Evaluation for personal project

The brief for this personal project was for us to promote music PR 'Crescendos' latest client. We were required to research and understand their target audience in order to inform our designs for a range of promotional outcomes. We were to also to follow a particular pathway, and I chose illustration, which would be the base of my essay too.

We firstly started off choosing three of our favourite artists and created a moodboard to express their style of music. I enjoyed doing this because it allowed me to get a feel of the artists, in a more free, artistc illustrious way. Because I was stuck between two artists, I was glad I got the opportunity to do that one page on them, because it allowed me to think about future outcomes and designs I could create from thinking not only about the style of their music or their song lyrics, but the sort of person they are in the real world.

We then created a 'Worldle' word cloud of all the possible outcomes we could create. As a class we came up with suggestions such as a concert poster, concert tickets, concert wristbands, CD packaging, clothing merchandise, mugs, pack of playing cards etc. My immediate interests were within the concert tickets and concert wristband, however I said from the start of the personal project that I wanted to do something out of my comfort zone and try something new, therefore I kept quite open minded and not focusing on one particular outcome.

Our next task was to complete a case study for two music PR companies, explaining who they are, how they visually promote their artists and who their clients are. I was a bit confused about this task, because it was set as homework and I didn't really feel like I had benefited much from it. I asked my teacher to explain it further to me in the lesson and she did, which she helped me understand that I was just looking into various ways of  how to advertise our chosen artist, and to think of ways it could be represented in our own style.

We then got straight to starting with experiments, and I wanted to do something floral, because Lana Del Rey embraces floral patterns, whether it's headbands or floral clothes. I started off with a spontaneous flower design that started off as a doodle which I then went on to develop to make it official. I started off using inks, however I find them difficult to use, especially as you can't blend colours well together, or show different tones, therefore I ended up going over one of the flowers with acrylic paint. The acrylic overtook the ink, and created a rough texture which I liked. I also liked how I could change the consistency of the paint to my preference. The only fallback was that I found it hard to blend colours and show a lot of detail. I then done another experiment with the same design, however I ended up using watercolour, which I am more comfortable with. I kept the detail quite simplistic, because I just wanted a rough quick experiment. I kept to using quite pale, pastel colours because I thought these represented Lana Del Rey's music better than vibrant contrasting colours. My last experiment I had randomly drawn on my lined paper notepad. I then decided to cut this out and stick it down, however I didn't know if I liked it bettie on the white or black paper, therefore I cut out a small black square and put it underneath a small section of the design.

To further my research and knowledge about flowers, I looked up flower meanings on the internet because I wanted to use specific ones that relate to her music. I also wanted to look at the flower shapes to see if there were any preferences that I wanted to work with. One particular favourite was the Jasmine flower, as I liked the shape of the petals and the way they were all positioned together. I then used these flowers that I liked to help experiment further with different materials. I started using chalk which I hadn't really used before, however I quite liked it because it was easy to influence the direction around the petals. After experimenting further with flower shapes and using different materials, I settled on a pattern that I liked and saw future potential with.

With all these floral designs and the influence of the artists I looked at (Georgina Luck, Marumiyan, Linda Ravenscroft and Alphonse Mucha), I came up with the idea of creating a piece of clothing to represent a new fashion line. I thought this was better than creating another poster, which I don't think I would have been entirely comfortable with, knowing they were't my best work. I wanted to expand my talent at something I already liked, not completely start from scratch with something that may not work. All of these artists influenced my creativity and allowed me to think outside the box and push my outcome to the best f its ability.

What I felt didn't go well was that I didn't focus on what final outcomes I would want to create until further down the project. I would have preferred to have come up with my outcomes earlier so I could have started finalising designs and coming up with final outcomes. If I had more time, I maybe would have experimented further, as I don't feel I pushed all the boundaries or really went out of my comfort zone. I did complete all the work, and I'm happy with the standard I achieved it in.

