DESIGN THEORY S14

Design Project #6- Music Packing Revamp

MUSIC PACKAGING REVAMP

Phase IV-

Class Final

Inspired by Martin Venezky’s class visit and his critique of the MO and PoMO Music Package project, we will create one more design iteration which, independent of the influence any historical style or design theory, exemplifies the formal attributes of a strong “Visual Logic.”

You may use the same visual elements of your first two design, edit and/or subtract them, even add additional images and graphic devices if deemed appropriate.

Be sure to use your front cover morphology to help design the back of your music package, as well as the record label, so that the overall design maintains a strong sense of visual logic throughout.

We will be using a mockup template to present your new design this time around. You will need to download it from the following url:

http://graphicburger.com/vinyl-record-psd-mockup/

Print out the three images separately on 11x17 paper using the the laserprinter, and have the three sheets posted on the crit wall the beginning of class, Tuesday, April 22nd.

Post the design, along with your project’s process, on your blog as well.

Strive to make this your strongest design of the semester.

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REMINDER: Revamped projects and final blogs are due no later than

THURSDAY, April 24th at 4;45 pm.

Morphology Exercise

MORPHOLOGY

The greek definition of the word morphology is the “study of shape”. In visual communication it is the study of the visual logic - form and structure of a design. A designer can also create a morphology, often called a graphic standard, to use as a guideline for designing a variety of visual communications to maintain a particular hierarchy and look. Design templates are also another form of a morphology often used in web design.

In this exercise, you will study and list the morphology that comprises your particular redesign of the music package cover. Your morphology will be unique to your design and should differ from your classmate’s. Number the basic morphological elements, as shown below, and give the sub-elements an alphabetic listing. Adjust, add and or subtract to your list as necessary. Please write a description of your particular design structure, organizing agent, and/or formal element next to each listed morph..

Music Album Cover Design Morphology
- Elements of Form
- Agents of Structure

1 Grid

2 Colors

3 Type

4 Shapes
- a Circular (soft)
- b Triangular (pointed)
- c Square (stable)
- d Biomorph (Natural)
- e Other

5 Lines

- a Straight

- b Curved

- c Other

6 Composition

- a Dynamic

- b Tension - Attraction

- c Tension - Repulsion

- d Stable

- e Other

7 Space

- a Positive

- b Negative

8 Background (Ground)

9 Figure

- a Whole

- b Parts

10 Border

11 Bleed

12 Movement

- a Vectors

- b Other

13 Other

Spend 30 to 45 minutes analyzing your cover design and listing your morphology, then post it to your blog.

Visual Logic Exercise

Phase I:
Select 16 of the 19 images posted below and visually organize them equally on an 8x8 composition using a 2 inch grid. Organize them with some sense of VISUAL LOGIC looking for visual (formal) relationships between the images. You have 30 minutes to create this composition, use the full time allowed to create a visually thoughtful composition.

Phase II:

Select at least two and not more than five of the images belo, add color and/or texture of your own choosing, as well as two words, then compose a formal design which imparts VISUAL LOGIC.
You may add or subtract color, knock-out backgrounds, and posterize if appropriate, but no photoshop gimmicks for gimmicks sake. The final composition size is also to be 8x8. Use a 1 inch modular grid to help compose and structure this part of the exercise. You have forty five minutes to create two visual expressions.

Post all three composition onto blog.

Review and discussion will begin at 4:00.

Design Project #5- MO/PoMo Music Packaging

MO/ PoMo MUSIC PACKAGING

Phase I:

Choose a musician/band of your choice.

I suggest you write up a quick design brief on the project, clearing identifying the sender, message, and audience of the visual communication project, and conduct some visual research as well.

Phase II:

Using the same basic content, text and elements, design two 33 rpm vinyl album packages (front & back) from contrasting design points of view:

MODERNIST - SWISS DESIGN

Utilizing the following principles and axioms –
- Photography is the True Image
- Abstraction is Universal
- A Grid provides Structure and assures Uniformity
- Less is More
- Asymmetrical Type
- Triangular Stability and/or Dominant, Sub-dominant and Subordinate Hierarchy

Cover Design Rough due Tuesday, April 1st at the beginning of class.

POSTMODERNIST DESIGN

Inverting, ignoring and/or breaking the Modernist principles and axioms mentioned above.

Cover Design Rough due Thursday, April 3rd at the beginning of class.

Specifications: Actual size - 12 x12, Front & Back, Complete with Song Lyrics, No logos/branding

Phase III:

Tight Comps of both Album Covers (front and back) due Tuesday, April 8th at the beginning of class.

Final Designs of both Album Covers due Thursday, April 10th at the beginning of class.

