LT week 12 – Fun with Slow Shutter Speeds

During this lesson task you will get familiar with working in a darker environment and how it affects buildings and people while using slow shutter speed.

  • Wait until it’s almost dark outside. Take your camera and go and sit in a busy tourist area. Choose a building or statue to photograph. Place your camera on a tripod and set the shutter speed to 30 seconds or more (if you don’t have a tripod, something stable, like a chair, will also work. If you don’t live close to a busy street, just get one or two people (or even your dog) to move up and down past the camera during the 30 seconds).
    Take a look at your photograph. Do you see a lot of people in it or just the building/statue?
  • Wait until it’s dark. Go and stand on a bridge over a busy street (or look from the window of a high-rise building). Place your camera on a tripod and set your shutter speed to 30 seconds or more. Inspect your photograph. What do you see? 
    (If there’s no bridge or high-rise building close to where you stay, find a street where there are some cars driving or alternatively ask a few people to help you by driving up and down your street. You can even pay an taxi/uber-driver. Ideally you should capture this from a bit higher than street level. You can ask a hotel in your area to use their window or the flat of a friend that stays on the second floor. Some buildings have a secret stairway to the roof… be creative, and safe!)
  • Ask a friend to help you with this activity. Choose a dark room in your house and switch off the lights. Place your camera on a tripod and set your shutter speed to 30 seconds or more. Ask your friend to “draw” a picture in the air using a flashlight. Take a look at your photograph. What do you see? This fun activity is called light painting. Try an easy pattern first, but also a more complicated one.

As I only had one evening to do this task outdoors, it was not ideal, but these were a few the photos I took.

ISO 100 – 37 mm – f. 11 – 30 sec

There are no “touristy” places these days, but this is as close as I got. No people, but cars passing by at least. Sadly this lady is a little unclear, but this is was still the best example.

  • ISO 100 – 37 mm – f. 20 – 30 sec
  • ISO 100 – 18 mm – f. 18 – 10 sec

There are no places with a lot of traffic at night here, so I took pictures of the few moving cars in downtown Voss that night.

  • ISO 100 – 55 mm – f. 14 – 2.5 sec
  • ISO 100 – 55 mm – f. 11 – 1.6 sec
  • ISO 100 – 55 mm – f. 11 – 1 sec

Drawing with light – I did this assignment outside with street lights. In the first one I tried to make the @ which was semi successful.

Shooting in Low-Light Conditions

Question 1 

Written assignment (4 hrs)Describe the steps that you will take to ensure that you take a high quality photograph in low light conditions. Refer to exposure, lenses, tripods, colour temperature, flash and ISO. Your answer should be a minimum of 350 words.

To take good photographs in low light you need:

  • A tripod to keep the camera steady.
    In darker conditions the shutter speed is higher, meaning the shutter will stay open for a longer period of time. If the camera is moved, even the slightest shake, the picture will be blurry. A remote shutter release can also be useful.
  • To use longer shutter speed for longer exposure, making sure enough light is brought into the photo.
  • Any lens.
  • To keep the ISO as low as you can, preferably to a 100 to reduce digital noise in the image.
  • A flash can come in handy, but is not absolutely necessary.

Question 2 

Practical assignment (1,5 days)

  • Watch the LinkedIn course:
    Photography 101: Shooting in Low Light by Joseph Linaschke
  • Take four low-light photographs.
    – One should be a sharp photograph that focuses on a static object, like a building or statue.
    – The second photograph should showcase moving objects, like cars or running water.
    – For the third photograph, take a moody portrait of a friend and use high ISO settings to your advantage.
    – The fourth photograph should explore using external light sources, like a Speedlite flash (please note, if you don’t have the equipment to take this last photograph, you may leave it out).
ISO 100 – 37 mm – f. 29 – 20 sec

LT week 11 – Mastering the Art of Product Photography

Question 1

Written assignment (Research and analysis) (1 hour) Draw up a list of the most important aspects of a product photograph. Refer to shadows, lighting, quality, ISO and editing in your answer. Mention at least five things.

