strategies & ideas used in typography i will use in future: creating grids from research, modular type, chopping and distorting existing typefaces.
considerations when designing type:
legibility, tone of voice, cultural context
have i taken enough risks? no probably not, although I certainly feel like I have pushed my boundaries in this module, I'm aware this is only the start of my degree and I'm looking forward to pushing even more boundaries.
The stage of the design process i find most difficult is articulating my ideas to other people & giving myself constructive feedback. I'm good at criticising my work but often it ends there, which just has a negative impact. I need to work more on having a positive mindset towards perceived failures.
I wouldn't say I have achieved my full potential yet, but I would say am on the first step of the ladder. Re-entering education is a strange experience and I am adjusting my ways of working to fit in with whats expected of me. I feel that coming to university as a 'mature' student was certainly the right choice for me as I have had a few years to experience the 'real' world and mull over what I want from the future, and I am very determined to be a successful designer.
However, I am aware that I put myself under immense pressure to succeed and so on reflection, it would be ridiculous to expect myself to have reached my full potential in only the first module. If that was achievable, then degrees wouldn't be 3 years long.
I know I have a lot more to learn, both about design and about myself.
In future modules I want to step even more out of my comfort zone, know that it's ok to fail and make mistakes and that sometimes mistakes can be positive things.
I have made good use of the university facilities during this module. I love libraries and we have a particularly great one here and, whilst a lot of reading was not necessary for this module, it is a brilliant space to work and look for inspiration.
Learning bookbinding was very interesting and has come in use as I thought it would be most appropriate to have my type specimen hand bound, to fit in with its humble appearance.
I didn't use any of the digital print facilities as I was able to do everything I needed on the laser printer in our studio, however I am looking forward to using that facility in the future.
Working amongst other young creative people has been not only beneficial to my work but also highly enjoyable. I have asked countless peers for their advice/opinions and also have been able to offer help to others. Our year group seems to have become a community already which I think enriches the course even further. It's refreshing to see others as passionate about design as I am.
Partaking in crits with peers is very useful as it allows my work to be seen through fresh eyes. Everyone has different backgrounds and interests and so sees things in different cultural contexts. For example, I had a test print of one of my posters laying on my desk and another student said it looked like Deadpool's face (a marvel character). I hadn't noticed this before as Deadpool isn't often on my mind, but when I looked I agreed that he was totally correct. As a result I changed the colours of that particular graphic to ensure no confusion in the future.
The workload was manageable as long as I planned ahead and was strict with myself. Ben's advice about scheduling time to relax was particularly important. Having studied graphic design previously in an apprenticeship, I only had about 4 contact hours a week and was used to been given a brief and then working on it completely in my own time, and then just showing an end product. This university course is very different to that, and at first I did struggle a bit with having my hand held so much at each step, but obviously the reason this is done is because we are here to learn.
In the future I am going to make much better use of my blog. Due to the trauma of secondary school English, I have doubted my writing skills for many years now so the prospect of writing a blog which other people would read was very daunting to me. I now understand that I'm not being judged on my writing but instead this is a place to share the creative process which normally just goes on in my head.
Overall, I have enjoyed this module. I was slightly naive and thought it would be easy for me as I come from a graphic design background but actually I have found it challenging in the best way imaginable. I am really excited to start the next module and to keep pushing myself to be the best I can be.
Showing posts with label OUGD403. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OUGD403. Show all posts
Friday, 8 November 2019
Thursday, 7 November 2019
References
Designers and artists who have inspired my works (both consciously and subconsciously)
Looking back through presentations, I think this image must have subconsciously inspired my idea to paper cut my letter forms.
Saul Bass - 60's Graphic designer. I remember looking at his work when I was first introduced to graphic design about 8 years ago in school. One of my tutors suggested looking into him after seeing a rough prototype of my exhibition poster.
@Swissposters (Instagram account)
I feel like most young graphic designers have probably come across this page at some point. It features contemporary poster designs from all over the world and is a great place to see examples of experimental layout.
Stefan Sagmeister - My high school art teacher was obsessed with this guy and I never really understood why until I watched the Helvetica documentary this year and gained a contextual understanding of his work. Whilst his visual language may look slightly dated today, it is his attitude to design which I admire. Whilst I respect the modernists such as Vignelli for what they have contributed to design, and agree that we can learn a lot from them, we need to keep experimenting and breaking rules in order to create things that are new and refreshing, just like Sagmeister did in the 90s. Otherwise, everything begins to look the same and it's difficult to decipher the meaning behind things if they are all being presented to you in the same tone of voice.
