Poster Drafts - Continued

Developing my ideas for my main poster further, I decided to experiment with different colours, layers and shapes in Adobe Photoshop. I started off my sketching around an image of a model that I had previously taken with a black brush on a separate layer to the background. I then found an image of the New York skyline on Google and changed the tones in this image to make them dark pink and create silhouettes of the buildings. I Inserted this behind the sketch and cut different shapes out so that there was still a bit of white background on display. 

I decided to use an image of New York as I wanted it to link to the design exhibition being in New York, therefore creating a sense of familiarity to the viewers in the city. This is similar to my previous poster draft due to the cut out shapes that I have used, as well as a portrait sketch of a model being used. I like this effect as the image is disjointed, however a whole face is used, bringing it together. Bellow is my final draft, without any text for the exhibition included.  

Hierarchy

Hierarchy refers to the order of importance in a social group and who/what is the most to least powerful. This could link to the hierarchy of a workplace, politics and a family. It links to graphic design as visually it is portrayed through sizes/scale, value, colour, spacing and placement. All of these factors create hierarchy in a design and can change where the viewers attention is. For this task I created a variation of images using the same text, however I changed the hierarchy in each one to change where the viewers attention is. 

I changed the typography in each image by changing the boldness, colour, positioning and font on the line 'Gallery Hours'. I took the gallery information from Google Images, and will create a similar exhibition list for my own design when I get round to creating it.  

Framing

Framing brings attention to the design on the page and provides a stage for displaying images. Margins are used to protect the design from the frame and leave space for information that is needed like pages numbers. Narrow margins are used to make the design appear larger, where as wider margins are used to call attention to the design in the centre. 'Bleeds' is when an image runs off the edge of a page and this makes the image seem larger that it is. Bellow are some simple frames I created on Photoshop.

I used a narrow margin on the first frame to make the logo in the centre look larger. I also used a thick boarder as well, so it blends with the monochrome colours in the centre design. The thin red frame on the second image draws more attention to the design in the centre, as it contrasts with the red background colour. 

Poster - First Draft

Now I have experimented with the Adobe software, I started to think about my main poster design and the aesthetic style I am going to approach it with. I have been inspired by the weekly presentations based on British punk, post punk and grunge, therefore started to look at using dark colours with one bright colour in, which was my original idea. I used an image I have taken and converted this to black and white, adding a strong contrast. I then drew around this face on Photoshop in a sketchy and rough style and took away the full image is certain places creating blocks of black and white. 

I then decided I wanted a neon effect and darker colours so changed the background to black. This makes the pink colour that was used to sketch the models face stand out more and creates a stronger contrast. 

In terms of typography, I used the font 'Chalkduster' and decided to pun on the work 'blocks' as these are the main shapes used across my whole design. I was inspired by David Carson and Malcolm Garrett in the way I displayed the words on the page. Specifically Garrett, due to the way he places different letters from the same words on different lines. 

Bellow is the final version of my first draft. I will add a date/location/web address of the design exhibition in the future as I develop my idea further and think of ways to move from this in order to create a successful marketing campaign. 

Figure / Ground

The figure and ground always relate to each other - the figure (form) is seen in relation to what is surrounding it (the ground). Contrast is needed in images, as a white shape on a white background is invisible to the viewer, this means that the figure/form is not there. There should be a balance between the figure and ground as this creates space on the page. 

I created these images on Adobe Photoshop using a letter for each one to experiment using figure and ground in terms of composition. I used the lower case letters i, e and s to create these examples and they suggest a relationship between the background and objects on the page. 

These next two images were created using multiple upper case letters in each design. I created these to portray the positive and negative space across the design and the contrast in the letterforms. They also create a balance between the figure (black letterform) and the ground (white background). 

90's Post Modernism Presentation

Here is a presentation I created to present in front of my class on 90's post modernism:

90s post modernism from amygillespie12345

Notes

Glitch

"Glitch art is the practice of using digital or analog errors for aesthetic purposes, either by corrupting digital data or by physically manipulating electronic devices." To create a glitch using Adobe Photoshop, I chose an image with bright colours in to create the look of multicolours in my final design. I selected thin sections of the colour in the image and stretched them to distort the picture and stretch the pixels. 

Here is the glitch I created from the image above:

Colour

In modern graphic design, colour has become essential, as in the past it was solely black and white. There is an infinite range of hues and intestines that help in bringing media to life. Colours are used in a way that compliment each other in the composition, for example two strong contrasting colours used against each other are usually there to make a statement. 

The human eye sees colour in relation to others around it as a light tone would look lighter against a dark background than against a paler one. 

Rhythm and Balance

Balance is very important in design as I creates relationships on the page that effects the overall composition. Visual balance is needed and this happens when everything is places evenly and proportionally on the page. Large and small objects should be on opposite sides, as well and darker and lighter colours. Rhythm looks at repeated patterns and is used to construct images that have a sequence. Bellow are my examples of symmetry on a page:

Scale, Depth, and Motion

For this task I was asked to think of words that opposite meanings in order to manipulate text to reflect its meaning. The scale and placement of the texts creates meaning and conveys conflict between the opposite words. The first words I used were 'tall' and 'short' and I scaled these words to reflect what they mean. I also used the 'T' to connect the two words on the page and this helped with the composition. 

The next example I used and created included the words 'inside' and 'outside'. I changed the scale of the text to create effective composition, and reflect the meanings of the words. The placement of the letters 'side' in the 'in, portray the meaning to the viewer, and also looks good on the page. 

I then created the image bellow using the twirl tool on Adobe Illustrator in order to give the word its meaning visually. I twirled each letter separately and then rearranged them on the page, still in order but so they fit into each other. 

Five Squares Ten Inches

For this task I was asked to create an image using text in order to create different textures on the page. I used the font 'Helvetica' on all the paragraphs, but manipulated the size, opacity, and line space in order to change the appearance of the text. I then positioned the text on the page to create an effective composition. I overlaid the text to create the look of different texture, balance, tension and depth. I also let the words bleed of the page in multiple areas to create a sense of continuity. 

Organising Form and Content

For this task, I created different colours in a grid to show how the same structure can create different compositions visually. Patterns can be created by using the grid, as it is able to construct compositions, layouts and patterns by positioning the colours in different ways. 

I did this task using both colours and grey scale. The darker grey colours contrast with the lighter and this conveys how it would be if it were printed. 

Poster inspiration - Continued

To continue my research into posters I created these two designs, using existing poster designs as inspirations. This allowed me to experiment with different tools on Photoshop and Indesign and start to get to grips with new software. 

My First Designs

Here are some designs I have created, inspired by posters in my previous post. 

I created these using Adobe Photoshop, by sketching over my original images on a new layer. I then used one solid block colour for the lips, that stands out and creates contrast in front of the light pastel coloured background. 

Poster Inspiration

After looking at the graphic design brief, I have started to look into posters and images that I find interesting and relate to what I want to look at in this module. I want to incorporate a fashion company into my web designs and look into logos, fashion photography and the overall layout of fashion magazines. 

I like the idea of geometric shapes used across posters as even though they look simple, they are still very effective and create a strong impression. I also want to keep the colour scheme to black and white, with a pop of a bright colour as this really stands out for me. 

Posters that inspire me use very simple shapes made out of thin lines, but all have strong fonts had more depth to the image, as well as block colours.