- Guest Critique: Martin Venezky, www.appetiteengineers.com/

Reading #6: Postmodern Design Handout

POSTMODERN DESIGN

READING HANDOUT

No More Rules, Introduction
by Rick Poyner

Read, research and post an exemplary example of postmodern graphic design from the following designers:

• Wolfgang Weingart
• April Greiman
• Emigre - Rudy VanderLans & Zuzana Licko
• Neville Brody
• David Carson
• Jeffrey Keedy and/or Ed Fella

Reading #5: Emergence of Swiss Design Approach

EMERGENCE OF THE SWISS APPROACH TO DESIGN

GRAPHIC ICONS (9 Pages)

Bauhaus:
- pgs 52-53
Herbert Bayer
- pg 54
Jan Tschichold
- pg 65
Modernism in America
- pgs 68-69
Lester Beal
- pg 70
Ludislav Sutnar
- pg 80
Muller-Brockmann
- pg 115

GD THEORY (10 Pages)

Typophoto (Moholy-Nagy)
- pgs 32-34
New Typography (Tschichold)
- pgs 35-38
Building on Success
- pg 57
Grid & Design (Muller-Brockmann)
- pgs 62-63

Find an example of historical graphic design and an example of contemporary graphic design which both exhibit the concept, style, POV and/or approach of one another. Briefly describe that connection and/or influence in a written paragraph.

Due on Blog, Tuesday, March 25th

Design Project #4- BDPF

EPISTEME-INFLUENCED BDPF PROJECT

Project Launch:

• Identity a "BDPF" (Best Design Project Forever) that you long to work on.

– Write a short paragraph explaining the project.

• Choose an historic/practicing designer that you would like to associate with the project.

– Create a simple poster identifying them, their location, their work, clientele, and design approach.

Due on blog, Tuesday, March 4th.

Possible Designers to Choose From:

Graphic Icons

Lucien Bernhard

Hans Rudi Erdt

Ludwig Hohlwein

FFlippo Tommaso Marienetti

Edward McKnight Kauffer

El Lissitzky

Alexander Rodchecko

Stenberg Brothers

Theo Van Doesburg

Herbert Bayer

A.M. Cassandre

William Addison Dwiggins

Jan Tschichold

Lester Beall

Alexey Brodovitch

Alex Steinweiss

Herbert Matter

Ladislav Sutnar

Alvin Lustig

Cipe Pineles

Bradbury Thompson

Erik Nitsche

Josef Muller-Brochmann

Paul Rand

Saul Bass

Georg Olden

Will Burtin

Ivan Chermayeff & To Geismar

Yusaku Kamekura

Herb Lubalin

Seymour Chwast

Milton Glaser

George Lois

Wim Crouvwel

Walter Landor

Otl Aicher

Mchael VAnderbyl

Peter Saville

April Grieman

Rudy Vanderlans & Zuzana Licko

Edward Fella

Muriel Cooper

Steven Heller

Stephen Doyle

Paula Scher

Michael Bierut

John Maeda

Stefan Sagmeister

Design Firms Open For Business

Adams Morioka

Ande+Partners

Anzelevich

Base Art Co.

Circle

Design is Play

Design Center Ltd.

Felix Sockwell

Dondina Associati

Design: L'Orange

Igarashi Studio

Melchoir Imboden

James Victore

El Jefe Design

JJ Sedelmaier Productions

Joel Katz Design

Karlssonwiler

Keith Godar

Kind Company

Landers Miller Design

LSDspace/Un Mundo Feliz

MasonBAronet

MGMT Design

Piertro Corraini

Plural

RED

Sawdust

344 Design

Studio Lauchke Siebein

Tarek Atrissi Design

TheSumOf

Vertigo Design

Collins:

Estudio Manuel Estrada

Hyperakt

Morla Design

Project Projects

Angelini Design

Art+Com

Carbone Smolan Agency

Cobliss HMBE

Funny Garbage

Mucca Design

Graphic Design for the 21st Century

Aboud Sodano

Perter Anderson

Philippe Apeloig

Jonathan Barnbrook

Ruedi Baur

Büro Destruct

büro für form

Francois Chalet

Warren Corbitt

DED Associates

Dextro

Farrow Design

David Foldvari

Form

Tina Frank

Fernando Gutierrez

Fons M. Hickmann

Hi-ReSI

Angus Hyland

Hideki Inaba

Inkahoots

Intro

KesselsKramer

KM7 Christian Kusters

M.A.D.

Me Company

M/M (Paris)

Mutabor

Martijn Oostra

Matt Owens

Mirco Pasqualini

Research Studios (Neville Brody)

Piere di Sciullo

Suburbia

Sweden Graphics

Andrea Tinnes

Tyccon Graphics

Gunnar Thor Vilhjalmsson

Why Not Associates

Into the Nature

Adam Hayes, www.mrahayes.co.uk

Brendan Monroe, www.brendanmonroe.com

Carolina Melis, www.carolinamelis.com

Christian Montenegro, christianmontenegro.com.ar

Hanna Werning, www.byhanna.com

John Leigh, www.cargocollective.com/karborn/

Kenn Munk, www.kennmunk.com

Kristian Olson, www.kristianolson.com

Rinzen, www.rinzen.com

Studio Output, www.studio-output.com

Sounds of Silence, www.soundsofsilence.de

Sweden Graphics, www.idnworld.com/creators/?id=SwedenGraphics

Thomas Andritschke, www.labooo.de

Via Via Lennard Schuurmans, www.v-i-a-v-i-a.nl

Others

You Decide…

Design Project #3- Syntax Poster

SYNTAX POSTER

The constructivist designers investigated a new approach to creating visual communication. While considering themselves artists, they did not like art’s implied reference to personal expression and started referring to themselves as “Constructors” – or builders of messages – replacing the emphasis on personal expression with a goal of meeting societal needs through the creative process. As constructors, their particular approach to design was making the design itself the syntax of the message. I often call this overtly compositional approach “syntax-based” design.

