Wednesday, September 30, 2009

storyboard with type

I've replaced my hand rendered text with actual cassette tape, stop motion style.

Monday, September 28, 2009

a time to eat

After reading the poem, the word habitual stayed with me; I immediately imagined a conveyor belt distributing something edible. Also, I noticed the word and assisted with the poem's rhythm, not unlike a drumbeat. In my interpretation, the and increases in size to gradually increase the volume of the nauseating repetition.


Below is a detail of the devouring and digesting of unsuspecting type.

tender buttons, expressive type

I've arranged the type in a loose and fragile manner to reflect my interpretation of Stein's work; the poems seem to be full of thoughtful yet elusive memories. To my teacher's dismay, my process included outlining much of the type. This is not my typical process, but I have found I am more intuitive and free with interpreting the copy when the heavy chains of text boxes and stiffly, curved paths are not holding a gun to my head. Also, the process is a little closer to creating the design with the unsung-heroes of scissors and sloppy paste. The drawback is a quick font change on a collage means, a new collage.

I wanted the type to move with the breeze and curve at the imagined waist of this poem, A Long Dress.

Below is a detail of the curves.

The text is pelting Mildred's poor Umbrella.

Below is a detail of the splash.

Friday, September 25, 2009

find and share

I feel that the above poster (for a Peninsula in Northern Italy) is an example of pathos; the atmosphere is characteristic of a secluded romantic getaway. If only I were that girl, walking out of what appears to be a castle and hopefully about to dip her feet in the cool water.
The Railroad ad (above) contains a diagram of activities that can be experienced in specific areas on the east coast; this is an example of logos.
I believe the New Haven Railroad poster is an example of ethos since the character of New England—as charming—is established.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

cassette integration evolution


Initially, I thought foot or boombox would be good words to illustrate. I then decided to choose a word that would be less blatant within my story.

After consulting with my advisor, the word cassette, was revealed—from the heavens. Three of the verb variations that could put a cassette into motion (in an intriguing way) are: play, unravel and snap. Of the three, snap has been the most difficult for me to illustrate.



On my first image+text storyboard, I tried to supplement the images with the text; a better description would be a repetition of image and text. For instance, panel six displays a person—me—about to press play and the "play" text follows.
On my second image+text storyboard, I tried to replace some of the images with the text; for example, panel five shows the first person view of the boombox followed by the "cassette" type playing. Another interesting fact, in the fourth row near the end, a hand reaches for the plug and I turned the "snap" type on its side to continue in the direction of the hand. Ah, it's beginning to click.
And lastly, on my third storyboard, I decided to alternate type and image. It seems that more drama has been added. I've also played the "unravel" type backwards. The text is completely unraveled after I notice a person peeking in on my dance party. Unraveled type now describes the peak of embarrassment.

Sheila Levrant de Bretteville











This billboard titled,
Can You Read?, was created in 1988 during a Brookl7n Design Workshop in LA and art directed by Shelia Levrant de Bretteville.

For those who know of de Bretteville, the primary mode of appeal is ethos; she carries a fierce reputation for initiating change through public art. A secondary mode of appeal is logos; logical illustrations and symbols are displayed to represent words.

This work was commissioned by the California Literacy Campaign to a state where the estimated levels of illiteracy are/were close to one million.
source: http://articles.latimes.com/1990-02-08/local/me-525_1_adult-literacy-programs

Sheila Levrant de Bretteville created the first Women's Design program at Cal Arts in 1971 and became the first tenured professor and director of studies in graphic design at Yale University School of Art in 1991. During the two decades between she pioneered a new form of graphic designer-historian on both coasts of the United States and most recently in Russia. Through her deep research into the neighborhoods where her works are sited, her respect for the everyday life and memories of a community, de Bretteville has produced more than a dozen projects that are significant and sustain their local populations. For having authored and designed innovative and feminist print graphics, as well as creating more than a dozen aesthetically rich, metaphoric projects embedding typography and images in the material fabric of public sites -- sidewalks, stairways, railings, light fixtures, stairs -- her work was featured in the Cooper Hewitt's 2000 Triennial and she was awarded the golden medal for leadership by The American Institute of Graphic Arts in 2005.
https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/feminist_art_base/gallery/sheiladebretteville.php
Other works by Levrant de Bretteville:
a promotional poster for School of Design, California Institute of the Arts, 1969













This necklace was originally designed for de Bretteville's colleagues, Arlene Raven and Judy Chicago when they started the Feminist Studio Workshop in 1972. Since that time, she has given them to other women with whom she shares a vision of the creation of women's culture.















a 1972 cover of the Exhibition Catalogue Womanhouse, featuring Judy Chicago

Womanhouse was a part of the Feminist art program at Cal Arts, that sought to challenge the traditional roles historically assigned to women. Artists were granted space and a voice to present and perform work about stereotypically "feminine" tasks.
http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/dinner_party/view_womanhouse.php







Biddy Mason: Time & Place, 1991
This is one of many site specific pieces by de Bretteville. Biddy Mason was born a slave; upon her migration to the free state of California, she overcame the chains of her past and became a successful entrepreneur.