Looking back through presentations, I think this image must have subconsciously inspired my idea to paper cut my letter forms.
Saul Bass - 60's Graphic designer. I remember looking at his work when I was first introduced to graphic design about 8 years ago in school. One of my tutors suggested looking into him after seeing a rough prototype of my exhibition poster.
@Swissposters (Instagram account)
I feel like most young graphic designers have probably come across this page at some point. It features contemporary poster designs from all over the world and is a great place to see examples of experimental layout.
Stefan Sagmeister - My high school art teacher was obsessed with this guy and I never really understood why until I watched the Helvetica documentary this year and gained a contextual understanding of his work. Whilst his visual language may look slightly dated today, it is his attitude to design which I admire. Whilst I respect the modernists such as Vignelli for what they have contributed to design, and agree that we can learn a lot from them, we need to keep experimenting and breaking rules in order to create things that are new and refreshing, just like Sagmeister did in the 90s. Otherwise, everything begins to look the same and it's difficult to decipher the meaning behind things if they are all being presented to you in the same tone of voice.
Final Crit
This module has certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone, which is exactly what I wanted from pursuing a degree in Graphic Design. Along with my increased understanding of typography, such as anatomical terminology and cultural context, I have learnt that successful design is not easily arrived at. When designing, in this case a typeface specifically, it is inevitable that problems will arise. Coming up with creative solutions to these problems is what makes a successful designer.
A good designer does not simply sit down at their desk and produce a finished product on the first attempt. I have learnt that to create something I am truly satisfied with, I must keep on experimenting, reflecting, critiquing, and pushing my ideas. A successful design must be considered from many angles. The purpose of graphic design is to communicate in ways other than language; if your design does not communicate the message you intended it to, it cannot be considered successful.
It is clear through personal experience and from pop culture that contemporary art has a negative reputation amongst some of the general public. It is seen as being for the few, not the many, which in turn leads those not involved to mock it.
A while ago, a friend gave me a set of postcards by Grayson Perry called 'Playing to the Gallery'. In these cards, Perry critiques the contemporary art sector and highlights the hypocrisy and pretentiousness of modern artists. I think his points are perfectly valid and I first I was taking a similar approach to this.
However, the difference between Perry and myself is that one of us is a fine artist and one of us is a graphic designer. Artists may critique modern society, however graphic designers have a duty do something to enact change where they see fit.
My aim at first was to mock the exhibition for being haughty and inaccessible. However, through research and development I realised that this was a counter productive approach and that it would be much more worth my time making the exhibition accessible to all. After all, the exhibition had a problem, and I as a graphic designer am a problem solver.
Thus my typeface Zugriff Sans was born.
I would be lying if I said I was completely satisfied with it, but then again, I don't think creatives often are satisfied as we must always look at our work with a critical eye. Critiques I have of my typeface are that I certainly could have pushed it much further into unexplored territory, and it could definitely look more modern than it does.
However, my intention to make contemporary art feel welcoming to all through the medium of graphic design is, in my opinion, a success.
The visual language of so many galleries and exhibitions is cold and unfriendly. It says 'this isn't for you, sweetheart'.
The work I have created for BNC invites everyone and anyone to be a part of the exhibition through it's playful friendly design. It still maintains a level of sarcasm with the stylistic 'O' alternative, which speaks to those who are already fans of contemporary art without being intimidating. It is unclear who is the butt of the joke here, which makes the point: why should anyone have to be the butt of the joke? Art should be for all, no matter what their education, age or background.
Presented in an unpretentious booklet on humble recycled paper and hand bound, the type specimen makes it clear that money is not important when it comes to having good taste. The contemporary layout of the specimen enforces though that, though this might not be high end, it is certainly an informed piece of work and should not be questioned.
A good designer does not simply sit down at their desk and produce a finished product on the first attempt. I have learnt that to create something I am truly satisfied with, I must keep on experimenting, reflecting, critiquing, and pushing my ideas. A successful design must be considered from many angles. The purpose of graphic design is to communicate in ways other than language; if your design does not communicate the message you intended it to, it cannot be considered successful.
It is clear through personal experience and from pop culture that contemporary art has a negative reputation amongst some of the general public. It is seen as being for the few, not the many, which in turn leads those not involved to mock it.
