ATS 240 - Graphic Design I

Interesting Animation

2009-12-06T13:37:00.003-05:00

"This short animation by Lois van Baarle, done for her graduation project from the Utrecht School of the Arts in the Netherlands, is probably the most convincing commercial I’ve ever seen. Even though it’s for a fictional product that may very well be used by an alien race to control our minds, I still want it." - By Gerry Mak

I thought this was a really nice animation.

Simple

2009-11-30T12:29:00.002-05:00

Sometimes less is more. This is an example of a really simple, but strong design. I like that there isn't any actual design in it (minus layout and composition), but it still reflects what design is and can be.

TIM'S BOARD GAMES!!!!!

2009-11-23T14:12:00.006-05:00

The games that have influenced my board game are The Great Train Robbery Board Game, Chess and Checkers.

Board Games!

2009-11-23T14:10:00.000-05:00

These are the Board Games that I am drawing my inspiration from.

2009-11-23T14:00:00.001-05:00

2009-11-23T13:53:00.002-05:00

the three games that i chose as references to my board game are candy land, chutes and ladders and madagascar 2: escape 2 africa.

2009-11-23T13:21:00.001-05:00

Game Influences

2009-11-23T13:19:00.003-05:00

Three games that influenced my design are Life, Chutes and Ladders and Monopoly. They all contributed to the general layout and concept of my game. The most influential one was Chutes and Ladders.

Board Game

2009-11-23T12:14:00.002-05:00

Trouble, Sorry, Shutes and ladders

Influential Board Games

2009-11-22T16:51:00.003-05:00

Three games that I love to play and have also had an influence in the concept of my game are:
1. Monopoly (time and money)
2. Sorry (movement and direction; some concept)
3. LIFE (layout, 3D peices)

design problem

2009-11-18T17:13:00.003-05:00

While I am sure the tri circle design in this walkway wall looks good at a direct view, unfortunately at certain times of the suns rising or setting the pattern creates an interesting shadow. I find this amusing but I am sure the person who designed the pattern didnt imagine to account for the shadows cast durring the day.

Shadow Puppets gone bad

2009-11-15T22:49:00.003-05:00

This is an interesting use of shadows. The shadows are distorted and much larger than the real ones and it exaggerates the impending doom.

Candy

2009-11-10T23:14:00.003-05:00

I found this image when doing some research and I liked this ad because it felt sorta retro and modern. The use of dots as the main title and background gives the eyes a sort of dancing around feeling when looking at this ad. The eyes dont stay at one focal point because if there should be a focal point it would have to be the word "Candy" but since the background are the same sized dots the eye just dances all over this image.

Graphic Design Winner

2009-11-09T13:43:00.002-05:00

ok i just wrote a big ole paragraph about this poster and it decided to delete itself, so...yeah. just look at it, it's pretty.
It's a contest winner.

Other winners here.

VGL SWM looking for a NSA DDF BiFWB

2009-11-07T13:48:00.004-05:00

oh yea. my 6 additional "personalities" are:

I have a bad sense of humor

I went back to the future

I am an alcoholic

I just PWNed your ass!

I'm a little teapot

and.... (drum roll please)

I like long walks on the beach, fine dining and I've never been kissed.

2009-11-07T13:43:00.004-05:00

Sandy Skoglund is an American photographer and installation artist. Skoglund creates surrealist images by building elaborate sets or tableaux, furnishing them with carefully selected colored furniture and other objects, a process of which takes her months to complete. Finally, she photographs the set, complete with actors. The works are characterized by an overwhelming amount of one object and either bright, contrasting colors or a monochromatic color scheme.

2009-11-05T18:09:00.001-05:00

1) I work on cars

2) I need a drink

3) I am a tattoo

4) Not here right now, leave a message

5) A gangster rapper

6) my life revolves around facebook

Name Tags

2009-11-04T12:47:00.002-05:00

Hello, My name is Caitlin...

