Ramble about posters, I would

Ok so yesterday was the poster crit, and it was interesting, enough to keep me awake anyway. Some of the ideas made me think, especially the euthanasia and the anti BNP ones. I think overall as a feedback session some people didn't get as much credit as they deserved, I think reflecting on different work in such a short period of time can make you lose objectiveness especially when you have a run of decent designs. I think as a themed topic a lot of the posters failed to make a significant impact, mine included, but then I think that is a fault with the brief as it didn't specify that the posters should flow or have any sort of coherence. Having said that, because the brief wasn't that specific it did allow me to explore different avenues further down the line that arguably resulted in me producing some of my most successful posters. Due to the nature of my presentation I didn't really get any group feedback that was useful. By that I mean as I talked through my work I highlighted the problems with some of the design choices and also the strengths and weaknesses of each poster so there was little else my course mates could have commented upon. That isn't to say I am an all seeing, all knowing poster designer, it's simply I am my biggest critic no matter how fiercely from time to time I will defend my design choice, but also because I have reasonable graphic design knowledge for a first year student. Nooowwww, why the naked picture? Male buttocks? It is because through quite an open presentation I got some decent relaxed feedback from the group, one idea in particular was that with the photographed field poster, it could have been realized by having a row of people holding hands and running through the field naked. I'm not going to go into the reasons why that would be effective as I've written enough already, but I was pleased with the way my presentation interacted with the group and made a few people respond. At the end of the day, that is the point of propaganda right? making people react? Super duper, and on one last note there are 2 impressive illustrators on our course who I would say should be encouraged to pursue their traditional methods. If anything their designs deteriorate when put into digital format, however much I celebrate digital tools such as Photoshop and Illustrator, I would love to have that kind of natural drawing ability and interactive media design...I don't think they will realize their true potential on this course.I think that is a shame as Rachel and James are impressive artists. FIN!

Mount me, now don't I look better

Mount board £10, double-sided tape £2.75, printing credits £8, waiting 2 hours to have your propaganda posters printed off by a shocking network printer set up in the Northumbria Design building...priceless? Try annoying or even unnecessary. But never mind. I do think they look better mounted, the 2 predominantly white posters are even whiter than usual because the .pdf wasn't set up properly, and I'll be damned if I was going to go to the back of the queue again, plus they aren't exactly striking so i think I will be feeding the recycling bin with them some time soon. But they are all on A3 mounted on A1 and I really like the Jamie Reid style poster, also probably the face...book one, if you get me there. Yep poster design indeed. I saw one of my course mates Agi's poster today on his blog, he also found the existing poster of the 'QUIET' design, and has done his own version, I changed mine more than he did but it still made me think back to a previous blog entry of mine - rehashed graphic design, yada yada. My hair is getting so long, I swear I'm going to start finding food in it and ALSO it snowed a lot today, icy pavements ladies and gents, watch your step.

Feeding back on the feedback

So today I presented my portfolio site, first up 'n all! Erm...you know it went ok, I know the site has a professional look and that is intended, seeing as it is a similar design to that of TukTuk's, and so I can appreciate the comments made that it didn't reflect 'me' as an individual that much apart from the 'who' page which has a big ass cut out image of my head. I think I got a lot of decent feedback, that my logo needs to be worked on is something I knew already and thats a simple job really. Other then that, create an actual homepage instead of the recent work crops I've got going on. Maybe an image set into the background similar to the 'who' page although I'm not a fan of having useless pages on portfolio sites, a welcome screen I find to be a prime example of that! Fair comments all round i thought, but I've enjoyed having a blog so far this year for the first time so incorporating that into my portfolio site right now feels right, it will make me connect with it more, instead of just doing it because I have to. The oven is fixed in the kitchen finally...but still no microwave. Such is life.

