book jacket designs

CRASH-

Designing pornotopia: Travels in Visual Culture
James Ballard
Tests the readers tastes/sympathies- provokes strong reactions
Dark imagination
Cult book (naked lunch, lolita, clockwork orange)
Issues of marketing, the cover must be acceptable for sale.
Illusion
comparative analysis of existing covers
fidelity of text/ author
Follows trends of the period
Hard to summarise it with one image
Jonathan Cape 1973- phallic, crude gear stick illustration. Ballard "monstrously bad"
Ballard has interest in graphic design, designed for ambit magazine.
James Marsh version
Then reduced to red lips in rear view mirror.
Livre de Poche 1973, car grille metamporphises in to a tongue licking a female form.
Chris Foss 1972. The car menacing above the female figure, with bonnet open like gaping jaw.
Cronenberg film tie in 1996. Risqué in normative terms, does have sexual charge but no fetish indicated.

maps, graphs and charts

In this process and production class we were using after effects, combined with illustrator graphics to form our own personalised versions of infographics. 

As this incorporated learning new skills, the illustration and output is very simplistic. The examples I created therefore were in order to follow the ones demonstrated for everyone to follow. 

First a map containing a frequent journey was used, mine of a train route to get to University and back. This was mapped out on a new dartboard in illustrator using the pen tool. I also added the town names it passed through as text layers. Each component of the illustration had to be on a separate layer so that these could be imported in to after effects and each layer was still able to be manipulated individually. 

Below shows this file. The colour theme for the animation was also chosen here, by chosing the fill colours that would work best.

Using a similar technique to the boiling effect we had already used, the line of the journey was mapped on to the background. This was done by masking the path, and exposing the original image (line and colour) gradually as the animation moves down the masked path. 

We then worked with cameras on the z.y and x axis to move the focus and angle of the animation to move up the line that was being drawn. 

 Secondly we created an animated version of a bar chart. The axis was created the same as previously, on illustrator and imported in to after effects. Then to create the fill and unfilling of the chart information, the transform panel tools were used. Shapes were created using the pen tool, and these formed the squares of the bar chart. Each of these was then editable to be moving up/ down from the base of the chart to its assigned position. 

To transition between these effects, a wipe was then added. The wipe must contain a shape which would fill the screen with solid colour, as well as shapes that will work well when transitioned across the page. (such as stripes)

Below shows the transition being created. The wipe was fully moved out of the scene, and set and then a second later moved to the other side of the frame and set there too. 

interconnectivity

1. Products were initially mechanical.
2. These then developed power systems
3. mechanics powered by an engine
4. engines became electrically powered
5. many of these faming devices for example are now monitored/ controlled by electronics.
6. These electronic 'devices' are quite complex- they often "talk" to each other to share information.

• money
• music downloads
• central heating
• lighting
• security
• washing machines
• email 
• calendar contents
• cooking
• tv
• film
• mobile phones
• receipts (parcels)
• garden watering
• automatic cars 

Data Issues

Various data is various forms has different code types.

Overlaying one type of data onto another, may create a sub-routine in the coding. This can cause consequences, even though quite rare. 

Data distribution, who can access your data. Do you know what data you are consciously or unconsciously giving up freely. e.g. Wikileaks, they get how of data and re-publlish it.

Data security- can it be hacked.

Data sharing

• legal issues- defamation, libel/slander, "publication" (to make generally known, inform the public) , confidentially issues
• compromised aspects
• passwords? are they written down or are they simple? 

Human Problems 

Humans can be amazingly thick. 

Very few are as logical as a computer, we approach things differently

 -sign and symbols

 -shape and form

Interconnectivity issues

'apps' to monitor the busy lifestyles we have

As devices become more common, and more complicated, more resources are needed to make and maintain them.

matters of gravity

Scott Bukatman- Matters of gravity (book)

Relationship between the new idea of the superhero and the dawn of special effects as well as being situated in a city. His emphasis is on superhero within the skyline of the cities therefore.

The Phenomenology of Superhero Cities.

• the phenomenon that human being encounter as conscious beings. 
• describe an experience through how the world appears to a group of people.
• Experiences can be diverse between individual and individual however.

Post-modern concept of an uncentered city

Superheros inherit and embody many of these paradoxical tropes.

1. the familiar/ strange 
2. the sunlit/ shadowed
3. the planned/chaotic 
4. the sublime/ uncanny

Comics are rarely 'panelled' in a regular fashion. It ha an irregular playfulness. 

The grid of New York can hold a great deal of complexity.

The architectural surfaces are broken down during battles, chases and confrontations. 

Use of architectural plans to produce orderly fan static spaces, e.g. the designs of head quarters.

