Typography!

In class we've been talking about typography and the use of fonts in design. I've been doing some research online and have found some examples of interesting typography which I really like.

From Graphic Design

I really like the uniqueness and creativity of this design. The designer used a simple font in an unexpected way to create a very interesting design.

From Graphic Design

This design is similar to the visual poetry exercise we did in class a few weeks ago. I love the use of the fancy font which has been repeated to create unity in the design.The arrangement of the single letters to create the shape of a tree is very effective.

From Graphic Design

I like the use of varied fonts in this magazine page. While the page is quite simple, the use of many different fonts adds interest to the page, and transforms the page from simple and somewhat boring to visually interesting and aesthetically pleasing.

From Graphic Design

This magazine page is also very interesting due to the use of typography in the design. I think the use of line and shape in the typography is very effective, and I like the composition of the page.

From Graphic Design

I like the use of typography and texture in this design. The font is curly and somewhat old-fashioned, but contains enough variation to create interest. The crumpled texture in this design also appeals to me.

From Graphic Design

I really like this design. The designer has used many different fonts to create a collection of ampersands, using a variety of interesting fonts in differing sizes to create a very effective designs.

I enjoyed searching for these examples of good use of typography, and learnt about what sort of typography is effective and what appeals to me.

Rebel Assignment Idea

For the graphic design assignment, "Rebel", where you are required to choose an issue to rebel against and create a poster and website, I have chosen the issue of sweatshops and outworkers in Australia. While researching issues affecting Australian freedoms, I came across this issue and was shocked that workers are being so severely exploited here in Australia. There are approximately 300,000 sweatshop workers and outworkers working in Australia today, earning between $2 and $3 a day and working up to 18 hours a day, 7 days a week. Recently, many sweatshops have been closing down due to stricter worker rights laws, but the exploitation is continuing. The former sweatshop workers are now working from home (called outworkers or homeworkers), with the same poor conditions and pay. I was aware of sweatshops and outworkers existing in more disadvantaged countries, but I did not know that they existed in here Australia. I think many Australians are unaware of this issue, which is why I have chosen to raise awareness about this issue using the design process.

The fictional organisation I have created to rebel against this issue is called "Beyond the Label". I chose this name as the aim of the organisation is to encourage the Australian public to look beyond the designer label and find out more about how their clothes were made. I would also like to encourage the purchasing of sweatshop free clothing, and petition the Government to stop the exploitation of these workers.


The symbol I have created is meant to be a play on the name of my group. I wanted to create a symbol representing a clothes label, and create depth behind the label to represent the exploitation that exists to produce our clothes. The sewing machine symbolises the exploitation of workers. I will probably continue to refine this design, but this is my process at the moment. The next step is to continue my research and begin making thumbnails for my poster.

Art Video

I came across this video a while ago and it made me smile. It's a visual illustration of the song, "Art", by Tanya Davis, and explores the various challenges and benefits of creating and sharing art. I like the cartoon style of the art, and I can relate to the content of the video and song which I find really inspiring.

Inspiration

I gather a lot of inspiration for my creative work from flickr. There is such a wide variety of extremely talented photographers and artists sharing their work, and the community is very supportive as well. I love browsing through photos on flickr to gather ideas or just look at some beautiful images.

This is a mosaic of some of my recent favourite photos that I've found on flickr. I find that I'm drawn to soft light and light pastel colours at the moment.

My Recent Photography

I thought I would post some of the photos I've taken recently.

These were taken at a second hand bookstore in Bungendore. I wanted to capture the interesting textures and colours of the old books, and used Photoshop to give them a vintage feel.

This photo of fairy lights was taken at night using a long exposure and zooming the lens during the exposure. My aim was to create a surreal, dreamlike quality in the image.

I took this macro photo of a dandelion in my backyard and converted it to black and white to emphasise the form and shape of the subject.

I took this series of photos in my backyard using an old typewriter and some blossoms as props. I wanted to emphasise the juxtaposition between the shapes and textures of the old typewriter and the delicate new blossoms.

So there's some of my personal photography and the processes and thoughts behind the images.

Banksy - Political Street Art

'Banksy' is an English graffiti artist I discovered who creates murals and other street art which are often infused with political messages. Banksy uses stencils and spray paint to create satirical pieces of art on topics such as politics, culture, and ethics.

This artist relates to the graphic design 'Rebel' assignment as he uses art and design to convey political and cultural views, which is what is required for the 'Rebel assignemnt.

I like Banksy's clean, graphic style, and the way he combines his political views with art.

Guerilla Knitting

Today in Graphic Design we watched a video on guerilla knitting, or graffiti knitting, a concept I have heard of before and find really interesting. I like the idea of using the traditional craft of knitting in new and innovative ways to add beauty to the natural environment. I have done some further research on the idea of guerilla knitting and have found some interesting examples of this artform.

I think this crochet 'tree cozy' is really amazing. Apparently it took 500 hours to complete, and remained standing for three years. I think it would take a lot of patience and dedication to spend that long on a project to benefit the community and add beauty to the urban environment.

This abandoned gas station has been completely covered with knitted and crocheted graffiti which I think is completely incredible. I like the idea of using public property (an ugly abandoned building) as a base for an amazingly detailed and layered artwork. I love the varying colours, shapes, sizes and textures.

This is a 'before' picture of the gas station project.

During my research I came across a community called 'Knitta Please', a "tag crew of knitters, bombing the inner city with vibrant, stitched works of art, wrapped around everything from beer bottles on easy nights to public monuments and utility poles on more ambitious outings." I think the concept of guerilla knitting is really interesting, and the idea of using knitting as graffiti really appeals to me.