On another note

Just on another note implied by the post title I'm sure, web design is so short lived, you go to a website to get information you look at it once and think...yeh sweet, nice one. Given that it is a good site that is, but web design is never going to hit the creativity boundary as it is restricted to the capabilities of the user...which given your every day website is someone who can't spell definitely. I know on Tuesdays in IMD we are concentrating on web design and why not, yes it is important to learn about as everything is on the web but...I don't think it is worth while blogging my web site ideas, in fact, I don't really think about them that much. The best ideas I have won't work as only I would know how to interact with them, to put it another way, when I visit art galleries I often over hear polo neck wearers talk about 'what the artist is trying to say' and roughly 85% of the time I think the artist probably never thought that much into it. Recently my thinking was backed up by a prolonged study on Jackson Pollock. He quite frankly said he didn't stop painting until he realized his original intention. Now I bet if you had a painter like him today, painting live, I bet you would get some polo neck wearer saying, "I can see what he is going for there", but do you, do you really? Can anybody know how another person would interact with something they had created? Really? I think you'd be better off at home, eating butternut squash.

High roller pass

I've been thinking about my tenth poster for a while now, and often I think more in the bathroom...now we don't have a bath, so I mean the toilet because I can't think in the shower, but I also mean stood up in the toilet, not sat down. So, the image you see here is one I read practically every time I dispense fluid - sexy.

Anyway ever since I started this module I've been thinking about these posters, and my final poster I've decided will be based on this one, just because. And it's 'just because', because...I think this poster is poor graphic design anyway, plus I've modified it at some point when I was drunk, often I wish I was funnier when I'm drunk but still, I don't see any other efforts on this baby!

I'm going to hit the root of my personal interest in this propaganda topic, that people live their lives on facebook, and well, I will say now I know this can be done better.

Windows XP hills and my note pad

So I'm trying to get these final 2 posters done, and making an effort to not posterize them I figured a new take on the anti-facebook theme was needed. Focussing on the fact that people spend far too much time on the computer, on facebook, doing whatever. I started thinking about one of my early ideas about wonders of the world vs facebook. Suggesting that mobile facebook meant people were missing out on things right in front of them, but with this approach I'm being quite broad saying that you should get off your computer, get out there into the real world. I've read and seen lots of things over the last few years about kids spending too much time watching tv, playing computer games and what not. This unfortunately is not my photograph so...that sucks. Points for composition? Well...it's centralized text, whoop. I've got a hangover today and my eyes hurt, the worst kind of hangover, found a really nice bar down near the quayside though, can you believe our microwave is now broken? 1 poster left!

Let the world see your face

You know it worked out not so bad, I sat here for a while playing with the idea that facebook was a stupid name for a social networking site, and then thought no it isn't so ridiculous. Although I do think when things get said like, "Well I facebooked them earlier" just sounds...poor. My message here though, kind of getting away from the imagery suggesting there is a book in place of the face, {cough} and instead I think it works quite well. How inspirational! LET THE WORLD SEE YOUR FACE! Kind of a, get out there kidda! Sort of feel. Posterizzzzzation, yeah I don't care anymore, I like the effect. I will tell you what I do care about though! The oven is broken, so I can't shovel my usual 25 minute baked carbohydrate down my throat, instead i settled for microwavable pre-baked, oh yes, baked potatoes. A couple of things to note here, don't buy pre-baked microwavable potatoes, also do not purchase no drain tuna, it is just so salty I needed to drink in between mouthfuls, and thirdly don't be a selfish turd, eat all my cheese and not replace it...so Jon what did you have for tea? Potato topped with salt - no cheese. My dietitian will not be clapping!

Put another shrimp on the BAARRR B

This isn't a finished poster...no no, it is a progression, and I'm uploading it simply because I imported the facebook type and then thought...hmmm, I bet everybody would recognize that as being facebook without it being the full word, yes? no? I'm not sure about that but you can see where I am going with this, facebook....face covered by a book...yeh. Well as part of my research I wikipedia'd facebook origins and turns out it was founded by some well educated little fella gutted that his girlfriend had dumped him. He got drunk and progressed with the idea of facebook. Funny, when I get drunk I don't make multi-million dollar social networking sites, I tend to send inappropriate texts/e-mails and always manage to say the wrong thing. Something tells me I'm better off sober.