... and I love to dance!
... and I am out of control
... and I want to fly
... and I get money
... and I go to the Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
... and I am in love with Edward Cullen

Typoholic

2009-11-03T10:57:00.004-05:00

This image is interesting for many reasons. The reason that I have chosen to publish it here is because I both like it and I don't like it. First I really like the use of text as an image. By changing the density and colors of the text the artist has created the main text of Typoholic in a very interesting way. The actual use of text is a very nice treatment of the design.

The reason that I find this image annoying is that I feel the black line across the bottom and the black image of a person are too heavy for the rest of the image. To me these aspects of the image just do not fit together.

Six Personalities

2009-11-02T23:37:00.001-05:00

This is Brittany C writing on Kirsten's because my blog still won't work...

My final 6 are...

I am a twin

I am a Rockette

I am always texting

I am married to Justin Timberlake

I am loud

I am a leopard

My committment

2009-11-02T17:27:00.002-05:00

I am spider man
I am smoking
I am good
I am evil
I am a machine
I am biological

Yaaaaaa

2009-11-02T17:24:00.003-05:00

I found this image one someones website and they had a lot of other similar works of art that involved taking human limbs and re-arranging them in weird positions. I liked this piece of work because of the elegance and simplicity but when I looked closer to the image I saw a flaw in the design and that is the misuse of another arm that doesn't fit with the main figure. The arm below seems to be from another person specifically a man. It doesn't fit well, and I am not sure if this was done on purpose or if this was done because of limited resources of images. But it ruins the image, other then that simple flaw, I like the overall image.

6 ideas final

2009-11-02T16:37:00.000-05:00

Jokester

Flexible

Hyper

Sneaky

Hungry

Liger

-Devin Sherin-final

Extra 6 Name tag ideas...

2009-11-02T16:31:00.001-05:00

1. Prisoner
2. taxi Driver
3. Adventurer
4. Out of this world
5. barber
6. Grouch

Operation

2009-11-02T14:19:00.003-05:00

I found this advertisement for Neosporin to be humorous. They took an old favorite board game that everyone knows and "fixed" him. In the board game it is the players job to fix the man, but neosporin did it for him. It is a clever use of a well known object.

Mother natures graphic design

2009-11-02T12:12:00.003-05:00

This image is a representation of "mother natures graphic design". I found this image while doing research on our 12 personalities project. It was amazing to me how one animal could be so many different colors.

David Carson NIN cover

2009-11-02T12:10:00.002-05:00

This cd cover for Nine Inch Nails "the fragile" was designed by world renowned typographer and designer David Carson. He pushes the limits of legibility and in his designs this creates interest. On the front the bands name is not fully visible, the text on the back is small and secondary but still clear enough to make out. That is where the interest and boundary pushing in his designs appeals to me.

How Ironic

2009-11-02T10:31:00.003-05:00

This week I decide to go random with this post, but turns out I found something that perfectly reflects events that recently have transpired (hey, typography class.) Anyway, not only is this a well designed poster, it has a message that I think every artist NEEDS to live by.

All of the text reads like this:

"Graphic Design is about doing it right.
Except when you know that your eyeball is seeing something that just looks frigging right!!! Despite what a dumb book or professor might say - so what if they disagree... Who cares? Sometimes you just have to listen to your intuition & your ARTISTIC GUT. (You do have one, right?) Trust it."

Google> Flickr> Entry by artist for graphic design contest.

2009-11-01T17:48:00.002-05:00

I chose this interesting architecture piece because it caught my eye. The height and design of the metal looks like it took careful planning to build it. This is in Seattle Wash. The only reason I really chose it was because it looked awesome.

2009-10-31T20:49:00.002-04:00

Do I really need to say anything about this? It's unique; a clever way of using the environment around the billboard to get the point across. It's simple and easy to understand. Since the rest of the billboard is blank - except for a small Bic logo in the corner, it's easy to see and doesn't take away from the main message.

This is an example of great design.

Image made by type fonts

2009-10-28T17:14:00.003-04:00

This image was interesting to me because from afar it looked like a real life photo or even a realistic painting or drawing. But, when looking at it up close you realize that the image is made up by words and fonts. In the backround there is a interpreted Apple Mac icon. I sometimes don't understand people's obsessions with Macs. Shouldn't a Mac break at one point? The image looks to be created with alot of layering and values. Simply the image could not be made without values. Because the values add the depth to the image.

