If at first you don't succeed ... Try, Try, Try Again ...

I am using this blog as my sketchpad. Which is kind of different for me as normally I begin producing most of my work from drawings. I am perhaps a little too old school for my own good. I do feel that over the three years my ability has improved working within Adobe software, though I do still pretty much hand draw most of my ideas first.

As a result this will probably mean that I will post a lot more. I apologise if there is anything that you don't feel is relevant. I am merely doing what I would do if I was working in a sketchpad.... (though perhaps not including what i am listening to as i do it)...

These are some drawings I worked on last night. I was attempting trying to reproduce some styles from tattoo books, while searching for business card font inspiration.

It has been a while since I have drawn, so I was doing them for practice and my own benefit really.

I drew the first one in pencil. Traced it a few times and then eventually re-drew it in black pen..

It's not perfect, though I'm quite pleased with this first attempt.

Pencil:



1st Trace: (pen on tracing paper)

Cleaned up in Photoshop:

Colour Added: (just messing to see what it was like)



2nd Trace: (black pen on tracing paper)



Cleaned up in Photoshop:


Black Pen: (complete with annoying hand smudge)


Some different ideas:

Black Pen:



Black Pen:



Very quick colour edit: (not the colours i would use)

Business Card Idea 1

Ok, so this really is just an extension of my last post. I went back and revised the design of my face collage in Illustrator and developed it a little further.

I really just had a bit more time to do some work, as a result I made up a little back of a business card with the image on. If I were to use a design like this, my initial thinking is that I would have the image on one side and the details on the other .... So I guess the image below would be the "back".




Business Card:


I may even add my name to this back design also? Once I have explored text/font styles further. It's hard to see with the white background, but the composition of the image, is designed so that it covers about 2/3rds of the space of the card dimensions (8.5 x 5.5cm).

As I said previously, I probably will not use this idea as a final business card. It was a work that I started while trying to achieve a style for a video production. I do quite like it as a concept though.

Rotoscope

This is actually an idea that we are thinking of using in our group Video Production module, but it gave me the opportunity to test out a few ideas in Illustrator.

I think potentially there is some creative ideas for a business card there also - though maybe not entirely practical. Possibly the black pen or collage face at the bottom... Though it needs way more work ... I have only been working on these today....

Already for the collage one I would re-do it by tracing my face first to get more detailed definition in the face.

(I wanted to put these on for Jack and Hong to see also).

My Jay-Z Tribute

Black and White

photo, crossword, newspaper, dice, mime, prison, zebra, stripes, scrabble, grainy, jay-z, the beatles, checkers, chess, penguin, tuxedo, licorice, skunk, yin yang, football, bar code, skull and crossbones, pirate flag, piano, cow, clockwork orange


The Black and White concept is a more simple straight forward solution. It may be a little too safe. Though just about anything could be done with black and white and it has a crisp, clean feel and if done well could look quite stylish.

I worry about a lack of total colour, but I assume the work would provide that compliment.

My initial thinking behind this idea was in relation to what Mariana said about thinking of a way to direct people ... An idea I had was to put a massive design of a crossword on the floor of the space, somehow utilizing the words within to provide direction to different sections of the exhibit? In terms of style of work?

Also in terms of any kind of 'dress' ... black and white is a pretty straight forward solution.

Again, it was just an idea I wanted to put down on paper. I will attempt to draw some pictures as a complimentary visual when I have a little more time.


This is a very rough sketch of what I had in my head for the crossword idea: (from above)

The 80's

rubix cube, sweets, big cell phones, technology, bad technology, space invaders, pacman, video games, atari, music, hip-hop, breakdancing, cocaine, PC, first mac, big, chunky, colourful, plastic, sixteen candles, speak and spell, michael jackson, bad haircuts, graffitti, pogo balls, cabbage patch kids, star wars toys, cassette tapes, neon, disco, footloose, drugs, the goonies, electro, only fools and horses

This is what I would consider a simpler and easily achievable idea. Taking elements of eighties culture and using them as props within our workspace to create a minimalistic yet effectively themed space.

To make items like rubix cube, using stencils to make space invaders or pacman imagery. I felt it could create a platform, for a fun, quirky yet creatively designed space. a strong use of colour, materials, music and fabric from the era. The 80's is a vast period of varying styles with a wide platform to ultilise. The above brainstorming is simply what my memory serves up as fondness. There is a melting pot of 80's to dip into.

Traditional Sweets and Toys could be used and the eighties was essentially the birth of mainstream computer technology with the introduction of the PC and the birth of video game development (areas of interest throughout all our pathway's.)

Mexico

sugar skulls, cavaleras, mexican wrestler mask, lucha libre, tequila, tattoos, dr. lakra, skulls, day of the dead, sombreros, pinata, bandito, chilango, aztec, bright, vivid, poncho, music, colour, texture, beer, catrinas, santa muerte, chipotle, corona, burrito, cactus, frida kahlo


This was another idea considered through initial brainstorming. On reflection it would be fun but possibly not quite right for the style of theme we are looking for? In relation to the work that is likely to be displayed.

My thinking behind this was that it would be an idea in tribute to Mariana for her help and appreciate her culture through our eyes.

And initially my thinking was that it would tie in with the date of the exhibition week - as the Cinco de Mayo (5th of may) (a celebration of mexican-american culture) is the day after the exhibition ends.

(Though I do appreciate it is a more Americanized celebration than traditional Mexican)

But, Hey .... It was just an idea ..

