Biking

tried out a cool bike today

Manifesto: Defense System Sketches

In the manifesto Project, I developed defense system for the society. 

Below sketches are some of my developments.

Sketches for Biography Project

These drawings are about the Biography of Gerrard Winstanley, who lived in the 1648. 

He is a man with utopian dream, fought for an equal world, but eventually failed.

Manifesto Progress

Working on the manifesto's illustration recently, above are some of the work I've done this week.

Costume Design

Had fun with costume making in these 2 days, really enjoyable and tried to build the character in 3D by my own hands. The fashion show was incredible, good job everyone :)

Dog Drawing

Drew my friend's dog, his name is Fatbo.

It looks like a Shiba Inu, but it is actually a Pomeranian.

Movie Drawing: Godzilla(1954)

I borrowed a B/W monster movie called: Godzilla.

It is released in 1954, the first monster horror movie in Japan. 

I captured some screenshots and made some 2 drawings.

I found the relationship between B/W very interesting, and the counter space helps a lot when you are drawing.

Movie review: Princess Mononoke - Hayao Miyazaki

I watched this animation tonight, it was an awesome animation.  A very good reference of story making, and art direction.

5 needs for my world

These few days were thinking about which 5 basic needs I should have in order to survive, It is quite a funny process to know what kind of person I am. 

I need a giant tree for shelter.

I need a lamp to shine under darkness.

I need a dog as my friend, helper, as well as slave.

I need a true soulmate who I really can communicate with.

I need a metronome to help me create music.

Natural History Museum visit last Sunday

I finally draw the front of a 2 toed sloth.

These are some sketch about human living needs.

Tippo's Tiger Collage

Recently I started to do some collage,  I made this in V&A last weekend.

Project 5: How does Stegosaurus come

http://vimeo.com/35215594

It's an animation created for the object brief.

Camberwell needs Captain Camberwell

We've been discussing what Camberwell needs, and we agreed there should be a superhero for camberwell. Therefore we come up with a superhero story. The story was about a postman named Paddie Rambleclew who have been serving residents in Camberwell for decades. Because of the evil witchMaggie who sucks out all the happiness and wealth in Camberwell, he turned himself into Captain Camberwell and fight against her.

We divided the story in 6 parts, and I drew part 6, which is the ending. 

Plot:

Maggie kidnapped Capt. Camberwell's girlfriend Linda, and tied her on the top of the St Giles Church at the Wilson's Road. Capt. Camberwell chased after and tried to get his girl back.

BA ILLUSTRATION STAGE ONE UNIT 1 Written ASSIGNMENT Part I

Part I: Overview

Modernism is a term to describe art and design movements starting from the early 1900s. It changes the way we treat art and design. Images are no longer for decorative purposes, images themselves are already what the content is. In my understanding, modern art is the starting point of modernism. The cubists, postimpressionists, surrealists, expressionists all contributed to form modernism. 

The cubists (e.g. Braque, Picasso) introduced abstract images to this world, it gives a foundation to build up symbolic images later on. It broke the norm of putting a proper human image on the artwork and introduced geometric plates to ‘reform’ the human figure. The cubist invented forms that are signs rather than the outward appearance.

As well as cubists, the postimpressionists (e.g. Cezane) broke the rule that everything on the page should be what we see. Instead, they choose to express the spatial arrangement and personal emotion. This is a very important element of modernism. It involves the emotion of the public from every walks of life( labor, workers), and use clear spatial arrangement to address the relationship of objects in the artwork.

To practice these ideas, new medium are introduced. Artists no longer rely on paint and brushes as their medium, collage and photographs give another way to for them to explore more possibilities. Especially on illustration, the collage methods are widely used to create strange juxtapositions. It allows images transferring from printed matter to a drawing or painting and enabled variety of images.

In the sense of nature, modernism is not asking for a fancy image. It goes in the opposite way, it desires for the realness of purpose and the realness of character. It aim to show what genuine nature of the world. With this idea, artists in this era believed that in making more intelligent images is a way to make a better world.