Super héros act as a mobile entity, the further support this the story and narrative is part of a saga. The popularisation trusts movement through the site 

All have enhanced power of motions, either natural or technological, long with vehicles and utilities.

The superhero bold colours are blurred in movement against the metropolitan city colours.

Lois Lane "the red and blues, ran together, you see, so that's how he looked when he flew... a violet comet"

American superheros encapsulated and embodied the same utopian aspiration of modernity as the cities themselves.

Pervasive and appealing chaos, a hyperbolic spectacle of colour.

Audience: Adolescent and post adolescent males (male power fantasies) (displacement of sexual energy to aggression)

Categories: psychological and sociological 

-negotiators of complex multiple roles

-secret identities

-authority and order

-outsider status

Silver surfer "I was born to soar... to ride the currents of space... not to be confined within a barren structure."

Rem Koolhaas- Grids and Grace

The superhero city is founded upon the relationship between grids and grace. The city becomes a place of grace by licensing a multitude of fantasies. 

Totalitarian and democratic. 

Behind closed doors, someone occupies an apartment and makes it their own. The universal grid outside hides all this. 

Little Nemo 1905- Windsor McCay

Presents a dream landscape

Focuses on the urban city juxtaposed with metamorphosis and visionary architecture.

stencilled type

In this workshop we were using type to create our own stencils inspired by the characteristics of the font used.  The class was split in to three smaller groups who were each then given a typeface in which their stencil creations would be inspired from. My groups was 'Baskerville' in regular, italic and bold variations. Then a specific letter was allocated to each of us to focus on, mine was E.

Here shows "E" in semibold" and then "e" in semibold italic.

Above is my sketch in which the stencil would be made. It started with sketching out the lower case 'e'. This gave a feel for the style of the font and how this could be edited whilst still remaining in a similar aesthetic as the actual typeface.

Below is the lower case 'e' cut with a craft knife to form part of the stencil.

Blocking in the centre of the 'e', these were placed on the thicker card for the poster. The darker black edges just demonstrate the edges of the shape, once painted with black acrylic and a roller it will look like the shape on the template on the left hand side of the photograph above. 

After this, then the shading of the capital 'E' was added. The areas cut with the craft knife wasn't the outline of the full letter, but just what would be the depth of the character if it was a 3d object. This layer had to be carefully removed, as I really wanted the outline to remain crisp. 

I think the overall effect looks really effectively, the contrast between the black lowercase letter and the uppercase which makes use of the whitespace. The crisp outlines look striking and very refined, however arguably doesn't really have the typical textures and rough patches like stencils normally have. 

Inspired by how well the uppercase 'E' outline looked once painted, I wondered how the lower case 'e' would look in a similar style. As the E was defined by its 3d shaded area, I sketched out how this would be for the 'e' as well.

Working with a similar angle, the outline for this lowercase letter wasn't as strikingly definitive. The curved shading doesn't provide the same aesthetic, as it is difficult to define what shape it is outlining as strongly. This is all evidenced below. 

As the capital 'E' worked so effectively, I wanted to replicate this singularly. However because the stencil had already been used once, it was slightly distorted and bubbled from the paint, and wasn't as strong. Therefore the lines aren't as crisp as the first output I generated. 

Europe and "Brexit"

World Unemployment.
UK has a lower unemployment rate in incomparison to the the rest of the eurozone, it has increased since the 2008 credit crunch, however it hasn't increased to the same level as the eurozone.
"Youth" unemployment is considerably higher for the younger generation in Greece and Spain. With Iceland, Norway and Germany having a greater proportional of young people in employment.

Banking Crisis
2008
World Recession caused serious problems for Europe
Germany and UK recovered well
the rest of Europe are yet to do so

Countries in terms of wealth

1. Norway
2. Germany
3. Uk
4. Denmark
5. Grace
6. Italy
7. Ireland
8. Spain
9. Portugal
10. Greece
11. Iceland 

Arguably after brexit, the UK's economy became as good as the German one. The European union, is relying on Denmark and Germany to hold the economy of all member states. This makes the politics of the UK leaving very essential, as another big leader financially will be out of the supporting partnerships. 

Recent Issues

• immigration- Greece vs Turkey, Germanys unilateral approach
• Italian banking problems- potential failure
• over reliance on strength of german economy
• potential loss of UK and some trade
• Russia and Ukraine
• Us/ Europe TTIP failure

If the UK is successful in its leaving of the EU, the other countries might be encouraged to do so too. e.g. Denmark, who has a successful economy and could easily be self reliable. 