My apologies if any of my brainstorming is stereotypical it is not intended to be so, it is merely a collection of fast thoughts that I like about Mexico

Alice in Wonderland

hats, time, cards, rabbits, mad hatter, tea party, big table, pocket watch, eat me, drink me, forest, running, big, small, cheshire cat, white rabbit, enchanted, mushrooms, woodland, playing cards, queen of hearts, fantasy world, mock turtle, caterpillar, tarts, a journey, falling, a dream, strange, dark hole, do-do bird, furniture, puzzle, keys, colourful, twisty trees, fantasy creatures, tweedle-dum, tweedle-dee, hookah, tableware, tea, hearts, drink = small, eat = big, red, white, madness, roses, checked, off with his head .......

This idea is probably my favorite, though possibly the most extravagant. The concept of creating an Alice in Wonderland type fantasy world, using elements from the story.

In terms of modern design it may be a little childlike, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. Subtle and clever selected elements from the story to enhance our display could be done quite simply and effectively I feel to evoke an elegant design space, predominantly through resourcing materials and clever artwork.

It may be difficult practically within the space, though at this stage I am just thinking out loud.

The potential to recreate ideas based on a sense of time, fantasy, tea party, a journey, eating things, playing cards.... etc etc.. Some brainstorming ideas for theme are above. It would involve a lot of creative work, but could be a challenging idea for all teams skills?

Very hard to portray in words my entire idea, i will do some sketches to try and illustrate visually some aspects.

Spontaneous Theme Ideas....

Theme Ideas:

Potentially, it's a difficult decision as I see that it could be very easy to get caught up in the vision of what could be achieved but we also have to be realistic in working to a reasonably small budget and limited time scale.

Assuming a decision isn't made to attempt to create a theme in a 'style' that would be relevant to the work... my first spontaneous theme ideas are as follows:

My two more extravagant ideas which would probably involve more commitment:

Alice in Wonderland / Mexico

My two ideas that would probably be achieved a bit easier:

Black & White / The 80's


I will elaborate on my ideas in further posts with regards to design and creativity, but when asked to come up with some quick ideas ... These were my initial thoughts.

These are basic ideas: no research, simply brainstorming for potential ideas to create an interesting exhibition space.

Exhibition Considerations and Thoughts...

Considerations Suggested by Mariana:


CONCEPT - NARRATIVE

Have a Strong Theme
-Material we present
-Project we present (support this)

Select Work Carefully

Keep Detailed Checklist

Organise Tasks

Communicate effectively with all members of individual teams and the other teams

Keep track of budget

Communicate with other Departments

Strong Exhibition Design
-Information
-Readability

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My Initial Thoughts:

Everybody needs to consider reasonably quickly what work they would like to submit, as if the THEME was to be decided incorporating some elements of the work .... Then we need to have a good idea of what the main styles of work are going to be put forward for the exhibition.


Photos of Everyone. Hire a Nikon D90 from University and book some time in the studio (if still available) - I will ask Tom Scott about this.

Basically to take a high quality portrait of everybody for the show. (Do we want to want to have a related theme in these photos? Do something different within the portraits? Or just straight head shots?)

Money ??? - A decision ideas on how to generate funds .... there should also probably be an allocated treasurer within the exhibition group... Or a team within that Team that deals with the money and payments.

Perhaps once we have a more defined idea of what tasks we need to delegate within the group we can arrange ourselves into smaller teams?

Decision on people we want to invite (industry/media/ etc...) - INVITES for graphics team

Promoting awareness - creating ideas in how to do so

Printing Ideas - Ask Mariana about previous years and where printing was done.

How we want to display/mount our work etc. Are there any display boards etc ... we can utilize?

Refreshments etc ... What? Volume? Budget?

Measuring the space - plan the area - Maybe we can get a floorplan or something from Uni?

Within our seperate groups - organise what tasks best suit our skills and delegate accordingly.

THEME!!!!

Begin thinking and creating ideas on a theme....

Reaction to Brief

My initial feeling on the project for the semester is excitement. The task of creating a brand and business card design for our future work is definitely something that I feel I will enjoy.

Graphics and Web design were the things that when I initially came to University I expected I would enjoy the most as I am a reasonably creative person and I am hugely interested in graphics and illustrative work.

In my own time I spend a lot of time drawing and trying to come with creative solutions, though I am not the most amazing artist in the world, It is something that I strive to improve.

I am heavily influenced by tattoo art, Japanese and street art. I also have got a thing about skulls... I have long been fond of artwork with skulls. I have always been inspired by the work of tattooists like mr. cartoon, chris garver, kat von d and dr. lakra. (there are many more but these are some of my faves)

When I first read this assignment my immediate thought was to try and do something attempting to incorporate day of the dead skulls...

I already have some ideas for my business card and branding and will begin illustrating ideas today. My principal thinking was that I would create a brand for a design business, though perhaps I will attempt ideas for both company and personal branding.


Exhibition:

As a team we were set the task of creating an exhibition in it's entirety as a class. Deciding upon a theme, concept and narrative while organising, funding and selecting all the work that will be displayed. This is also hugely exciting to me.

The class was split into 3 groups of seven to handle web, graphics and exhibition collectively.

In the past (a long time ago now), I have exhibited some of my artwork for shows for college and also I have exhibited work at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington DC. Therefore, I have had a little experience in putting something like this together, which may help in this process?

I have been put in the exhibition group, as It was suggested that I am quite confident and organised which could prove to be valuable in this process and will also help later on when presenting and describing the works.

I would happily have settled in any of the three group choices as all are interesting to me. I will endeavour to give this task as much energy and passion as possible and hopefully as a team we can create an amazing exhibition that we can feel proud of.