Other Tumblr Posts: 4

[frankensteinunbound]

DECAY BY Baptiste Bernazeau

I absolutely love this work by Baptiste Bernazeau. It’s something that I would never have thought of and I love the look of it all. It’s 28 pages which I think is a perfect and achievable amount of pages for a project this size. It contains different stocks, materials and sizes, and It’s got the different aspects that we looked at in classes (such as articulated bodies). I would be more than happy if I create something of my own but can come close to the awesomeness of Decay.

[frankensteinunbound]

The Week 10 Blues

I think as the semester goes on and with all the work and research I’ve been doing both in the studio and in other classes, I’m just a little lost as to what I want to do for my final project. 

Andy mentioned a few weeks ago about how all this #inspo finding might just make you feel down and dispirited. I fear he may be right and this week, I was a bit lost really. I came into class completely unsure of what I wanted to do. I had these ideas floating around in my head but nothing was solid. 

After seeing everyone’s ideas and project progress I finally saw that there was this overlying theme that everyone was doing and figured out that I have to somehow connect with everyone else’s work. I had further discussions with peers and Andy about what I could do and it put me on a path at least. 

I’ve got some ideas now. I think i’ll do some work on it over this weekend and bring whatever I’ve done into class next week. Hopefully I’ve finally got something I’ll be happy with.

[frankensteinunbound]

Vitrine By Jan Rutten

The publication is made to reflect the fleeting nature of the exhibitions. It is only bound with two clips, allowing the reader to disassemble and reassemble the catalogue to her or his own liking. Furthermore, it contains pages that are individual fold-out posters, postcards or photographs.

I am absolutely inspired by this piece of work by Belgian designer Jan Rutten. I’ve been scratching my head silly about whether I should bind or leave my final unbound and he has pointed out the obvious answer that was right under my nose the whole time. This method of “binding” is like a middle state where it can all be unravelled but at the same time be put together. I just love the different elements and pieces that make up Vitrine and it has just really given me the inspiration boost that I’ve been lacking recently.

[stldsgn-deactivated20160803]

WEEK EIGHT

After class, Michael (@frankensteinunbound​) and I paid a visit to the National Gallery of Victoria. We were keen to see if there was anything inspiring or relevant to our studio in the gallery or the gift shop. Unfortunately we couldn’t spot anything too experimental in terms of binding, but there were several books that used really interesting materials, texture and composition. Overall, the trip was definitely worthwhile—it breathed some creative life back into us, which is always crucial in the middle of the semester.

[frankensteinunbound]

There were some really interesting books on this mini field trip. But this was mainly a trip to reinvigorate us I think after a few weeks of flat out working on projects.

[frankensteinunbound]

Week 9: Some examples of using cut outs to reveal elements

Andy brought examples of books that uses cut outs and holes as a design feature and as a way to both hide details such as the text on the Metahaven book cover, but at the same time show the image underneath. These books are really beautifully designed and well thought out particularly the Metahaven book and Keller Easterling’s book. These two books demonstrate two different approaches I could use in my final. One is structured, constrained and thought out, and the other seems more spontaneous and abstract - A really interesting juxtaposition. 

[frankensteinunbound]

Exhibition Ideas

One of the things that we’ve been discussing more and more in class is how would we show our work. I’ve found some ideas that are a bit different in approaches from hanging them from the roof, to a more conventional design exhibition, to a more handmade aesthetic and finally an interactive approach to an exhibit. 

I think this decision would be much easier to decide when we start seeing what design each person does and how would they would work/interact with each other as a whole.

These images were from the following designers:

Art book Collection by Florencia Baldini

MA Graphic Design Show 2014 by London College of Communication, University of the Arts London

The Exploration Project by Mēmémě

B&F Paper at Semi-Permanent 2013 by Ashley McConnell

[frankensteinunbound]

MAGD 2014 Showcase: A Parallel Approach 

The MA Graphic Design Batch of 2014, LCC presents their final MA Thesis work.