Positive

still able to trade

probable better access to US, Canada, Australasia int he short term

Uk still has strong hold into all creative industries

Negative

initial trade with some parts of the Europe may be more problematic

probable that EU sluggishness (economically) will go on for longer.

outdoor culture creativity and affect

NeuBau Forst (Ghandi 2014)

1. naturalistic objective photography
2. vectorised and digitalised imagery
3. urban scenes with naturalistic elements 
4. texture details of natural forms

Simulation and categorising of nature objects in a  digital fashion. This is a catalogue of natural forms, as seen in specimen tray in museums. This can link to helping architects with the design of spaces, the natural world and the urban can be blended seamlessly. The more nature in the designs the more attractive they look as a prospect for the future. Architects also use models of passerby's as a way to portray who they want to attract to that area.

Work links to the outdoor world and arguable taxonomy. That the real world is preserved. The arts and crafts movement also made use of the outdoor resources available. 

http://neubauforst.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/PNBF_1816_2000.jpg

http://postpoetics.kr/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/neubauforst_03-570x428.jpg

Bauman- 'The outsiders'

The culture of outdoors faces the elements but still can be artificial. E.g. clamping, not camping. We want a version of the outdoors which suits our lifestyle. A designed environment which works for us, the duvet and red hair in the book front cover denotes the comfortable nature we seek.  Our outdoor experiences are being more and more engineered, e.g. tents and expeditions, its much more structured and mediated than an actual engagement with the natural world. The nature is experienced in a  mediated form. Romantic and iconic approach to our outside world and how we experience it. 

http://cdn.gestalten.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/t/h/the_outsiders_side.gif

Pastoral Landscapes

Designed as a cultivated farm land- with life stock. It is bored and territorialised, and reflects still a capture of nature that is clear and designed. An example of this is the screensaver and screens seen on  Google Chrome Cast. They are pastoralised as they are serene natural landscapes, general soft and very hospitable.  Its a more conservative form of artwork. The sublime image as an opposition to pastoral we see is formulated from the re-tellng of stories, in which nature is seen to dwarf us, and feel threatened by. This was fuelled by people taking deviated routes on "The Grand Tour", and emphasising the magnitude of the nature they have seen. See next subheading. 

http://www.claudelorrain.org/pastoral-landscape.jpg

Romantic Landscapes 

Casper David Friedrich- Wanderer above the sea of fog.

This is an example of sublime. Nature is foregrounded along with the power of imagination. Gives us a different vision of our place within nature, as described as a contest above. The image below was heavily forgone in the book "The Outsiders". 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Caspar_David_Friedrich_-_Wanderer_above_the_sea_of_fog.jpg

Crafts- artistic guilds 

Movement (1880-1914). Tied to the idea of handiwork and material ways of engaging with objects. Therefore a lot of carving occurred, the handmade element was its defining characteristics. E.g. William Morris. The arts movement has had lots of patterns copied and industrially produced cheaply for a larger market. Artisan as a 'buzz word' has become popular again, with emphasis on personal arts and the craft of making things. 

http://www.vestaarchitecture.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/William-Morris-adjustable-chair.jpg

Peter O'Toole

Peter O'Toole
of Grammar Studio
freelance illustrator

Inspiration- Micheal Gillette

1. to compare is to despair
2. you have chosen the rollercoaster not the merry round
3. you are what you think

First use of illustration was a digital format at Bradford University, this was worked and worked so he could find his niche. The examples shows had a hand drawn, rough guilty, as if drawn with pen and pencil. 

Lots of his work transfers over in to more a fine art style, however this has limits due to the time constraints and doesn't allow for editing to meet a cents specific needs. 

Another experiment was the solder wood with a hot iron, this too was more of a fine art stance and very time consuming.

Collage, paper works are also too time consuming. The cutting and pasting process spun 2 weeks which cannot be achieved once in a freelance business.

Next Peter moved on to arts on structure, he experimented with graffiti art to be in keeping with he growing trend in this field.

In order to create a stringer artistic presence he used zines. The loose sketches and odd drawing were thrown together in a zine format, and were stamped and signed to be left for members of the public to find and keep, or contact. This is a form of self promotion. 

First successful creative output was 'fresh kids' in which people had a creative output, alongside popular culture. This resulted in a lot of networking with other creative professionals from the area. 

Dirt Cheap magazine. Was another means of self publishing. It was a platform to display work and gain experience without the pre existing magazines refusing to publish works due to lack of experience. The was a combination of own works, others and sent documents, a collation of art work that isn't well known. The actual print of this publication however was too expensive to print regularly, so slowly moved in to a downloadable pdf document. 

Menial jobs were needed to fill the time, as work was slow during the recession, but smaller jobs for contacts and friends and family allowed for a developing portfolio on the side. 

