Graphic Design Communicates

Hannah Walker

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SESAME TREET BY SMART E’S 

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POSSIBLE VINYL COVERS - From our shoot we have selected these photos to use for our cover. We think they communicate the feel of the song the most effectively.

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DEVELOPMENT - Using the set of a bedroom focusing on the 90′s aesthetic we feel will be a good set up for our shoot as the viewer is seen to be invading the models privacy. 

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VISUALISING MUSIC

As part of a collaborative project we are going to design the vinyl cover for the song Sesame Treet by Smart E’s whilst also visualising the song which we will record in a short piece of moving imagery. 

Pinterest Research: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/hmwalker98/cover-up/

Through this research we have started to create the aesthetic for these pieces. The songs is made up of kids voices with EDM over tones in an overall 90′s electronic music genre. From this we have decided to create a juxtaposition in some way between kids and adults worlds. 

We have taken inspiration from films like Cool World and Roger Rabbit, in which the sexualisation of the cartoons doesn’t quite sit right with the audience. Using a medium typically associated with children and introducing adult themes pushes a disconcerting feel which we want to instil in our piece. Larry Clark’s film Kids and the set design of Shrimps World have been key pieces in this research process. 

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Illustrator idea combining text with image 

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Initial illustrator ideas - creating pattern and looking at repeat/outline

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DECONSTRUCTION 

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EXPERIMENTATION - looking at varying style by placing restrictions/creating rules in this development process eg. have to use only paper

Looking at creating narratives I may want to employ in my design through exaggeration/alteration of object. 

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INITIAL IDEAS - varying in composition, colour, style and simplicity. 

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PERFECTION KILLS CREATIVITY

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Feedback

Having completed a new finalised version of my video I tried to gather more feedback for how it is perceived and interpreted. 

Generally the response to the video was positive. Felt like the opening worked well because it felt like the beginning of a narrative, that the sounds of the foot steps worked well in this sense. The use of the buildings and the contrasting black and white imagery with the coloured worked well for the viewers as they thought it projected the conflict of idealised society. Seeing this from a nature setting made them some what uncomfortable like they were viewing the experience from far away but were equally involved. Playing with the focus, zoom and overlap seem to help create something quite evocative. Using the older man at the start with a piece of art of a bird and contrasting this with the end and a young boy chasing a group of birds helps balance the video and creates an uplifting end. Most noted the use of hand written type worked really well and kept in line with the feel of the video as well as representing the style James Victore. 

In terms of critique I know now I need to go back and refine the timing of the animated word with the sound byte so it is written more in time. Also some viewers felt the music may have overtaken the sound byte so I need to adjust the sound as bit. Also I need to review how the final end credit reads because I tried to remake how James Victore signs his name - however this is quite hard to read. 

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Background sound

After creating my initial video filming in various locations around London I overlaid it with my hand drawn lettering which I have animated using After Effects.  

I sent the video out to a selection of people for general feedback. The feedback from them was it should include some background sound to link the quote together as I split the initial sound byte up to allow for it to play alongside the text. 

I now need to source a good background sound that doesn’t over take the rest of the video because the sound byte should be the more obvious sound in the video. I also want to find something that provokes a mood and is tailored to the feel of the video. 

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BIRDS//FREEDOM

I am going to use the reoccurring symbol of a bird in my video as I think this is my interpretation of openness, freedom and curiosity - which are all essential components to being creative. It is separated from the hard and fast city as they can fly above and into a untouched sky of possibility. 

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In the development of my animation I realised I was refining and trying to perfect this stop motion clip to the point it seemed to lack any creativity or illusion of thought and process. Reexamining James Victore’s work and style made me realise the visuals I use should be more of a metaphorical indication of what the quote describes rather than a literal illustration. I wasn’t enjoying making the stop motion because it was too rigid in description and didn’t project an open interpretation for a viewer. It described more than it symbolised which isn’t how I want my work to be. 

Therefore on taking a step back and time to reflect on what I want my video to say and the aesthetic it should use I created a mood board taking apart and examining the quote. From this I have decided to use filmed footage and animated hand-written text because it works alongside my aim to create a simple video which would match James Victore’s style but also highlights my own preference in making film. The aesthetic should be raw and uncut, it should be open to interpretation but project a feeling of freedom that is present in open creativity. 

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Stop animation story board - I am experimenting with ways to present the quote my James Victore in a 20 second animation. This idea occurred because I feel to keep in line with the ethos and feel of his work the animation should be simple and avoid any over complications that distract from the message. Here I started doodling with ways to illustrate this text.

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Perfection kills creativity. Perfection is a myth. It’s called a flaw disguised as control. It assumes knowing and being certain. And creativity is about being open and curious.

James Victore

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JAMES VICTORE

“If you want to be successful in graphic design, all you have to do is shut up,” Victore tells Co.Design. “But graphic design has power as tool for change and comment, and people don’t take advantage of that enough.”

“Unlike most graphic designers, I’m not interested in the spaces between letters and making words look good,” he says. “I’m interested in what the words say. I can’t be a graphic designer and not comment.”

I will be creating a video animating a quote from James Victore. I can relate to a lot of his ideals as a designer and really admire his ethos. I feel his relaxed style and focus on the projection of ideas rather than the need to perfect the digital mastery of making perfected piece of design is how I see the role of graphic design in my practise.