Question 2

Practical assignment (6 hours)

  • Make your own DIY light tent.
  • Take product photographs of the following objects:
    • Something fluffy, like a stuffed animal
    • Something shiny, like a knife and fork
    • Something hard, like a book or a mug
    • A liquid, like a glass of wine
  • Draw a diagram of your lighting scenario for each of the above photographs and submit it along with the photographs.
  • Edit your photographs with the software of your choice. Write an accompanying paragraph for each of your photographs and explain what you did during the editing process.

The most important aspects of product photography are:

  • To have good and even lighting on the object, no harsh shadows. Placement of the light is important.
  • As low ISO value av possible – to make sure the images are sharp and not grainy.
  • Use a tripod to make sure the images are sharp.
  • Creativity is less important than the technical aspect (to a certain extent).
My simple setup – a homemade light box and my trusty old friend, a Canon 600D. I used the simplest lighting possible, two different desk lamps that were easy to move around.
ISO 100 – 55mm – f 8.0 – 1/6 sec

For the image of the pencil sharpener, I cropped the image, in addition to adjusting the white slightly. I also slightly adjusted the exposure, contrast and hightligts. This was done in Lightroom. The shadow is rather soft on this one, while picking up a lot of details on the object itself.

ISO 100 – 45mm – f 20 – 2.0 sec

For the “fluffy” photo I borrowed one of my daughters tiniest stuffed animals. As my box was rather small, I couldn’t pick the fluffiest of the fluffy, sadly.

The image has been cropped, and the white adjusted up in Lightroom. Other than that I did nothing. I could have done something with the shadow, maybe, but I felt it was soft enough to be left alone.

ISO 100 – 45 mm – f 8.0 – 1/6 sec

The shiny object was the hardest. To completely avoid seeing anything in the reflection I would use a tent of some sorts, only allowing the lense through. I did not have that available while working on this, so this was the best shot. The white was adjusted and the image cropped, both in Lightroom.

ISO 100 – 45 mm – f 8.0 – 1/10 sec

The liquid turned out rather good when it comes to lighting.

LT week 10 – Applying Philosophy to Design 2

The study of theory on a subject is important, but for a designer the study should not end with the analysis and discussion thereof. It only really becomes useful when we can use it successfully in our work and daily lives. What does the theory teach you and how can you apply this? Refer back to your use and application of design fundamentals and watch the course:

Watch Drawing Vector Graphics by Von Glitschka
In the previous lesson we touched on creating thumbnails, when watching this lesson’s video, pay careful attention to the section on preliminary or rough sketching out of ideas. Design a book cover for a thriller book called “The Fall of Imagination” by Sam Wan. This book does not exist and is open to your interpretation as to the subject matter.

  • It must be designed by clearly drawing inspiration from a previous design style.
  • The size of the cover must be A5 and it should include a front, spine and back.
  • The cover must contain a simple vector illustration that forms the basis of the design.
  • The cover must contain the title and the name of the author.

Publish your design as a PDF document.

LT week 10 – Analyzing the use of Design Fundamentals

Choose any one of the illustrations from the lesson “Design Drawing” and answer the following questions (when submitting your feedback – also provide the illustration you chose):

  • What fundamentals are used successfully? Describe in detail what you think is the most successful aspect of the illustration (remember to focus on the fundamentals).
  • What style from the past is being used in a new way in this illustration? If no previous style is clearly apparent, does it use some form of pastiche? Why do you think this specific style or pastiche was used? Describe in detail whether you think it was used successfully or not.
  • Read again what Mondrian said about the expression of beauty or self. Which do you think played the dominant role in the execution of this illustration? Explain your thoughts.
  • If you had to create this illustration, before starting the actual execution, what would your initial thoughts be on:
  • Colour (what would your approach to colour be?)
  • Line (what would you like to portray with the use of line?)
  • Composition (what would you wish to instil in the viewer by the use of composition alone?)

This amazing piece of art made by Tahier Variawa depicts Che Guevara, a famous revolutionary, guerrilla leader, physician and author. Among many other things, he played a major part in the Cuban Revolution.