Oil painting

2009-10-26T15:29:00.002-04:00

I chose this image because it is very colorful and is an oil painting. Which to me is pretty difficult. It's very detailed and I love how there are many versions of it in many different colors. I also enjoy the size of the canvas it works well being a vertical rectangle.

2009-10-26T15:23:00.002-04:00

This piece of work is by Douglas Kirkpatrick. One of his main influences is Italian graphic designer and Illustrator, Lberto Seveso. I love the combination through photography and computer illustration. My taste in artwork generally has more greyscale and only subtle hints of color which this image captures. I like the creative use of outlining the face and how it is not the perfect shape of the face but rather the organic floral and plant figures.

what's the problem here ?

2009-10-26T15:11:00.003-04:00

What's wrong with this advertisement ? Based just on visual appearance the ad appears to be promoting consuming alcohol during pregnancy. The text states this is a non-alcoholic beer but the text is visually over powered by the image of the pregnant women holding a beer, non alcoholic or not it is an icon of an alcoholic beverage and she is pregnant. Personally the ad does not bother me, but it could have been better and appeal to more people if she was just a not pregnant attractive female with the non alcoholic beer. Same format just not photoshopped to look pregnant.

photoshop disasters

2009-10-26T09:30:00.005-04:00

I came across this great website that I can't believe I've never come across before. Anyone in this class definitely needs to take a look at this. I now regularly go to this website- they add new images almost everyday, and you can submit anything that you see as well. This is just a compilation of really bad photoshop, and a lot of this stuff is published in major magazines and ads. This is definitely NOT what you want to happen to you once you've landed a job. This kinda thing would ruin your career.

PHOTOSHOP DISASTERS (just to warn you, it gets really addicting to look at.) Enjoy!

2009-10-19T17:31:00.002-04:00

This Elvis Presley wannabe looks like he just took a big bite out of a piece of star bursts laced with acid. There is too much clutter and it looks like really low grade graphic design work with the execution of mainly cut and paste images. I do give credit that most images seem to be originally made by the artist but just the placement of the images make it look cheap.

blog response

2009-10-14T14:14:00.002-04:00

Considering I have always been the quiet one during critiques, I have to say that this article was helpful to me. Most of the time I do have things to say about someone's work, but I'm not good at putting my thoughts into words. When he says to instead say how something makes me feel, I realized that by doing that it is still useful to the designer, even if it doesn't point out exact details that need to be fixed or are good. It helps them realize if the idea they were trying to convey is obvious or if they need to fix it, or if their idea came across strong. Basically, the article gave me tips on how I can speak up during a critique because I always feel bad when people give me feedback and I give them nothing mainly because it is difficult for me to put thoughts into words.

Critique Article

2009-10-14T13:24:00.001-04:00

This Article definitely brought up some good points, that I don't think a lot of people think about when they are involved in a critique. Something that I really agree with is when Jason says "Don’t make it personal." Even if a designer is your best friend, a critique is not meant to make a person feel good about themselves, but for that designer to learn and grow. Telling a designer that what they are presenting is "really good," or even "really bad" doesn't really give that person anywhere to go from there. You can still be best friends with a person and help them to realize that the work they are presenting is maybe not acceptable, as long as everyone involved understands that it is "the design, not the designer" that you are commenting on.
Another point that I really agree with is when he says "Think before you speak." Making sure that your comment is going to make sense and actually be helpful is something that is easy to bypass when you are just trying to say something. If your voice is heard, making sure that useful information is included is really important as designers.
Knowing how to both give and receive a quality critique is something that is critical in the design world. On the receiving end, if you hear everything that has been said, and do nothing to better what you are presenting, what good is the critique doing. If someone says that a piece could use some work, instead of possibly taking offense, it is important to actually do something to make your work as good as it can possibly be.

