Iconic covers of 1990s

The 1990s was an arena for both Pop and Alternative Rock styles to flourish, it was difficult to make a choice between the two because they are both very different from each other.

Rage against the machine 1992

Features the famous photograph of the Vietnamese Buddhist who set himself as a act of political protest. But it may problematic for my project because its not a illustration, and the use of shock graphics I believe are overused (in social campaigns like quit smoking etc)

Nirvana Nevermind 1991

Also a well recognised album cover of the 90s era.

Chronology of iconic 1960's covers

I believe the most notable designs were for Beatles, Pink Floyd and the peice (as discussed previously) by Andy Warhole for The Velvet Underground. 

They were both known for their involvement in the Psychedelia scene of the 1960's when Hippie culture was at its height following the social phenomenon of The Summer of love 1967. The stylistic conventions of Psychedelia design is evident in their work.

1966: Beatles Revovler by Klaus Voorman 

I think there is a imaginative, sort of fuzzyness and unknowing quality about this. The use of line is  surreal and abstract, and the combined use of illustrative and added photographic elements makes it feel a bit hap-hazard. It's like a mix of real and the imagined in one place.

1968: Pink Floyd A Saucerful of Secrets Hipgosis

1960's Hippie stylistic conventions

I been looking at illustrations from the book "Classic Albulm Covers: The 60s" complied by Storm Thorgerson.

Here are my notes in spider diagram form:

Notably, I found a common theme running through some of these pieces were the symmetrical quality of them. They even reminded me of Hindu mosaics in a way. The depiction of some characters denotes grandeur or of a higher being. 

Andy Warhol Artists Research

Developing Practice

I am looking at Andy Warhol because he was a significant designer of the 1960's which is one of the music eras I am looking at.

Warhol was best known for his iconic silkscreen print of actress Mariyn Monroe (1962). This piece has become a famous in mainstream culture history and is currently held in the Tate Art Gallery in London.

Also reconised as one of the most iconic albulm cover's of 1967 was Warhol's design for The Velvet Underground + Nico. The design features a printed banana that was peel-able to reveal the pink fruit inside. The Velvet Underground was amongst many psychedelic rock bands in the 60's which was inspired by the hallucinogen LSD and Acid in the music culture scene. 

Process colours experiment

This is a drawing of the Queen found on a £5 note. The guy who ran the "Publication in a day" workshop at UWE liked the juxtaposition between a serious subject matter with felt tip pens. I thought I try to put this into practice for this to see how it would turn out

I tried using process colours (CMYK) to see what affect this would produce and how well it would work with the punk style. It is quite eye catching and the saturated color look art pop-y. (Kind of reminds me of Mariyln Monroe due to the yellow hair)  

I wonder what this would look like if I did a relief or screen printing of this. Try making a half tone of this.

I should try and make remake this several times because with achievement comes hard work, (you're not going to get the best picture the first time round, you need to keep refining it). Also perhaps look at child like drawing tools if you are interested in using felt tips with Punk subculture art.

Music subculture reading notes

Punk

Identifying examples of punk work and Situationalism and Expressionism as a Punk design device: "Use of urban landscape and its contents to subvert or antagonise established order" by using Boldness, heavy type etc

Planning to make some different punk designs using single printed colors half tone. (green, blue, red)

Funk

Did some further reading into Funk, trying understand the core ideas/character of the subculture.

I've identified the design conventions used are: Lively, bright colors, happy, groovy and magazines that I could look at are "WIRE" and "Straight no Chaser". Notable Funk icon would be James Brown. I need to start producing my own designs much quicker!