Scribbled Signature

Felix Lobelius: Felix is a graphic designer based in Sydney,...

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:36:00 -0500

Felix Lobelius:

Felix is a graphic designer based in Sydney, Australia. I came across his work when researching into OCD publications & designs. Although Felix’s work isn’t representing this, I found the use of such a simplistic type & minimal colouring really effective.

His work appealed to me for being so simple it’s almost boring, however the bottom images are posters advertising a design convention. The clever compositions of the letters read one message ‘everything in its right place’, but also, Felix has added in the hidden element of spelling out ‘Carson’ after David Carson, one of his inspiring typographers who was appearing at the convention. Unclear in one image, this is more obvious when highlighted in an added colour.

The definition of ‘genius’… This clever number...

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:35:00 -0500

The definition of ‘genius’…

This clever number is by French art agency, Murmure. I came across their strong graphic identity when researching potential business card materials. Now I’m desperate to create some heat sensitive cards of my own!

Andy Potts: Two illustrations created by the designer for IBM in...

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:48:19 -0500

Andy Potts: Two illustrations created by the designer for IBM in 2006. The advertisement was a campaign titled: ‘What Makes You Special’ created for an agency in New York City.

In Andy’s work titled Flower Factory, he openly joked & admitted how unorganized his use of layering is, quoting how he never labels each layer, therefore this piece of work consisted of literally hundreds of layers in the software.

When researching last month into Deaf Campaigns &...

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:40:47 -0500

When researching last month into Deaf Campaigns & promotional awareness work, I came across this collection of posters by New Zealands, DDB Auckland, an advertising group, comprising brand, digital & experimental design industry. Although this collection appears very simple, using only a black & white colour, with only one visible type face, the designs message is very strong & powerful to its audience.

I found myself naturally reading the sentence, purely because it was cropped, something I wouldn’t tend to do with a general type based design.

"A book is a flexible mirror of the mind and the body. Its overallsite and proportions, the colour..."

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:10:00 -0500

““A book is a flexible mirror of the mind and the body. Its overallsite and proportions, the colour and the texture of the paper, the sound it makes as pages turn and the smell of the paper, adhesive and ink, all blend with the size and form and placement of the type to reveal a little about the world in which it was made.” - Robert Bringhurst.”

My final Logo/Branding design for my personal Company Name. I...

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:01:00 -0400

My final Logo/Branding design for my personal Company Name. I have added the pink/green to the Tag-Line to emphasize how the ‘heart’ is actually the two S’s joined.

Remember, Life always starts with a scribble, it’s up to you to put the signature on it!

My Colour Palette I didn’t pay so much attention too, no...

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:59:51 -0400

My Colour Palette I didn’t pay so much attention too, no not because I’m lazy, but due to how I have always been passionate working with bright, bold colours, being particularly attracted to the Lime Green. Mixing this with the Hot Pink added a more feminine touch to the logo. I have purposely used the Grey as apposed to jet Black, making the design softer in its palette to compliment the soft type face and curved simplicity…

When creating my branding, I decided trying to incorporate two...

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:52:42 -0400

When creating my branding, I decided trying to incorporate two type faces & the ‘logo’ proved difficult & visually over-powering as well as complicated to the eye…

Above you can see how I decided to stick to using the one hand-rendered type, and then positioning the logo in different compositions to help the branding work at its strongest.

From experimenting with a typographic based Logo, I felt the...

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:42:31 -0400

From experimenting with a typographic based Logo, I felt the design needed a simple element in order to make me recognizable, rather than the complexity of the two type faces alone…

Above I began playing with the fact that Scribbled Signature has the two capital S’s to start the words, a rounded letter like my design itself…

In order to start my self-branding, I have decided to play with...

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:31:22 -0400

In order to start my self-branding, I have decided to play with my Graphic Tablet, Illustrator & the Paint Brush Tool, to potentially create a Logo for myself.

Above I have experimented numerous type styles to portray the name of my Branding in the font itself…

Personal Piece of Me...

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:17:54 -0400

Time to put myself on the Map. Starting with a personalized Business Card, a little piece of me for my clients to carry in their pockets…

Before I can pop together my Business Card, I have decided to pop together a logo and tag-line for myself and my Website. This is so that rather being referred to as ‘Kelly Greaves’, I can also have a personal business name of Scribbled Signature, let that roll off the tongue…

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:11:06 -0400

"Where there is no imagination there is no horror. - Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930)"

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 06:41:00 -0400

“Where there is no imagination there is no horror. - Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930)”

Several examples of inspiring Business Cards to influence my...

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:11:17 -0400

Several examples of inspiring Business Cards to influence my own…

Freelancing & Self-employment...

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:03:23 -0400

Today at University, the third year students were directed how to go about free-lancing & working for ourselves in our individual careers. Covering both the Pros and the Cons of going solo…

Much of the information presented to us came from the following book:

‘How to be a Graphic Designer without loosing your Soul’ - Adrian Shaughnessy.