I improved my painting skills, which helped my confidence with using different materials. I also learned new skills with exaggerating certain shapes and extending the potential each design could go. I learned a new skill with using the heat press as I had never used it before. It allowed me to go out of my comfort zone, however I wish i had done practice runs before I was doing my final outcome because the process got very complicated when it came to rearranging the flowers on photoshop. It would have been nice to feel more confident, and to have idea of what the overall design was going to look like.

Evaluation for Retail

What were we asked to do and what was the brief?
Our brief for the Reatil project was to create a new identity for a Scandinavian retail company called 'kopa', that is opening branches around the UK. Our aim was to create a design that reflects the current trend for Scandinavian style. The outcomes that I aimed to produce for this project were a bag, swing tag, a vase box and a poster.

What research did I do?
To start off the project, we researched into what retail is to improve our understanding of the process and other aspects that are involved. I learnt that retail is known for providing excellent business opportunities throughout the whole world, and involves buying merchandise or a service form a manufacturer and selling it to the consumer for their personal use. This helped me understand that my aim was to sell, and to look into all different aspects that will please my chosen audience. To further our research even more, we explored the places associated with Scandinavia such as Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. We also looked into Scandinavian artists such as Sanna Annukka, Bolundberg and Darling Clementine, who all showed similar styles of work to express the Scandinavian trend. I particularly liked Sanna Annukka because her work looks very modern and expressive which allows it become more relatable to me. One aim for our project was to come up with our own designed logo to represent 'kopa', therefore we examined other retail company logo's. We looked at other companies such as 'H&M', 'Marimekko', 'IKEA', 'LEGO' and 'INDISKA', which all had bright use of colours and big over exaggerated letter shapes which contrasted with the background.

Another form of research we did was looking into colour theory. I looked into the meaning of the colours red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, white and Black. This researched allowed me look look further into which colours would be more appropriate for my final piece. We also looked into the meaning of primary, secondary, tertiary, complimentary and analous colours which allowed me to find out which colours worked best with each other. We also looked into the meaning on tone, hue and shade.

Further research we did was looking into colour theory. I looked into the meaning of the colours red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, white and Black. This researched allowed me look look further into which colours would be more appropriate for my final piece. We also looked into the meaning of primary, secondary, tertiary, complimentary and analous colours which allowed me to find out which colours worked best with each other. We also looked into the meaning on tone, hue and shade.

Marimekko and Sanna Annukka are very much big representatives when it comes to Scandinavian style, therefore we looked more closely at their work. I love the creative extended shapes that Marimekko create, and I loved their pure use of vibrant colour. Sanna Annukka's work I found very relatable because it seems so personal, and you can see her passion come through her work. Her use of pattern is is creative, because they're almost like random doodles that she expands and develops to become and final piece.

What techniques/materials did I use? 
To create our logo, we started off trying out different designs on grid paper to get an idea of size and shape of the letters. I found this difficult to work with because I intended for my letters to be rounded, however because the grid paper is made up of squares, it's difficult for the shapes to not go geometric. The shapes of the letters were also difficult to work with because the shapes didn't mould in well together. Once I had experimented with different fonts, and asked outside viewers opinions, I managed to come up with my final design which I was happy with. We then took our final fonts into illustrator to finalise the shapes and proportions. I found this particularly difficult because I'm not naturally the best when it comes to digital work, and I still wanted my font to have a natural handmade look to it. After spending ages using different shapes to create the exaggerated bend in the letter 'k', I then used the pen tool to create a bent, curved shape and this is how I accomplished the final look. I was happy in the end because it still had a sense of naturalness to it, because I didn't make it perfect, but it still had a sense of professionalism to it.

We looked into how our logo would look in greyscale, and I thought overall this worked well for me, as instead of just using colour it was awakening to do something different. I thought the darker contrasting shades were more effective for my font because it allowed the think curved shapes to stand out more against the background. Even though I liked the white writing on a grey background, when I asked people for their opinions they thought it didn't work so well because it didn't stand out enough.

