Problem Solving... The Reality

This Christmas I decided to make a gingerbread house.


I found a recipe online and made a hugeeee double batch to make this house, I was really excited to make it and decorate it.


The pieces were baked correctly, I made them the right size and made sure they fit together perfectly. But when it came to decorating it and fixing it together it turned out to be a bit of a disaster..


This is how the house should have looked:

I came to a problem with the roof, I had watched a video on how to construct it but it just didn't work. Instead of throwing the house across the room like I felt like doing, I decided to just calm down and think of a way to fix it so it still looked nice enough to eat.

Here is the final piece... With a few smarties missing off the roof:

Although it looks like a bomb shelter, I feel glad that I was able to 

assess the situation and give the poor gingerbread house a roof. 

In the end, icing sugar can fix everything!

Better luck next year?

Origami Furniture!

If you can't think of anything to get for Christmas:

Amazing.

I actually want this for Christmas now, the only origami that I do is paper swans. Furniture would definitely be a step up!

New Black Swan Posters

Today I came across these posters for Black Swan, the new film starring Natalie Portman playing a ballerina in competition. The advert for the film seems intense and thrilling, even the way it's filmed suggests this. At first glance, it reminds me of Russian constructivism from the shapes and colours used. The posters were designed by the London based company, LaBoca incorporating different themes of the film. It reminds me of the design matrix we learned about a couple of months ago, merging different aspects of the film together into one coherent design.

The first poster (above) combines the ideas of the gracefulness the swans wings and the ballerina's arms. The colours contrast this grace and make it seem more sinister, The Black Swan is meant to be an elegant dance and these film posters are portraying it as a sinister film about competition. The matching eyes of the swan an the ballerina almost add an extra fear factor to the film. 

This poster used a profile silhouette of a girl with a swan overlaid on the top. The image has been cleverly used as a mask for the white silhouette with the swan's eye used as the girl's eye too. Yet again making it seem more sinister.

The poster above is instantly visually appealing, the almost black silhouette of the swan provides a frame for the ballerina image. The two images together almost reflect the beautiful shapes that are made, how graceful they are. This is then contrasted by the typography used at the bottom of the poster, the kerning of the letters adds a harshness to the already harsh, heavy style. The spacing between the letters also allows room for the starring roles to be placed in between. I think this is a nice design feature that makes the viewer have to look closer to read the information which is always a good thing because it adds interest. 

I like the way that all of the posters look different but look like they belong to the same film.

Wondering what more I could have done?

Just having a bit of reflection this evening over the last project. Overall I achieved 56, the pass rate is 40 which meant that I received 16 marks over. However, I was feeling very down about this after learning the marks everyone else achieved. It started to make me think my work wasn't good enough.


Now, after reflecting on the effort and amount of work I produced, I think I can say that I could have put more effort in. I am in no way doubting the amount of time I spent on the work as I spent most evenings and afternoons doing the work. I am doubting the distractions and effort into doing the in between work as well as the final presentations.


The final presentations were no way near my standards, well saying that in the past a project tended to last months, not days. The projects in the first 6 weeks have really opened up my eyes to what university work is going to be like. Maybe I didn't realise how much work was expected and the quality of work that would be produced. At A-levels you concentrate on your own work and occasionally see other people's but you had your own task or project to work on so there was no method of comparison? At University we're competing against everyone because that is what it is going to be like when I graduate, 100 people from my course are going to be looking for jobs. That added to the 100 other universities there are with Graphic Design students graduating. Definitely going to have to learn to stand out!


Anyway, back to the project, I feel like I have wasted a lot of time ensuring that all the in between work was up to scratch - Spending too much time thinking about other ideas to build up the presentation of work, or coming up with the idea and filling in all the work in between. The second project helped me to realise it's more about the final outcomes of the projects as there was not as much pressure put on producing sketchbooks. This helped me to focus more on improving the final design without doing unnecessary tests or work to make it seem like more.


Definitely learned a lesson here, I need to start thinking about the later stages of design, the final outcome because at the end of the day that is what actually matters to the client. They are not going to care about how much blood sweat and tears you've put into all the initial ideas and the presentation of the research is not going to matter if they think you haven't put enough effort into the final presentation. So from now on I'm going to start doing what everyone else seems to be doing and thinking about the final idea from the word go, because that's how it will develop better.

Technical Workshop - Last before Christmas!

