Personal Study

Introduction

For this years coursework the main theme was based on Music. I was required to complete two main coursework projects that included making a CD package and designing a Logo for an artist. I also had to complete T-shirt designs for a Music artists clothing label. I had to complete smaller tasks such as researching into already crafted CD packages and research based on the artist and their music. The structure of my coursework was starting off with initial ideas and then developing them to end up with a final outcome that can showcase my skills and techniques that I had gained during the coursework project. I combined hand drawn sketches and digital work so that I had a variation of techniques throughout my project.

 Experiences and contextual research at AS level

During my AS course I looked at a wide range of work from individual artists to visiting galleries and exhibitions. At the beginning of my AS course I was introduced to artists such as Rob Ryan, Miles Donovan, Andy Potts, Tim Marrs and many more. The two main illustrators that I gained the most inspiration from were Andy Potts and Tim Marrs, I admired their work a lot as I could link to them and their work was based on my ideas. I looked further into these artists which I then learnt about how they create their effects and the techniques that they use. I completes a number of different tutorials digital and handmade to experiment with these skills which I then included it into my own coursework. I also visited an exhibition where I had to opportunity to meet and talk to different graphic designers and to spectate their work. It was a great experience as I got the meet an amazing illustrator called Chris Dent who focuses on buildings and uses mainly a fine liner. His work was inspiring and the detail that went into it was unbelievable. He gave me a lot of inspiring advice on different techniques I could try out on my own work. In my AS exam I decided to create a final piece related to Tim Marrs and Andy Potts so I based it on the city of London. I went out and captured photographs of different Landmarks around central London and other things such as buses, police men, red phone boxes etc. My aim was to create a sort of montage with all of the images which I did and it came out quite successfully. 

AS to A2 Project

For my AS to A2 Project the theme was on music where we had to choose a Music artist and analyse different types of CD packages. I chose a rap group called Maybach Music Group 'MMG' which I then studied their logo and style of group they were. I looked into the designers that created their logo and CD cases so I could see what type of designs they work with and the techniques they use. For my research I used mainly the internet and looked at different artists blogs and websites where their work was showcased. The artists that I looked into mostly was Rob Ryan and again Andy Potts. I was interested in Rob Ryan as I was amazed at what he could create from paper cutting and I thought I could include this technique in my own work. Andy Potts was the other designer I admired as his work looked very urban and gritty which is what rap is mainly about. I liked the way he overlapped images and different textures to create an interesting layered design. I felt this could work very will within a CD package or the booklet. The examples that most influenced me were Rob Ryans paper cut of the night city and Andy Potts montage of America. I was also interested in an artist called Miles Donovan who uses mainly thresholds to create textures images.

CD Packaging Project

For the CD packaging project I was required to create an album for the music group I chose which was the Maybach Music Group. I had to design a logo, packaging, an album booklet and a label. I started off by analysing album artwork that had already been created by artists. I researched into Jessamine Houdini who created a kind of dark CD package. I gained inspiration from this work which I then brainstormed a load of ideas that I came up with. I analysed a few more artists and then gained more inspiration on the making of the package not just the design. I was thinking of new ways to make opening the case more exciting and interesting like pop up cases, fold out ones etc. The sources I used were mainly artists websites and also just looking at CD cases in the flesh and analysing them inside out. I heard about the contextual examples through blogs and forums where people were talking about the art work which I then found out names and their websites. For my own design I wanted to create something urban but that also symbolised luxury and wealth. I did a photoshoot which I then edited them and put them into the logo. I received a lot of advice and feedback from my peers and teachers which gave me more ideas and showed my how to improve my work and enhance it. My teacher showed me new techniques I could use to make my designs better and more exciting which I then used.

Personal Project

My Personal project outcome linked to the themes I addressed in my idea sheets as the designs I used were what I originally planned to do. The contextual links I used was the work of Andy Potts and Tim Marrs as I have admired their work for a while and their designs and work amaze me every time. The work I analysed inspired me to create my final design and gave me more ideas that I could incorporate and combine. The sources I used were the artists blogs and websites where I found a lot of useful information on the techniques they use and a showcase of all their work. I got a lot of advice from my peers and teachers on how to improve my designs which helped me a lot. The feedback influenced me a lot.

In Depth Comparison

The illustrator that has inspired me is Andy Potts. He is an illustrator based in London but originates from the west midlands. Since he graduated from Portsmouth with a BA Hons degree in illustration he has took up a career in the image making, graphic design, animation and art direction including a 7 year stint as lead designer at Abbey Road Studios. Over the last then years the illustration has taken up most of his life and he has worked a large number of projects with a number of clients in advertising, book covers and work for magazines and newspapers. 

Andy Potts uses hand made designs combined with digital designs which creates these interesting creative pieces. For my final outcomes I have I am going to be using hand made designs combined with digital designs which is linked to Andy Potts' work. I am going to be using Landmarks in London such as the London eye, Big Ben, Trafalgar square, London Transport etc and combining them together to create a creative collage type of piece. For the handmade side I am going to print my outcome onto tracing paper which I will then create a Cyanotype. 

The images above are of Andy Potts' work which are my favourite pieces of work created by him and have inspired me in the ideas that I have come up with. Both are related to London which is the location I am going to be using and the images that he has used are the types of things I have been photographing. The top image is my overall favourite as it includes all the landmarks of London and also the colours of the British flag which is red, white and Blue. I also admire how the bottom image he has made a heart out of the bike route and added all the illustration inside of it which represents them as being the heart of London.

This is the work by illustrator Tim Marrs. He is most recognised for his Nike Campaign and the work he he has produced for big companies such as Lucozade, Pepsi, Natwest and popular magazines. He bases his work around the technique of bringing together different images and overlaying them in a montage.

My first reaction when I saw the top piece of work was film and television. The man sitting in the chair in front of the tv appears to be brain dead from the way there is blood splattered beneath him and around him. The way all the images are surrounding the television could represent the media world coming to life and taking over the mans mind who is sitting down in the chair.

I like the creativity of this piece and the gritty look it has to it. I think he has used elements of stencilling and also over laying different images large and small. I admire the squares he has used overlapping each other which adds a technology kind of feel to it. Personally I like Tim Marrs work and the way he uses the techniques, I am considering experimenting with my own work using his techniques and styles.

The colours used are quite gritty but eye catching. Straight away the red caught my eye and the blood splattering which made me think about death and violence. The colours are quite dark and gritty which relates to the dark side of the television world.

The next image seems to be similar to the image above as they both are based on television and people. My first impression when I saw this piece was family and technology. The image could represent the way technology has developed over so many years as you can see from the iPad the boy is holding, the laptop, the xbox controller, the phone and the child holding the TV remote. The family are all dressed quite old fashionably which is a binary opposition of old and new. Usually many years ago families would all be together doing something but nowadays families have all of these new gadgets which makes them not really socialise together even though they are all sitting in the same room.

I like the techniques used in this piece I think the colours used are effective and grab your attention and the whole piece is sort of like a collage with writing and small images overlapping each other in the background. Tim Marrs is very good at using that technique and uses it very effectively.

These two artists work are very similar in the techniques they use and the images they use. The themes of the two pieces are based on landmarks and symbols so they both link in to each other. The use similar colours and both use different textures in their pieces.

Conclusion

The artist that had the biggest influence on my was Andy Potts, I have followed his work and been influenced by many of his designs. I have learnt some of his techniques and created my own outcomes with them. My personal style is more illustration and special effects rather than hand made designs. My strongest techniques are more on the digital side.