M.A.D - GDC - S2

Documenting the failures and successes of my works journey through stage 2 of Graphic Design Communication @ Chelsea School of Art

[madgdcs2]

FMP - Album Covers

So for the final album covers i’ve decided to go for ‘Sutro’ typeface, I’ll admit i’m not completely happy with it but as I spent so much time on the music video, I simply didn’t leave myself enough time before the deadline. As for the images, i’m very pleased. The edit on lies worked out very nicely, and i’ve used Ansah’s face for the other as he is an up and coming artist, his manager suggested that it’s good to put a face to the name in terms of branding and artwork (in the beginning anyway). 

I’m still working on the third album cover, Rumours. Unfortunately, as I said, I didn’t leave myself enough time to submit all three as part of my FMP, but I will still still be working on them for the Ansah’s release date, which is later in July, so for that, i’m in a very good position work wise. I have enough time until the commercial deadline to complete to iron out all the creases so to speak. 

I feel I failed in time keeping because I was structuring my work around the commercial deadline (for Ansah) which meant that I didn’t feel as much pressure (as I should have done) with the closer deadline which was for Unit 7. In saying that i’m not the least bit displeased with the work that I am submitting, even though I feel it can be improved upon.

This project has shown me that i’m really passionate about photography, be that of still or moving image and it’s brought me closer to figuring out what career path I want to take, which as of now, is a freelance DOP (do they even exist? If they don’t, i’ll start it, if they do, that’s where i’m headed!)

[madgdcs2]

Collaboration in da work place

What was really nice about this project is that everyone was working on different things, so we had the chance to help each other out in a more varied way. I was asked to do the make up for my friend’s project on his clothing company, where the theme was the Mexican day of the dead. Also, another friend making a visual narrative to go alongside a selection of poems from the book ‘Milk and Honey’ asked me to be the camera woman (I would say DOP but her storyboard was so impressive and precise I find it dishonest to say that I had a very heavy influence in the photography and so can’t really name myself DOP) It’s so nice to have such a strong uni ‘family’ in which we all help each other and in turn, allows us to better our personal and professional practice. 

[madgdcs2]

FMP

Screenshot of the email I sent to one of the models, it was so nice to meet and work with other creatives that I wouldn’t met otherwise. Talks of working together in the future and collaborating are already in the process. Not only did I get to work with talented enthusiastic people, I made friends with them too.  

[madgdcs2]

FMP - reshoot

Success! Increasing the brightness on the projection and keeping an eye on the shutter speed, I managed to get nice quality shots of the projection. Initially, I forgot about the shutter speed and couldn’t for the life of me figure out which the camera was picking up so many colour lines from the projector that the human eye could’t see, naturally, I panicked. 

After talking to my dad, who is the encyclopedia for everything, he explained to me one must sync the shutter speed of the projector and the camera to reduce the visibility of the lines, so again, swallowing my pride and letting my dad help turned out for the absolute best- thank you thank you thank you.

[madgdcs2]

Logotype Development

I found it easier drawing inspiration from examples of simple classic typefaces being used for album covers, to see how other designers found solutions to the problems i’m facing. I prefer serif typefaces in general, however, after talking with the artist i’m doing the work for, he much prefers block san serif type faces...I feel like I can find an in between though, like the album cover on the left, it’s san serif but isn’t harsh or ‘blocky’.

[madgdcs2]

Logotype Development

Struggling a bit with the typeface to adopt for the logo, I looked through the pages of ‘Type Matters’ by Jim Williams and ‘Just My Type’ by Simon Garfield, but it’s still stumping me a bit...

[madgdcs2]

Logotype Development

After playing around quite a lot, I realised that an over the top logotype really wasn’t the way forward...it started to look like star wars, and I can’t make every project about Star Wars now can I...(I previously did make up inspired by Star Wars for my editorial project)

It also has become apparent that I need to make the border of black abyss more so, so there is space for the logotype and the design breaths.

[madgdcs2]

Logotype Developments

I absolutely live for Jorja Smith, and her new branding is no exception. I quickly realised I was copying her, and after a crit with Anna, it came apparent the logotype should be simple and unedited, as the image is so strong and one would not want to distract from that with an over the top logotype. Above are my experimentations with various styles, including hand drawn. This, however, is too messy for me and isn’t in keeping with the style of the genre that is Ansah’s music, which is mainly deep house.

[madgdcs2]

FMP - Bath shoot

After cutting and preparing flowers for almost half an hour (removing leaves and stems and what  have you), the bath was filled and milkyfied and the shoot commenced. Using a variety of more flowers and less leaves was more successful, i’m glad I did the test shoot otherwise it wouldn’t have turned out as nice for the real shoot as I would have stuck to more ‘gritty’ wildflowers. This was, what I thought, going to be my last shoot day but unfortunately i’m just not happy with the projection footage so will be reshooting on June 1st, which doesn’t leave a lot of time to edit.

[madgdcs2]

FMP - Shoot Day #2

Another long day! But day 2 is over and only one more to go! This shoot, in this light, made me realise how different it is shooting film to shooting stills. I’m worried that the over all image quality is too grainy, especially in comparison to the quality of the shots yesterday, if it’s still a problem after colour grading I might have to re shoot, which is annoying as I have limited time left and made commitments to a couple other people to help them with their projects. Only the edit will tell. Other than that the day went okay, another slow start but that’s because I woke up late and hadn’t be ready long enough before they arrived so wasn’t fully prepared (setting up after the got to location etc) but last day of shooting (potentially) tomorrow, so there’s no excuse not to be early! 