Our next design project is again a poster, but this time with the message building as the viewer is guided through the design by the composition to a persuasive conclusion and a rousing call to action. The subject matter and message is to be of your choosing, but in the spirit of “Constructivism's Design for the Collective,” your message must be one that you feel will serve social change for the better.

Choose a social issue – anything from the food we eat, to the air we breathe, concerns about the environment, health issues, social justice concerns, etc – which is of UTMOST PERSONAL CONCERN to you and/or people that you care about and create a message around that issue. While some subjects may appear to be political in nature, this project’s objective is to create a message that is positive, informing and empowering and not political.

The AIGA has implemented a movement called "Design For Good", which is a platform to build and sustain the implementation of design thinking for social change. Visiting their web site program link at www.aiga.org/design-for-good/ may help you better understand the essence of the class project. They have examples of Design For Good projects by a variety of design professionals (and students).

T – Feb 11 Syntax Poster Project Launch

TH – Feb 13 Syntax Poster Project Description & Concept Sketches Due

T – Feb 4 Syntax Poster Roughs Due

TH – Feb 6 Syntax Poster Comp Due

T – Feb 4 Final Syntax Poster Due

All due dates include printing for presentation and critique, as well posting on your blog.

Reading #4: But is It Art? Handout

BUT IS IT ART?

Chapter 6 Handout:
Cognition, Creation, Comprehension

Due on Blog, Thursday, February 27th

Select eighteen of the following terms, words, peoples, theories, and concepts and describe or define them within the context of the essay:

Expression Theory of Art
Cognitive Theory of Art
Context
Psychobiographical Interpretation
Formal Interpretation
Representation
Abstraction
Art as Language
Is Expression in the Art or the Artist?
Unconscious Feelings
Conscious Desire
Libido
Sublimation
Psychoanalytic Interpretations
Author-Function
Paradox/Conundrum
Episteme
Historical Context
Pragmatism
Art as Source of Knowledge
Art as Experience
Scientific Hypothesis Criteria
Perception
Creation
Interpretation
Appreciation
Perceptual Psychology
Ineffability
Reductive
Heuristics
Peak Shift Effect
Insightful Cognition
Audience
Philosophy
Social-Historical
Dewey
Freud
Eoucault
Goodman
Tolstoy
Croce, Collingwood & Langer

Reading #3: Constructivists

GRAPHIC DESIGN THEORY - Readings from the Field

Rodchenko: Manifesto of the Constructivist Group

- pgs 22 & 24

El Lissitzky: Our Book (The Future of the Book)

- pgs 25 & 31

GRAPHIC ICONS - Visionaries Who Shaped Modern Graphic Design

El Lissitzky

- pgs 38 & 42

Rodchenko

- pgs 44-45

Stenbergs

- pgs 46-47

Write a simple statement on each of the designer’s individual design philosophies, approaches and/or points of view towards design.

Due Tuesday, February 11th

Post on Blog

Design Project #2- Process Poster

FROM OBJECT TO PROCESS

Objects can be viewed from different points of view, not just physically, but also as functioning processes which provide benefits to their users. The next phase of the Object Poster project is to turn your object image into a process image, and juxtapose and/or configure it with empowering words and type to create a strong effective communicator of the benefits of the object.The message will need to have an identified and/or implied sender as well as an identified and/or addressed audience who would benefit from your object.

T – Jan 27 Process Poster Project Launch

TH – Jan 30 Process Poster Roughs (3) Due

T – Feb 4 Process Poster Comp Due

TH – Feb 6 Final Process Poster Due

All due dates include printing for presentation and critique, as well posting on your blog.

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Semiotic Attributes of a Process Poster

While an object is a thing and possess features unique to that thing.

An object as a process communicates the benefits and/or functionality of the features –

in short, the process of the object is the true meaning of the object (its purpose).

The goal of a “process poster” is to overtly convey the benefits of the object to the audience.

Formal Attributes of an Historic Process Poster

• Bold Contrasting Colors

• Dynamic Backgrounds / Visual Contexts

• Structured Compositions (Use of Grids)

• Concrete Type & Structured Typographical Layouts

• Relationship of Type to Image (Juxtapostion & Configuration)

• Positive & Negative Space Relationship

• Repetition of Elements

• Color and Texture Gradations

• Speed Trails

• Strong & Dynamic Spatial Relationships

• Borders:
– Small & Tight Borders
– Borders in Borders

• Type:
– San Serif, Slab Serif, Oblique
– All Caps, Contrasts & Weights

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Examples of A.M.Cassandre's "Process" Posters: