Laura Taylor @ljtgraphicdesign - Tumblr Blog

#University of Derby #Derby Uni #MA Visual Communication

Laura Taylor Portfolio September 2014 - Realisation

Project Rules.

For this project, I was keen to create a handmade outcome incorporating maps, stitching, loose threads and photography. As my target audience is commuters, I was interested in how others would approach this outcome – particularly designing their own to show individual journeys and commutes. Below is a set of rules/instructions that could possibly to used in order for my audience to create their own outcome?

- Stick to one constrained size – Large map size preferably / A3

- Use relevant map pieces – e.g Wolverhampton and Derby

- Use relevant map colours – Yellow, Red, Blue, White, Green

- Let threads hang loose, showing that your journey can be continued

- Use one main colour and stitch pattern for your personal journey

- Other journeys can be any stitch pattern and any colour

- Don’t be afraid to experiment

- Incorporate paint splats, drag paint across your pages

- Tear up maps, papers or prints in order to show elements of your journey

- Think about using free hand type / traced type – allowing hierarchy

- Photographs – Essential part of your journey

- Transparencies could be used to add layers to the composition

- Vary paper qualities and textures in order to build up a tactile nature

Artist Statement.

My initial starting point came from Jorge Luis Borges story The Library Of Babel where a circular book was introduced that had a circular spine and followed the circular walls. This concept made me think about the circular journey that I undertake each week where I travel from Wolverhampton to Derby University and vice versa. There are so many commuters travelling back and forth just like me each day, or each week undertaking the same monotonous and repetitive route. The monotony is an element that interests me and I feel that many people could relate to my journey.

Interaction is a recurring theme throughout my work. With a printed outcome, the reader is given the opportunity to handle the tactile publication, which allows interactivity between the paper qualities and textures. For my dissertation, I explored how digital eBooks and tablet devices have affected printed books, particularly when it comes to interaction. An outcome may be successful in a printed format, but once replicated for an eBook some of the printed and textural qualities can become lost.

For this project, I wanted to create an outcome by hand. Where as books are usually created digitally, printed and then bound together using machinery, I was keen to explore hand made techniques. By producing this publication using hand made methods, I feel that I have gained a wealth of knowledge. I explored bookbinding techniques, folding concepts and tested various papers and materials throughout this MA in order to represent my journey. By creating hand made artwork, I have been given the freedom to push the boundaries - allowing me to design a tactile, unique and personal outcome.

Final outcome - photographs.

Photographs of my final piece as it now begins to come together - just in time for the deadline next week!

Both posters in situ to show how the event could be advertised. I placed both designs in an Adshel as these could be used in the city centre or places local to the event - As an example, I have used Derby Museum & Art Gallery as a location, with the exhibition being held in November 2014.

Close up photographs from the two poster concepts. These show the stitching textures in depth along with the maps and hand drawn typography.

To accompany my publication, I also decided to create two poster designs for a fictional exhibition based on travelling and commuting. I was initially going to create one poster, however as the first design (the mapped image) didn't turn as well as I had hoped, I thought I would experiment with a second concept. For the second design, I used a simpler background compared to the map which is too busy and the text becomes lost in places. Event invites and way finding signage could also be designed for the exhibition using hand made techniques as shown above.