I remembered that we were discussing how we were going to exhibit all our works from one class. One of the suggestions that had strong support was a video as it allowed documentation and to be exhibited, but at the same time it allowed us to keep our publications.

This is a video taken for the 2014 showcase of graduates from the London College of Communication, University of the Arts London. I think this is an interesting way of doing a video, but ultimately I think we could go about it better so that we can see each other’s work individually and clearly.

[galenstrachan]

Week five -

After the Easter break we brought our completed prototype into class. It was really great to check out the work everyone had produced. There was some really innovative and experimental work that got me thinking about techniques I could explore within my future work. Following the mini exhibition, we sat down with someone else’s prototype and interpreted it using their instructions. I decided to give Michael’s a go as I found his prototype to be really visually strong and interactive. Within his instructions, it said to cut out the text of the publication you are using, so I reinterpreted that and instead removed the faces. Nothing says mental stability like subtly cutting the tiny faces out of a children’s Christmas picture book. After intricately removing the faces of a few chapters, the effects began to show.         

[frankensteinunbound]

I forgot to reblog this a few weeks back, but this is one of the most creative approaches to my quite simple and straight forward creative prototype. Galen used the basic principles of my prototype and cut out the faces of all the characters in this old children’s Christmas book. He has made one of the most unsettling, yet hilarious publication out of a dead body. Absolutely fantastic.

[frankensteinunbound]

Week 8: Andy’s “Scummy” Binding Methods

Andy showed us a binding method this week that he really loves to use, while at the same time making the whole Communication Design areas smell like vinegar. 

It’s a DIY binding method consisting of silicone, cornflour and oil paints. It creates a really textured and fast drying paste that you apply on the scored/sliced spine of your publication. 

It’s a really cool binding idea and it was great to learn about a method that is inexpensive and easy to do.

Below are some images of the process.

[eatstrawberryanddesign]

GF Smith  By Made Thought http://www.madethought.com

[frankensteinunbound]

This beautiful publication has just made me see how I can apply my more design-leaning brain to something which I thought needed to look crafty and artistic. GF Smith has designed something that I really love. It has all the elements (Articulated Bodies!) of a publication that would fit right in with the studio. 

[lucycrossett-blog]

Seriously cool publication. I’m so drawn to the colours and unique shapes. So simple but so well executed. I especially like the exposed binding. If only my binding skills were good enough to keep on display and not be hidden by a cover… 

[marccentofanti-blog]

Really unique and cool publication here. Not what I am looking at doing but can always appreciate good it work

[frankenstein-unbound]

uugh “crafty” is so gross! :) however i still feel that “dead bodies” can be overprinted with these primary colours and typefaces, or cut into asymmetrical shapes to bring them back to life, and yes ok, these are very nice projects. thanks for sharing Michael –A

[frankensteinunbound]

Hey! It’s not that I don’t like “crafty”, it’s just that after a whole semester of crafting in my other classes. I just feel like I need more diversity in my work and my “designer” side has been screaming for some designing!

[thedsgnblog]

MAGD Show 2014 by Dario Gracceva & Sarah Krebietke

Drawing on experience and insight, a designer or writer decides on the content and the order of each page of a publication, working to create a finished piece. But this publication is not yet finished. In this MA Graphic Design Show, your task is to gain your own experience and insights to help you craft a publication of your own.

Like the graduates who undertook research in MA Graphic Design, you will piece through visual fragments from such diverse fields as design, science and technology, architecture, journalism, literature, and photography. Using the same research that informed the projects in this course, you will assemble your own work that is tied directly to your actions and experiences in this space. Driven by personal interests, your publication can take many forms and shapes.

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[frankensteinunbound]

WOW This is another project in the series: I wish I saw this during the first assignment! This is a beautifully executed design of a creative prototype which results in creating your own publication. It’s designed beautifully by the Graduates of MA Graphic Design in the London School of Communication, University College of the Arts London for their exhibition back in 2014.