Context Blog : November 2012

Thursday, 29 November 2012

Context of Practice lecture - 28/11/2012 -Typography

Lecture notes from COP lecture on the history of typography, session 28/11/2012

Monday, 26 November 2012

Harvard Referencing Task

After learning how to to reference our sources of information in accordance to the Harvard referencing system we were then set a task to source 5 different books that would assist/support our essays in relation to the 5 essay questions given during the session last week.

After sourcing these books we were then asked to reference these books in the Harvard referencing manner in order to practice this way of documenting text that we would use to support our essays in the near-future.

Chosen five books:

Harvard reference:

Best S. & Kellner D. (1997), 'The Post modernist-turn', 72 Spring Street, New York, A Division of Guildford Publications Inc.

Beazley M. (2001), 'Pioneer of Modern Graphic Design A complete history', 2nd,2-4 Hernon Quays, London E14 4JP, Octopus Publishing Group Ltd.

Levenson Micheal H. (2011), 'Modernism', Grand Rapid Michigan, Integrated publishing Solutions.

Appignanesi R. & Garratt C. (1999), 'Introducing postmodernism', 5th, Grange Road, Duxford, Cambridge, CB2 4QF, Icon Books Ltd.

Kolocotroni V. Goldman J. Taxidou O. (1998), ' Modernism An Anthology of Sources and Documents , 22 George Square, Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press.

Tuesday, 20 November 2012

Harvard Referencing Seminar

Session notes on Essay writing, 5 proposed essay questions along with Harvard referencing guidelines 20/11/2012 :

Monday, 19 November 2012

STUDIO TASK 2 - Beauty, Style & Taste

After being put into a group and discussing our findings an justifying are reason of why we liked or disliked our partners a5 designs we then were set two tasks.

Task 1- Summarise briefly why you like and don't like in response to aesthetic rules (What & Why).

LIKE

Brief summary

The reason that I feel that this piece of design is successful in accordance to the set of aesthetic rules is firstly due to the fact that is abides by the 'colour scheme should be simplistic' rule, thee designer here has clearly just used black type on a white background un order to compensate for the subtly challenging interpretation of the typography on the page, the use of contrasting simple colours allows for the focal point to be easily detectable on the page. I also feel that the design is not over-clutttered although the type on the second and third line requires a level of unraveling I feel that the type has been structured and positioned in the centre of the page with a clear left alignment. Although the piece is not entirely 'clean and crisp' I feel that it is engaging from the perspective of the audience as it gives them a visual puzzle to unravel mentally.

DISLIKE

Brief Summary

I strongly dislike this piece based on its aesthetical value firstly due the fact that firstly it is pixelated thus repelling against this rule of 'the design should be clean and crisp', the fact that when in a print format the type is illegible decreases the visibility and readability thus reducing this aspect of 'clean and crisp. Although it fulfils the rule of 'there should not be more than 3 fonts in one piece' I feel that the typeface used is not relevant to the image that is being presented to the audience. The colour scheme also seems to be black in white the same as the previous design however the colour does not seem relevant to the context as the context is not interpretable or understandable.

Once deciding upon the three most important aesthetic rules from the list we compiled as a entire group we were then set a task to select three of the most important and crucial rules.

Task 2 - Take 3 aesthetic rules and identify 3 examples of graphic design that fulfil these rules

Rule 1: The elements on the page should be structured.

http://lisathatcher.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/023_nevillebrodywork.jpg

http://www.behance.net/gallery/LOGO-DESIGN-III/5971431

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_06OnHwKw9VPhb9x4kwzuIJ8Z923DhA6E0mVcjKr3HdYv-x0HQlao1hfwjK-bsrgr0HFr4lrADx6J6yXbHMZY514zi16NZ7RZg-EMRv6LFhREhug30KHRE0jufkWj8BH6He5J1gcMqK4/s1600/the-black-keys-brothers.jpg

The reason that these set of images fulfil the 'the elements on the page should be structured is due to the fact that all type which has been used in all three pieces is centralised to the middle of the page helping establish the focal point for the audience and creating a grid-like finish for the pieces. In terms of the positioning the type in the first image has been put into a circle-like shape in the second image it takes a rectangular form and tin the third image a square form rounding of the beginning and end of the lines.

Rule 2: The design should be clean and crisp.

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Logos-2012/6025521

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Accent-(Free)-Display-Typeface/2624657

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Metropolis-1920/3244285

The reason I have chosen this set of images to fulfil the rule of 'the design should be clean and crisp' is due to the fact that these images have spacing around the type and image, this spacing around the type and image creates clarity thus making the piece of design clean and crisp. The use of minimal colours also adds to this sense of simplicity, there is no confusion or over complication or mis-connotation through the colours used.

