Some more conjoined twins imagery..

"And so he fell asleep dreaming about the most beautiful unnatural being he had uncovered yet."

Principals of the RVJ

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Key Principles of Graphics

Tone of voice

Different imagery has a different tone of voice. Typography for instance, has an interesting way of catching the viewers eye. With typography every piece of design is vital... how would the word "whisper" work if it was in a huge, caps font?

WHISPER!

The answer is, it wouldn't work.
Some more examples below:


shout



bang


SECRET

Essentially visual communication is defined as:

"Visual communication is communication through visual aid. It is the conveyance of ideas and information in forms that can be read or looked upon. Primarily associated with two dimensional images, it includes: signs, typography, graphics, illustration colour and electronic resources. It solely relies on vision. It is form of communication with visual effect. It explores the idea that a visual message with text has a greater power to inform, educate or persuade a person. It is communication by presenting information through visual form."

Purely visual and with no words or icons, this piece works solely on the image. It is about building an emotive vision with the viewer... we know that this can not happen and the sheer cheek of the designer is comical therefore works to catch our attention.

This image works in a completely different way. Without the words the image would not make sense to us. With the image the words denote that this image is about the 9/11 attacks and we visualise the white lines as different journeys within the events of 9/11.

When a product is initially being launched and advertised, we need some kind of writing to process what the advert is about. When the product becomes worldwide and well known... you can take the writing away and use the same style image and it is powerful enough on it's own to advertise. For example the original ipod advert and the more current ipod adverts:

Researching content

Researching content? Problem solving? Getting your head around a brief? Whatever you want to call it, subject, audience and message are the three components towards breaking down a brief. By looking at the environment one can gain information, look at content and finally transfer it to different users. From Brief to final solution it should take spiral effect... so you should start with the information given and soar ahead gathering your own input and information on the way up to the 'final solution' stage.

Kolb's learning cycle show's how and where you personally keep track of a task:

My conjoined twins final image

This is my final image. I am really quite happy with it.. imagine it printed on to photo paper and the word "forever" in gold.. that's how it looks. Can you tell who it is? ;)

Black Film Festival

...

Double Trouble

I'm starting to create designs of myself as a siamese twin.. I am starting off lightly with photo shop testing, but I am to end up with a dark and un-natural looking human. With conjoined twins, I am interested in the fact that something that has naturally happened within the womb, can seem so un-natural and make us look in disgust.

Freaks- Tod Browning

Yesterday

So my illustration project is about siamese twins?

Look what I just found?! It's crazy what you can find with a bit of research...

"What do you get when you mix a dark fairy tale involving Siamese Twins with paintings by fifty of the most innovative, off-the-cusp artists in the art world? A gorgeous, limited edition first printing of the book, Max and the Siamese Twins. Intrigue, lust, love, burlesque, and a whole lot of trouble, that’s what you can expect to find as you peruse the pages of this eighty-page volume."

Mail Art: A Journey

I have started a Mail Art project which I am really quite excited about!:

All you need to do is buy or make a blank postcard and on the front, in collage or drawing I want you to depict a memorable journey or place that you have either; been on.. would like to go on.. or have seen in your dreams.

When you have created the front image, just turn the post card over and sign your name or write a message, and add my address on:

Niamh Griffiths
Flat 8
Hazel House
Hamstead Hall
Friary Road
Birmingham
B20 1ap

It would be so interesting to look at everyone's journey's because I am aiming to create a final fictional journey to a fictional place by collaborating each design.

Key Principles of Illustration

Through the ‘visual practice’ of observation, collecting, studying and exploring, illustration can contribute to a deeper understanding of the subject.

Research is sometimes more important than the final piece you create. "Notebook after notebook after notebook because I feel sick when I forget a potentially good idea." Illustrator Paul Davis elaborates on the fact that every little detail that reminds you of an undergoing project should be kept record of in a notebook. I agree it is essential to keep note of any imagery, written notes, photographs, sketches, doodles, I wish I could do it more myself... you can never have enough pictorial information to help you create new ideas. Research is the key... any successful project needs a basis to work from, it can act as a tool and a stimulant to produce a finalisation of what you have been working on. You can create a bank of knowledge by just recording your thoughts. I always forget potentially good ideas and it bugs me to death. If you collate information you create communication! You retain information by looking at mediums so why not record that information in to your own visual language and look back at it? You must know your practice. "I do get stuck but only because I have so many ideas"... one day.

The notion of 'inspiration' derives from constant inquiry, based on research, observation, recording and experimentation.

Collecting things stimulates the brain. It helps you think of something fresher. At the moment my wall is my base.. It is full of all kinds of imagery and little 'notes-to-self' about projects. My most recent area of interest being about the 'abnormal' and the 'distorted' An artist which has inspired me greatly in this project Audrey Niffenegger. Her perfectly distorted images just make me feel a mixture of disgust, intrigue and fear.

This image "Self portrait as Siamese twins" has immensely inspired me. The way the two women are integrated as one is the first blatant thing I noticed, my eye then straight away hit the posture of the 'two-in-one' figure both bent backwards with their hands on each hip and two legs facing straight on. The thing that fascinates me about this painting is the normality on the women's faces.. Don't get me wrong I have no problem at all with the rare occurrence of conjoined twins however I can not get my head around how this happens completely naturally within the womb and cannot be stopped, yet when the "baby/babies" are born, we look on and feel a slight feeling of disgust and awe at how unnatural it looks. How is something so biologically natural become so unnatural to the human eye?

Inspiration can start anywhere and end up as the most polar opposite finalisation of your first idea.

ITAP lecture 1- connectivity

Notions of originality

There’s no such thing as originality. “Creations” are merely re-contextualised and reused developments from existing forms of historical culture. Intention behind a works is the key to making it successful, adding a title for good measure can also be very important. Media organisation “Adbusters” take old adverts and make spoofs out of them:

The messages that this corporation are to trying to show in their renovated advertisements is that, to reach and audience, you must take something which is popular and widely known and modify it to fit with modern society and idealisms. Humour is also something which “Adbusters” elaborate on, which is a good technique for their audience to identify with.

We can see that “Adbusters” designs are reminiscent of the infamous artist Andy Warhol. An average person would pick up “Brillo” soap pads in a supermarket and see a mere cleaning tool, Andy saw art. Warhol was brave enough to use his exceptionally contemporary style and simply use it to “transform the mundane in to something inspiring.”

Commercial culture is what Warhol played upon in his practice, he took every day objects and manipulated them to create contemporary art.

Cultural context within my chosen media

"Be able to draw an illustration at least well enough to get your point across to another person" - Marilyn Vos Savant.

To me, illustration is all about getting your point across, expressing yourself and your opinions and teaching others about different perspectives on subjects. Why not be controversial? Why not show an extreme manipulation of something? If you don't agree with political statements, why should anyone compress and hide what you believe in?

Banksy is an artist I admire (as much as I hate to say this as he seems to be an artist everyone admires) I feel that although other people admire him, they "like" how large scale and amazing his ideas and techniques are. I admire him in the respect that one day I want my work to reflect my own political views and my own social views.. and I want others to see my work as a gateway to opinion and not being restrained in expressing views. You then ask yourself the question why does Banksy remain anonymous?

"Imagine a city where graffiti wasn't illegal, a city where everybody could draw wherever they liked. Where every street was awash with a million colours and little phrases. Where standing at a bus stop was never boring. A city that felt like a party where everyone was invited, not just the estate agents and barons of big business. Imagine a city like that and stop leaning against the wall- it's wet." - Banksy.

Why would you choose to publicly reveal opinions unless you didn't believe someone else thought about them too?