Look at you now

I was just reviewing the posters I have already done before moving on to another one, and I thought one of the first ones which was 'I joined facebook to be anti-social' was just, well, crap. Didn't have any depth, it was a centralized image with centralized text and had a bit of nothing about it. So I've swapped it around a bit and came up with another little slogan to go with my original posterized image. Now...I think this is a very slight improvement, I'm still not sure it is framed very well. Quite loose because of all the blank space out on the left. I've just remembered talking to somebody about a singer, and he said, "He couldn't sing to the song we were doing, he's a singer but he must be a screamer"...yeah

I did it! All on my own Mum!

So I actually did what I said I was going to do, many hours later and with much reluctance from my flat mate to let me use him in the image we have this! I think it has that modern urban feel to it, the lower type which is quite undefined gives that feel. I recently had a e-mail from Mike (course tutor) commenting on my over use of posterization. Well...yes and no, and this was actually going to be a photograph poster, and I'm sure that is terrible technical language but I'm sure you get it! But the subject insisted on it being edited to layers...so...I don't think it's so bad. The balance is wrong, the facebook is either wrong in white or too large, probably a grey tint and slightly smaller? Blog...blog...strongbow...bolg. FIN.

Argh, can't stop!

Despite my previous post, literally seconds after it wrote it, I went into my research folder and found a really cool war propaganda poster. I found it not in its original form, the text had already been edited by an American to make a anti homeland security poster. So I carried on my murdering of the original by replacing the text, taking out the american flag colouring on the arm and slipping in a cheeky facebook on his hat. But I am determined to practice what I preach so I'm thinking of making this poster myself, a photograph of a hand over somebody's mouth and then so hand rendered yellow strips, scanned in and placed over with a drop shadow? Maybe? I like the idea of shutting people up on facebook though, I mean even if you enjoyed facebook as a social device, I still don't need to know that you've woken up, that you're cold, you need the toilet and you've just picked your nose. Even worse people who put, "Can't trust any of my mates anymore, I should have known, my life is over" I mean I know Eastenders is exciting and everything but...it's not real love.

Pot Kettle, Kettle Pot

Thinking a fair way back now, a communication theory lecture on the 14th of october, we looked at a range of these Alexa Chung images. Basically taking classic war time propaganda images and shoving her skeleton in place of the original illustrations. 

Things like this annoy me about a lot of modern graphic design, seeming to lack depth and any real thought, and I expressed my views at the time to lecturer Liz , ha! alliteration. 

Without dwelling on the rant I had at her too much, I was just looking over my poster designs for the propaganda theme and hello - train spotting, god save the queen, and some sort of take on swiss design. Lacking originality springs to mind, lazy design seems to be a reoccurring theme in a lot of the work I see around. Not so much a criticism I suppose, its just with the tools that modern designers use, the lovely adobe suite being the powerhouse - we can't exactly expect to see wonderful illustrations, and heaven forbid anything 'new' which is actually original and not something slightly altered. On the topic of my anti-facebook theme though, I'm sat in one of the suites and I can see facebook on somebody's computer - tut tut

It's a no, from me

It had to be done at some point. The classic 'NO FACEBOOK' although I think honestly in terms of making people listen & react, it would be as effective as the smoking health warning on fag packets. Pointless. But here it is anyway!

God Save Our Identity

Researching my chosen propaganda image for the Visual Communication essay, I found the actual print used for the Sex Pistols record sleeve, and it was printed in a purple/blue colour very similar to the one I have been using associated with the facebook brand. Using the same visual devices as Jamie Reid did in 1977 I am actually quite surprised by the outcome. Jamie Reid's original of course is far more culturally relevant, the Queen being a symbol of National Identity which was much strong than it is today. I simply used a stock image of a young man, as students and such are the most frequent users of facebook. I appreciate the visual, but not sure I like the idea of rehashing already made work, having said that this is what Reid was accused of when he produced the original so I think I can get away with it.

Advertise fakebook

I liked my fakebook idea a little more than I realized at first. Being a fan of swiss graphic design, looking at various propaganda posters they often incorporate this off set/slanted type structure and recently have seen it used on several flyers around Uni and even on my freewire student planner I'm staring at right now about my mac. I'm also making homemade chips for tea, don't have any kitchen roll so had to use toilet roll...nice. But better than microchips right? Maybe if I was so engrossed in facebook I wouldn't have time for homemade chips so I would actually be eating microchips and would never have experienced the toilet paper situation. See.

