Artist's Research "Logo Design"

Sean McCabe

Sean McCabe is a type designer who takes a more traditional hand drawn approach to his work. After looking through his work, this image labelled "hello NY" caught my attention. Although I like the hand drawn look of his type, it's the placement of the pen that I notice more.  The pen instantly reminds me of the towering sky scrapers that New York City is famous for, I'm not sure if this was intentional because I would have placed the pen in a more upright position, but non the less it's a clever touch to the piece of graphic art.

What I like about hand drawn type is that personal feel. It's about those imperfections that make it your own, it's about that individual mark which is your signature. I can see this style working quite well in my project because it fits within the era of war. The imagery in the period would have that hand drawn feel to it because of the limited technologies that were available in that time.

Once again though, it's this idea of seeing objects (in this case) or letters in a very different way that is interesting me the most.

www.dribbble.com/seanwes

Peter Vasari

Peter Vasari is a graphics designer who specialises in logo design and branding. Although his work is simplistic in style, the combination of type and illustration to strengthen the message is really quite clever. I like how he sees the word or the product that he is promoting and visualises it in a very different way. 

I particularly like the "Martini House" piece, he's managed to visualise and turn the negative space between two martini glasses in to a house. Although I used the word simplistic, I'd say that the logos have a more modern feel to them, I can see them belonging too top quality products or a classy place to drink (Martini House)

So what could I gain from theses? Well I think the main point to take from this is seeing words in a very different way, it's about thinking out of the box and visualising them, to strengthen the massage that you are communicating.

www.petervasvari.com

Evan Stremke

Although I'm not overly keen in this piece of work, I do admire his ability to turn words into pictures. 

It seems that there are two common themes here to take way from this research which is simplicity and seeing words and objects in different ways. My logo needs to be simple and If I include a illustration, I mustn't over do it. 

As for the other main point (seeing words differently)  I can see further scope with this idea!

www.dribbble.com/evanstremke

Depict 90 Second Shorts

I'm going to finish off my professional practise unit (Blog) about an upcoming film festival known as Depict 90 Second Shorts. This category allows ammeter film makers, such a my self creating and showcasing our work to the general public and other film makes alike.

The idea of being limited to just 90 seconds makes you think about how you use the time wisely because you have to get a message across in a short space of time. This leads to more original and more creativeness.

Although I never thought that my career would go down a film making route, it's a route that has seemed to capture my imagination. I don't see it completely taking over my normal design work an illustrations, but I do say never say never.

A festival such as this would be the perfect stepping stone that could turn in to a new career direction. I might even consider learning more about the media industry in the, but for now I see it as a interesting way to communicate a message using a mix of graphics, illustration and footage. 

Click the link to find a whole archive of 90 second shorts done by various film makers.www.depict.org

Review Of the HND Units

What can I say about the HND units as a whole? Well, each one compliments the other. Concepts are important because you need the ideas for originality to make your work attractive an new to potential clients. Design principals are the fundamental basics of which to build from to realise those ideas.

Digital media is a major part of our culture and to be successful and stand out, you must have a digital presence in one shape or form. Design is important because you have to be able to stick to a rigid, logical structure to meet deadlines and work out costs so you aren't underselling your work. Design gives you the understanding of how to develop and learn how to problem solve when trying out new processes and techniques.

Although theory isn't my most favourite subject, I understand it's power to generate new ideas by Referencing and sourcing information to generate the initial concept, this actually comes before the concept, just after the given brief. Unit 5 was about creating a brief which gives yourself a definite goal, whether you write one for freelance yourself or you are given one at work, it basically gives you the frame work to build upon. Unit 8 which was all about a presentation of ideas gave men the confidence to promote my work professionally with confidence. which plays an important role in interviews or meetings with clients.

Professional practise is more about self promotion, it has given me the understanding of how to promote and make contacts with the world. Exhibition will test my management skills to the maximum which will hopefully be successful.

I'm not even sure if I have covered all of these units or whether I have covered them in enough detail but what I will finish with is that you have to see them all as one. Each one plays an important part to design. You can't be just a good draughtsman to be successful without the ideas, you can't be  contemporary interior designer without the know how and research, of knowing what sells in this point in time. My point being is you have to learn them all, understand them and harness their power to create original pieces of art.

Pro's & Cons of My Specialism

Cons

For a change, lets start with the cons. I there is one thing that is a down side to the design industry, it's the fact of how much It can take over your life! There has been times where I just can't generate ideas which can lead to lack of sleep because it frustrates me. Then when I get an idea, it plays on my mind so much,that I just have to write it down where ever this may occur which yet again, is usually when I'm in bed.

There has also been times where I'm up late, working in the early hours of the morning to meet deadlines which can be very taxing on the mind. I suppose keeping a balance is going to very important in the near future.