Rule 3: The design should not be over-cluttered.

http://www.behance.net/gallery/YO/5194195

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Shelton-Slab/6041495

Although of these images shown above have more elements than the image chosen for the other two rules, the reason I have chosen these three images is due to that fact that I think that this proving this rule makes much more sense with more elements on the page. These images work as a set and fulfil the rule due to the fact that they have a substantial amount of type and image to communicate a message however these elements have been structured in a grid.

Task 3 - Identify 5 more examples for each rule of non- graphic design, it can be sculpture, design interior, film etc.

Rule 1- The elements on the page should be structured.

Industrial design- http://www.behance.net/gallery/Write-a-Bike/716663

cinematography - http://www.behance.net/gallery/Moiss-Broggy-Documentary/5674915

Digital photography - http://www.behance.net/gallery/Impossible-Spaces-/4483347

Installation - http://www.sagmeister.com/taxonomy/term/80#/node/225

Installation design - http://zeospot.com/tmw-technical-museum-entrance-by-querkraft-architects-a-nice-tree-illumination-interior-and-seating-area-design/tmw-technical-museum-illumination-tree-installation-design/

Rule 2 - The design should be clean and crisp

Photography - http://www.behance.net/gallery/Your-beautiful-eyes/428809

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Frau/5010395

http://www.behance.net/gallery/MaquiNiTAS-adidas/1759238

http://www.behance.net/gallery/Album-Digital-Brand/6353713

Architecture - http://www.academicsciences.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/architecture1.jpg

Rule 3 - The design should not be over-cluttered.

Illustration - http://www.behance.net/gallery/TWTH-Atelier/5648359

Packaging design - http://www.behance.net/gallery/Hugo-Wolf-Lied-Lab/5819279

Digital photography - http://www.behance.net/gallery/Scars-II/6142809

Art direction - http://www.behance.net/gallery/LOGO-DESIGN-III/5971431

Photo illustration / Game Design - http://www.behance.net/gallery/Analog-vs-Digital/2866745

Sunday, 18 November 2012

CoP workshop - Friday 16/11/12

Prior to this content of practice session on Friday we were asked to bring along 6 images in A5 format. The 6 images had to consist of 2 images that we liked/disliked, 2 images & text that we liked and dislike and 2 images that were purely type based, that we liked/and disliked.

These are the images that I selected for each required set:

TYPE AND IMAGE:
LIKE DISLIKE

Like: http://cdn.stereogum.com/files/2012/01/Lana-Del-Rey-Born-To-Die1-608x608.jpg
Dislike: http://www.behance.net/gallery/Catalan-wines/4299047

TYPE:
LIKE DISLIKE

Like:http://costaskay.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/the-black-keys-brothers-album-cover.jpg
Dislike:http://www.behance.net/gallery/Ephemera/5334183

IMAGE:
LIKE DISLIKE

Like:
Dislike:http://www.behance.net/gallery/QR-Codes/5142631

After sharing with our groups the reasons behind selecting these particular pieces of work based on there visual aesthetics and quality we were asked to compile a list of descriptive words individually that described good and bad aesthetics, after this task we then collectively as a group formed a list based on answers contributed by everyone.

Selecting one like and one dislike and one image of our choice we then using this list we then were given 5 seconds to look at our images and write down one word, given 10 seconds to write down two words and then given 20 seconds to look at the piece and write down another two words.

Descriptive outcome based on the task:

After conducting this exercise we partnered ourselves up with another individual and swapped 3 images, we then conducted the task again using our partners selected three images.

It was interesting to compare and contrast our response to the pieces and to try and identify which two pieces my partner liked and disliked, we both equally got one image wrong for each other. This task clearly helped us realise that personal preference and personal opinions are huge factor to consider within graphic design, it is the audience who are responding to the piece not necessarily other graphic designs.

After this task we then in partners compiled a list of 10 rules that helped us to judge a piece of graphic design:

From this list we then further decided individually on three most important rules, the rules that I decided to select consisted of:

1) The elements on the page should be structured.

2) The design should be clean and crisp.

3) The design should not be over-cluttered.

The Anatomy of Type - part 3 - 13/11/12

TYPE AND CHARACTER:

At the beginning of this session we were asked to bring along all of our research that we had collated on our partners 5 typefaces. We then shared the important elements of our findings with our groups that we in the previous session. It was interesting to discuss and learn about the history behind some of the typefaces, everything ranging from the cost of the typeface to the period that it was created.

After this task we were then asked to find our original typefaces that we had brought in the previous week to exchange. We were then delivered a short presentation on how to differentiate between the term 'typeface' and the term 'font'.

After being delivered this short presentation we then used our 5 typefaces and as a group decided upon which typefaces would fit under the categorises:

1) Regular

2) Light

3) Bold

4) Ultrabold

This decision was purely based on what we could see in-front of us NOT on the background knowledge we had on the typeface we had selected.

Overall photograph of the categories and typefaces within each: