These two awesome pictures I took on the Karroo farm with a normal 10megapixel camera.
Wednesday 14 November 2012
Coffee Shop menu and flyer design.
Flyer:
Outside of menu:
Inside of menu:
*Note: This is only for a project. Not a real Coffee Shop.
My Alien Landscape
I made this artwork in Adobe Photoshop.
I collected the pieces at the bottom out magazines
and created the piece shown above.
and created the piece shown above.
Thursday 5 July 2012
Internet is AWEsome
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Tuesday 27 March 2012
Summary of Graphic design School
Graphic
design School – The principles and Practices of Graphic design (Fourth Edition)
Authors:
David Dabner; Sheena Calvert; Anoki Casey
Publisher:
Wiley
Research and early concepts (1)
Module 1: Basics
of research
To be interesting u must be interested first.
As
designer u must be aware of the things around you, like work of other artists,
cultural trends, technological developments and world events.
·
Read
more than one newspaper per day and compare the stories u read and note the
differences.
·
Read
enough books, not just only about graphic design, but also about things that
will broaden your knowledge like architecture, math’s and sculptures.
·
Have
a variety of experiences. Do things you would not normally do. And go to places
you do not normally go to.
·
Observe
and absorb. Talk to other people and listen to their stories. Share insights,
listen to what inspires them, learn their languages and share ideas.
Contextualization:
Process of placing something within the interrelated system of meaning.
Primary
research: Material that does not pre-exist. Photography,
drawings/sketches, interviewing people, est.
Secondary
research: Material that pre-exist. Design work, color samples,
est.
Means
of recording:
Every designer must always carry some kind of recording
device with them wherever they go. Sketchbooks, cameras or voice recorders are
the basic devises to carry with. When something grabs your attention or you get
a great idea, sketch or write it down, take photos. This way you will build yourself a catalog of
inspiration, and someday you might get to use that for a project. This also
helps you to define your own outlook and develop a personal “signature”.
C.S
Lewis said:" What you see and hear depends on where you are standing and what
kind of person you are."
Research
Techniques:
1.
Primary research
(Factual):
|
·
Previous
Knowledge
·
Observation
·
Conversation
·
Analysis
·
Role-
play
·
Interviews
·
Questionnaires
·
Focus
groups
·
Written
dairies
·
Ethnographic
research
|
2.
Secondary research:
(Factual):
|
·
Museum
·
Newspapers
and magazines
·
Public
interviews
·
Films,
TV
·
Transcripts
·
Books
·
Music
·
Internet
·
Surveys
·
Statistics
·
Organizations
·
Lectures
|
3.
Primary research:
(Visual):
|
·
Photography
·
Drawing
·
Media
experimentation
·
Casts
·
Typographic
experimentation
·
Compositional
experimentation
·
Image
manipulating
·
Photocopy
·
Video
recording
·
Audio
recording
·
Writing
|
4.
Secondary research:
(Visual):
|
·
Exhibitions
·
Images
from internet and magazines
·
Work
by other designs
·
Printed
maps
·
Packaging,
tickets (Ephemera)
·
Found
or bough photos
·
Imagery
taken from TV, films est.
·
Architecture
|
5.
Other general
approaches:
|
·
Do
group work
·
Generate
visuals in response to one idea
·
Explore
capacity of visual language
·
Put
own point of view in subject
|
Module 2: Linear
reasoning/lateral thinking
Linear reasoning and lateral thinking are
visual opposites.
Both are equally useful as research tool.
Linear reasoning:
·
Strategic
thought process
·
Step-
by-Step logic
·
Follows
a specific path
·
Split
up the idea into components (color; type) and work each one through
Lateral thinking:
·
Indirect
exploration
·
Ideas
less readily than linear reasoning
·
The
emphasis is on indirect, creative form of inquiry and thinking
Brainstorming:
Sketching
in a non-linear diagrammatic way. It helps you to explore problems in a
component in depth and breadth, and to find connections to strengthen a
concept. This also helps you to push boundaries.
Ø Brainstorming in a
spider diagram: allow unexpected paths to open.
Best way
to do thinking is to begin in a lateral way (by brainstorming) and moving to a
more linear process at a later stage.
Module 3: Exploratory
drawing
Purpose
of exploratory drawing is to explore ideas. Translating the outside world into
abstract ideas, by drawing and sketching (It’s a constant process of looking and aiding to understand
the world around us).