A while ago, a friend gave me a set of postcards by Grayson Perry called 'Playing to the Gallery'. In these cards, Perry critiques the contemporary art sector and highlights the hypocrisy and pretentiousness of modern artists. I think his points are perfectly valid and I first I was taking a similar approach to this.
However, the difference between Perry and myself is that one of us is a fine artist and one of us is a graphic designer. Artists may critique modern society, however graphic designers have a duty do something to enact change where they see fit.
My aim at first was to mock the exhibition for being haughty and inaccessible. However, through research and development I realised that this was a counter productive approach and that it would be much more worth my time making the exhibition accessible to all. After all, the exhibition had a problem, and I as a graphic designer am a problem solver.
Thus my typeface Zugriff Sans was born.
I would be lying if I said I was completely satisfied with it, but then again, I don't think creatives often are satisfied as we must always look at our work with a critical eye. Critiques I have of my typeface are that I certainly could have pushed it much further into unexplored territory, and it could definitely look more modern than it does.
However, my intention to make contemporary art feel welcoming to all through the medium of graphic design is, in my opinion, a success.
The visual language of so many galleries and exhibitions is cold and unfriendly. It says 'this isn't for you, sweetheart'.
The work I have created for BNC invites everyone and anyone to be a part of the exhibition through it's playful friendly design. It still maintains a level of sarcasm with the stylistic 'O' alternative, which speaks to those who are already fans of contemporary art without being intimidating. It is unclear who is the butt of the joke here, which makes the point: why should anyone have to be the butt of the joke? Art should be for all, no matter what their education, age or background.
Presented in an unpretentious booklet on humble recycled paper and hand bound, the type specimen makes it clear that money is not important when it comes to having good taste. The contemporary layout of the specimen enforces though that, though this might not be high end, it is certainly an informed piece of work and should not be questioned.
Rationale
Below is the rationale for my typeface. The purpose of this is to explain the ideas behind the typeface and sell it to a potential client. I read some other type rationales from successful typographers such as colophon foundry to get a better understanding of the tone of voice this should be written in.
The name of my typeface, Zugriff Sans, comes from the German word for 'access'. My typeface is designed to make fine art more accessible to the general public. I translated it into German as a nod to the many influential German type designers.
"Zugriff Sans is a custom typeface commissioned for the Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2020 exhibition. The typeface aims to address issues surrounding the approachability of the contemporary art world for the general public. Zugriff Sans aims to address the intimidating nature of contemporary art for those who are unfamiliar through grounding it's visual language within the familia: simple, hand-made forms similar in tone to paper cutting and stencilling.
Zugriff Sans has been designed with the intention of welcoming viewers in to the rich, diverse world of contemporary British art. It is bold yet playful, classic yet contemporary. Hand-cut letter forms root the typeface within tradition, yet the unconventional structure of the characters provides the typeface with a contemporary edge.
A low x-height forces the horizontal strokes to expand and the apertures to close, providing a sense of gravity to the characters and increased visual assurance. The excessive weight of the characters above the x-height increases their connection to the baseline and their sense of groundedness. The interchangeable O and 0 add a unique interactive element with endless design possibilities that can be explored when it is applied to the exhibition's collateral."
The name of my typeface, Zugriff Sans, comes from the German word for 'access'. My typeface is designed to make fine art more accessible to the general public. I translated it into German as a nod to the many influential German type designers.
"Zugriff Sans is a custom typeface commissioned for the Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2020 exhibition. The typeface aims to address issues surrounding the approachability of the contemporary art world for the general public. Zugriff Sans aims to address the intimidating nature of contemporary art for those who are unfamiliar through grounding it's visual language within the familia: simple, hand-made forms similar in tone to paper cutting and stencilling.
Zugriff Sans has been designed with the intention of welcoming viewers in to the rich, diverse world of contemporary British art. It is bold yet playful, classic yet contemporary. Hand-cut letter forms root the typeface within tradition, yet the unconventional structure of the characters provides the typeface with a contemporary edge.
A low x-height forces the horizontal strokes to expand and the apertures to close, providing a sense of gravity to the characters and increased visual assurance. The excessive weight of the characters above the x-height increases their connection to the baseline and their sense of groundedness. The interchangeable O and 0 add a unique interactive element with endless design possibilities that can be explored when it is applied to the exhibition's collateral."