I found it a very useful lecture, as we’ve been given advice on how to invoice a client or company professionally, including the invoice layout/template & how to go about contacting a client for payment timeframe/rules etc.

Another piece of advice given, was to stand out. I seem to naturally do this within my work, however a customized invoice gives you that little bit more of an impact to the company. It can make you stand out, and be remembered amongst other designers.

It’d be rude not too…

An example of playing with Paradox in my past designs… A...

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:49:30 -0400

An example of playing with Paradox in my past designs…

A design produced along with 5 other arrow leaflets for a Mental Wellbeing Company. The leaflets I designed use ‘shock-tactics’ to confront the viewer, with wording such as ‘Spaztic’ & ‘Weirdo’ to draw the attention from the audience and promote the campaign at a younger generation.

Examples of Paradox in others work...

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:39:27 -0400

Below are two examples of Paradox advertisements around today…

Although both designs are from two contrasting companies, promoting two opposite products, they both play on a humans natural instinct & behavior by using humorous & playful tactics to confront their audience & further advertise the company.

The Lynx advertisement is to promote a male shower-gel whereas the Club 18-30’s is advertising young & lively holidays. Both companies have approached their audience with the same tactic & belief that ‘sex-sells’, using Paradox techniques.

The humor & impact of these advertisements, portrays two conflicting ideas which confront the audience and make us think more, and look further into the design. Both contain brilliant direction to showcase what the company is all about & aim perfectly at the companies target-viewers.

Club 18-30’s Campaign - designed by Saatchi & Saatchi

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:12:00 -0400

Club 18-30’s Campaign - designed by Saatchi & Saatchi

The AXE Effect - designed by Dominic Stallard & Clinton...

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:05:00 -0400

The AXE Effect - designed by Dominic Stallard & Clinton Manson

Directed Studies...

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:50:28 -0400

‘Thinking in Signs’

Along with the third year lecture on Publications, (as posted previously) we were also presented distinctive ways of approaching design, through a series of signs. A sign is a strong conceptual communication source, which can demonstrate complexity in a more simplistic mannerism.

With the notes I scribbled chaotically throughout this presentation - I have rounded each one to it’s own explanation. By trying to understand each of these approaches, I have noticed that a number of of them have been applied in my past designs, & can helpfully be used and considered in my future projects…

Semiotics:

The analysis of studied elements in a communicative behavior.
How people can extract meaning from words, sounds & pictures.
E.g. A tartan print can be gestured as being related to Scotland.

Denotation:

Is literal.
It is exactly what it is.
E.g. A flower is a flower. It isn’t related to anything else.

Connotation:

Best described as suggested or in association with.
It is the set of associations implied by the word in addition to it’s literal meaning.
E.g. A flower - scent, feminine, fresh, seasons, nature, romance, growth etc.

In this case, the ‘flower’ becomes a metaphor for associations. This can be a powerful tool for us to use to utilize our work.

Cognition:

Understanding, interpreting or knowing based on elements we have learned, reasoned or perceived.

Icon:

It can be illustrative, photographic or diagrammatic (vector).
Reduces elements down to make them more simplistic.
E.g. Distinguishing a Male toilet sign to a Female sign. Little detail but the ‘skirt’ easily separates the two characteristics from one another.

Index:

The same as an index in a Library book.
It directly links between the sign & the object.
E.g. Most road signs are index signs, by relating the information represented to the road conditions.

Symbols:

The pictorial element used to correspond the concept, object or idea.
The symbol is used to represent something.
E.g. National Flags are used to represent different countries, cultures and context. We recognize them, although they have no relation to the concept.

Imitation:

To copy or reproduce existing work.
Plagiarism is an academic offense!

Do not worry - I don’t ended to copy anything. “Don’t follow no crowd, they follow us” - Example 2011

Adaptation:

Modifying an original design, to suit another new purpose.
E.g. Edvard Munch’s - The Scream

Distortion:

An optical deformation of an object.
Making the object a less recognizable form.

Although I’ve been developing my Graphic Design skills for over 4 years now, I still found researching these methods completely new & exciting to myself as a young practitioner.

The next examples of design approaches I find myself particularly drawn to. Some I have already put to practice in my past designs - others I intend to use in future design…

Appropriation:

When a designer subverts an existing piece of work.
Incorporating an element to create another piece of work.

Parody:

A design that mocks an original work, & refers to it.
A subversion of the original meaning.
E.g: ‘Keep Calm & Carry On’ remakes of the original.

Paradox:

A concept with conflicting ideas.
Where humor or impact are often used to ‘confront’ the viewer.
E.g. Lynx adverts and Club 18-30’s Holidays.

Homage:

Also known as a ‘pastiche’.
A designer can produce a homage to express their respect for a particular artist, designer or piece of work.
The work will incorporate or use the original only as a basis for their own.
E.g. Andy Warhol.