Facespotting

In one of the class presentations of late one of the lasses did a photo shoot of a slum, and in a couple of the pictures the classic trainspotting poster was visible. For some reason I looked it up and the text on the poster reads in a way I thought I could successfully convert to be relevant with my propaganda idea. The font used on the Trainspotting poster is Helvetica so that was easy enough for me, and I am please with my version actually, changed the wording of course, it isn't a straight copy...I'll write more later about it, but yeh, I think it's ok.

CK

So it isn't the greatest idea in the world, but kind of gets across a different point about facebook. Is it REALLY socializing as we know it? When did reading about what somebody ate for breakfast, or knowing that somebody you knew in primary school "Is really hung over" become socializing?? Anybody? So fakebook I think is quite appropriate, and on that note 'facebook' stupid name, at least myspace made a little sense.

Digital Detox

I had this idea last night when I was drunk, just because I was listening to somebody saying, "Oh well that isn't what it says on facebook". Technology detox is what I thought of, in conjunction with my ...but I was on facebook, idea. What if I gave up technology for a week, for every hour I would spend messaging somebody on facebook, or using facebook chat/msn etc. I actually spoke to them in person? I did some research and found that adbusters had in fact done a Digital Detox Week, and reading through the results there were some interesting outcomes/realizations if you will. I think it would be quite productive to give it a shot, maybe some hand rendered poster designs I did whilst undertaking the detox could prove to be more on target than I am currently as I am still immersed within the technological world. Honestly when I think about my day to day activities, using my Mac/laptop have so much to do with it, it is kind of sad.

Wonders of the World vs facebook III

Stonehenge, woo! This is my third wonder of the world, more appropriate for me being a proud Brit n all. I've removed the (wins) in brackets due more to the overlapping that would have occurred over the stones in the background. I have decreased the brightness of the mobile phone in the foreground in order to create some depth. I don't know how I'm feeling about this idea so far, I feel like there is a stronger idea out there I could be grasping.

Wonders of the World vs facebook II

Following on from my previous poster image, here I've used the pyramids of Giza. And added a set in text bottom left to name the wonder, maybe the posters could be slightly informative?

Wonders of the World vs facebook

Moving onto another idea I've had, facebook is also accessible via your mobile (don't do it) and I wondered out in the open world how much people miss when they are concentrating on their tiny mobile screens instead of the people and places around them. I think perhaps the (wins) could be removed from the type, but either way the idea opens up the opportunity to create a series of posters based on the 7 wonders of the world. Preferably historical wonders, not modern or under water. (I cant think of a waterproof mobile phone)

Clicking the right buttons

Still thinking of different way to approach the anti-facebook theme, I got half way with an idea and made this image, made me smile anyway!

Wireframe Portfolio Design 2

My second wireframe website idea, shows more detail and thought than the first one, although I have researched some existing successful design sites and incorporated their best elements, I have left more white space then most of them in order to let the separate sections breathe a little.

...but I was on facebook

After todays presentation I realized that the next step for these propaganda posters is to have an individual theme. Now, I do enjoy the 'Fuck Facebook' thing, but it seems pretty angry and to be honest I'm not frustrated by the almost over use of facebook, just worried that people are missing out on opportunities in real life because they are choosing to live their life through facebook.

...but I was on facebook, is the idea I'm running with. I'm working with the idea that, "I could have met my soul mate today...but I was on facebook" "I could have seen a total eclipse today...but I was on facebook"

Basically highlighting that being sat in front of a computer for hours, updating your status about everything you are doing, means you are missing out on things that are happening out there, in the big scary world!

12 Fuck You's of Facebook

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LstcArFwbLs

Some dude making points about facebook, kind of an insight to overall views, as I didn't get the impression he was talking from his personal point of view. Plus it ends with the previously linked video, which was kind of decent.

Anti-facebook song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZzP_69ZTFk&feature=player_embedded

Though kind of ironic that it is posted on YouTube, just another online time zapper.