2009-10-14T11:33:00.002-04:00

I thought that this article was very interesting. He had some very relevant things to say that pertain to what we do all the time in class. One thing that really stood out to me was when he said that design is not about innovation; that innovation in a wonderful byproduct of design. I feel like people focus too much on innovation and therefore the design ends up destroying itself. Another important part to me was the tips on critiquing. The one in particular was when he talks abotu how you should not take everything so personally. I feel like this is a real challenge for some poeple beacuse when you make your work so much about you and make your work so personal it is hard to hear criticism about it.

2009-10-13T22:06:00.002-04:00

This critique blog post took a good portion of probably what most design students believe about critiques and put it into writing. Critiques are definitely two way conversations as Jason said. In a critique I personally like to address my piece(s) of art work with a short explanation, description and the aspects I like and or feel are weak. Jason said and I agree designers should not just throw up a piece and not have something to say about it to start the critique. A very important aspect is the Shit Sandwich. Designers doing the critiquing need to make comments in the least offensive way and the shit sandwich works. Start off with a good comment, then move to criticisms or things you don't like and finally follow with more good comments. By sandwiching the bad between good I believe the presenter does not feel like they are being attacked with the bad. In the end any comment that a person has put thought into and sensibly formulated can only help the person being critiqued. I agreed with this blog post strongly, it can be be very helpful to students new to a critique.

2009-10-13T20:06:00.001-04:00

Devin Sherin

Blog.

As I read this article I would say I would agree with what Jason is saying. When you first learn about what a critique is its kind of nerve racking and you are nervous to talk. There were two things that stood out to me the most as I was reading. The first thing was design is not about innovation. Design is about communication. Which I agree with and the other fact that I agreed strongly with was, that critiques are two-way conversations. I think that critiques are important for any job that involves displaying some sort of work to others. Especially, when you’re in the field of art, management and advertising. Critiques help the person learn about themselves and how to fix their problems and how to better them without taking the person so seriously. It is a great technique and should be used by many jobs.

2009-10-12T17:13:00.001-04:00

I picked this image because I think its good and well done. The display of movement is highly depicted and exaggerated a bit with the supplemental graphics around the person's body. The use of illumination is good for the setting because the person is almost lifting in the sky closer to the sun where the highest light source would cause such effect as the illumination.

2009-10-12T15:00:00.002-04:00

I chose this image by Alberto Seveso because the negative and positive spaced created by the words and geometric lines and color make it look very abstract. I could look at this image and still find new things to look at.

2009-10-12T14:53:00.001-04:00

So this picture is crazy looking but the design of a human form and the details of the paint splatters are pretty intense. It's a different way to look at the human form and the beauty of art supplies.

For this Wednesday

2009-10-12T14:35:00.002-04:00

Do you agree? Do you not agree? What do you think? Is this important as designers?

http://v3.jasonsantamaria.com/archive/2006/02/02/utl_2_critiquing.php

Alexander Gelman Swatch

2009-10-12T14:08:00.002-04:00

According to designmachine.com designer Alexander Gelman designed and supervised the design of over a hundred Swatch watches in the 1997-98 production year. This particular design is visual disorienting which creates interest. The watch is functional but I believe the design could impead easily reading the time shown. The design is good, interesting and functional.

2009-10-06T14:01:00.000-04:00

This poster, used for a campaign to combat the issue of animal shelters becoming too overcrowded, is an excellent way to grab a person's attention. By using a well known character you can look at it and know that there is something missing, which makes the viewer want to look closer and read what it is about. It is encouraging people to adopt pets because they will make their lives more complete, just as Scooby does to Shaggy.

2009-10-05T16:07:00.001-04:00

I came upon this picture while doin some work. I think this is so different, the idea that smoke can become a source of art. The graphics are amazing to show of the silhouette of a woman. I think this is a great example of how much our world is surrounded by art but its not alwasy recognized through design.

2009-10-05T14:53:00.002-04:00

i have become a follower at a magazine's website. the magazine is called computer arts and involves a great deal of graphic design. i was browsing through the galleries and came across this image. i love the way they have laid out the composition. Ink splatters have become something that i would like to involve more in my work. i like the simplicity of the image and the detail it involves.