Today was the hand-in for the Typography Module, I feel pleased it's out of the way now before Christmas and hope that everything is alright with it. Looking round at other people's work made me a bit apprehensive but what can I do now? Learn for next time I suppose!


The technical workshop today was about book covers. I've never really taken the time to look at book covers, except those womany ones that I read on holiday where they have a picture of the story on the front with some simple font. Not really inspiring but its a good read!


So today after looking at bookcoverarchive.com I was slightly more inspired to make a book cover. I have to admit though, I did struggle. I was sat there thinking 'I can't do this' getting frustrated with myself just staring at the scene. But then a bit of experimentation lead me to the idea of purposely overlapping the text so the word 'Outsider' was actually on the outside.


Here is the final book cover, well after about half an hour of doing it. I couldn't really find an appropriate place for the author title so as a last minute decision I had to place it at the bottom:

The colours of the book cover along with the font makes it look spooky, which was the genre I was going for since I haven't heard of the book before. The 'Outsider' title looks like a gate for the 'The', blocking it from the outside world, the long looking font also creates this feeling of a gate. So overall, I think some parts of the design are successful and others probably need a bit of work.

Interpreting is a pain :(

I've now found that people do interpret things in different ways, just like last week when in our group project we all came up for ideas about the project that were literal. For instance my idea was interesting facts about the spine and other animals. When in fact the brief wants a more creative feel to the website, this did not stand out to me when I first read it but when someone explains to you the idea around it, it makes sense and then you just feel stupid for not realising it.


Had a lecture on Monday about this as well, whilst Phil was explaining something he suddenly shouted. After everyone had their mini-heart attack he explained that we'd probably remember that instead of what he'd been saying in the lecture. So it made me think that although I'd interpreted the brief wrong, it's understandable to do that because at first that was the only way I was thinking.


It's alright to get things wrong, just move on and forget about it.

Too many ideas..

The other day, I felt I needed to have a conversation with Phil about the project 'Letterbox'. I was getting frustrated with having several ideas for lots of news stories and I felt like I needed someone to guide me. I presented him with several ideas, two with drawings and annotations - These were the ideas that I felt had the most direction and scope for the project.


The first idea involved a murder in the woods. I thought about using hair extensions wrapped up in the trees of the woods. This idea then evolved into the letter form being made out of the branches, twisted like a fairytale. Phil suggested that looking at fairytales would help me add concept to the idea which would make the design stronger. I liked the idea of looking at fairytales, I was just struggling with how I would find branches that would twist and curve inside such a small box?


The second idea involved using cigarettes as a letterform inside the box, which Phil suggested I use animal fat coming out of the cigarettes - this disgusted me at first but it got me thinking of how I could improve the design and make it seem more interesting/similar to the story. Then I started thinking, how can I make it less disgusting for myself and thought of using geletine. So I conducted a little experiment of using geletine, then seeing if it would stay in the same position after it had been set in the fridge. The picture below shows this was a success.

After sketching a few ideas after the conversation with Phil, I thought that the cigarrette idea would give me the most to work with and the best idea. I liked the fact that I wasn't told which idea I should do, I was given a choice on which project I would like to do.

Alright Annette? You're looking a bit peaky?

This is Annette:

She is made out of... well everything. Each part was constructed by a different group in the Graphic Design class. We assembled it together ensuring that each body part connected with wire or string. I believe this was a good activity because the next stage is making a website and constructing a working body allows us to see what connects together which could be possible links for the website.


My group made the spine, and although its not really that visible and no-one probably appreciated it but I think it worked out really well. I feel like no-0ne appreciated it because we don't in everyday life, its not the most important organ but it has a purpose, we wouldn't be able to be upright, walk or move our body. Maybe this should come across in our website? We want to make people understand that the spine is important and needs to be appreciated!


Here are some close ups of the spine we made using salt dough and acrylic paint with foam board discs, threaded through a thick wire:

The larger bones of the spine were made using salt dough and the round discs
in between were made using foam board.

To securely fasten the spine together, we used a piece of
foam board and a clip.

Typography Module - Learning the Mechanics

Today in the computer session with Pete we learned about Tracking and Kerning using InDesign.


It made me realise that every single piece of type needs tracking and kerning in order to improve them and make them stand out from other designer's typography. Being able to use the techniques means design can be made individual even if the font used is a regular everyday font.


Here is an example of some words I've used the tracking and kerning techniques on:

I think I learnt a valuable lesson, and now see all the gaps in Typography that I never saw before.

Add+Vantage Module..