The image by Variawa is quite obviously based on the famous image “Guerrillero Heroico” by Alberto Kordas. Made up by dots of different colors, mainly red, yellow and green, with nuances, he has made a very easily recognizable image. If you had ever seen the original image, you will see that this is Che Guevara.

The image is, as mentioned, made up of single colored dots, which are placed in a strict grid. The colors of each dot makes the image, you might say it looks pixelated. Still, from a distance you will even see the shadows around the nose and forehead. It is truly a remarkable piece of art.

Pastiche is used in the sense that he has clearly copied a famous photo of Che Guevara. Strict grid structure is used to place the dots, which can be led back to the Swiss Movement. The power of recognition is real, and this image certainly takes full use of this in a very successful way, in my opinion. Using such a strict grid for the dots are also very effective and striking.

If I were to create this illustration I would choose colors that had meaning in connection to the person in the image. I’m not certain how the colors of Variawas image was chosen, but I might look into the colors of a flag, a country, nature of the country Guevara represents or comes from. Lines are not really present in this image, other than in the fact that the dots are arranged in grids. The composition looks very different close up and at a distance. This is very intriguing.

Resources:
https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Che_Guevara
https://www.piet-mondrian.org

LT week 10 – Applying Philosophy to Design 1

  • Design an A4 poster for a humanitarian cause you feel passionate about. For example, creating awareness and a call for action against human trafficking. You must apply pastiche to your design. Use a style of propaganda used during the Modernism era and create your own, unique design in a contemporary context.
  • Start by creating at least 5 thumbnails for your design. These thumbnails should be handed in with your assignment.
  • Write a rationale or explanation for your poster of at least 350 words. Why it is necessary to create awareness of the humanitarian cause?
  • Give an explanation for your creative execution, mention the use of colour and graphics as well as typography.
  • Give examples of the designs you used as inspiration and why it is applicable to your design.
Thumbnails

Stine Sofies stiftelse is a well known organization in Norway working against violence towards children. The organizations story is a tragic one, it is named after Stine Sofie (8) who along with her friend Lena (10) was brutally raped and murdered in 2000. The organization now work towards preventing violence and abuse towards children.

This is not a cause that needs a “pretty” poster. They need a poster that highlights an important issue. The simple fact that 1 in 5 children experiences violence from their parents should be shocking to hear, and thus demand attention. The icon of the clenched fist will tell a story, although it is rather simplified. The silhouette of the innocent baby should evoke feelings too. The baby is looking up towards the hand, and the message is rather simple to understand, I think. Written in a clean, rather cold typeface the words stand out.

To accommodate the cause but also the assignment a sans serif typeface should allow for the words to stand out. The font is called Corbel, and is used in regular and bold. The design is not the point here, only the message is important. The concrete background allows for a rustic, hard surface, also allowing the words and icons to stand out.

Black and grey-tones suit the cause well. The clenched fist was kept in color, to stand out.

Disclaimer: This is a school assignment and not an official poster for Stine Sofies Stiftelse.

Inspiration for the design was among others found in these hands that are quite commonly used in different ways throughout the history of propaganda.

Resources:
https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/552459-raised-fist-vector-icon
https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/240942-children-silhouettes
https://www.stinesofiesstiftelse.no/dette-utsettes-barn-for
https://www.bufdir.no/Statistikk_og_analyse/Oppvekst/Vold_og_overgrep_mot_barn/Barn_utsatt_for_vold_i_familien/
https://unsplash.com/photos/yI3weKNBRTc

LT week 10 – Focusing on Design With A Conscience

Frank Shepard Fairey is an American contemporary graphic designer and illustrator who emerged from the skateboarding scene. He first became known for his ‘Andre the Giant Has a Posse’” (…OBEY…) (www.obeygiant.com) sticker campaign, in which he appropriated images from the comedic supermarket tabloid Weekly World News.

