Let's Get Physical

"Let's Get Physical"

When I saw this, I instantly knew what it was.  It is the record album cover art for the Olivia Newton-John's album "Physical."  It is interesting to see something made in the early 80s be digitally redesigned in the modern era. 

Here's the music video if anyone wants a listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWz9VN40nCA

I know I will be using this for my New Years Resolution of getting into shape. 

Graphic Design today

Here is just a fun example of graphic design today and the capabilities of the computer.  It is full of eye catching colors and 3-D effects.  One might almost say it it Psychedelic with all the discordant colors.  I would like to see someone try to do this with out a computer.

Massimo Vignelli

I though Massimo Vignelli embodied the spirit of Helvetica quite nicely.  

"It just reads that way,"

is one of his quotes about helvetica, talking about how people can read helvetica just as easy as breathing.

Helvetica

After watching a film in Graphic Design History on Helvetica, I now have a new found appreciation for the simpler look of type as well as style.  

It blew my mind at how passionate some of the typographers were when they were describing Helvetica.  One of my favorite descriptions of it was, it is not the letters themselves that make the font, but the space around the letters that make it.  

I also like how it was said that Helvetica was made not to draw attention to itself, but to serve as a channel to get a message across and nothing more.

This is a satirical example of how most people view Helvetica

Derek Hess

Although Derek Hess was a part of the "Lowbrow" art movement, in contrast to that typical style, Hess did phenomenally realistic portrayals of the human figure.

Also here is a link to some of his sketches on T-shirts:

http://www.indiemerch.com/strhess/

Bowler Hat

Not only did I find this poster by Milton Glaser, clever and my kind of style (if I had a style) but it reminded me a great deal of the book cover I had been working on with the bowler hat.  Who knows, maybe that is Alex's (main character in "A Clockwork Orange") shadow coming up behind you.

A Clock Work Orange Book Cover Redesign

"A Clock Work Orange" is a satirical book about a sadistic, young man named Alex. The book is by Anthony Bergess and was very controversial at the time it came out, (1970s)and is still considered quite vulgar today. The book cover on the left is one that was done in the 70s. The book cover on the right is my own version. I wanted to somehow symbolize the description of the title: a clock work meaning no emotion or sympathy and orange referring to a human and their usually soft insides that do have emotion. By saying that it is a clockwork orange, which the main character, Alex is, it is implying the on the inside, Alex is as empathetic as a clock. I used the orange as the head instead of actual head to show the meaning better. I also used an clock face as one of the "Os" in the title instead of a gear in a clock for an eye. Though I thought it was quite clever, it had been done in several other book covers and I wanted to do something different and fresh. The color scheme I also wanted to be simple and modern, with the bright orange and bulging font the center of attention.

Coca-Cola ads

Victorian

Psychedelic

Digital
Here is just a glance of the progression of  Graphic styles through out history.  I note that despite some exceptions, design has become more and more bold and simplified.  This may be due to the shorter attention spans of people in this ever increasing multitasking society.

AIDS

This poster stood out to me for some reason.  It has a very high contrast and is simply made.  But a lot of thought went into this.  It is the lower part of a human, which I think everyone can relate to.  And then a cross in the place of genitalia.  This is very controversial.  I this point the viewer wants to know what the poster is about, so they will take the time to figure out the meaning of the spread out letters that spell, AIDS. 

Ed Fella

Ed Fella

This is some of Ed Fella's work.  It flows and works well together.  One of his quotes that stuck out to me was about some stepping stones in the water that he designed.  

"stepping stones for water, not for walking"

Meaning that he placed the stepping stones in places in the water that helped the water's fluidity rather than make walking across the water more accessible.

Redesigned Book Cover

I found this image while I was researching for Project 4, and thought it was a good example in updating the look of a book cover.  Today's style of design is more timeless than the styles that were in the 60s or 70s and event the 80s.  The original cover on the left was clearly made during one of those decades.  The remade cover on the right is cleaner and has higher contrast and depth for a more dramatic effect.  I do appreciate the detail of the illustrative figures on the original cover, but overall, I prefer the the remade version, because of it's clear cut yet atmospheric design.

Flag

I found these images in a graphic design book at the library.  It is a good example of saturation and brightness.  On the left you can see the saturation decreasing as you go down, until it is basically a black and white image.  On the right the brightness level is increased as you go down until the flag practically blends into the background.  This pictures helps me remember what the brightness and saturation is.

The New Yorker

Unlike the the cookies, I find this one to be hilarious, although it still condones stereotypes, it is more humorous.  I absolutely think it is genius to contrast the nun and the Muslim showing nothing but their eyes, while the "New Yorker" covers everything but her eyes.

Cookies

This was also in the magazine I did the assignment on, Luerzer's Archive.  I have never seen anything like it and I find very clever, as well a little too disturbing for my taste.  I also think that it encourages stereotypes which has been used throughout history to catch the viewer's eye,  such as American Kitsch. However, I think I am going to have to agree with the Germans on this and say it is in "bad taste."

inside the video game

This was in my Graphic Design book that I did an essay on in Graphic Design History.  

I thought it was an interesting way to make the viewer relate to the video game while at the same time showing what the game is. 

kids these days

I found this advertisement for a PSP (I think) in Luerzer's Archive and found it quite hilarious, because it seems very accurate of the modern child, especially boys these day.  