Other public pieces include: (from the left to right) sidewalk art added to remember historical little Tokyo in LA; Adorning the steps of a New York library with classics—she wanted to compare an immigrant's journey to the journey of learning and lastly the commemoration of a threshold before a old watertower in Siberia.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

a sentence to describe Afinidad

Through the imagery of a fiery orange fuse leading to a elegantly dressed piano, I am attempting to allude to the refined, piano-driven sounds of Afinidad, in addition to the spice of edward simon's latin american roots that—one more non-pretentious adjective here—adorn the music.

(the piano is visually described as a bomb; therefore; one of the rhetorical tropes is metaphor)

afinidad revised

Firstly, Dustin just turned 20. I watched it happen. He is cute as ever.

Secondly, I was minding my own business when Eppelheimer walked by my desk and started to giggle; he thought it was absolutely hilarious that I had named the piano after my musician. "It would be much more Hoffman of you to place the names across from the piano," he stated. So, I tried it.

Actually I remember you (Jamie)—so my one blog follower doesn't get confused—asking if I had tried shrinking the piano in order to lengthen the fuse. Previously, I had been limited by the idea of keeping the ed simon text large and trapped in the piano. Free at last... a tiny piano, well why not.

Other changes: composition 1: I tried a combo of the hand drawing with a match photo, along with a return of the piano drawing. (I am smitten by the combos). Also, the lace is no more. Simple. Maybe Ed Simon should be a tad bigger to prevent a future drama from occurring.

composition 2: It's green with a sliver of fingers. (The giggler liked the slivers from the fourth image of my previous post).











composition 3: I tryed blue for a piano center. Nah. The hand is a first person perspective. I've added more space on the right of Ms. Parlato.












composition 4: I changed the masked image to a much smaller one to show more of the flower pattern.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

afinidad interpretations



I picked the floral pattern because I was originally drawn to the allegory of describing the music of Afinidad as pretty, soothing and fragrant. Secondly the fabric is a pattern I would imagine as wallpaper in a sophisticated atmosphere. Edward Simon, the lead of this piano driven jazz ensemble is refined; he originally studied classical piano, as well as jazz, both are apparent within his music.

I decided to spice up the color a little, since this is no folk concert. I began by scanning my rainbow leg warmers. bad idea. Next I made the word Afinidad fiery orange. I feel that the green background demonstrates a nice contrast to the title text. Also now the flame is excessively big to cause the viewer to discover the word is not just some pretty yarn, but it is infact a fuse to an explosive piano. I thought the explosiveness could also allude to Edward Simon's spicy roots in Venezuela. The Latin American spice is subtle, yet characteristic of Afinidad.

(The orange background iteration is not my favorite—so I am trying to ignore it—but I do recognize that the vibrating power contained within the complementary colors resonates with my theme.)

To add to the diametrical opposition to folk music, the piano is emitting, erupting and projecting exciting, colorful sounds, maybe even foreshadowing the explosion.

I am thinking of adding the color spew and the new and improved first person hand to the second composition. (
Formally, I am drawn to the middle two compositions.)






Thursday, September 17, 2009

Monday, September 14, 2009

frutiger, refinement

I've added a range of letter sizes to add contrast and to demonstrate the beauty of this striking typeface. The Frutiger arrow was added to signage in a Paris airport to further assist air travelers with quick directions to destinations. I've incorporated the arrow to reference airport runway as well as the crazy experience of walking through an airport.

The black and yellow color pallet are direct references of Adrian Frutiger's original airport signage.

Friday, September 11, 2009

frutiger, a new direction

I actually thought this abstract runway interpretation was too wacky to work as a progressive three panel. After beginning to add type, I am becoming a believer in the dynamic potential. This is officially the direction I am pursuing—at the moment.

frutiger (take 2)

I can see the light (no more harsh and debilitating blackness).
I am trying to manipulate the direction of the arrows to assist with the flow of the design. 
Also, after reading about the high legibility of this font, even at an angle, I am beginning to add more angled text.
So far, I think my hierarchy on the three panel design is having a battle.

On the inside poster panel, I've added a lovely letter G with comments on font features. Also, the word beauty is set in a lowercase, thinner italic to express the delicate side of this versatile font.

frutiger (first attempt)













Initially, I considered the pages within this mailer as isolated boxes of information. Since this type advertisement unfolds to reveal a complete poster on both sides, I have reconsidered the solid and distracting blocks of black.

jazz poster itterations