We then went on to the website "Kuler Adobe" to experiment with different shades and tones of the colour theme we would want for our outcome. After looking into Scandinavian style, I knew that earthy green colours were very popular, therefore I had an idea for what I wanted to achieve, however I did keep quite open minded to stay surprised. I preferred the more organic, earthy tones because the bolder colours didn't really seem to fit in with my font. More abstract colours such as blue contrasted with my organic interpretation of Scandinavia.

We then went on to create swatches to create a surface pattern. I found this really dun because I had never done it before and I loved the free experimentation flow of creating a new design after new design. I'm happy that I really went to town and experimented with a range of different shapes, however my only downfall was that I didn't stay with my theme of organic shapes and colours because I got too carried away. None of my designs fitted in with my idea therefore I was disappointed with the majority of them, however I feel I gained a lot of ideas with a new technique and it's something I know I could take further and do more with.

The majority of these experiments were new skills that I learnt, and I feel they worked well and pushed me to go out of my comfort zone. I do wish I could have spent more time on them to allow them to be of a better standard.

What didn't go so well?
What didn't work well was the colour variations I did with my final logo, as I don't feel I experimented enough because I didn't have a lot to go by. Even though I found a colour variation I liked I feel I didn't go on to experiment with it as far as I could. I wish i had taken it furtherer to experiment further with the tones of the colours and the order I put them in.

What I also don't think went well wad the observational drawing, as I didn't experiment to the best of my ability, and I didn't take it very seriously. I just done some quick sketches that I feel if I spent more time of them they could have looked better and been more effective.

What would I do if I had more time?
If I had more time I would really focus on experimenting with my designs to the bestow my ability, and really pushing myself when it comes to my outcomes, i don't feel they worked so well because I didn't give them enough time. I would also really looked into the organic theme I wanted to produce, because I kept going off track and trying irrelevant experiments. I did manage to complete all the work however I don't think it was to the best standard it could have been.

What outcomes I produced? 
I produced the outcomes of a bag and a vase box. The bag went well because I knew how I wanted it to look and I knew how to achieve this. However my box I feel wasn't such a success as I couldn't really settle on a design layout and couldn't think of what contents to put on the actual box.

Did I meet the brief?
I do feel I met the brief as I feel my final outcomes do represent a Scandinavian style, and they do look personal and experimental.

First draft of essay

Illustration is a form of unique art that is not defined by it's medium, but by it's context. Illustration can vary from a masterful work of art to a practical business application, children's books to advertising campaigns, clothing to packaging and store displays, video games to movies and animations to comic books. I chose to focus on illustration because I feel it is such an expressive area to focus on, as it has no limitations or right or wrong answers. Some may say it's an easy route, however it's more than just painting a pretty picture, it's about creating something that may not be obviously beautiful, but being able to bring that individual beauty out for people to see. One major hobby of mine is reading, and I feel this has given me an advantage to have a broader imagination, allowing me to think outside the box. Artists such as Georgina Luck express the style of illustration that I feel is my favourite, as it's not the most delicate or precise, but it has it's own quirky and down to earth feel from it. Also, Georgina Luck takes everyday objects and puts her own twist on them, allowing them to become something more than just the obvious. Something I would like to mainly focus on would be to produce something everyday but put my own twist on it, also to show something that's like from a dream. I love looking at an illustration that shows a story, as I do believe a picture says a thousand words.

Georgina Luck

Based in the bright sunny seaside of Brighton, Georgina Luck's elegant, yet spontaneous style of work, highlights her occupation as a freelance illustrator and designer. Producing outcomes for packaging, advertising, publishing and editorial and health and beauty allow her to express her love with watercolour and ink by producing unique and personal illustrations. 

Furthermore, she confessed to using Schmincke watercolours, Schmincke Aerocolour inks and Daler Rowney acrylic inks, as she felt they are both good quality with all of them having different opacities, which allows her to have a broad range to choose from. As a commercial illustrator she is required to supply work digitally, and therefore scanning paintings through is an important part of the process, therefore she finds that Fabriano Artistico 'Extra White' paper is the only watercolour paper which doesn't dull the colours when they dry so this is best for her to use. 