Photoshop, photo retouching, was a show of his desire to really study and learn new skills, even if this wasn't necessarily to his skill set.

Personal Work

1. Adidas city trainer collection 
2. Clarks Original
3. Huddersfield Town Football Club

Other Works

1. Fifa
2. Adidas spezial Exhibition
3. The New Yorke

Collaborations 

1. Grammar studios- Adam Gill
2. Scotts Menswear
3. Le Croq Sportif
4. Dixon ice creams 
5. adidas book with "Quote" Berlin collector. 

( adidas example, displayed in earlier blog post http://sandilandslucy.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/seminar-on-new-brief.html )

cinema 4d logo

In this process and production lesson we were working with cinema 4d. This is the software I am least comfortable with, however throughout this workshop it did start to make sense in what basically could be achieved. We started of obviously simple, with just a logo design to be made 3d. 

In order to keep track of works, a document folder was created that would contain the outputs, artwork and the cinema 4d files. 

Next we created the logo outlines for the cinema 4d file. These were instructed to be closed paths, as these would be able to form the 3d shapes then. I just created random shapes here using the pen tool, pre set shapes and shape builder tool.

This file was then saved in the artwork folder of the cinema 4d file. One saved the pop-up box below shows up, here the feature which says "illustrator CC" has to be changed to "illustrator 8" as this is an older recognised version for the software.

Above the smaller screenshots show the process of setting up the right render settings. This file was then saved, as this can act as a template for all outputs and can be utilised for other projects now. 

Here shows the further settings that were pre-set before saving the template document.

 I learnt that in cinema 4d, the files that are being worked with aren't places like in adobe software, but are "merged" in.

Below shows the outline of my logo once in cinema 4d. We were advised to only manipulate how we viewed this shape with the controls at the top right of the frame. 

There is the object shown from multiple angles, the 4 view is shown directly above here. 

Using the live selection tool, each path inside the logo object can be selected. The tool bar on the right and side displays what is being selected by illuminating a darker orange. 

Next the extrude feature is added to this right tool bar, above the paths. This creates the 3d objects. In the options for this feature just below the "hierarchal" tab is selected and the the movement of the width of the 3d shape in manipulable. 

Gouraud shading lines are then added. Shown in the top left of the screenshot.

From this then a fillet cap is added. Under "caps and rounding" on the extrude options.

Next we produced the materials which would be used to add texture and colour to the different shapes created. 

These can be seen below. The colour, reflectance (specular) can be edited to produce the finish desire. 

Below shows the colours in use here.

And below the object window, the materials are listed at the foot of the screenshot as the ones which have been previously created. They are dragged and dropped on to the areas which they are desired. 

Black shading can also be used for the background colour.

Next a floor and background were added. From the taps at the top these can be added, and then too will appear on the left hand side tool bar of features in use.

After manipulating these features, the result is shown below. Also a light is then added to the work, this will increase the look of the 3d features. 

The light settings are then adjusted below.

The light is easy to adjust and move around when in the 4 view mode. As the light is shown with in comparison to where your artwork is. 

(Practice render to see how it appears so far) Shadow maps were also set to soft here, so there is a small cast shadow on the "floor" of the piece. 

Another render is shown here which uses the light with a slightly different colour tone. Both Blue tinge light and yellow tinge light were experimented with.

Below shows the changing of the light tinge.

Next "MoText" was added form the drop down menu at the top. 

Series of manipulations then took place in order to get it to contain the message intended. Changed in typeface and size could also be experimented with, as well as the depth of the text from the logo paths. Colour, tone and shade could be manipulated just with as the material creator previously. 

A few variations are seen above. 

As experimentation the material options were changed and played around with. Changed in luminance, and glow give slightly different effects. Some of these option changed however require Ambient occlusion turned on for the effects to remain after rendering.  

Lastly a camera was added. Just like in after effects these can be manipulated to move around the frame, and the object in the environment. 

On the long tool bar down the left hand side the axis need to be enabled. And again the camera can be manipulated with these easily in the 4 view grid.

The tool bar at the bottom of the frame also included a timeline, so the camera movements can be played and viewed from this control panel.

 For further manipulation of the animation the timeline (dope sheet) can be opened. This is the graph of the camera movements on the object. Spline or Linear options can be chosen whether the animation needs to be sped up doing the middle of the animation or if the animation should remain at the same speed in play back. 

Above are the compression settings for rendering out then this animation. With 30 as the frame rate.

Further developments. Experimentation outputs. 

("lemon letting" is fictitious and doesn't have any associate to any businesses that currently operate under this name.)

With these skills I was able to finish off the name I'd created on cinema 4d last year. 

http://sandilandslucy.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/cinema-4d.html