Drawing
is the basic of expressing your design ideas.
Observational drawing (used to document):
This
makes you see the subject as a shape and the colors as tones.
You will
learn how an object exist in space, and to create illusion of space and depth
(convey texture and density).
You
should experiment beyond your comforts zone and practice makes perfect. Drawing
should be a lifelong activity. Use different tools and media and keep it interesting.
Abstraction – Abstract Drawing: concept meaning something is drawn from the
real, but has been distilled to the minimum form, color or tone. Removed from
its original context.
Figurative Drawing: draw to describe the
scene.
Module 4: visualizing ideas
As a student u need to develop the skill of putting ideas
on paper by using rough sketches.
The process between bruin, eye and hand is very fast, and
by working and sketching, u can generate many ideas and concepts.
Size
and visualization: In roughs there is no specific size.
Computers
and visualization: Once u decided on a concept, you can use
the computer to change the color, typeface, est. and by this you create a
variety of one idea.
Module 5:
Theories of image and text
Rhetoric:
Style of arguing, engaging a dialog or an image or sound.
Semiotics:
Communication
system where the sign can be broken up into a signifier and a signified. Can be
denotative ( what a sign means) or Connotative (things associated with sign).
Signs
and Symbols: representing an object or word through an
image or sound.
Metaphor:
Word
or image that set up associations
Didactic:
A
pragmatic and unambiguous method of giving clear information.
Poetic:
Style
less clear and more artistic, more open to interpretation.
Module 6:
Audience, markets and concepts
Research into audience is a primary tool of effective
design.
Audience:
The
customers, voyeurs, and occasionally participants of design work, in its broadest
sense.
Consumer
profile: Creating a series of parameters or set of information.
Has to contain info that define the desired so that the design can be pitched
or marked to them.
Market
research: Process of collecting and collating data from questionnaires,
interviews est. Do market research by going to the library to search for
reports and statistics, Look at companies website, speak to customers, speak to
the people who work for the company est.
Elimination
process:
1.
Make sketches.
2.
Discard complex sketches.
3.
Select the strongest idea.
4.
Work on detail. Simplest is best.
Module 7:
Scheduling, organizing, finalizing
Organization of thoughts is the last step of design
process, although organization starts from the beginning. U must have narrowed
your ideas down so that you are now ready to finalize and resolve.
Timescale:
Research is very time consuming, so there must
be points that you cut off, so you can start generating a visual concept.
Remember:
·
Write everything down (don’t count on
memory).
·
Without a concept your visualization has no
meaning
·
Create a diagram (spider of flowchart)
·
Look for professional criticism
·
Talk about your work and show it to people.
Organize
your thoughts:
·
Alphabet – A-Z
·
Category – By type
·
Chronological – By type
·
Continuum – From good to bad
·
Magnitude – By size
·
Location – By place
You must: schedule and organize; develop a
storyboard; and have a Flat plan/page plan (a document with a series
of numbered thumbnails).
Fundamentals of composition
(2)
Graphic designers must be masters of visual fundamentals.
A project should be designed to be interesting, but has to bring together a
variety of text and images.
Composition:
Arrangement of elements or parts of a design on the page.
Module 1: Basics
of composition
A practical understanding and exploration of composition
is very important for visual communication. It teaches control, so that the
desired effect can be achieved, and also so that the intended message can be
communicated.
Positive
and negative space:
Positive:
A
form, image or word on page
Negative
space: White or colored area around the positive space
(sometimes forms an element on its own.
Relationships between the two spaces is very important.
Negative space must support the positive space. Be in control of the space to
create a more effective composition.
White
space:
creates tension and contrast. Also highlights and focuses attention on the
shape/image.
·
Point: a dot on page
·
Line continues a form between the points.
Tim McCreight says: ”Line are a human convention. We
perceive objects because of the dozen of ways they differ from their
surroundings. We abbreviate these differences by drawing a contour line. “
Module 2: Form
and Space
Form is experienced in relation to the space it occupies
and the other forms in the format.
Figure:
any object in a given space.
Ground:
Background.
Area where design will be placed.
Visual elements are seen in relation to a visual field,
frame or background. We see figure before ground and we see what is in the
space before we see the space itself. Well known from gestalt and a example:
Rubin vase.
Gestalt
psychology: Law of closure – we tend to close objects
that are not closed. Our eyes and mind see an object and find.