The subject matter of her work depends on what she is advertising. The content doesn't go much further, as there is no work, which seems to be just a doodle, or just a drawing she has made up on the spot. What you see it what you get with her work. 

There is a natural aspect of her work, because they are highly recognizable e.g. everyone knows Heinz tomato ketchup and fruit and veg. Her illustrations are exaggerated slightly because they are not drawn to scale, the painting isn't precisely and accurately presented. 

When the images are on their own, in my opinion they look just like a normal drawing, just a sketch in someone's sketch book, however putting her images on packaging and putting text and information next to them completely allows the content to change from a drawing to the final product. 

Her images tend to be close up views, cropped with a white box around them so there is very high contrast allowing the image to stand out. Her use of lines and patterns are very minimal, as they're naturalistic drawings, so they're less dependent on looking abstract. In contrast to this, her use of tone and contrast is what makes the image become a final piece. The tones create this 3D look to certain work, and there is a sense of rhythm created through the same style of splattered paint. 

The overall arrangement is pleasing to me, as the images seem very down to earth and out there. The use of her food images looking chaotic and messy express exactly how cooking can be. I could see these images on a cutting board for the kitchen, or magnet stamps on the fridge. You can feel the sense of love and passion coming through her work.

Marumiyan

Marumiyans work appears in many ways such as magazines, CD covers, posters and product packaging. People, plants, animals and buildings are some of the many materials he expresses throughout his work, and he also mentioned that illustrating natural objects such as flowers and animals is what he believes makes the artwork vivid and brilliant. People who have viewed his work have described it as being filled with floral elements, intense energy and bright colour. This highlights his great care for detail, and thinks deeply about his use of colour. His work draws on aspects of traditional Japanese culture and the end of the 1800's art Nouveau posters, modernized by a more sophisticated understanding of light shadow invoked by the subsequent revolution in photography.

The subject matter sometimes isn't very clear, as he has a million aspects going on within one photo, which all stand out in their own way, so I tend to go by size proportion. His images tend to be based around a person, but the images have a whole look like a dream. 

The images of people tend to be side views, which I think allows other shapes and objects to stand out and be highlighted. The photo has been framed with quite a close up view, with parts of the image coming off the edges, and the whole image taking up the majority of the page. There is a definite theme throughout his work, and each piece is highly recogniseable e.g. the use of his layering and the particular images he uses such as nature and people allow his work to have its own style. 

His use of colour really allows his artwork to become their own, with constraining colours, but also harmonious and complimentary colours, which furthers his experiments with advertising. I think the way he uses size to create his focal points are really effective, as he knows what he wants the viewer to see, and he is successful in doing so.

The viewer’s attention is straight away pulled to the person in the picture, however the use of the other images gives the person more depth and meaning. I feel his images are also very much a fantasy, something like a dream or his imagination from a book he has read.

 In terms of an audience for his work, again those who are interested in fantasy and mystical interests would love his work; I believe they would work well in young children's book as they can be adapted to suit a story. I would like to try his style of work as I feel it would fit well with both handmade and digital, even both together. 

Alphonse Mucha

Alphonse Mucha

Born 24th of July 1860 and died 14th July 1939, Alphonse Maria Mucha was a Czech Art Nouveau painter and decorator, mostly known for his illustrations of women. He produced work varying from paintings, to illustrations, advertisements and designs. His singing ability allowed him to continue his education through high school in the town of Ivancice, Moravia (today's region of Czech Republic). Whilst furthering his artistic education, Mucha worked at decorative painting jobs in Moravia, mostly involving painting theatric scenery, then in 1879 moved to Vienna to work for a leading Viennese theatrical design company. He designed and published postcards, theatre and advertisement posters, numerous illustrations and decorative panels series, set around central themes inspired by nature, some printed on silk. He produced many drawings, pastel or watercolour studies and designs for interior decorations, cutlery and dinner object, jewelry and fashion.



