BA (Hons.

) GRAPHIC DESIGN
Module Code Module Title OUGD303 FINAL MAJOR PROJECT

LEVEL

Outcomes

06
1

FINAL MAJOR PROJECT STATEMENT OF INTENT

Name: Will Duffy Blog Address: w-duffy0912fmp.blogspot.com

Rationale

An image driven investigation of promotion and print with a focus on identity and branding
My work is primarily focussed on generating image-based design. I want to continue down this path and develop my skills in generating image and in understanding what constitutes image. I need to make sure that I understand different ways that image can be implemented and where and when it is most appropriate, as this will invariably dictate where my work comes from and how my professional career might go after the course. I would like to further investigate the application of illustration in graphic design within this. A lot of my work revolves around promotion. I want to promote a variety of different graphic design solutions such as events, products and services through a variety of mediums but with a focus on print design. I need a great depth of knowledge about the possible print processes, their costs and considerations regarding ethics. I will try where possible to develop identity into my work, fitting with promotion and developing branding appropriate to each brief, taking into consideration audience and tone of voice. My work will sit in context with a variety of researched image and illustration based graphic designers, but research will also address branding and identity focussed agencies and individuals. I also understand that I will need to investigate layout and typography to some degree to increase the potential of my design solutions. Collaboration will be important to get the best out of my work and to take advantage of a larger set of design skills than I have working on my own. The potential for design solutions is increased dramatically by including designers with skill-sets that differ from mine. Visits to studios will inspire my design practice and develop my professional practice further, helping to network and get contacts as well as show myself as a professional designer. I will visit studios that focus on image based work and illustration, keeping them in line with my biggest interests in design and working toward where I want to be as a professional designer in future. Where possible I will take on live briefs to help this development as a professional.

Subjects / Themes Promotion Concentrating on promoting through design where possible (Events, releases, businesses) Ethically driven Always appreciating ethics and concerned design Independent media Including independent films and cinema, books, comics, magazines and music Trade Trade on an international level but concentrating on small/independent business, focussing on foreign audiences, including food and drink Travel Tourism and travel, including air travel Print Print techniques and applications of printed design Illustration Different styles of illustration, Digital and hand drawn including character design Design Disciplines / Creative Development These are design disciplines that my work currently incorporates and that I want to continue to cover, investigating further and developing my understanding of each: Image based Printed design Digital design Illustration Design for motion/ Character design Visual Identity Branding Illustrative type Practical Skills / Workshops what, why and when? Digital illustration Using design software like Illustrator for design and layout. Software skills Using software to design and to edit. Editing images for final submission, presentation. Editing photographs. Designing for print and for web based resolutions. Indesign skills for layout of work for submission, portfolio etc. Hand rendering Drawing by hand for illustration purposes, final designs and for design ideas and development. Designing for print Skills to design properly for the best printed results and resolutions, including setting up a document and the finishing print process. Print processes Research and use of various print processes, especially screen printing and other specialist print processes like foil blocking/ UV spot varnish etc I am not particularly interested in typography and have no real experience or desire to focus on detailed layout, although I appreciate that it has its place in graphic design and it will need to be considered and sometimes applied to or with my own work, so to some degree I will need to develop basic skills in layout and type. I will probably have to use other peoples skills in collaboration to get the best out of my work when it comes to typography and layout. I am not interested in web design in terms of coding and actual website functionality but will still design for screen use. To develop: Screen Printing I want to use screen printing more, especially in the Book Fair brief but I need to practice the actual printing process and designing for screen printing. I want to use gradients in some pieces of work, which I will need to develop for the best results. Laser cutting I need to attend a laser-cutting workshop so that I can use the skill personally and increase the potential of my designs, as i have never been able to laser cut before. Lorenzo Wednesday sessions These sessions will help cover some basic skills in a short space of time, including some simple typography knowledge and things like layout and folding.

Brief 1: Cottage Road Independent Cinema

Deadline

20/ 3/ 12

Rationale: Create and brand a weeklong film event for Cottage Road cinema in Leeds with the intention of promoting independent cinema. Independent cinema is an important aspect of historical and contemporary culture in the UK. Budget cuts and loss of interest and faith in independent cinema is causing the medium to collapse and disappear. With regenerated and new interest, the independent film industry can gain support and be kept alive. Cottage Road cinema is a small, independent cinema with a classic look and feel which is the perfect host for the proposed event. Main deliverables for the promotion of the event are film posters for each night of the event Disciplines: Illustration, Image, Branding, Identity, Promotion, Print Considerations: - Audience/ age group/ location / tone of voice for identity Brief 2: Air Windies Identity Deadline 24/ 4/ 12

