A Hands on Approach to Graphics 10/10/11

Working With Our Hands

Lately, we've been spending a lot of time being creative with our hands in order for us to learn how to work without computers. Our first method of hands on Graphics was 3D typography! This method of typography has been used for many years by all kinds of artists. This was something I was sure I'd take on board and find useful. I personally thought it was a great way for me to build on my art skills and discover whether or not I was capable of designing just as well without a computer. 

Here is an image of the sort of typography we were aiming for. We were each given large sheets of cardboard and a specific letter to build. At first, I assumed it would be would be easy after drawing a few plans on paper but once I started, I realised that 3D typography may not be an area I would like to dabble in again. Although, this experience was enjoyable and the outcome turned out to be a mixture of both odd and interesting. 
We took our individual letters and stood them outside in different positions in order to create something that looked interesting. 
After some re positioning, this is what our version of 3D typography turned out to look like. I created the large "N" on the far right hand side. You can see that the letters spell out the words Graphic Design. 

Here are some images I took quickly with my phone when we messed around the letters a little bit in order to get some interesting positions out of them. 

From this experience, I have learnt that I am capable of designing with my hands but I have also learnt that if I do want to get into further depth with 3D typography, I would like to try something a simple. 

Playing With Paper (Paper Engineering) 17/10/11

Paper Engineering!

We were shown a short series of art work today in order to conjure up ideas for our project. During that time, I was shown a small booklet which consisted of multiple folds and stretched out into a long narrow sheet containing pictures of stones and mountains. I was immediately inspired by this piece of work and decided that I would like to present my project in the form of Paper Engineering. Paper Engineering is an art based around paper which is folded or cut up in some way to make it look more interesting. For example, the image you see above is made completely out of wall paper and cut into shapes that look like a deer heads. This was created by an artist named Lydia Crook who specialises in Paper Engineering. Although I do like her work, after some research, I came to the conclusion that I was more interested in leaflet and brochure folding styles. A current book that I am reading called Paper Engineering - 3D Design Techniques For A 2D Material, contained multiple designs and folding techniques that I thought I could practice and modify into my own style. 
Here, you can see the sort of folding technique I am trying to achieve. I believe that this sort of folding technique is simple and easy for anyone put back together. The only issue for me was that it may have been too simple. So, I decided that I would draw out a basic design and work with multiple shapes in order for my leaflet to look more interesting. I wanted it to be easy to fold out but also aesthetically pleasing to look at and easy to fold back. 

In this image, you can see that I have already cut out a long strip of paper that folds into the shape of a triangle. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to take a picture of the actual drawing before cutting it out. In the image, I had already cut out my multiple fold leaflet and folded it in order to see what it might look like once I design it using Adobe Illustrator. You can see that it looks slightly complex in the image but that is due to the fact that each bend is a triangle. 

Finally, in this image, you can see that my leaflet folds into a triangle shape. This was just an initial plan I drew up quickly in order to get an idea of what I would like my leaflet to look like. Once I have designed the final piece, I'll fill it with images of the graffiti I saw on my trip to Bristol City and it should hopefully turn out the way I plan.
I may try and experiment with a variety of other shapes but for now, I think that this triangle shaped leaflet will still be easy to produce and less time consuming. 

Getting Creative! (Research & Initial Ideas) 03/10/11

Getting Creative!

Today we gathered together as a group to discuss how we were all going to tackle our project within five weeks and the different ways in which we can do so. After last weeks trip to the centre of Bristol, we all agreed that we were slightly inspired in one way or the other. But we were still unsure as to how we were going to present our work.

We were shown a series of slides that displayed many ways in which could present our view of Bristol. Among these slides were collages, photography, abstract maps and even comics. I decided that Photography and Collages were definitely something that I was interested in. So I will be presenting my work as photography, collages and possibly typography. 

Here, you can see on the left my first collage this year. The collage is basically an initial Idea and starting point for my project. I decided to focus on texture rather than just images and type. I think that feeling material is a good way of interacting with any audience. Touching and feeling something may send across a better message than just looking at words and images. In this case, I added rough paper from old letters, ribbons found on clothing that I bought while in Bristol and images of the Water shed area I found in a tourist magazine. I didn't feel the need to congest the page with memorabilia in order for it to look like what most people believe a collage is. Simple pieces are what I feel is needed to get a message across. 


One of my favorite Contemporary illustrators at the moment is Sarah Hanson. The way in which she lays out her collages is quite distinct compared to others that I have seen from various illustrators. In the image you see here, Hanson is presenting 1950s America by clashing vintage photography with modern images of the Brooklyn bridge. There aren't too many images in one space and she sticks to a certain colour scheme which I quite like. 

Getting to know Bristol 29/09/11

Getting to know Bristol

Our first trip took place in the center of Bristol near the Water Shed Art complex. Seeing as I'm not from Bristol, I was slightly more excited about the trip than most of the people in my group because this gave me a chance to explore and get to know my new environment. From this trip I was expected to collect memorabilia in order to complete a project. As I mentioned before, I am not from Bristol so exploring the city was a bit of a challenge. 
I personally believe that Bristol is a cultural city that's saturated in an overwhelming amount of art. This was proven after the trip on my way home when I was amazed to find an entire street covered in graffiti and street art. I knew this was definitely something I wanted to capture as part of my memorabilia. 

Our project for this term is based upon ways in which we can present our view of Bristol creativley. I hope to include the graffiti art as part of my collage or maybe as part of my visual journey made around Bristol. Seeing this street for the first time inspired me to be more vibrant in my Graphic arts. 
Street art is not something that is usually embraced or admired in my home town. Rather, it is looked down upon or considered as "messy". So, this is definitely something I would like to include as part of my project.



Whilst on the trip, I tried to take photos of as many areas as I could that I felt captured what Bristol is. For me, photography is something helps me to capture a moment in time in order to conjure up ideas. So I took photos of areas that I thought would appeal to someone who hadn't seen Bristol before. On the right, you can see one of the images that I captured with my camera. I hope to use the images I captured of the water shed area in order to illustrate my view of Bristol.
Here are some of the images I took while I was on the short trip around Bristol City. I may use some of these images as part of my project to illustrate how I have gradually gotten to know Bristol. 

Here is some of the memorabilia i collected on the trip to Bristol. Because Bristol is such a cultural city, I decided to collect leaflets and brochures that were centered around art showcases and cultural festivals. The type and imagery used in some of the leaflets were quite bold and colourful so I will be using some of them as part of my collages.