I joined facebook to be anti-social

My first proper response to the my propaganda theme of anti-networking sites. This is a photograph of my flat mat, taken from behind in a dark room with a longer exposure so the blurring effect you get from the light distorts the head shape to make the subject open to interpretation (So the viewer could visualize that as being themselves sat at a computer). The stamp tool in PS creates the effect with a few alterations and an applied colour from that used with the facebook brand.

No blogging

Researching this anti-facebook stuff throws up some interesting stuff. Apparently there are anti-blogging groups as well. I remember when I was younger at school, one girl kept a 'Live Journal' and it said on the website because people didn't know about online blogs it was unlikely you stumbled upon it, so you needed an invite code from the person that is already on the site, as this is surely the only way you could have found out about it!

If only that was the case with facebook, I wonder what percentage of 18-25 year olds in the UK have an account. I bet it is a higher percentage than that of those who vote.

You Can't Beat the Axis if You Get VD!

This is the WWII propaganda poster I have chosen to deconstruct for the session on 13/11. Friday the 13th! Argh! The main observations to be made were a strong use of the rule of thirds, use of scale for emphasis, contrast of colours (white on black & red on white) and also asymmetrical horizontal balance.

Don't start on Brit's, go eat a twinkie

I'm in the process of researching for my essay for Communication Theory. I've chosen the Jamie Reid image used for the Sex Pistols record sleeve, to promote their song God Save the Queen. Did a general google search and found this guys blog, Brits are filthy pagans. His opening statement, maybe I should make a blog entry named, 'American's are arrogant bastards' I'm pretty sure I could come up with some better reasons as to why Americans are more pathetic then the British apart from one singer and one sport. I'm all for freedom of speech but judging a country based on tea, cricket and Amy Winehouse is just slightly ignorant. Though if an American reads this, I'm not sure you understand the concept of sarcasm do you? Oh well, you can always celebrate Independence Day again I guess, funny how you do that but nobody in Britain gives one...I guess that is because we don't have a Independence Day because we never got our asses owned by a tiny island. We will keep our Cricket thanks, and our tea, and God bless her Amy Winehouse. Oh! We will also keep the most profitable sports league in the world if you don't mind, you do realize the no.1 sport in the world is football, oh sorry 'soccer' and your highest paid soccer player is English...yeah to be fair Brits are filthy pagans, what an excellent point he made.

And here is the douche bags link!

http://whatchrislikes.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/i-like-reminders-of-why-we-dumped-england/

I'm thinking a series of these anti-facebook posters would be nice. Using the most well known features from the facebook website, and using that imagery in my posters.

I'm hoping that through this process of making anti-facebook/social networking sites, I will actually change my habits of using facebook.

It saps time that you should spend actually interacting with people in the real world.

Punk and such

Wednesdays sessions I always seem to find enlightening on some level. Although I know a significant amount of people feel as if the fashion history lectures/nazi germany sessions were irrelevant, I think that isn't the case and design as a whole should be embraced as a essential factor in life.

The punk lecture in particular reminded me of this belief I have about design, as Paul Barlow explained, the Punk movement in Britain was much different to that in the U.S as we are a visual country. This linked into Elizabeth's talk about fashion history, as she identified that the higher-achy set the rules of fashion, which colours could be worn by different people etc. and how when these fashions trickled down through the classes until they reached the lower classes.

The reason this is important in terms of British Punk is that the style we have is very bright and in your face, almost a rebellion against smart/sleek colour coordinated suits and outfits of the middle/upper classes.

Where as in contrast, American Punk was very slobbish, dirty/old clothes which were in fact old and ripped, instead of being deliberately torn.

So the U.S had a Punk culture based around a way of life, a rebellious maybe even criminal mind set, and the British embraced an idea of expression through visual mediums. Getting in your face with imagery, fashion, almost a contrived sub culture.

So maybe I've got slightly carried away and basically explained what I took from Wednesday's session, but I think my point is we are very much a visual country, very much about image, very much about the way we are perceived, and we should embrace that.