BA ILLUSTRATION STAGE ONE UNIT 1 Written ASSIGNMENT Part II

Part II: Visual Examples

Observation 1: 

{Intersect point between words and Images} 

words and image are inseparable, image as text, text as image

1.Jan Rajlich, 1984, poster for Opera performance The Stani Divadlo Brno

Instead of showing a real crime scene, the above images uses a knife to substitute the letter ‘I’ which tells us that it is a thrilling drama. Moreover, there’s a torn mark across the types, which emphasis the movement in killing. On the Knife, there is a red mark to represent blood. It helps to catch the attention of the reader and push the terror atmosphere to a higher level. Therefore, this image perfectly applied to the realness of purpose. Moreover, to strike a visual balance, we can see the name ‘Alan Berg’ and the torn paper image are laid on the same vertical line.

2. Herbert Bayer, 1928, Bauhaus Magazine Cover

This image combine the type with the illustration. The title ‘Bauhaus’ was drawn in a newspaper illustration form, together with some geometric forms and stationery images. In this situation, we can say the word ‘Bauhaus’ is type, as well as illustration. The image uses a confrontation composition to address the title in an effective way.  We can see the pencil is pointing at the word ‘Bauhaus’, which creates a reading flow to lead readers to read the title. Moreover, intersection of the triangular ruler and the shadow of the cylinder also points to the headline.

3. Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, 1923, typophoto poster for tires

To visualize the brand as well as the product, the above image distorted the brand’s name into a curve and make it as the path for a vehicle. The road itself becomes the type, and the type itself becomes the road. In this case, the word and the image are combined. Moreover, the car’s shadow is substituted by the letter ‘N’, which make the words and illustration inseparable.

4. Jaroslav Sura, "Pisné a Tance Jugoslavie," theatre performance of Yugoslav songs and dances poster by Jaroslav Sura, 1966.

Again, type and illustration intersect and form a unity. The type in this poster becomes the feather of the bird, as well as the title. Moreover, the bird’s image is only form by some big red color plates and some small black color plates. Furthermore, the type arrangement has a playful rhythm, which is like playing music. In addition to this, the type design is simply form by organic geometric forms, which makes a playful tone.

5. Jean Carlu, 1949, poster to promote Pan American Fly to Europe

Instead of showing different European Countries photos, Jean Carlu choose to integrate the elements of different European Countries and create unity with Illustration. In this image, the letter ‘E’ is enlarged and illustration are put into the letter. The illustrations used are geometric, and aligns with the letter ‘E’ For example, the weapon of the royal guard aligns with the vertical edge of the letter, and the hands of the train platform staff aligns with the right corner in the middle of the letter. 

BA ILLUSTRATION STAGE ONE UNIT 1 Written ASSIGNMENT Part III

Part III: Quotes & Citations

Communication is carried out in a very simple way, however the content itself may not be simple. Such efficient and aesthetic images are based on the creative effort of designers themselves. The idea may be represented through a symbol, texture, or color. Therefore, in the age of modernism, things being visualize are no longer things we can see, but ideas or concepts that we cannot see or touch. 

‘ The problem is not simple; it is very complexity virtually comprehensible, one which translates abstract ideas into visual forms.‘ (Paul Rand, 1947, p.13)

The next step in the development of cubism was the bird’s-eye view, giving a more inclusive vista. To see an object frontally means to see it in elevation. From above not only the elevation can be seen, but also the plan and some of the sides. (Moholy-Nagy, 1946, p. 117)

Moreover in the modern age, information and demands are increasing, information are booming out from everywhere. Therefore, a right visual manner and tone is a very important element to help the reader to identify and choose the right thing to look at.

Due to this problem, the working way of designers change. They are no longer only paint, but use tools that relate to the things that they are visualizing. For example, Ruedi Külling’s poster for Bic pens Ad, 1965. The designers work with ball pens to show the genuine feature of the product. 

‘Visual characterization makes for directness and immediacy. People haven’t got time to stop in the street, size a poster up, see what it refers to and then decide whether or not it interests them. Communication must be instant and it must be exact.’ (Bruno Munari, 1966, p.55)

Later, textures (woody, sandy, glossy) were added to the shading. They helped to attain better legibility. 

(Moholy-Nagy,1946 , p.124)

On top of this, visual experiments are very common at this age, and it helps designers to result unexpected outcomes. This is follows very well with the idea of modernism. There are no specific style of modernism, but there is the spirit of modernism. People are not keening on certain kind of method or tools. Instead, they are trying to explore different possibilities, as much as possible. Through this process, the designers has a large sheet of results and they can pick up one that best suits their idea. 