The Tomahawk

2009-10-05T14:52:00.003-04:00

This design from the Dodge Motor company came out a few years ago as a concept. It mates the ergonomics of a motorcycle with the four wheels stability and V-10 motor of a dodge Viper. Engineering wise this design well thought out and highly functional. Aesthetically it leaves much to be desired and there just isn't a market for this over the top design. Possibly in many years this design could absolutly wow people.

2009-10-05T14:50:00.002-04:00

this image represents a lot of what i am currently working on in illustrator. It would appear that they used a great deal of the pen tool. It's interesting to see the simplicity of the pen too can create something that is so visually interesting that it needs to be studied despite being in a greyscale.

music

2009-10-05T14:17:00.000-04:00

since music is an audible element, i am always interested in visual representations of it. here are two that i found online that are both visually successful ways to represent art, music, and creativity.

2009-10-05T14:13:00.004-04:00

2009-10-05T11:53:00.001-04:00

This image is a depiction of city life. In it there are many many things going on. The entire piece keeps your eye constantly in motion. The artist has captured people going about their everyday lives, as well as some extraordinary occurrences. I feel like this is definitely the artists own depiction of the city. The whole piece definitely feels alive, and like anything can happen here.

I came across this image while searching for inspiration for my thumbnails. It think that it is a good representation of how different materials and forms of art can be combine to create one image. All together, this collage of sorts has created an effective piece of imagery that represents an interesting mix of life. It seems to feel like it is representing life in a city. There are areas that are modern and sleek combined with references to the classic works of past eras.

2009-10-04T19:11:00.002-04:00

Here is another representation of a DJ in action. This one deals with the same approach of using very oganic lines and almost making the image looking like it was splattered with ink. The use of scale gives the image a sort of 3D sensation because the hand is bigger then the head.

2009-10-04T19:06:00.002-04:00

I choose this image because of its modern style of graphic design. Its very organic and loose, the focal point of the image is in the middle which represents the DJ and his turn table. But, the person itself is not highly detailed its just the outline of the person while everything going on around the person is going crazy in rich detail.

Research Studios New Deal typeface

2009-09-28T14:53:00.004-04:00

Graphic designer and typographer Neville Brody along with Research Studios designed a new typeface specifically for the movie Public Enemies. The New Deal typeface was inspired by aspects of era in which the movie is set. I believe the typeface fits the movie title and overall feel well, it adds to the nostalgia of the title cards, also designed by Research studios.

READ THIS!

2009-09-28T14:49:00.001-04:00

Cool Website everyone should check out!

It has different tutorials for cool effects that can be done in Illustrator and Photoshop.

teri martin designs

2009-09-28T09:42:00.003-04:00

I came across Teri Martin's work a little over a year ago. She mixes inspirational messages with watercolor and handwritten font. I particularly like this one because of the color contrast, layout & placement and script writing, although many of her works contain this same writing. If you have a chance check out the rest of her art. She designs scrapbook paper, cards, posters, and more.

Teri Martin Designs

Smoke

2009-09-25T17:09:00.001-04:00

I chose this image because the colors really stood out to me. The way they used the lighting and highlights in this picture mixed with the vibrant colors makes it a very dynamic photo. It looks as though she is sitting on top of the world. The use of the black background bring out the colors as well.

CD COVER

2009-09-25T15:08:00.002-04:00

I chose this cd cover for my next post because I was searching for flower designs and country albums and came across this one it stood out because of the multiple designs that are faded and overlapping of the flowers/plants. The colors work well together and the girl stands out and she doesn't disappear event thought there are a lot of other things going on around her.

Designs/Artwork that work well

2009-09-22T22:05:00.003-04:00

These aren't designs per say, but these works of art are very interesting and eye catching in my opinion. Both follow the surealistic theme. The first is by Canadian artist Rob Gonsalves . The second work is by Boldriaan.

Join AEA and the Facebook group!

2009-09-21T15:54:00.002-04:00

Join... or else.