His work became more widely known in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, specifically his Barack Obama “Hope” poster. The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston calls him one of today’s best known and most influential street artists. His work is included in the collections at The Smithsonian, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Analyse his poster for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election and give your opinion on the use of style and its efficacy. Also critique the use of pastiche and typography. 
Write one page (about 350 words) on your opinion of this design and substantiate your answers with examples.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama_%22Hope%22_poster

This poster featuring former president Barack Obama was widely spread around the world in connection with his 2008 presidential campaign. The message is simple. An easily recognizable image of Barack Obama, with the word “Hope” in large print underneath. The colors of the poster are the red, white and blue, much like the colors of the American flag. The image has been simplified, it has a clean look that is striking on a poster.

The artist has stated that: “My historical inspiration was the well-known JFK portrait where he is posed in a three-quarters view looking slightly upward and out into the distance. The image of Lincoln on the five-dollar bill has a similar feel.” (ref. wikipedia.org) Making a connection to the very popular John F Kennedy who tragically was killed, is a smart move.

One might say that Barack Obama is gazing into the future. The word “hope” used in this context to me says that there is hope for the future.

The typography used in this poster is very clean, readable and as it is such a short word it is very easily recognized, almost like an icon itself. Such a strong word in such a strong, clean typeface make a strong impact.

LT week 9 – Focusing on Pioneering Designers

Within the broader milieu of Neo-modernism, we focus on Marian Bantjes, who set design trends with her unique application of typography, loose illustration and well-balanced compositions.

Watch course on Marian Bantjes (2h 18m), then answer the following questions:

  • Objective observation
    During the interview, Marian mentions, “When I worked at Digitopolis, I was working almost entirely on the computer, basically the computer and with photography. And now I am using a wide variety of materials, sometimes still involved with a computer and sometimes just with the materials themselves. But having a space like this allows me to obviously store them all, and to work on these various surfaces in different media.”
    What is your opinion on the use of the computer combined with different media? Write one page (350 words) on your opinion of the importance of media and design and what your take is on the use of computer technology.
  • Pushing technology and changing philosophy 
    While describing her development of style, Marian states, “I am not an expert on illuminated manuscripts by any stretch of the imagination, but there are a couple of purposes of it. But one of those purposes is definitely to invoke wonder in this way that was very interesting to me and was feeding directly into my ideas about that symbiotic relationship between graphics and text.”
    How do you think this links to the philosophy of the Swiss International School? How is it different? Has technology given us an advantage in expressing the symbiotic relationship between image and text? What about Marian’s work? Is this reflected in her work? Do a write-up (350 words) on the relationship between image and text, as seen in Marian’s work and relate this back to the Swiss International School. Substantiate your answers with relevant facts. You may use a visual example of both Marian’s work and that of the Swiss International School to facilitate your analysis.

Objective observation

What do you use, are you an Apple-head or do you work only on Dell? What digital tools you choose is a very personal choice, and to some designers, I believe a statement. What digital tools you use for your work is part of your design identity. This also applies for any other tool one might want to use in ones work, whether it be drawing, sculpting, painting or anything else. 

The Norwegian artist Per Fronth combines photography with painting and he caught my attention many, many years ago. Take a look at his work at www.perfronth.com. In many ways he was my first introduction to art where two quite different genres could work so well together. It absolutely sparked an interested into a more diverse art scene for me personally. As I would consider myself a very creative person, my complete lack of drawing skills has always been a sore spot. There are however many ways of being creative. Per Fronth opened my eyes to this. 

To be able to use a computer as an outlet for my creativity has also been an eye-opening experience for me personally. Before studying graphic design I mostly used my beloved iMac for writing, which also of course is creativity in every sense of the word. However, the more visual part of my creativity was never allowed to blossom, as I have never been any good at drawing. Maybe that is changing as I am learning more about the software and different techniques. Watching what other designers and artists have done is also a huge inspiration. For me personally the different Adobe software has been highly important. I believe the computer based creative ways of working are an incredibly important part of art and design for the future. However I sincerely hope, and believe, that working with a pencil, paint, touching the material you are making art of/with, never will disappear. 

