Studio Brief 3

Nobrow
Its similar because its a magazine that is based on their appreciation of design. Although it isn't anonymous as we planned ours to be it does focus on the visual rather than names.

Produced for the Private sector.

Services: Creative industries - It promotes art and design.

Wholesale and retail trade - Because its a product that is sold.

Its a succesful product as it sells lots of copies. Normally a publishing company promotes it's books but with this product it advertises the publishing company itself so that people will recognise the brand and know what kind of style to expect from it.

Varoom

This is similar because its a magazine to show up and coming designers and their work but with this magazine they open up a discussion about design. There's articles and interviews and this magazine is more of a learning experience than just an appreciation of design.

Produced for the private sector

Services: Creative industry, wholesale and retail.

Its a success because it has built its way up to being a renowned design magazine and pieces of design that are featured in it become assumed to be the 'now' thing. They have achieved desirability and that is their aim so they can sell copies.

The North Vancouver Anonymous art show.

This is a similar idea to ours, not in format, but the thought that people are choosing the art based solely on the visual without a name impacting the decision.

Produced for the Third sector as it is a fundraising event.

But also produced for private sector because the 'fundraising' is for the art council that run the event. Surely that's not fundraising its just making money?

Services: Creative industry.

I would consider this a successful event as it seems it's purpose is to finance itself. Since its advertising its 10th annual one they must have managed to fund themselves up until a tenth and feel its worth doing again so it must be a lucrative system.

But on the other hand maybe it isn't a successful venture because if they need to keep doing it every year then they have not succeeded in stabilising themselves financially.

Drawn and Quarterly seasonal editions

This is smilar because it is like an index of design. It shows some of each persons work then gives information on the artist and the  work. Its like in ours except the information would be something people would have to specially request.

Produced for the Private sector

Serivces: Creative industry

Wholesale and retail

I think this is another successful example as it is now a known brand. If you hear that someone has had something published in a drawn and quarterly you assume its of a certain standard. This secures them in the market as people will seek out their name on things with the security that it will meet that standard. It works for its purpose: to advertise the designers/authors under their brand but mainly to promote the brand itself.

Girls who draw.

This is similar because its a compilation of different peoples work under a theme.

This is produced for the Private sector.

Services: Creative industry

Wholesale and retail

I think this is a successful product because the products boost the groups notoriety. The more known they become the more books/comics they can make with the knowledge of a pre existing fan base. 

In Summary

I think that with the kind of product we chose, there are already established versions of, the only key difference we wanted to introduce was the aspect of anonymity; which creates an equal grounding for the work so it can be picked purely on its aesthetic. So the examples were mostly from the same sector and contributed to the same services. Also all the examples I have picked I would consider to be successful but I figure if they aren't successful I wouldn't know about them and be able to use them as examples. The main purpose of these products is to become known. Becoming desirable and a respected name is the way to be successful in the creative and wholesale industries. For most of these the primary objective is of course to make a profit and to carry on as a company, but the secondary purpose seems to be getting the art out into the world, spreading and sharing it .

Posters: Audiences

Children

  
 

Students

Food/Health services

 

Smokers

 

 Adults

End of Module Evaluation

Making a pinterest account was a big thing in this module, I was reluctant at first as i'm not one to have accounts on sites but I've actually found it really useful when it came to looking for new illustrations. Although i don't think i applied this knowledge as well as i could have, i looked at the pictures on pinterest but then i rarely brought them over to my blog to discuss in detail. I think something i need to put some intense work on is putting into words why i like certain illustrations because at the moment if i'm put on the spot and asked to explain why i like something i just draw a blank. But although i can't exactly put it into words i have started to get a clearer picture of the kind of things i like.

Developing my visual side of this module i did a lot of drawing for fun, mainly the candy skulls. I chose my topic based on something i already tended to draw in my free time for fun. I tend to struggle when were given such an open brief because i feel like there isn't really anything i'm super interested in that would make a good project. But in this project i found that it doesn't have to be something you're already interested in, i just picked something i really enjoyed drawing and then researched on top of that and i actually found it much more enjoyable and i developed a real interest in my subject.