Art Exhibition Association Facebook Group

Controversial Typography change

2009-09-21T15:50:00.002-04:00

Ikea changes its font.

- Related link.

sick car

2009-09-21T15:04:00.002-04:00

This is car is expertly designed to create awe in anyone viewing the car. The flowing body lines with sharp edges, envy red color and flashy high lights. Multiple views give the viewer a feel for the whole design. I cant help but feel like i want this car for my own, and appreciate the work and attention to detail present in the design.

2009-09-21T14:33:00.001-04:00

I choose this piece because even though its a still picture there is a lot of movement with the posture of the person and also the graphics lingering around the person amplifies the movement even more to the point where its highly exaggerated. I can't tell if the guy is practicing karate, baseball, or if he is running from the cops. But, its a very interesting piece and it looks like someone dumped a bucket of painted on him and blasted him with a high powered fan.

2009-09-21T13:29:00.002-04:00

I thought this was a clever way to sell the product of old spice. It's something that everyone can relate to, a jock who thinks he's all that, trying to flirt with a cute girl. However, he smells, and the words growing out of his armpit tell us what the girl is thinking and help us grasp the idea of how much he does smell. A simple solution to solve this is to use some old spice. Men are going to buy this product because they'll do anything to try to get girls.

The Wrong Brand

2009-09-21T12:56:00.003-04:00

amazon using the ebay logo.

I like the effect type can have on a brand name. Just seeing the text can make a person know what it is, even if out of context. Thewrongbrand.com takes logos from companies and uses the same text and color scheme to spell out another company name, yet the readability of it is the name. You recognize the colors and type and immediately can associate it to the rightful company.

See more at thewrongbrand.com

2009-09-21T12:30:00.002-04:00

I love images that combine fashion and graphic design. With this photo there is art in the clothes and the pose then heavy graphics are used to help emphasize the movement and style. There is always something too look at in these types of photos and reflect upon in my own work.

2009-09-21T12:23:00.002-04:00

This image is another piece done my Rob Hopkins. I found this to be very intriguing because the way that he made the message legible yet made all the type to create an image is very impressive. The layout is a simplistic boxed layout but the different sizes of the font make it very easy to understand.

2009-09-20T11:18:00.002-04:00

I chose this image that I came across because it's very retro, innovative, and creative. The stairs are definitely connected but its clear so it appears that the stairs are floating which I thought was pretty intense. These stairs are a type I would think would be in a smart house of some sort.

2009-09-16T16:34:00.002-04:00

I came upon this picture the other day and it was quite interesting. The text and colors of fresh in this graphic design is great. It looks completely 3d and the patterns show unique art. The colors really bring everything up front, to the background accent to the image and the melting of the objects. Its kind of weird but interesting to look at.

2009-09-16T13:44:00.003-04:00

As I was researching inspirations for graphic design I came upon Vault 49. I found that I love a lot of their work they have posted on their website. This is one example of what I found interesting. I like that they use the combination on photography and in this case, a simple pencil drawing, and combine it with the computer to create a beautiful composition and mediums that can help compliment and contrast each other.

Awesome poster design

2009-09-15T13:40:00.004-04:00

While searching for examples of poster design for Typography class I came across this promo poster. It's for an album launch, and I was drawn to it because it's an example of good design in the particular field that I am most interested in as a career (graphic design in the music industry.) The feature I like most about this poster, is the color and layout of the "BLACK OUT" text. I like how the designer designed the A and K to draw the eye diagonally across the whole viewing surface, so every detail is observed. There is also some really great graphic work, including the subtle "wallpaper" background and the more prominent center design. It's artsy but has a level of sophistication to it as well. The only thing I would change about this is the text at the top. I think the strong graphic in the center and the color of "BLACK OUT" take away from the informational purpose of this poster.

This logo is pretty gay...

2009-09-14T23:40:00.002-04:00

Need I say more?

If the designer was smarter, they'd at least put the wrestlers is the typical spandex uniforms that wrestlers wear and put the pads on their ears that they use for protection. That way, immature people (such as myself) can't get the wrong impression and have a good laugh for a few minutes...