Pushing technology and changing philosophy

Marian Bantjes’ work includes a lot of typography. Her way of “hiding” words in her artwork is intriguing and a brilliant way of ensnaring the audience to really look closer. What else might be hiding within the boundaries of this artwork? 

She uses a lot of sans serif typography which obviously reminds of the Swiss International School. Her love of details and embellishments does differ from the Swiss International School, but the idea of the message being the most important thing, is obvious in her work as well. This could be linked to the Swiss International School. 

Technology does not necessarily make it the relationship between image and text any stronger, but it does give the possibility of seeing many more options, and in that way maybe making it easier to be creative. 

Resources:
https://www.perfronth.com

LT week 9 – Research on Late Modernism

Consider what we have discussed regarding Late Modernism in the USA and The Swiss International Style. Do additional research on the Swiss International Style – it may be a good idea to study some of the known designers of this style and period. As a guide, visit designishistory.com, which gives a brief outline of specific designers and styles – take note that here the Swiss International Style is listed under 1940, which is not incorrect as the style was developed in the late 40s, but flourished in the 50s. Also use additional reference sources of your own and do a write-up of the following:

  • Research on the Swiss International Style
    After you have done research on the style, give a description of your own. How would you define the style? Do a write-up of about 350 words and discuss the characteristics of the style, the typefaces that were prominent and the philosophy behind it.
  • Influences on Swiss International Style
    Do a write-up of about 350 words on what you think the main influences were on the Swiss International Style. In other words, what motivated designers to create and follow this style? It may be useful to study specific designers, such as Josef Müller-Brockmann and Armin Hofmann, pay attention to what they themselves (or other designers amongst their peers) have said about the philosophy of the style.
  • Analysis of the Swiss International Style
    Read up on the different schools within the Swiss International Style: The Zurich School of Arts and Krafts and The Basel School of Design and do a write-up of the similarities between them and the differences in their approaches. This write-up should be your own conclusions, based on examples of work and stated facts and should be approximately 350 words long.

Swiss International Style 

The Swiss International Style started in Switzerland and came from two design-schools: The Kunstgewerbeschule in Zurich, where Josef Müller-Brockmann was the leader, and the Allgemeine Gewerbeschule in Basel, led by Armin Hoffmann. Müller-Brockmann and Hoffmann had both studied under Ernst Keller in Zurich before the second World War. The Swiss International Style started at the end of the 1940s and flourished through the 1950s.  

The main focus of the Swiss International Style was that you were to notice the design as little as possible. The message was the only important thing. Cleanliness and structure was the way to achieve this. Grid-structure and mathematical proportions was typical for this style, and this is an important part of design still today. 

According to the Swiss International Style typography should be dynamic and functional. Readability was key. Sans serif fonts were widely used. Helvetica is an example of a typical Swiss International Style font that is still used today. In many ways represent the Swiss International Style. It is very popular and is highly readable, clean and simple. Did you also know that the word “Helvetica” means swiss? 

The style is recognized by it’s asymmetrical layouts. They also started using photographs in stead of illustrations. 

Influences on Swiss International Style

The two leaders of the swiss art schools where the Swiss International Style originates from were both students of Ernst Keller in Zurich before the second World War. Müller-Brockmann was influenced by both De Stijl, Bauhaus, Constructivism and Suprematism. He published several books, among others “Grid Systems in Graphic Design”. Hoffmann was teaching typography at the Basel School of Design already at the age of 27. He also wrote a book to outline his legacy in graphic design: “Graphic Design Manual” which is still a reference book for all graphic designers. He had a strong belief that communication comes before design and experimented with composition and using photos in his work. He was a strong believer in sans-serif typography, and worked much of his career with designing posters, which he felt was the most efficient form of communication. 

Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Typographic_Style
https://99designs.no/blog/design-history-movements/swiss-design/
https://www.printmag.com/post/swiss-style-principles-typefaces-designers
http://designishistory.com/home/swiss/

LT week 8 – Graphic Design History

Question 1

Practical assignment (observation and analysis) 1 day
1.1. Define, in your own words, the Bauhaus, De Stijl and Swiss Movements.
1.2. For each of these movements: find examples from their eras, as well as current designs that are influenced by these styles.
Explain in your own words how these designs were inspired by the movements.