This is how I can be, whilst trying to fit in both work and college, so I would imagine that taking on freelance work would be the same, but there is a positive side this, which is that I have learnt to adapt, respond and deliver with professionalism.

Pros

The pros are easy, I love being creative but it goes deeper than that. I believe it's a purpose, I don't like to be big headed but I'm told I have a talent which shouldn't be wasted. So I set out to do exactly that. Another part I enjoy is the challenges you face with design. You have sit and think long and hard sometimes like trying to work out a puzzle, and when you get that idea, you get a kind of a buzz. This extends into my research because i get that same buzz when a technique or process just works.

Recently in my latest project (Write Down Their Stories), my work has evoked emotion which has given me a feeling that no other piece of work has done before. I felt a sense of proudness, like what I was doing had a real impact and significance which makes me even more determined to drive the project to further heights.

I can't say it's about the money because I don't earn that much, but I do look at the earnings for job roles that I feel I could meet and the wages are good for a comfortable lifestyle.

One last thing is the sense of achievement that I gain through design. Today, as I write, I opened up this months Games Master magazine and there it was, Behind the Screens was in the public eye. Behind the Screens was my last project which I created as an expression for games being a form of art. It acted as sort of symbol of a full circle of my art career because it was style that I revisited to see the progress that I made from that small beginning over five years ago.

Now that circle is complete I feel like I need to move on, to take that step into professionalism and see where the road takes me which is exciting!

Craig Ward "Words Are Pictures"

Craig Ward is a well established graphics designer who pushes the boundaries of typography in new and exciting ways. The title of his website "Words are Pictures" is most certainly the case when you take a loom through his quality body of work.

I love how Craig manages put across a message clearly using what some may consider, unclear type but as you can see it works very well.

This is down to this idea of treating words as pictures to strengthen the message using materials that tie in with the words. I love his inventiveness such as his "Hot 100" type, I don't know for sure but I would imagine that he painted water around the parts he wanted to intact, then simply lit it and photographed it.

It's his simplicity that I admire the most in the look and his ideas, In the Dangerous piece below, he has managed ton see a letter "D" in an explosion and turned it on it's side, so clever yet so simple. I love the detail of the gradual erosion of the neighbouring letters.

Overall, Craig is one of my favourite graphics designers who's work continues to inspire me and no doubt others, his work is both inventive as well as creative which doesn't sacrifice clarity.

Craig Ward
www.wordsarepictures.co.uk

Mentors

I'm quite fortunate to be working along side two professional Graphics Designers who both have a lot of experience working for both Design Agencies and in freelance.

Their names are Cyrus Hulme and Dean McFarlane and they both have a manageable client bases out of work. I have already learnt so much from these two and I do believe that I have surprised them myself with some of my work. They have taught me so many things from basic packaging layout, to being accurate with type. They have almost had to pull me back sometimes, telling me to go with a much simpler approach, which is something I have found difficult in the past. I know that I can still learn so much from these two and  when I start to work in freelance myself  intend to keep on listening to their advice and ask questions when needed.

As well as these two, I do believe that I will meet new people that will help me along with my journey and hopefully I can do the same for them. Emma Metcalfe maybe another person that may be able to help me with the illustration side of my work and who knows, I may bump into (Gregg Staples who is an illustrator who has made it big) in my next visit to Sainsbury's.

I suppose the most important thing is to isolate myself from other designers, I need to talk to them and embrace their advice as it will no doubt benefit me in the long run.

The AOL "The Association of Illustrators

I found out the Association of Illustrators through my artist's interview with Emma Metcalfe. She pointed out how you can receive vital support as a freelance illustrator so it was only natural that I did some further research into the organisation.

Established in 1973 to advance and protect the rights of illustrators as well  encourage professional standards, the AOL strives to sole promote the existing and upcoming professional work of illustrators.

The site has been built over time to this network of portfolios that are diverse in style to suit the many different potential clients. By the looks of things, If I join up for a reasonable fee I would be able to promote my style of illustration through this well known establishment which would be great.

I also notice that there are many award opportunities to enter which could potentially give your career a massive boost and that there are forums with many different illustrators from all walks of life that could lead to potential collaborations meaning more work and contacts.

There is a online shop full of helpful resources such as books to give you a better understanding which become discounted if you become a member.

Speaking of membership, If I join I will receive access to a members only part of the website, which gains me access to documents such as illustrators fees that are being achieved as well as being part of a community so I don't feel alone.

You will be granted access to a one hour one to one (online I think) with an accountant to explain the best professional practise in keeping invoices and paying tax, which would be helpful and above all else support on judging a price tag on your work, which I have found hard to do in the past.

Overall, I believe that the AOL is going to be a important step to take when I'm ready to join, when I say ready, I mean when I have a definite style that is manageable and suitable for a specific target audience and a well presented portfolio that is specifically illustrative, because illustration is just one part of my overall skills that I hope to offer professionally