I think my biggest strength in this module was in using the cintiqs. Drawing straight onto the screen made it so much easier when it came to decisions on colour and shape as everything was instantly reversible but it still felt like normal drawing rather than digital. I got to work in shape, whereas normally i struggle to because when i'm working analog i don't have limitless colours at my disposal and you can't just stack things on top of each other easily. But working in shape actually helped me to work out some kinks in my characters i was having; a main one was necks, i just couldn't get the head connected to the body properly, it always looked wrong. But with shape the head and the neck were all in one and it just became a lot more simple to think about.

A weakness in this module was my blogging. I was looking at work but without blogging it and commenting on it i was neglecting to gain an understanding. I've struggled to put into words my opinion on something so i avoided it instead of developing. To combat this i'm going to start making myself look at work on a regular basis and comment on it. Also to start reading the articles written about pieces so that i can see what other people think as well. I need to get more in touch with how illustration is conceived outside of the illustration world: in context.

ACTION PLAN:

1: Look at illustration in the world on a regular basis
2: Read articles.
3: Develop my opinion. Comment on everything. Really get into an understanding of the kind of illustration i want to make.
4: Try working in different ways more. Trying different approaches to solve a problem (e.g shape, line, media,etc)
5: Take subjects from my drawing for fun more often. If i already enjoy drawing it then its going to be great to develop and learn about.

Adam Simpson

The first thing that strikes me about this is that it is very shape based. I really like the concept of the piece too and you can't resist but go up and down and check that they match, its a simple fun idea. This was commissioned by Stokely  Design Associates to visually represent the way modern medicine is becoming bespoke to the individual although i feel this is a bigger thing in America and countries that don't have an NHS system. Instead their medication is marketed to people and sold as a product, which is kind of an alien concept to me. But I think the work still says something to the british viewer, to me it seems to show how far medication has come that we have almost a tablet for everything, the bright colours seem celebratory and as a whole it has a positive atmosphere.

Anton Van Hertbruggen

This is a spread from Anton Van Hertbruggen's 'The dog Nino didn't have'. This definitely has a hand made quality. Some of the angles are not quite right but it gives the piece a sense of charm. I also like the textures that you can see left behind by the brush. I think i like the brush strokes effect because a lot of technology has been made to help us refine illustrations and we can now make designs that are flawlessly clean cut and filled. But i think its good to see a bit of chaos in it, there's less control with a brush and there are lots of streaks and flicks that will be done by accident but those little flaws are what make it look genuine and handmade. 

Moving News stories

Stephen Vuillemin created this editorial gif for a New York Times story on Media Violence. 

I like that the colours are contrasting in vibrancy from the tv to the room. The way he's worked in shape makes it seem slighlty more realistic in a way, like we don't have bold outlines in real life. Instead he's only used line when it is needed to show a bend or crease in a block of colour, and then in a darker and richer tone so that it compliments the colour it is sat on.

I think that, with more news being read online rather than in a paper, short gifs can be used for editorial illustration. Its like illustration taking advantage of the technology available.

Magical Game Time

For a while i've been visiting Zac Gorman's page magical game time. I like the small animated touches he makes to his comics, it makes them feel more real. And in some of the cases can make a scene more intense.

Link Comic

Intense storm at sea

I like the use of line, every thing definatly has a hand made quality about it and the loose shapes and colouring kind of remind me of Quentin Blake's work.

Creative strategy 1. Presentation.

I made myself cue cards so that i wouldn't forget what i needed to say. 

I decided that since i wasn't great at talking and presenting to a group i'd make short gifs to show what i mean with the slides.

The gifs were really well received and people found them funny, they really helped me to express my points.

After the book brief i felt that a book sized project was the only option and freaked out a bit.

Some of the cartoons i've been watching this year. 

Scores for the colour\gradient test.

I can't see colours properly

Being online, setting up a pinterest and general online exploring.

Struggling under the pressure of a book.

Drawing for fun.

The kind of humour i like.

Colour pallets i like.

Getting a kick up the butt.

My love of the light box. 

Simple designs i've really liked.

Textures i like.

The constant battle between feeling pumped up and ready and feeling like a failure.