De Stijl – 1917-1931

Originating from the Netherlands De Stijl (“the Style”) was a design style ment to have no personal or national identity, but rather speak to everyone. The ideal was to rebuild the world. It was a utopian philosophy that stretched over many forms of design, such as graphic design, architecture, product design and fine arts. The ide was that we should be able to live together in a peaceful and harmonious society.

  • Furniture with clear De Stijl inspired patterns – image from mvkantoor.nl
  • Image of the Hague celebrating 100 years of De Stijl – image from news.artnet.com

Bauhaus – 1919-1933

Bauhaus was a design school founded in 1919 in Dessau, Germany. It is known as the most important influence on contemporary design. In design terms, this is where the old world ended and the new world startet. Still building on the idea that design can make the world a better place, it included many building principles from earlier design movements. Always strive for the best quality, less i more, stay true to the materials, form follows function and the fact that mass production could ensure equality and harmony in good design.

  • Bauhaus architechture – image from unsplash.com
  • Chair typical of Bauhaus – true to the materials – image from unsplash.com

Swiss – 1955-1975

Also known as the international style, the swiss movement in design represents order, a rigid grid structure and mathematical proportions, in the persuit of clarity and structure. Typography should be functional and dynamic. To this day we use these elements daily in design: the Golden Section for proportion, sans serif typography, grids for layout and font sizes to secure mathematical consistency.

Question 2 

2.1. Research, written & practical assignment (problem solving) 1,5 days
Look at the history timeline at the beginning of this lesson. Gather information from 1900 – 2000, and design your own timeline using the Swiss Design Style as your theme. Each movement should be described in a creative way.

LT week 7

Lesson Task – A personal survey

A personal survey

Having learned about the basics of surveys in the past three weeks, choose someone you know (other than yourself) and create a logo for that person according to the two steps below. The person may be a family member, a friend, a fellow student, a celebrity or anyone you could physically interview and who would be able to participate in your interview.


Step 1 Consider what will be your Core Interview Questions and conduct an interview with your chosen individual. Make sure that you get the data on what the person’s persona is: Who are they? What are their personal goals? How do they define success? Etc.
Step 2 Now use this person’s name to create a logo for him/her. Remember to keep the previous criteria and guidelines we’ve covered on logos in mind. For the purposes of this assignment, you should create three logo options (of which at least one should be in full colour). There are no restrictions such as type-only, etc. so be creative! It is important, though, to treat this as a professional logo execution, which the “client” may wish to use in his/her own capacity.
Step 3 Publish the answers/data from your survey as well as a rationale (a document in which you explain and interpret your ideas) for your logos, based on this research. Also hand in the three options of the logos as PDFs and tell me which one is your favourite, as well as which one your client preferred.

Name: Augusta
Age: 10
Occupation: 4th grade student
Favourite colour: Yellow, blue and light green
Favourite animal: Dog, antelope and rabbit.
Hobbies: Bicycling, drawing.
Three words that describe you: Crazy, funny and kind
Hopes in life: Work at a restaurant

My daughter Augusta chose the third option, with the dog. I personally preferred no 2.

Preparing for Brand Development

Write, in detail, the following about your client from the previous lesson task (A Personal Survey):

·  Attributes
·  Vision and mission
·  Key products or services – list these in detail
·  Key competitors – list three
·  Competitive advantage
·  Key stakeholders
·  Value proposition
·  Target market

Gather your findings and analyse the one or two interviews you’ve done. Then type up your findings and create your own brief. Your brief should include any insight you may have gained from these interviews. The purpose of the brief is to create a brand. This step of the assignment is the creation of a brief only – you do not have to develop the brand yet. Publish your data from Step 1 and your brief in Step 2 in PDF format. Make sure that the document is neat and well presented.

Resources:
https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/83718-free-vector-dog-silhouette-vectors

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