Friday, 1 November 2019
Crit: Type Specimen
This is the draft of my type specimen I showed:
feedback:
some really good ideas in the feedback, I will be trying lots of these out.
Will experiment more with the layout so it compliments the poster, I like the eye stencil idea, printing images in colour and maybe with more structure too.
It seems that my intentions behind the typeface have translated well. I have received a lot of compliments on how professional my work looks, which is reassuring.
Planning on printing finished specimen on a thick, rough, off white paper thats cheap as I think it will compliment how humble my typeface is.
feedback:
some really good ideas in the feedback, I will be trying lots of these out.
Will experiment more with the layout so it compliments the poster, I like the eye stencil idea, printing images in colour and maybe with more structure too.
It seems that my intentions behind the typeface have translated well. I have received a lot of compliments on how professional my work looks, which is reassuring.
Planning on printing finished specimen on a thick, rough, off white paper thats cheap as I think it will compliment how humble my typeface is.
Wednesday, 30 October 2019
Type in Context
After modifying my typeface, I have created a series of posters for the exhibition. Using elements taken from the artworks, which I was initially going to use to create a modular typeface, the poster's all share a 6 part grid, each section featuring type or an 'icon'. The elements switch places throughout the series, showing that there is no hierarchy. Each aspect of the poster is just as important as the other. The posters look playful yet still sophisticated and are designed to spark intrigue and make viewers feel welcomed.
Finished Typeface
After my experiments involving printing my typeface, I realised I didn't like how clean and sharp the lines were. In order to humble it slightly, I have hand cut the letters with a stanley knife and scanned them. This is the end result:
The difference is subtle, however these new glyphs feel much more friendly and approachable, which is the whole point of them.
This is the updated logotype:
I knew something wasn't quite right before, and now I know that it was my letter forms looked far too rigid and sharp. This new logotype has much more of a relaxed personality.
The difference is subtle, however these new glyphs feel much more friendly and approachable, which is the whole point of them.
This is the updated logotype:
I knew something wasn't quite right before, and now I know that it was my letter forms looked far too rigid and sharp. This new logotype has much more of a relaxed personality.
Research
I have been reading Design as Art by Bruno Munari. The chapter 'The Shape of Words' has been particularly useful to my current typography project. In it, Munari talks about how the form of written/typed words affects how the viewer reads them; slowly, quickly etc.
Friday, 25 October 2019
Logotype in context: Experimentation
Used scanner and printer a lot today to experiment with logotype for a poster.
Review on Logotype - Crit
Mixed feedback on my logo type - some said the 'tone of voice' is wrong for the exhibition, some said it was right.
However, I think it's a good sign that some people thought the tone was off because the intention behind the type is to change people's feelings towards the exhibition and make it seem less cold and unapproachable, which this type face does through hints of humour and childishness.
I tried applying the hierarchical grid used in the glyphs to the layout, but it looked ridiculous.
The overall balance of my logotype feels right to me, however the letters themselves are not quite right yet. There is something annoying about them.
When I come to designing posters I will apply the hierarchy to the layout and see if that works.
This is the finished logotype:
It looks fun and un-intimidating which was my aim, however it still retains a sense of irony criticising the exclusionary hierarchy found in the world of fine art.
The 'pupils' of the 'eyes' will be able to move freely, allowing them to interact with their environments depending on which context they are placed in.
The 'eyes' in the typeface, however, will remain fixed looking at each other. They represent the tops and bottoms of the hierarchy. The bottom eyes stare back at the top eyes defiantly, refusing to be intimidated.
However, I think it's a good sign that some people thought the tone was off because the intention behind the type is to change people's feelings towards the exhibition and make it seem less cold and unapproachable, which this type face does through hints of humour and childishness.
I tried applying the hierarchical grid used in the glyphs to the layout, but it looked ridiculous.
The overall balance of my logotype feels right to me, however the letters themselves are not quite right yet. There is something annoying about them.
When I come to designing posters I will apply the hierarchy to the layout and see if that works.
This is the finished logotype:
It looks fun and un-intimidating which was my aim, however it still retains a sense of irony criticising the exclusionary hierarchy found in the world of fine art.
The 'pupils' of the 'eyes' will be able to move freely, allowing them to interact with their environments depending on which context they are placed in.
The 'eyes' in the typeface, however, will remain fixed looking at each other. They represent the tops and bottoms of the hierarchy. The bottom eyes stare back at the top eyes defiantly, refusing to be intimidated.