Take in everything around us, be aware if not try to understand other areas of design which can only be beneficial to our own creative experience. It can't hurt, can it?

A Day In The Life Of DVD cover

The DVD cover to accompany the video. Similar to the promotional poster, just with the certificate added and the DVD video symbol. The header is just a bit of fun, doesn't specify which actor was the Academy Award nominee, but in the film you can't see who the person is, so I don't think that matters so much!

A Day In The Life Of Video

This is the video that we presented today in Mike's session. Although deviating quite a lot from our initial ideas, the video/film was generally well received, and I guess I felt it was passable but nothing special. With more time to add our own backing track to the film instead of ripping a song by Keane, the video could have been cut and edited differently in order to create a totally different feel than the lonely/blank/open to interpretation outcome we have here.

A Day in the Life of Me Poster

Poster design to accompany the short film we produced, 'A day in the life of me'. The background image is an actual screen shot from the film.

Flash game designs coming along

2 extra stages for my flash bullying game. Due to space issues I've decided that the multiple choice function will now operate within a 'choice box' which is the light green window with white text within it. Selections can also be made by clicking the individual characters, e.g click the teacher character to 'Tell the teacher' and click the bully to 'tell the boy not to be mean'. The background images for each scenario are photoshopped photographed, adding colour and contrast to brighten/jazz up the appearance of the game to make it appealing to kids.

Propaganda Idea Progression

Just a few ideas I'm playing around with for these propaganda images. Kind of a back to traditional methods of communication. Surely old school theatre is better than youtube. People being entertained by people, by our very nature of being human, we should be around each other in the flesh. Not behind a camera lens.

You are not your profile picture.

"Shakespeare wasn't on facebook, What a loser"

This image represents the current day attitude towards people who actively participate in social networking sites. Although it could be argued Shakespeare in his time was in fact an ambassador for social change, acting/plays being some sort of fictional entertainment.

Social networking sites I feel do not encourage anything apart from fueling an obsession with digital representations of ones self. We are not digital, flesh and bones people.

Bullying flash game

For Emotional and Immersive Media I'm making a flash game aimed at children. The game will help young children identify the signs of bullying, and learn what steps to take in order to combat it.

A day in the life of - Limbs!

After spitballing ideas with Oli, a day in the life of your limbs seems to be what we are rolling with. An interesting perspective I think, and we've come up with point of view POV shot from the eyes, ear, mouth, teeth, nose, elbows, hands, buttocks, knee, feet and ankle.

As it is 'a day in the life of' we are going to set a story line to go with the shots, a normal day, attending university, walking through town etc. But with varied shot lengths, and angles we are hoping to create a sense of drama in a situation you would normally expect to be mundane & boring.

If there is enough time we are hoping to add music, possibly some sound effects and basic visual transitions.

Currently working on a shot list so...there that is!

Oh! And the image here has been made using some program called POV (not by me), a word of warning, make sure you have your google filter turned on if you are going to search POV!!

Propaganda Idea

Fuck facebook indeed. In a world that now pretty much couldn't survive without the internet/mobile phones/tv. I've decided to tackle the issue that technology is desensitizing people.

People text instead of talking

MSN instead of talking

Facebook instead of printing photographs

On-line dating - seriously?

E-mail instead of hand written letters

E-cards instead of birthday cards

These things are important. Life is out there, not here on this screen. Take the screen away, you've got millions of lonely people, sat still in a room, tapping pieces of plastic.

Website Wireframe

My first idea for my portfolio website. I'm working mainly in my sketchbook now, so this was my first digital working on my idea. I've noted from my sketch to digital form : Intended symbols are not implemented, instead replaced with text : Barcode should be replaced with artists signature to emphasize multi-discipline areas I've experienced : Large px stroke could frame the page better, although seems almost poster like suggesting a strong graphic design influence.

Alphabet Soup

A brief to find letters in other forms, not in found in printed type. I could find a £ or a $ however so they aren't included!

Illustrator

First time using illustrator, after achieving many results which seemed very 'samey' and what you would expect, I approached with a bit of artistic flair and the end result was this. I think a bit more brush type experiments would result in a much more abstract look, which I would prefer!