Module 3:
Symmetry/asymmetry
Refers to a spatial relationship between elements, but
specifically to a situation where the
elements in the layout is centered.
Asymmetry:
Designs without symmetry. When elements are not centered, but utilize the whole
format. Do not mirror the elements on the page.
Symmetry:
Where
the elements are balanced or mirrored on the page.
Module 4: Basic
principles of layout
·
Baseline
grid: Lock text in horizontal points.
·
Column:
vertical
block of text.
·
Grid:
Horizontal
and vertical lines on a page. Visual guide for alignment.
·
Gutter:
Gap
between two text block. Either side of the book folds a binding.
·
Hierarchy:
Different
weights given to a image to emphasize different aspects.
·
Layout:
Placement
of images and words on the grid of the document – organizing information.
·
Recto:
Right
hand pages in books.
·
Verso:
Left
hand pages in books
There is 3 basics stages in producing layouts:
1. Designer
receives brief from the clients , like what should be included.
2. Format
and budget
3. Organization
– develop a grid.
A Grid must have a degree of flexibility of layouts. It must provide an underlining system that coherence across the series of pages. Must consists contras, rhythm, consistency and body text, and margins is also important.
Checklist for beginning a layout:
· Kind of text to be used?
· Will there be imagery?
· How many colors?
· What format and size?
· What must be emphasized?
· Is the client looking for a particular style?
Module 5: Styles
and layout
·
Symmetrical
style: Traditional approach (centered)
·
Asymmetrical
style: non centered, dynamic
·
Symmetrical
layouts: seen on title of pages
Integrate styles of typography. Two u must know: April
Greiman and Philippe Apeloig.
Module 6: Pace
and contrast
Vital
qualities to maintain a readers interest in a design.
The pace of a document or design will be dictated by the
content and space available. You don’t always have to use images to catch a
reader’s eye. You can use text only spreads and white spaces.
Draw thumbnails
Create moment and rhythm (larger headings, changing of
color, different size pictures, est.)
Magazines and
books:
Pace and contrast is very important in magazines. It’s
different, because the way readers see the product of a magazine is
unpredictable. Unlike books, which layouts the she same most of the time.
Module 7: Size
and format
This is very important in print design, and budget plays
a big roll and then a designer is limited.
Content
determines format: Look at things like big illustrations – the
need big space.
Folds
and binding:
Concertina folds
|
Fold alternative
directions
|
French folds
|
Paper
sheet folded in half for double thickness. Bound on the edge
|
Gatefold
|
Fold
that the outer quarters of page are folded to meet in center. Like
symmetrical doors.
|
Paper grain
|
Direction
of wood fibers.
|
Perfect bind
|
Similar
to paperback binding.
|
Rollover folds
|
Fold a
page so that successive folds turn in on themselves.
|
Saddle stitching
|
Where
sheet is folded in the centre, stitched along the fold, them glued into cover
spine.
|
Module 8:
Coordination and identity
In the world of commercial things, very few things stands
alone. The use different elements, like the logo and advertisement, and put
them in a set.
Creating
identifying characteristics:
A book is a good example for a campaign. The design of a
book cover advertise the product and also the publisher.
Know
the content:
·
Is the book fiction or non-fiction?
·
Is it the authors first book, or are there a
band of followers?
·
What’s the genre?
·
What is the subject matter?
·
Who is the being aimed at?
Module 9:
Photography and illustration
A well – coordinated design is always a success.
The difference and boundaries between photographs and
illustration is getting very blurry, because of digital art techniques. Much of
what you do will depend on the industry in which you work.
Creative
constraints:
Sometimes clients give you pictures you must work with.
Photography might not always work (because of budget or difficulty gaining
permission), so then the best is to create an illusion.
Budget
and schedule:
Big illustrations might not be appropriate, unless you
have a large budget. Photographs is better, but then again it can also be very
expensive (models and make-up for models).
Where
to start:
· What would be suitable for the market?
·
Research a source that does the job within
the constraints of budget.
·
You can create design yourself, of hire a
freelancer?
·
You can use copyright free clip art.
Checklist
for selecting images:
1. Age/gender/social
class of the target audience
2. Shelf
life
3. Clarity
of information
4. Perceived
value
5. Design
criteria
6. Theme
7. Be
contrary
8. Budget
and schedule
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