Monday, 21 October 2019
Logotype
Leading: Space between lines of text
Kerning: Space between letters in words
Tracking: Uniform space between letters in words
Development of logotype
Taking my finished typeface, I tried different ways of laying it out to create a logotype.
Trying different combinations of upper and lower case
The differences in word length make it difficult to get the logotype to look balanced.
I prefer the logotype in upper case. It demands more attention and looks more balanced than the mix of upper and lower case.
Using one of the shapes from the modular typeface, which is originally from a piece in the exhibition by Xiuching Tsay, to add to the logotype and to replace the 'oo' in Bloomberg and the 0s in 2020.
The counters in these shapes will be allowed to move freely, meaning they can interact with other design elements and be animated for digital platforms.
Kerning: Space between letters in words
Tracking: Uniform space between letters in words
Development of logotype
Taking my finished typeface, I tried different ways of laying it out to create a logotype.
Trying different combinations of upper and lower case
The differences in word length make it difficult to get the logotype to look balanced.
I prefer the logotype in upper case. It demands more attention and looks more balanced than the mix of upper and lower case.
Using one of the shapes from the modular typeface, which is originally from a piece in the exhibition by Xiuching Tsay, to add to the logotype and to replace the 'oo' in Bloomberg and the 0s in 2020.
The counters in these shapes will be allowed to move freely, meaning they can interact with other design elements and be animated for digital platforms.
Merging of 2 Concepts
combined the 2 ideas i have developed
the counter is floating and can move wherever
different on every poster
looks like eyes
Thursday, 17 October 2019
Idea Development Post Crit
After having a crit with Ben, I am taking my work in a slightly different direction. Before hand, I was almost mocking the exhibition for being too esoteric and was planning on creating a satirical type face. However, I have now decided that I want my type face to invite in those who may feel intimidated by the exhibition and make it accessible to all. My type face will about how gallery visitors interact with the exhibition, and about how even though there are structures of hierarchy in the art world, every one is welcome to be part of the discourse around modern art.
This has lead me to a few different outcomes.
Below: This typeface is made from modular forms found in the artworks themselves. The exhibition didn't display any information about the intentions behind any of the pieces, which made me feel isolated as a viewer.
This type face invites viewers to look closer at the pieces exhibited and to find familiarity in them. The idea behind it is that everyone can find a meaning in art, no matter how abstract it is.
The below type experiment was created by imagining a floor plan of the gallery and following the directions that people walked, where they lingered longest, what they circled back on, I was able to create a sort of map. After mapping out these imaginary lines, I could trace parts of them to find letter forms. These letter forms were then experimented with further in illustrator.
The typeface I am developing now is based on a hierarchical grid, where the top quarter is disproportionally larger than the one under neath it, which in turn is larger than the quarter underneath that and so on. However, the font is only legible when all 4 quarters are included. This represents how the general public may not have as much input into modern art discourse, but it is important just the same. The end result of using this grid has created a font which looks part playful part serious, cheeky yet approachable. You almost feel that it's laughing, but are reassured that you are not the butt of the joke. (Note not all characters are completed, this is still a draft)
This has lead me to a few different outcomes.
Below: This typeface is made from modular forms found in the artworks themselves. The exhibition didn't display any information about the intentions behind any of the pieces, which made me feel isolated as a viewer.
This type face invites viewers to look closer at the pieces exhibited and to find familiarity in them. The idea behind it is that everyone can find a meaning in art, no matter how abstract it is.
The below type experiment was created by imagining a floor plan of the gallery and following the directions that people walked, where they lingered longest, what they circled back on, I was able to create a sort of map. After mapping out these imaginary lines, I could trace parts of them to find letter forms. These letter forms were then experimented with further in illustrator.
The typeface I am developing now is based on a hierarchical grid, where the top quarter is disproportionally larger than the one under neath it, which in turn is larger than the quarter underneath that and so on. However, the font is only legible when all 4 quarters are included. This represents how the general public may not have as much input into modern art discourse, but it is important just the same. The end result of using this grid has created a font which looks part playful part serious, cheeky yet approachable. You almost feel that it's laughing, but are reassured that you are not the butt of the joke. (Note not all characters are completed, this is still a draft)
Sunday, 13 October 2019
Bloomberg New Contemporaries: Idea Generation
I now have the intention behind my type and I know what overall 'vibe' I want it to have, but I am still thinking of ways to create the physical letter forms.
