The overall design of this poster is pretty amazing. Its no surprise that the design of it was from the implementation of mathematics. The black background dotted with a white circular pattern is very reminiscent of a astronomical illustration or something along those lines. Described as "A universe composed of dots evokes infinite time and space." Designed by Takenobu Igarashi for the 1984 Kanagawa Art Festival, this poster is designed to show a universe as time and space continues it's expansion. If one doesn't take the circle into account. It interesting how many of the dots don't follow any particular full pattern. The dots by size follow together but in some instances are randomly near small dots, much like a actually solar system or expanding universe would . I really like the simplicity of it. Although, I know the design was created using grids and mathematical layouts which is not so simple when your actually doing it. Its a very impressive design.

 

Images: http://users.design.ucla.edu/~cariesta/designhistory/eighties.html

Esquire/Nixon

The thing that catches my eye the most is how much of the actually cover I can see. Comparing it to todays Esquire cover, there definitely seems to be a big difference from cover to cover. This issue's cover only pertains to Nixon while most today seem to be swamped in advertising. As for the importance of the design of the cover. Its pretty funny, but politically it means a great deal more than getting a laugh out of someone. One of the reasons behind Nixon's loss of the 1960s election was due to him not using makeup during a debate with JFK whom used the makeup. Without it, Nixon looked old, haggard and evil while Kennedy looked fresh, youthful and strong.
     Designed by George Lois, this cover shows how design can be used to advise the vast audience of readers on how a presidential run can be successful or broken due to a bit of cosmetic's. The use of an almost solid textured background with the overlay of Nixon with his eyes closed also allows the reader to develop their own interpretation of this design. Quoted by The New York Times, "Lois 1968 cover conveyed a death wish: eyes closed, his face expressionless, Richard Nixon looks as if he were being prepared by a pit crew of morticians for open-casket viewing".  I personally thought they were just trying to make him look pretty, especially with the pink lipstick, my favorite color.



Images: http://www.georgelois.com/pages/Esquire/Esq.nixon.html

Creative Brief III

Identification:  Created by Austin Cooper in 1924, he created these two posters as advertisements to bring people into lower London to use the subway system. His method for bringing people into the London Underground was to show the temperature in the underground and contrast it with the varying temperatures above.

Project: To solve a communications problem with getting Londoner's to use the underground railway system. The purpose of this project was to show the benefits of using the underground railway over walking the streets of London to get to ones intended destination. Cooper's use of colors and patterns helped establish a method of getting Londoner's to come down into the Underground by way of conditions of comfort. The underground would be warmer in the Winder and cooler in the Summer.  

Client: Commissioned by the London Government. These posters were to be used to solve a communications problem they had with getting riders on the underground railway system. Hiring Cooper to create these posters was their way to get more useful advertising through visual stimulation.   

Intended Audience: The intended audience of these posters were the citizens of London. The intent was to get them to become riders of the London Underground by enticing them to get out of the cold or heat above ground. Once underground, the citizens could enjoy the contrasted temperature from above and ride the railway to their destination.

Core Message: The core message was simple in form and very effective I believe. The posters which were used to bring riders into the London Underground used geometric shapes as visual cues for changes in temperature from the above ground to below ground. Cubism being the movement in which this was inspired, Cooper effectively and visually conveys the benefits of using the London Underground instead of suffering through weather above. With the added text below "It Is warmer down below" or "It is cooler down below". The posters message are very effective with their intended design.  

Images: http://www.vintagevenus.com.au/vintage/reprints/transport/TR195.jpg
Images: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02108/warmer2_2108265i.jpg

Opel Automobiles Poster/Pictorial Modernism

I really enjoy the way this poster portrays Opel. Its a great piece of artistry. The O dominates the left portion of the poster breaking up all the blue. The driver is definitely something of the past. One would never see a person dressed as this gentlemen is portrayed. Only affluent , upper class or professional individuals can own this vehicle is what Erdt is wanting to reflect in this piece. It could mean something completely different, maybe the guy is a pilot but likes Opel automobiles. It kind of reminds me of the old sea-fairing painting i used to see. The poster looks like it has a texture to it, if so it helps bring out the face of the driver, makes it a bit more realistic. In all, its a pretty unique poster, it is definitely a poster i would hang on my hall.


Images: http://ransondesignblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/1920s-graphic-design.html

Art Nouveau_ Bitter Campari Poster

Designed by Marcello Dudovich and entitled Bitter Campari. His poster was made to convey the sensations or desires that would arise from drinking a Campari cocktail. The thing that catches my attention the most and pulls me into the poster is the use of the red. The  is red very prominent and encompasses the entire poster. A blending of red, black and white appears to be the only colors used in this entire piece. It doesn't exude the as much of the Art Nouveau style as some of the posters do, no wide views of a womans body or extreme closeup of the face and hair. No long spaghetti like hair or floral material at all or use of several different colors. It definitely captures a bit of essence of the Art Nouveau period. It stands out from the rest, has beautiful color and works with what message it's trying to convey.

Images:http://www.postershop.co.uk/Anonymous/Anonymous-Bitter-Campari-9934150.html

"Typeface"

The film was definitely a learning experience. It showed the passion in which fellow artists and designers have for Type. Being there using, touching and being apart of the process of creating print and graphics with physical woodcut type, machine presses is surely a real eye opener. It shows the disconnect we as designers will have to contend with, with the increased use of computers and their playing a major role in design work today.
It would be awful to see the museum fade away as some of the original crafts people get older. The one guy seems to be the leading force in keeping the museum open and maintaining the all the type stock. It would be great to see a larger afford by artists and designers all over the country keep this place up and functional. And although it possibly wouldn't appeal to a majority of people (non-artist/designer). A small community of followers would love to travel to the museum take part in sometime historic to a profession. I would hope it will continue to be attraction for designers presently and for future generations. It would definitely benefit from more and more advertising nationally.

