Analysing Practice: Patterns and shape

This was my first attempts at using card to make shapes. I was trying out different ways of arranging objects. Such as, arranging ny subject matter, making it look busy, spacious, or making it random etc.

I got feedback from my lecturer and he advised to repeat the same shape and explore what happens to the pattern: the negative shapes around it, what would happen if you changed the scale? Just playing around with basically: what is pattern?

So I handcut out out some stencils:

I feel they wrok quite well. The Primary colors suggest a normality and the everyday and it also stands out quite well. Personally I feel the positive shapes (bottom picture) are stronger than the cutout shapes. Color is something I can use to communicate with.

Analysing Practice: Paper and card

I was quite interested in Henri Matisse's work, he was a French painter but because of his Arthietus he can no long paint. Instead, he cuts out shapes and creates collages with them. There is a sense of repeatition in his work similarly.

This technique is particularly useful for experimenting
- with different COMPOSTION
- with different TONE / COLOR
- basica elements of scale

Also, I've been reading 'The Fundamentals of Illustration' and this peice caught my eye. The artist was working with layers. The flat design looked like screen printing.

I will aim to experiment with pattern and shape in this style.

Pattern Research: Spia

From company Spia

Patterns featuring siloetthes of buildings in different colors.

A piece of work I had done that I draw similarity to.

Pattern Research: Leena Kisonen

Leena Kisonen on http://www.leenakisonen.com

She is a llistrator and design or makes patterns for a variety of clients.

Colorful, 2D design print for a bag. Use of shape, negative and positive.

Rectangle composition, positive and negative shapes.

Pattern research: Sarah Watts

Sarah Watts on wattsalot

In this piece she adds pattern into positive shapes of woodland animals. They are decorative and are to be printed on cushions, bags and aprons. 

UWE Superheroes and Villian's Research

Mark Farrows work

Nagi Noda's work

I've looked at different designers, ones that appealed to me are Mark Farrow and Nagi Noda. I decided what I like about them is: character, being innovative, visual aesthetic, being clear, clean design etc.

I've identified that these are the sort of rules I make for myself when I design a piece of work. When I make work I want to similarly make it stand out, look clear, have an interesting take on it.

UWE Analysing Practice drawings (pattern)

These drawings fit around the theme of positive/negative, dark and light, pattern.

UWE Analysing Practice designs drawings

I've been making illustrations based upon the first chapter of the book. Firstly, I drew all the different objects he mentions (see left) and then I put it into a composition. (see right) I've tried to create visual depth by having some elements big to stand out (and show importance) while having more detailed smaller elements that add interest. What I think worked particularly well was the positive/negative elements in the bottom right hand corner.

This is my more successful design. I've gone a bit further and put siloehette details into the positive shapes. For example, there are churches in the bird and cars in the people. I used black to create a greater contrast. I am interested in taking this further by playing around with pattern and positive and negative shapes.

UWE Analysing Practice Photo series

Today I have been taking photos of an object or a place that tells you something about the people who inhabit it. I am trying to tell a story.

I took pictures of things that people may not necessarily notice or stop to think about. 

A sucessful shot, the flat color’s are suitable. On a sunny day, the long shadows of the gate would be distracting.

The gate is shaped like a union jack, it has a certain significance to it. Its isolated and a anonymous subject. The only minor problem is that you’ve shot it slightly wonky, so maybe you can rotate it.

This piece works well with the picture of the gate. They are both like sculptures and 3D. This one tells a bit more of a human story. The windows on the top could be slightly distracting.

This piece works with the gate and the boxes. Put them together and it there is a theme going on. This shot tells a human story, a social interaction.

How did this road sign end up in the bushes? This is painted not a road sign. This fits into the theme.

50 Things list

My finalised 50 things have been established. I have categorised them by subject matter.

• RED: Entertainment
• PURPLE: Appearance
• BLUE: Food and Cuisine 
• GREEN: Hobbies
• ORANGE: Travel 
• CRIMSON: Personality and Facts

50 things development

Structure

This part needs a lot of work still, planning to do something a bit more complex than a spider diagram

I've come up with some illustration designs:

UWE: 50 Things ideas

Some rough sketches of ideas:

UWE: Analysing Practice Designs

My idea is to exhaust an environment like how Perec does in a visual way.

I was thinking, what sort of things would you find f you exhausted different places? (starting with something I know of, a web design studio?) And what would the objects tell you about the person who lives in that space?

Some postcard designs I have come up with so far:

I intend for them to be presented as a series

UWE: 50 Things

Module: Introduction to Graphic Arts

Alongside my analysing practice module, my other project I is "50 things about me". I have to produce a A1 print piece which contains 50 pieces of information. The challenge is how I will be able to simplify the information to something that is easy to understand and visually interesting.

My 50 things are as follows:

UWE: Analysing Practice ideas

I've got a broad range of angles I could approach my project in:

Exhausting

Art that has a lot of information are: mood boards. And photographs of busy environments.

Or patterns in wallpaper or print making. Perec mentions reoccurring things in his narrative like pigeons or buses.

Landscape drawings can also be very informative with a lot of detail. 

An Attempt

Some graphic design is clever. It makes you think and that is how you get the meaning

Some information is hard to interpret until you notice the pattern or given a key.

UWE: Analysing Practice

I've started my new course in Graphic Arts at University of West England, the new project I am engaged in is based upon a book by a French writer Georges Perec called "An Attempt at exhausting a  place in Paris"

The nature of this project is open ended, experimental  and needs to be in some way related to the text.

Some findings I have gotten from this text are:

Personal Website Completed

This is the final still for my personal website. My intentions are to make this live sometime soon in the future.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

New personal website development

This is underdevelopment, should be coming soon. A teaser:

Sonic machines set of icons completed

I finished the final icon for the set of icons for client project: Sonic Machines. This is for the splash page.

And this is what the set looks together:

Research Project:Completed

I've am pleased that my research Project for my university module is completed. My conclusion was as follows:

"My research enquiry is: to what extent does interactive presentation of information provide an enhanced user experience compared to online static communication methods on the web? I have found out that designing innovative but ambiguous interfaces can sometimes hinder user experience because the interface is not what people are familiar with. This can cause them to feel frustrated with the website.

However, Norman Donald argues that people make judgements about a websites emotively, so a first good impression would set them up to having a positive attitude and tolerate minor usability problems. When a website is designed well aesthetically, the website is more credible and trustworthy because it makes users feel more comfortable and relaxed. My artefact results show that unconventional interactive interfaces can be more pleasurable to use than static websites.

On the other hand, Dan Donald suggests that the static, conventional website is more effective at communicating because it degrades onto all devices perfectly. To an extent static websites are better because they are more functional and accessible for users, especially those on a mobile device.

From UX perspective, it is important to identify the user’s needs and create a website that meets the purpose of the website. A non-interactive, static website can be more effective on functional sites where users need to complete a process such as filling in tax forms. Whereas, a website that is trying to persuade someone to buy a holiday package may use large beautiful visuals in a slider to lure the user into making emotive impulse decisions. (Rogers, Sharp, Preece, 2013) On some websites, both of these approaches work. E.g. a fashion retailer, where strong visual flair is used to advertise the latest season products and a functional ecommerce system that is designed to be functional. My overall conclusion is the interactive presentation of information can be more suitable within some contexts than others." -abstract

I shall be preparing for my final research presentation soon. :)