When first choosing my Add+Vantage Module I thought that taking Professional Writing would help improve my grammar and writing style, then I went to the first session and one of the first things the tutor said was:


"This is not a lesson in Grammar or spelling"


I then sat there for 2 hours thinking why on earth did I choose this!
When I came out of the session I decided to have another look at what other modules were on offer, suggestions had been made by Phil that students should maybe look at photography, presentation skills or how to work with creatives. The photography module was already over-filled and I didn't really fancy the presentation skills so I opted for how to work with creatives. I think this will be useful for when I start my placement as I will be able to interpret briefs better and understand the creative process that goes on in a business. Not only will it help next year, it will help me when I get into the business, I will already have some background knowledge with dealing with creatives and handling myself there.


Hopefully I will have made the right choice and will really benefit from taking the module.
I definitely feel a lot better about my choice of changing modules.

Bit of reflection from the last project...

Visual Communication.
Starting a new project always reminds me of a new year at school - a new pencil case, school bag and new clothes. It's a fresh start where all the influences and problems from the previous project can be forgotten.


In the last module I struggled with the methodologies project. I could not get my head around using different methods that I am not used to and ending up with the same sort of outcome - due to each project still influencing ideas for the others. I didn't like being frustrated with a project, particularly the tools/technology section where I came out with 3 A3 pages which I class as not enough work for a project.
  
Before starting the methodologies project I knew I was a conceptual worker, I feel the need to research around projects before my ideas start to form. However, I did discover another methodology that seemed to work for me - Materials. Using cookies to formulate ideas made the ideas flow.

Just a few ideas I conjured up whilst playing about with different shapes of cookies and chocolate icing.



New found love... Metal Type

Today we had inductions for metal type.
Since the open day I've been wanting to have a go at this, mainly because I'd actually never seen it before and other universities didn't seem to offer it. This also swayed Coventry to be my first choice - The school excited me, everything about it, it was all in the atmosphere.


So I completed the task that was given to us in the first session in the morning - Create a logo using your name. I wasn't particularly adventurous with it, purely because I didn't want to get my hands and clothes dirty.. Ha!


I thought about using metal type in one of the current projects I am working on. The brief involves a paragraph of a story written as interjections (sound bites). I am only in the early stages of this project but thought I could change the size of some letters and words to make them stand out from the rest - The words that spoke louder to me on the page. I thought a few experiments would allow me to figure out what sort of direction I could take with the work.


So... I decided to go back to the Studio later when I'd prepared better for the task. Armed with an old hoody I felt I could really play about with the metal type and I believe I achieved some really interesting results...

Mixed the type up a bit, first ink rolled on.

Jumbled up the letters

Overlapping technique and jumble effect - Quite confusing!

My favourite print is the one where most of the letters are faded and the bolder and bigger letters have more ink because they shout the loudest. It visually represents sound and how some can be quite small like "Psst!" and others can be loud and want to be heard.

What a statement wall!

A Light Breakfast?

Found on DesignMilk:

Interesting way of getting the mind thinking, at first I thought it was taken from a birds-eye view but looking more closely at the little arm at the bottom cleared this up. The eggs are particularly interesting the way they've managed to place the yolks in the balloons. You instantly see this as an English Breakfast, but there's just one thing missing - The bacon!

Day Trip to Birmingham

As part of the project, we took a day trip to Birmingham for photo opportunities around the city. It was a good chance to explore a new unfamiliar city with a camera and take some interesting photographs - as well as completing a project in a day!


I think with the amount of photographs I took, I had plenty of choice for each of the categories in the photo collage. These pictures will definitely be useful in any aspect of projects in the future. Here are some of the ones I find interesting from the day out:

A low angle shot of the group, the first picture task on the list

Found this interesting, looks like some sort of printing technique
but I bet it is paint, very well painted though.

Milk Street, thought it was funny for some reason!

The figures were hanging from the ceiling but this photograph
has turned them into silhouettes which is interesting..

Cars all mashed up into blocks, this was the entrance into
a spare parts company

Capturing the shape of the Bull Ring.

A nice close up, can still see the curves and shapes that the
building makes

Inside the building, they made a Christmas Tree using Picture
Frames, interesting idea.

All these photographs show what kind of photographs I was taking on the day, I looked for interesting opportunities where you least expect them, for instance in the shopping centre. I feel this day was very valuable to my studies, (as well as fun to have a photograph scavenger hunt) and has inspired me to visit more places in the UK and take photographs of things and places that interest me.