Rationale: Create visual identity for the Fly Windies Caribbean flight-based produce and travel company. The company could benefit from some kind of branding to pull all the services together and help define and distinguish everything that it can do. The basis of the company is that it is flight-based and as a company the only limitations on services are regarding the hold capacity. The business is exclusive to the Caribbean, based in St Kitts and trading mostly with the islands of St Barths, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Anguilla. Deliverables may include: Business Cards + letterheads etc, website, promotional mailshots, plane decals. Disciplines: Branding, Identity, Promotion, Print Considerations: Language/ Country/ Island/ Audience/ Brief 3: SixteenHT Book Fair Collaboration

Deadline

9/ 3/ 12

Rationale: Brand, Promote and produce work as part of the SixteenHT design collective for the Leeds Artists Book Fair 2012 with the theme of Metamorphosis The Leeds International Contemporary Artists Book Fair is returning to Leeds for the 15th Year running, and SixteenHT have acquired a table as a design collective. The collective consists of 5 designers; each with different skill sets and influences but linked by their shared interest and experience in graphic design. The table will consist of work produced by each individual designer with the overarching theme of Metamorphosis to connect the designs.The collective also needs a visual identity supporting the combined skills of the designers and ethos as a collective. Disciplines: Image & Illustration, Print, Promotion, Branding & Identity Considerations: Audience/ tone of voice/ production methods/ products/ cost/ quantity + quality

Brief 4: Yearbook Collaboration

Deadline

Rationale: Work collaboratively in a team to develop and design the branding and end of year yearbook for the BA Hons. Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern course. This is an annually sought after brief to design the yearbook for 2012 graduate year. This will be done in a 5-6 person collaboration. Individual design and research roles will be assigned, and every aspect of the yearbook will be covered, including designing, meetings with the clients and designing for print. Disciplines: Branding, Identity, Image, Print Considerations: Tone of voice/ Course/ Stock/ Print process/ Batch production/ Universality

Brief 5: Little White Lies

Deadline

9/3/2012

Rationale: Create an original cover Illustration for Little White Lies magazine, depicting the main character of one of our favourite films of 2011. Little White Lies is a contemporary film-based magazine with a focus on design. Each cover features the main character of whichever film that issue is based around in a relevant illustrative format. The films to choose from are Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Black Swan, Drive, Tree of Life and Super 8. The brief has potential for much broader possibilities. Disciplines: Illustration, Type consideration, Print & Digital design. Considerations: Film choice/ Audience/ Film content/ Stock/ Print process/ Illustrative Style

Contextual references / Designers / Studios / Companies (specific) Designers and studios: The designers and design agencies that I will focus on are primarily image based. I want to further investigate applied illustration and the potential of illustration within graphic design. Studios will cover anything from festivals and events to more corporate design where appropriate and individual designers may work within agencies or work freelance as illustrators and image makers, dealing with different studios and clients as appropriate. Examples include: Army of Cats, Ben Whittington, Screenadelica, Lesley Barnes, Twoducksdisco, Snowblinded, Annyas, Airside, Mine, Russ Mills, Mr. Bingo, Andrew Clarke, Mondo, Nelly Duff, Robbie Porter, Bestial Design, Si Scott, Strong Stuff, Jon Mcnaught, Invisible Creature, Christopher Brian King, El Grand Chamaco, Jeff Canham, Brosmind, Pianofuzz, Ben OBrien, Mark Howe, Folio, Thirteen

RESEARCH ACTIVITY: Galleries/ Exhibitions

Deadline

Visiting galleries and exhibitions showcasing contemporary graphic design helps to contextualise my work within graphic design in the most up to date way possible and will help inspire design ideas and solutions. YA ONE YA TWO Leeds Print Festival Leeds Artists Book Fair V&A Connects Deadwood Pick Me Up Somerset House RESEARCH ACTIVITY: Contacting Studios Deadline

I will contact these studios that I am interested in and that help inform and inspire my work. By emailing them I will be able to ask questions and show my interest in the company, as well as sending off an up-to-date PDF of my work, all in aid of potentially arranging a visit to meet in person. If studios do not respond to email, I will try other approaches of contact, e.g. phone calls and personal mailshots. I will develop an ongoing list of the studios and agencies that most inspire my work. Here are some studios I intend to contact: Airside Invisible Creature RESEARCH ACTIVITY: Communicating with Clients Deadline Talking directly to clients and having more personal interaction with others for research is important to help the briefs start and develop onwards rather than just me and my own ideas. Email contact with Cottage Road cinema Visiting the cinema Visit Hyde Park Picture House (comparison) Personal contact with Gary Benn Contact Zombie Film Festival Email Air Windies International phone calls to Mike Hudson Meetings with course tutors of Surface Pattern and regular team meetings Regular SixteenHT meetings Contact Gabrielle Newton RESEARCH ACTIVITY: Investigating Applied Illustration Deadline Researching further into applied illustration will be useful for my design context and ultimately my publication of context as well as inspiring my practice and opening up the potential of my design solutions. Investigate history of illustration Development of illustration through decades Popular illustration techniques Applications of illustration in graphic design Popularity of illustrative design Working with design studios or freelance Print and digital Promotion Events, films, music International applied illustration

RESEARCH ACTIVITY: Visiting Studios Deadline As a result of contacting studios, I aim to be able to visit them and take along my own portfolio. Visiting specific studios will broaden my experience in dealing with graphic designers and the professional practice and will show me what work the studios that I am interested in are producing right now. This will be useful for my practice and design context.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS / TEXTS - (Harvard Refernced) Baudrillard, J (1994) Simulacra and Simulation, Michigan, University of Michigan Press Jenkins, Tulloch (1995) Science Fiction Audiences, Oxon, Routledge Baurdillard, J (2010) America, New York, Verso. Debord, G (1984) Society of the Spectacle, Michigan, Black & Red McLuhan, M (2008) Understanding Media, Oxon, Routledge Umberto, E (1987) Travels in Hyperreality, Basignstoke, Picador Juxtapoz (2008) Juxtapoz Illustration, California, Gingko Press, Inc. Juxtapoz (2011) Juxtapoz Illustration: No.2, Caifornia, Gingko Press, Inc. Ambrose / Harris (2005) Basics Design: Colour, Lausanne, AVA Publishing Evamy, M (2007) Logo, London, Laurence King Publishing Jean James (2008) XOXO, San Francisco, Chronicle Books MAGAZINES / JOURNALS / ARTICLES (include publication date and details) Carne Mag Issue 11 Online illustration, design and photography showcase magazine. Carne Mag Issue 13 Creative Review June 2011, January 2012 Print October 2011, June 2010 Juxtapoz November 2011, October 2011, September 2011 ON LINE REFERENCES / WEBSITES / ARTICLES (include specific urls) Mondo Screenadelica Etapes Designspiration Behance OTHER REFERENCE MATERIAL (Films, events, exhibitions, conferences) Drive Black Swan + more independent films for cinema brief YA TWO Leeds Print Festival Leeds Artists Book Fair Pick Me Up

ACTION PLAN use this section to identify specific tasks that you need to complete in
order to resolve the brief. Brief What do you need to do? Arrange to visit Cottage Road cinema I need to visit the cinema in Headingley to hopefully talk to the cinema 1 manager Gary Benn about my project. I want to take some photos of the cinema to see possible places for promotion and ask some research questions. Visit Hyde Park Picture House I need to email or call the Picture House and arrange a visit so that I can 2 compare to my visit to cottage road cinema. This will help put each cinema into context and might help with some ideas for the first brief. Leeds Print Festival Go to the Leeds Print Festival event on the Saturday to see the work on 3 display and see the most contemporary print graphic design and print processes. 4 Call to Mike Hudson Have an international phone call to Mike Hudson, the client based in St. Barths in the West Indies. The call will be important to gather information about the brief and the company as contact may be sparse (Mike seems to be often very busy with the company) Attend Leeds Artists Book Fair Attend the Book Fair along with others from SixteenHT to man the table and help with potential sale of everyones products. It will also be helpful to see everybody elses work at the Fair, with a lot of potential to find appropriate work for my own context brief. Pick Me Up This event at Somerset House in London will be a good opportunity to see a lot of the contemporary graphic art and illustration being produced across the UK, but with a focus on the south. It will also give me the potential opportunity to visit studios around London and will be great for my design context publication. YA Two The second Yorkshire Artists exhibition will feature local talent from across Yorkshire, and should feature graphic artists and illustrators within the guest list. More attending artists will be announced close to the time of exhibition. Ongoing Illustration Research By creating an ongoing research project into applied illustration, I will be able to gain a lot of material for my design context publication part of the brief. Researching different aspects, style and eras of the application of illustration within graphic design will help contextualise my own work and develop my understanding of the relationship between graphic design, image, and illustration. Contacting Companies In the hope of arranging visits to studios I need to contact a list of companies that I am interested in and that inspire my work. Setting a deadline for this will allow me to have time to contact more companies if I need to and will give me time to use the information that I can gather for my ongoing design context publication development and allows it to influence Deadline 21/ 1/ 12

10/ 2/ 12

28/ 1/ 12

5/ 2/ 12

9/ 3/ 12 10/ 3/ 12

22/ 3/ 12 1/ 4/ 12

19/3 /12 9/ 4/ 12

30/ 5/ 12 submission

18/ 2/ 12

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my practice throughout the remainder of the course. Contact Zombie Film Festival The Zombie Film Festival is a really big event currently held at the Cottage Road cinema, running every year and attracting audience from all over the UK, run by Dominic Brunt and Mark Charnock. Contacting them directly will allow me to ask some questions about the festival in research for my own brief and will help understand why the festival is such a success.

10/ 2/ 12