2009-09-14T14:14:00.002-04:00

These 3 images were created to hang in the window of a bagel shop. They are very unique in the fact that the bagel flavor is made into the actual bagel. When I first saw this I had to look twice to make sure I was really seeing a bagel. It is a clever way to display some of the different flavors they offer, rather than listing them. It makes me think that this particular bagel shop is probably trendy and probably have homemade bagels, which would make me want to eat there.

2009-09-14T04:48:00.002-04:00

Looking at this image from far away one might think its just a pile of legos on acid with a mix of bubble gum and taffy. But, taking a closer look the images become clear that this unique form is made up of just a mass of letters. Some of the letters are flat and some are in 3-D. There is a cool color tone that is dominate but then you have some red trickling on the outside of the focal point. The image does have a center mass to act as a focal point but it starts to even out from all the action going around it.

Tool Concert poster

2009-09-13T21:52:00.002-04:00

I found this poster that was for a Tool concert some while ago. The design appears to be done in illustrator. I think the design is succesful. The designs depth caught my attention, the detail in the design demands more then a quick glance.

Bad Post Card

2009-09-13T13:57:00.003-04:00

I chose this post card because I think it isn't a very good design. I think that when advertising something as creative and artistic as screen printing (especially with a name like "Creative Ink") that the advertisement should be much more creative. The designer could have used color to make it more interesting and draw the readers eye. When looking at this, I don't even want to read the information to see what it is about.

Sidewalk chalk

2009-09-12T17:38:00.004-04:00

I chose this image of sidewalk chalk because of how 3D it looks. The frog looks like it is looking at the baby and it looks like the baby is on a lilly pad in the water. The colors fit well with the swampy image. This is a very good design.

Bills In Toronto

2009-09-11T18:36:00.002-04:00

This poster is another piece done my Rob Hopkins. Being from Buffalo and a football fan, this poster immediately caught my attention. This is actually just one of a series of Bills in Toronto posters. In all the posters it is obvious that Rob is very skilled at what he does, he even is able to make a reflection on top of the building. He really was able to capture all the important components of the campaign. I have seen these posters around and they appealed to me even before I knew that they were made by Rob. The contrast between the black and white city and the player works great to really make Lee Evans stand out. Using the significant places that he did really made the poster stronger.

Graphic Design

2009-09-09T16:37:00.002-04:00

I selected this picture because of the very details of the black and red ink that form this unique person with flowers creating her outline. The sketchiness of the poster gives it beautiful texture and comfortable feeling throughout the piece. Graphics creating a sketchy portrait.

2009-09-09T16:28:00.002-04:00

I was first drawn to this ad being a person who has to pull themselves away from buying too many shoes. I think it sends a visually interesting and effective message. The composition is well balanced with the women's body position to the purse and the lettering on the left. The use of color is mainly focused on the woman's shirt and her purse which I believe to be a less effective marketing tool for the bank. I would have made the bank's logo and message more emphasized. Otherwise at a first glance it appears as a fashion magazine ad which may be good to target the right audience.

College Grapgic Design poster

2009-09-09T16:12:00.003-04:00

I found this poster that someone designed for the Ivy Tech Community Colleges' Graphic Design program. I like the design because it is clearly conveys the schools name, program and website. This person kept the colors simple black and white with a bright pink accent which catches the observers eye. The use of ivy leaves makes a clear connection to the name of the school and aids in the understanding of the design.

2009-09-09T15:09:00.002-04:00

This image has a great flow, contrasts, and very cartoony. It is a very unrealistic piece. It seems to be based on nature verses city.

2009-09-09T14:30:00.002-04:00

I chose this picture because I really think that this is a very creative way to advertise a product. The use of the bus straps is ingenious, and I feel like it gets people who might not have otherwise been interested in the product a chance to see what they may have been missing. While I'm not sure that a bus is the best place to advertise an expensive watch, I think that the use of something ordinary is very creative and a lot of thought must have gone in to the creation of this advertisement. I guess I'm going to call this a good example of design. I have never seen anything like this before, but it definitely makes you think and I will definitely use this for inspiration in the future.