Inspired by Renie Masters' piece in this exhibition, an initial idea of mine was to look for letter forms in broken china, however this idea only relates to one art work and isn't representative of the show overall.
I have started by looking for shapes in the artworks themselves, seeing where letter forms naturally appear to me and creating an alphabet from this.
I think this is a good start but it definitely doesn't feel fully realised to me.
I want to keep in mind that the typeface doesn't necessarily have to be made from flat black vectors - type can be made from anything be it toothpaste, shadows or negative spaces in household objects.
One idea is to poll members of the public who visit the gallery and generate a typeface from the feedback they give me, maybe by asking them to draw a shape expressing how the exhibition made them feel. I need to develop this idea further, as my criticism of the exhibition is that it's slightly pretentious and inaccessible to 'non-arts' people, I don't want this method to potentially alienate people further, or for them to feel under any pressure to do something 'profound'.
Another idea is to create a typeface which is so pretentious it is completely inaccessible and unreadable, but I don't have any rules to specifically create this.
I am also thinking about creating a typeface using the traditional artistic processes used in the exhibition such as sculpture, paint, photography etc. and then continuing to process it in different experimental ways to create something contemporary.
My overall themes are 'accessibility' and 'hierarchy'.
also visual hierarchy - this relates to layout, which elements go where on a page, how much space they take up. This usually is decided by the order in which the viewer should look at each element. Look at newspapers for example. They generally have a clear visual hierarchy with the headline taking up the most room and usually in a bold typeface as it is intended to be read first, followed by the strap-line, the paper's name, then article text, images etc.
As I am exploring hierarchy in the fine art world, I will apply the visual hierarchy to my designs as well as breaking it down e.g having the less important information on a poster take up the most room with the exhibition title being small and at the bottom, as this challenges established hierarchy.
Inspired by Renie Masters' piece in this exhibition, an initial idea of mine was to look for letter forms in broken china, however this idea only relates to one art work and isn't representative of the show overall.
I have started by looking for shapes in the artworks themselves, seeing where letter forms naturally appear to me and creating an alphabet from this.
I think this is a good start but it definitely doesn't feel fully realised to me.
I want to keep in mind that the typeface doesn't necessarily have to be made from flat black vectors - type can be made from anything be it toothpaste, shadows or negative spaces in household objects.
One idea is to poll members of the public who visit the gallery and generate a typeface from the feedback they give me, maybe by asking them to draw a shape expressing how the exhibition made them feel. I need to develop this idea further, as my criticism of the exhibition is that it's slightly pretentious and inaccessible to 'non-arts' people, I don't want this method to potentially alienate people further, or for them to feel under any pressure to do something 'profound'.
Another idea is to create a typeface which is so pretentious it is completely inaccessible and unreadable, but I don't have any rules to specifically create this.
I am also thinking about creating a typeface using the traditional artistic processes used in the exhibition such as sculpture, paint, photography etc. and then continuing to process it in different experimental ways to create something contemporary.
My overall themes are 'accessibility' and 'hierarchy'.
ACCESSIBILITY
the quality of being easily understood or appreciated.
Interview with Jordan Watson in Forbes. Wattson runs an IG page (@love.watts) curating modern art that he likes.
“Growing up in New York; young, poor, and, black; I did not have the opportunity or exposure as a child to appreciate art, let alone be a part of its community. With whatever platform I now have, I want to make sure that I am providing that opportunity and exposure to as many kids out there as possible.”
My housemate: “I don’t like going to art galleries because the plaques are so small and I have bad eyesight”
My dear friend Eleanor: (on modern art) “If we explore the function art plays in human society and the reason it’s been vital to our continued survival that’s like as far as you can get from some emotionally distant objects locked in a fancy inaccessible building which fail to resonate with the bulk of humans.”
HIERARCHY
a system in which members of an organisation or society are ranked according to relative status or authority.
As I am exploring hierarchy in the fine art world, I will apply the visual hierarchy to my designs as well as breaking it down e.g having the less important information on a poster take up the most room with the exhibition title being small and at the bottom, as this challenges established hierarchy.