In the first image portrays a little boy sitting down getting this horrible gash on his knee treated by his mother.  However, he is completely oblivious to the cut, continuing to play his video games. The second image has the same running theme only this time, the boy is a in the doctor's office getting a shot!

This was very cleverly and effectively done, drawing attention to the boy and his game, with only having a simple surrounding background.  Then the viewer makes connections with the consistencies of position in both of the images. (the boy facing out hold and the game held up the same way)

Hallway

Here is another painting by Morgan Craig that is in the Parkland Art Gallery.  I am an room monitor there.  I have been in the same room with these paintings three times a week for four hours, so I have begun to examine them and think about what they mean to me.

I talked about this particular piece with one of my co-workers and she mentioned that it strangely reminded her of walking down her school hallway.  It is obviously not a school hallway nor is it even indoors.  In fact, it looks like a very dirty, littered, and neglected part of town or business outside next to a building. Perhaps it may have been the lighting, such as there were windows in her school hallways, or the colors that brought back an old memory for her.  

What I noticed about it is its color palette.  I see hints and tones of the primary colors which is very complementary.  I find that complementary colors is a staple in Craig's paintings in this particular exhibition.  I also noticed the extreme viewpoint of going down a hallway-like area that creates more interest than if it had just been a painting of just the brick wall or the other side, which is barely visible. 

Red Ride

This painting is in the Art Gallery at Parkland.  I was looking at all the pieces done by Morgan Craig and out of all of them I think that this one stands out the most.  It has very complementary colors, using a blue and red color scheme.  The blue ranges from a light, light blue to dark navy blue. The red is a blazing red to a dark rusty red.  The intricate red bars of the ride really pop as they criss cross against the dark lines of the bare winter trees.  

This painting does not really pertain specifically to graphic design, but I felt it should be posted anyway.   I am discovering that I find high contrast and complementary colors are what I enjoy best in a design, artwork, or anything.   

interior design

I was babysitting and I noticed that the balance that goes into interior design, in this case, the shelving as well as the placement of the objects on the shelves.

The entire wall is a design.  The shelves are symmetrical and the fireplace is centered.  The "H" on the mantle piece is the center piece and the main focus of the wall.  The objects are not 100% symmetrical, but they are semi symmetrical having similar objects (baskets, candles, pictures) about the same size in relatively the same place on either side of the wall.  A larger number of shelves on the left set of shelves wall balances the T.V. on the other set of shelves on the right.

I found that balancing and symmetry can be found just about anywhere, whether it be for practical reasons or for visual pleasure.  In this case,  since the objects on the shelve serve little purpose other than presentation, It serves more of decorative purpose than useful.  As a whole, it also helps create the mood of the room, which I would say homey, warm, and traditional. 

sunmaid

This anti Sun Maid Raisins poster was interesting to me because of the way the designer took an all ready widely known image and made it work to for his/her purpose: de-promoting the product the original design was made for: Sun Maid Raisins.

The position of the sun maid and the font is in the exact same place.  Even the style of the font is the same.  In fact, at first glance, the viewer may barely notice the sun maid is actually a skeleton.  It pops out just enough for the viewer to go take a closer look at the poster.  Then they read the font, Sun Mad Raisins instead of Sun Maid Raisins.  Now the the viewer is even more intrigued about the purpose of this poster and reads the subtitle and so on and so forth.  Then the viewer understands that the poster is essentially trying to say that Sun Maid Raisins are selling poor quality raisins.  

Overall, I feel it is a very disturbing image with a blunt message attached to it.  I find it clever and very successful though as far as the design idea though.

wingin

I found this flyer of the restaurant "Wingin Out."  I thought that the sketch of just the "Wingin" part to better see the font type.  

I like the almost bubbly letters of the letters as well as the cursive and italics.  What makes it stand out is the indication of the wing on the "W."

I think this is overall a simpler style, but nonetheless it gets the point across well for what it is advertising.

pretty nails

Since taking my first graphic design classes, I have payed more attention to the design of things, especially ones that are particularly simple, and at first glance, can seem pretty straight forward visually and not much thought had been put into the piece at all.  I have learned already that the slightest change in font and even spacing will always impact the composition of something, no matter how subtle.

This sign for the store called "Pretty Nails" I spotted at the Lincoln Square Mall is a good example of what I am talking about.  The two color schemed sign makes your attention instantly go to the font rather than the colors, since both words are the same basic color.  The word "pretty" has font that seems more humanistic and feminine to perhaps appeal more to females.  While "nails'' nice has a bold, basic font which complements the "pretty" and instantly lets the viewer know what the store is about.  This simple yet thoughtful design of a store sign is quite successful in my opinion, and it is also a style I am beginning to like.

graphic design definitions

Here are some of my favorite definitions of graphic design that were posted in GDS 102.  Just thought I would share.

"...visual message where art, communication and style merge into one to solve a visual problem."

"...the way is the way we give order to information, form to ideas, and expression and feeling to artifacts that document human experience"

"The spirit of the times" (Zeitgiest)

first post

Hey, this is also my first post ever, as I have read from other blogs.  It's quite strange that I would start blogging in an academic setting.  Always thought it was something to do as a hobby.  Not sure how I feel about, mostly because I tend to forget to do things online such as posting things...well, I take that back I am not very good at remembering things period.  Maybe I'll blog about that.