Modern Toilet

2009-09-09T00:14:00.006-04:00

Modern Toilet is a restaurant in Taiwan that is entirely bathroom themed. The seats are real toilets and the tables are real tubs and sinks. The food is even served in miniature versions of toilets and tubs. Though the idea of sitting in a bathroom having a meal might seem repulsive I love the uniqueness of it. I've certainly never seen anything like it. The colors used are vibrant and the designs are detailed. Each group of "seats" has it's own pattern. Even though my ideal place for dining is usually not in a bathroom, I can't help the allure of sitting on a toilet and being served ice cream.

2009-09-08T19:22:00.002-04:00

I chose this Target billboard because I typically like most Target ads and commercials. As soon as you look at a Target billboard you can tell what store it is for. They have their signature red and white colors, target logo, and advertise that they are a store that sells items of all varieties. This particular one has a phrase saying "hello goodbuy" which lets people know that they have cheap prices. Overall I get the vibe that Target is a modern day store that you can buy most items you will need in one place.

Kidsexchange

2009-09-08T15:11:00.002-04:00

I chose this image to use as both a good and bad design. Good because the font and coloring the designer used is very childish and works for the store logo and what is in the store, but as for the bad part the full title of the store is misleading when you read it because all the lettering is put together so it's up to the viewer to depict what is actually being displayed.

Butterfly

2009-09-08T14:58:00.002-04:00

I found this logo when I was researching for my object for the project. I thought it was interesting how they used the letters of the company to make the wings for the butterfly. I think it is a very good design for a logo.

Straight to the Heart

2009-09-07T23:39:00.004-04:00

I chose this image because it is done by a guy who has inspired me since high school. His name is Rob Hopkins, he graduated out of my high school, then went to Fredonia for graphic design (which was exactly what I always thought I'd do). I feel like a lot of his work really hits home for me and sends out a good message to everyone. Even people who are not as familiar with the design programs can tell that Rob is very talented with them and extremely creative. I'm sure I'll be posting more of his work for you guys!

Bad Designs

2009-09-07T13:54:00.006-04:00

I decided to go with bad designs this week that I found by simply google'ing "bad logo designs". I supose I kinda cheated a little, but I did find some. I found a lot of logos and designs that I absolutely hated, but these ones were definately the worst.

With this one, not only is the design just terrible over all (font, colors, etc.) but I am not even sure what this logo is for. My first thought is that it really is a logo for a spa, but then I'm seriously wondering if anyone in their right mind would really design or use that. Maybe it was for an '80's video game?

With out even reading the text, I could safely assume this logo was for an attorney's office or some other sort of other legal business. Wrong. It's for a pizza place. My bad.

This had to have been done with that "Add Text" feature in Microsoft Word. Yeah, you can't do much with it, but I used to design logos with it when I was younger and did a way better job than this. The text is skewed and the dark purple makes it really hard to read, even when viewed at a larger scale. The little rain drop isn't helping matters either.

Fore!!

2009-09-06T22:22:00.003-04:00

I am constantly being amazed at the skill some people have when it comes to Illustrator and Photoshop. This image is one of many that I came across at this website. The picture above is one of my favorites from this page, but there are more that are just as worthy of posting. Here's another page from the same website that shows more talented Photoshop work.

2009-09-02T16:46:00.003-04:00

I picked this image because at first glance it is a warm jungle like atmosphere. Yet it has amazing trippy colors and images, such as the lady and her hair as the water then the mist turns into the horses. An the sun rays look god like as is there was zeus in the sky.

Beauty is Beyond

2009-09-02T15:52:00.001-04:00

I Choose this image because it flows really well with the contrast of the hair and the skin. The hair is very organic and could be seen as hair from far away but up close the viewer can see that the hair is made up of vines, plants, flowers, which gives it the organic look and feel to it. The image is very modern but it also gives me the mood of an Art Nuevo look because the Art Nuevo period involved a lot of elegant examples of elegant lines that were organic looking and even had vines in some of the works.

Interesting Campaign?

2009-08-31T11:21:00.000-04:00