Industry_Arts & Crafts

The Industrial Revolution seemed to have taken the world by storm and greatly improved the methods in which almost everything was done. These improvements also spread through the printing and art and graphics world. Photograph made its way onto the stage and gradually transformed the way in which people viewed their landscape, events, as well as other people. Printing, Print Graphics and other artistic professions benefited from the Revolution as well.  A surge in printing and publications etc, catapulted some of these industries into national brands, and as these printing companies as well as other industries grew, the demand for more output, mechanization and people increased as well. Along with the increase in production, the quality of work also improved, this in-turn produced much better products which increased demand as well. The Industrial Revolution was like the innovative/technical renaissance for the world, it definitely helped to bring about the world we live in today and the graphic design world would not be what it is today without that period of innovation.




Images: http://adlhochcreative.com/blog/?tag=joseph-niepce /
             http://morrisedition.lib.uiowa.edu/storyglitteringplain.html

Creative Brief II

Identification:  Created by Theophile Alexandre Steinlen in 1896, The poster entitled "Tournee du chat noir" was one of his first Paris commissions for Le Chat Noir. This particular poster is but one of several cat poster he created for the 19th century cabaret.

Project: The purpose of Steinlen's work on this poster was simply for advertising of the cabaret. Advertising of Le Chat Noir, Salis and Aristide Bruant. A frequent performer and singer at the cabaret. 

Client: The client of this project was Le Chat Noir. French for  "The Black Cat".  This was  a 19th century entertainment club or cabaret based in Paris, France  in the Bohemian Montmartre district of the city. It was own and operated by Rodolphe Salis.

Intended Audience: The intended Audience was mostly french men and or any passerby. The status of the club slow grew over the years and expanded it's audience to foreigners whom were in Paris. According to Rodolphe Salis, "The Chat Noir is the most extraordinary cabaret in the world. You rub shoulders with the most famous men of Paris, meeting there with foreigners from every corner of the world."

Core Message: The core message is very direct. A black cat! "The Black Cat" Le Chat Noir. It gets to the point of the message almost instantly. Specially if you are a frenchmen living in Paris or almost anywhere in France during the 19th century when word of this night club is spreading around.

Graphic Strategy: The graphic strategy used for this poster is simple yet extremely affective. Le Chat Noir, The Black Cat. Steinlen places a black cat on the poster dominating a large portion of space on the poster. He also uses nice fairly bold contrasting colors, that compliment the large black cat. As well as Decorative text with black beginning letters.










images: http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Tournee-du-Chat-Noir-c-1896-Posters_i314154_.htm

Durer Rhino

Out of all the imagery that we covered over the week, I found this image to be one of the most interesting. Created by master artist Albrecht Durer from a sketch and description sent from Spain. He created this woodcut illustration of what he thought a rhinoceros would have looked like. Appearance wise, this rhino's skin plating is very different compared to the modern rhinoceros we are so familiar with. The body shape is practically the same. I just find it interesting that a man who has never seem a animal such as this, was able to draw it so accurately. The fascinating idea about this illustration is that what if the rhino really did look like this. An earlier evolution of the species, seen by humans and not too old on the Prehistoric and Geologic Timeline.


Images: http://phthiraptera.blogspot.com/2009/12/foure-footed-beastes.html

Creative Brief

Identification: Created by Katsushika Hokusai between 1830-1832. This woodcut print entitled South Wind, Clear Dawn is just one in the series of prints called Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. It is also known by the name, Red Fuji.

Project: Just one in the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. This print was designed to show Japan's cultural landmark in all of it's beauty and natural essence. When in series, this and the remaining prints "depict the external appearance of nature and symbolically interpret the vital energy forces found in the sea, wind, and clouds."

Client: There is no specific client of this print. It was not made for any one person or government. Instead, it is a piece created for the people. It was created to show the landscape and one of the peoples most cherished landmarks.

Intended Audience: The intended audience of this particular print was undoubtedly the people of Japan. The Japanese people have a deep spiritual and cultural connection with Mt. Fuji. It is a symbol of their ancient culture and it is considered one of their three "Holy Mountains".

Core Message: The core message of this print is to "capture the essence of the mountain, in this simple yet powerful vision".  To display the mountain in all its glory, surrounded by the natural world. It depicts what the early japan culture would see as the sun rises and the light hits the peak of the mountain.


Graphic Strategy:  Hokusai used rich distinct colors to show the different layers of the separation between the land , mountain and sky. The red shows the first signs of sunlight hitting the peak of the mountain, bathing it in a red glow while the base of the mountain and landscape surrounding it remains in shadows of night.  

Images by: http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/upload/q4556392.jpg
Also check: Megg's History of Graphic Design, Fourth Edition pg.193 (11-5) 

Early Civilization

It is interesting how it can be said that modern design can trace its origins back to early cave drawings. The pictogram above is one of the earliest cave drawings found. From these paintings to the Sumerian writing and all the way down to the Egyptian hieroglyphics. They are all tied together in their
ability to have influenced future civilizations. As civilizations developed throughout the ancient world, these cultures slowly developed the techniques pasted down to them from their ancestors and perfected it to their benefit, giving raise to early written language. The Egyptians being the first to combine both imagery and writing into their documentation of events at the time. This gives one an idea of the genesis of what we call design.