One set of frames I had in mind, where I was planning to hire a small crane for the camera so the motion was seamless, fell through. My account wasn’t verified in time so I my booking request wasn’t accepted..maybe it won’t be too much of a loss, but it would have still been much better to have the open to cut the footage out of the edit rather than not having the option of it, and rather my shoddy attempt to do the motion free hand....yikes

[madgdcs2]

FMP - Shoot day #1

Day one of official shooting over! A slow start, it took it a while to get over my nerves as it was the official start to shooting. A long day too, as I did the shot list twice, once with the projective film on the mirrors, and one without. I was glad to get home. As it was such a hot say it was hard to keep the models hair damp on set, I want the hair wet in all three sets as to keep this weird sense of hysteria, and also to have continuity throughout the shots. I was really pleased with the way the outfit looked on set. It was hard when the protective film was taken off the mirrors as I kept getting my own reflection in shot a lot, which was annoying as it means I won’t be able to include many ‘establishing’ shots to this set in the edit. Good thing is by this point, I have met the model several times and got to know her to a level we are comfortable around each other, so she wasn’t phased when I got a bit flustered on set. I’m glad I took Anna’s advice to get Ollie to help out with the equipment, his quick tutorial really helped me, on the technical side, with making my shots look more professional through understanding the white balance, aperture and so on, and how to control them on a camera...rather than just guessing.

[madgdcs2]

FMP - Shadow Test Shoot

By projecting lines across the face, much in the way like the work of Solve Sundsbo, it distorts the face and works well with the nature of the song narrative.

What I need to watch out for it getting the right balance with the ISO settings and the aperture, to ensure that the face is in focus and the shadows are dark enough. At first I underestimated the amount of lines I would need to make the shot interesting, the document thats projecting is almost hard to loo at on a screen because the amount of lines makes your eyes strain. Doing a test shoot showed me that the jpegs I had created for the shoot weren’t adequate for what I had in mind, thank god for test shoots otherwise I would have lost so much time at the beginning of the real shot fumbling about trying to make a new projection.

[madgdcs2]

FMP - Editing Lies Album Cover

Made this one way too poppy red, needs to be darker. I think the overall tone coming from the pose isn’t as striking as the other poses, although the eyes are good. However, the brightness of the red takes away from the eyes and doesn’t communicate the tone I want to put across. 

[madgdcs2]

FMP - Lies Album Cover

Another edit i’m working on. I prefer this pose as it’s more in keeping with the tone I was aiming for, for the cover. However, i’ve got carried away with removing the splatter and diminished the texture of the skin, making it look too edited and less striking. Work in progress. The use of Wacom table really helps with this kind of photo editing, I just need to make sure not to get carried away...otherwise this image might become a ‘vice’ article in how photoshop is creating unreachable beauty standards......o.O

(screenshot from my PSD file)

[madgdcs2]

FMP - Lies Album Cover

From left to right is the progression of the edit.

By clearing up the splatter a bit, it puts more focus on the eyes, and in deciding to remove the shoulder, all focus is put on the face and the make up details making it a more powerful image, im still editing another image from this shoot that might be more powerful, but i’m struggling with cleaner up the splatter on the nose

[madgdcs2]

FMP - Dance Test Shoot

I initially thought I might be able to get away with just placing the mirrored sheets into corner, however while testing out movements the mirrors were slipping and sliding everywhere. Also, I had to balance the mirrors at an angle to make them stand, which wasn’t visually effective. To correct this i’m going to buy adhesive tabs (B&Q eat your heart out) to secure the mirrors in place, while making them easy to remove when the shoot is done, because the upper casket space is used as a photography studio for many students, I want to keep it in the best nick for the next person that uses it. 

My main concern was getting my reflection with the camera in shot, but with the model in place this was a lot easier to avoid than I had expected.  Although, as i’m using the upper casket space, I forgot to think about the fact the mirrors would reflect the other side of the casket space, that’s full of backdrops and computers...to correct this I will place a large white polystyrene board in the reflection to block this. 

In the real shoot the model will be wearing a raincoat, white vest, socks and boxer pants. 

For the test shoot I kept the protective film on the mirrors, and I liked the foggy effect it had, however I am concerned that when I remove them, the polystyrene board I have placed to create a white reflection will be a lot more visible. To get around this i’m just going to have to shoot twice, one with the film still on the mirrors, and one when they are removed. Hopefully then it will mean we won’t have to re shoot one way or the other. 

[madgdcs2]

Ryan who?

I was warned by my tutors that working on a professional project with my boyfriend might be troublesome. However, he’s given me the creative freedom I’ve needed to make this project my own. Of course, i’ve kept him up to date with decisions and stylistic choices i’ve made, but so far he’s been on the same page as me.

It has helped a lot with the models and when talking to him, I talk about him and to him as Ansah, rather than my boyfriend, Ryan. This differentiation has really helped in separating our romantic and professional relationship, in terms of us communicating to each other, and also with the models. Maintaining a professional relationship throughout the creative process has been critical. 

Funnily enough the models didn’t realise that Ansah was in fact my boyfriend Ryan, until I told them, but I said to them that it was to maintain the level of professionalism needed on the project, and they very much agreed. The two models being in a romantic relationship themselves, it creates a clear and necessary differentiation between a working environment and a social one.