‘...experiments in the visual lead him to try out all possible combinations and methods in order to arrive at the precise image he needs for the job in hand, and no other...’ (Bruno Munari 1966, p.55)

Besides using a large variety of tools, the integration of image is also another milestone established by the modernist. As the image turns abstract, the images no longer need to look like real objects. Due to this, the image makers and designers integrate different images and created new meanings. Like the poster by Jan Rajlich, (1984, poster for Opera performance The Stani Divadlo Brno) the knife and the word ‘voicek’ are integrated, and the knife no longer stands for a knife, it can also stand for ‘i’.

By contrasting type and pictorial matter, the designer is able to create new combination and elicit new meanings.

(Paul Rand, 1947, p.82)

‘the business of 2 or more images in one must be taken into account by the graphic designer when he is trying to achieve really concentrated visual communication.’ (Bruno Munari 1966, p.72)

BA ILLUSTRATION STAGE ONE UNIT 1 Written ASSIGNMENT Part IV

Part IV: Critical analysis

Idea of modernism:

From the previous studies, I’ve summarized the characteristics of modernistic illustration into the below characteristics:

1. less is more

2. illustrative type arrangement

3. experimental tools and method

4. purposely abstract image

5. tools used in the design reflects the mood and manner in the image

1. variating mode of practice
2. Color order (reading path)

Base on the above 7 rules, we’ll see the whether the chosen examples conform with the idea of modernism.

As I mentioned many times, the modernist always have experiment on the tools they use to create work. However, will it be a form of stereotypical practice if they keep on repeat some kind of “new tools” ? For example, the practice of san-serif letters. From the above examples, we can see all the types are all san-serif. However, does san-serif types means modernism? Obvious not.  It depends on whether there’s a need for san-serif letters. As san-serif letters are also very effective symbols. It can give you about the tone, and the time of the idea that is being visualize.

‘The visual statement...which seeks to express the essence of an idea, and which is based on function, fantasy, and analytic judgement, is likely to be not only unique but meaningful and memorable as well.’ (Paul Rand, 1947, p.36)

Moreover, is the illustrative type arrangement may not be a way to represent modernism. If the legibility and readability is ignored, the integration with type and illustration will become useless. The target of effective and prompt communication is failed. If this target is failed, the type visual will become an over-decorated image which blocks people to understand. In this sense, it will be similar to black letters, which has high aesthetic value, but low communication value. The poster by Laszlo Moholy-Nagy (3) may not be a good way of communication as the letters are compressed and it will take the readers to catch the word. However it follows the form of a racing track, which can lead people to read along. This act secures the reader to read the visual as well as the words.

“originality” depends on the successful integration of the symbol as a visual entity with all other elements, pointed to a particular problem, performing a specific function consistent with its form.(Paul Rand, 1947, p.46)

Besides this, the Poster by Herbert Bayer (2) may falsify that abstract form is a must in modernism. In Bayer’s poster, he used very realistic style of illustration instead of simplified symbols or forms. He cared fully create an image which is alike what we see. However it doesn’t mean that he failed to be a part of modernism art. When we pay attention to the composition of the poster, we can see the objects are all pointing at the word ‘bauhaus’, which forms a confrontation composition. In this way, our eyes will automatically look at ‘bauhaus’ at the first sight.

If we move to the airline poster designed by Cassandre (5), we will discover that he used over 10 colors in the poster. In this sense, we can argue that it may not perfectly conform with the idea of modernism as it can have more space for simplification. If we only keep the silhouette of the characters and their color, we can still tell what the characters are. As these images are all famous features of those countries. We can automatically traced back what do they refer to. 

Bibliography for written assignment

Vision in Motion,

    by Moholy Nagy, 1946

Design as Art

    by Bruno Munari, 1966

Megg’s History of Graphic Design 

    by Philip B. Meggs & Alston W. Purvis, 2005

Thoughts on Design

    by Paul Rand, 1947

Posters by the Members of the Alliance Graphique Internationale 1960 - 1985 

    edited by Rudolph De Harak, 1986