Friday, 11 October 2019
Research for Brief: Bloomberg New Contemporaries
About
Exhibition has been on, in some form, since 1949
First year it's been in Leeds
Showcasing work from 45 up and coming contemporary artists
My first impressions
Lacking explanations behind the artworks
Everyone viewing the works seemed a bit uncomfortable
No one was telling us what to think so we didn't know what to think
The art felt inaccessible
I liked some of the art but some pieces felt too pretentious. I think it's ok to be pretentious to a degree, but when you isolate 90% of your viewers, it's too far.
The pieces I liked the most were the satirical ones.
The building housing the exhibition is very interesting, dating back to the 1800s. They have a traditional collection along with pieces by contemporary artists such as Damien Hirst.
The exhibition it's self was housed on the first floor of the gallery, up a grand staircase. The room differed greatly to the classical collection downstairs; it was a lot more sparse and airy with lots of natural light in the space. The high ceilings and large open spaces made me feel like I was somewhere very important.
I want to create a typeface which is both inaccessible and sarcastic, that will say to art lovers: 'here's some of that weird art stuff you love' and will say to those less well versed in art: 'it's ok. i don't get it either'
I understand this is potentially a controversial view point and would like to say that I am not disrespecting any of the artists, I am simply reacting honestly to my first impressions.
Photos from gallery visit: notice minimal information on placards.
Some photos from the catalogue - this was very useful as it enabled me to understand why certain visual language has been used in the individual artworks.
photo of exiting typeface of LAG for reference.
Out of the 45 pieces in the exhibition, 9 are photographs, 15 are 'traditional' art methods eg paint or pen, 8 are sculpture, 9 are audio/visual and 4 are 'other'. This was interesting to observe as it shows just how varied the exhibition is.
There are notes in my sketchbook with my reaction to each artist's individual work.
Here is a screenshot from the BNC website:
It's extremely minimalistic and simple, with an interesting pop of neon pink on some of the text.
When google searching BNC this image also comes up:
It only appears in one place and is the closest I can find to an existing logotype.
There are pages on the BNC website containing a lot of information about the exhibition, which I have found useful to gaining an understanding of what the exhibition's intentions are. The whole point of the BNC exhibition is to give a voice to emerging contemporary artists who may otherwise struggle in getting their work seen. BNC has been established for a long time (since the 1940s) and is well respected as an institution.
Exhibition has been on, in some form, since 1949
First year it's been in Leeds
Showcasing work from 45 up and coming contemporary artists
My first impressions
Lacking explanations behind the artworks
Everyone viewing the works seemed a bit uncomfortable
No one was telling us what to think so we didn't know what to think
The art felt inaccessible
I liked some of the art but some pieces felt too pretentious. I think it's ok to be pretentious to a degree, but when you isolate 90% of your viewers, it's too far.
The pieces I liked the most were the satirical ones.
The building housing the exhibition is very interesting, dating back to the 1800s. They have a traditional collection along with pieces by contemporary artists such as Damien Hirst.
The exhibition it's self was housed on the first floor of the gallery, up a grand staircase. The room differed greatly to the classical collection downstairs; it was a lot more sparse and airy with lots of natural light in the space. The high ceilings and large open spaces made me feel like I was somewhere very important.
I want to create a typeface which is both inaccessible and sarcastic, that will say to art lovers: 'here's some of that weird art stuff you love' and will say to those less well versed in art: 'it's ok. i don't get it either'
I understand this is potentially a controversial view point and would like to say that I am not disrespecting any of the artists, I am simply reacting honestly to my first impressions.
Photos from gallery visit: notice minimal information on placards.
Some photos from the catalogue - this was very useful as it enabled me to understand why certain visual language has been used in the individual artworks.
photo of exiting typeface of LAG for reference.
Out of the 45 pieces in the exhibition, 9 are photographs, 15 are 'traditional' art methods eg paint or pen, 8 are sculpture, 9 are audio/visual and 4 are 'other'. This was interesting to observe as it shows just how varied the exhibition is.
There are notes in my sketchbook with my reaction to each artist's individual work.
Here is a screenshot from the BNC website:
It's extremely minimalistic and simple, with an interesting pop of neon pink on some of the text.
When google searching BNC this image also comes up:
It only appears in one place and is the closest I can find to an existing logotype.
There are pages on the BNC website containing a lot of information about the exhibition, which I have found useful to gaining an understanding of what the exhibition's intentions are. The whole point of the BNC exhibition is to give a voice to emerging contemporary artists who may otherwise struggle in getting their work seen. BNC has been established for a long time (since the 1940s) and is well respected as an institution.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)