The subject matter within Alphonse Mucha's work is highly obvious; women. This is highlighted by him making them become the focal point, by positioning them in the center, with designs based around them. His work does represent culture, as he is an important contributor to Art Nouveau, which is apparent through him creating these "s" shapes with the women's bodies, and then taking this further by adding in swirls and patterns. This is obvious as the women are placed in front of the background, so she is the top layer. This allows the viewers eye to lead straight to her.

The meaning of his artwork I believe is partly hidden, because to some people they are just images of well presented, elegant women. However I feel his work goes deeper than this, by highlighting this new movement of design of Art Nouveau, but it was also the time women were seen in a different light. His use of a circle placed usually behind the women's head resembles a symbol that he continually tends to use, which allows his work to be recognizable and well structured. The use of the circle also creates this drop background behind the lady, which allows her to stand out more, but the designs within the circle worlds around her.


The view of his work tends to be a full on body view of the women in the image, however some are cropped to just her upper body frame. The full body lengths emphasize this womanly figure and also determine the positioning if the other aspects within the photo as the body create the shape. The shapes he uses are very organic, highlighting the new style from Art Nouveau, which includes swirls and circles, entwining into each other. 

The tones in his images tend to be quite soft and harmonious, allowing the whole image to blend together. Even though some of the colours are quite organic (greens, brown and oranges) there is a sense of feminism from the use of pinks, creams and slight reds. There is a sense of rhythm through out his work as they're all similar, involving women, swirls, plants, organic colours, and a circle in the background. All these aspects do create a pleasing arrangement in his photos as they harmonies eachother, there is no clash between the objects.

I do think his first images were planned, as he had an intention of what he wanted to create, However I feel further down his career, he found the particular style he wanted, and eventually he could create images with ease and grace, as they all contain the same qualities. His work is very much watercolour based, and this creates a sense of tranquility in his photos, as they come across quite soft and not too bright.

Georgina Luck, Marumiyan and Alphonse Mucha may not have exactly the same points in comparison; however there are many similarities between them that make me love their work. When I think of illustration, Georgina Luck's work is exactly what springs to mind, as her work is the style I love. However, when I saw Marumiyan's work, it opened my eyes to look further into illustration as it looked so technical but simple at the same time. Furthermore, what I love about Alphonse Mucha's work is that it is so traditional and old fashioned, yet a very modern piece of advertising. All 3 artists use shape similarly, exaggerating them or using line to highlight them even more. Alphonse Mucha uses the original contents in his work e.g. Hair and smoke to unleash radical new decorative forms, whereas Marumiyan accompanies his main image with more images based around the focal point. Georgina Luck is the opposite as she tends to just stick to one object, but when she does use more than one, they all compliment each other by allowing the whole image to be the focal point. I like all of their use of colour, as Georgina Luck tends to use a certain brand of watercolour and inks to get the best vibrancy, Marumiyan just focuses on using the brightest colours he can use, and Mucha's work consists of neutral, organic colours that can contain a hint of feminine colours such as purple or red. All three artists are known for being used for advertising, which allows them to think more about their composition. One difference they have, which intrigues me is the use of space. Georgina Luck has her main image in the middle of the page, with white space all around it allowing it to stand out more. In contrast to this, Marumiyan doesn't leave hardly any space, which allows his image to take up the whole image making this also the center of attention. Mucha again uses up a lot of space, however some of his images do consist of just a plain background on show, which gives him this good balance between space and no negative space.

From what I have learnt from these three artists varies, as they all have different qualities that I love. Georgina Luck inspired me to become free, and willing to experiment and push myself further when it came to using different materials. Watercolour is my favourite material, which results in me using it a to more than what I do with others, however I took some risks which resulted in me using Gouashe paint which ended up becoming another favourite of mine to use. Contrasting with Luck's work, Marumiyan inspired me to think more about my work, not just towards the final outcome, but all the presentation in my book. His work has a sense of formality, however it still expresses his creative side which is how I want my work to come across. I love that Alphonse Mucha influenced the old fashioned style within my work, allowing me to look into Art Nouveau.