Thursday, 16 October 2014

OUGD401 | STUDY TASK 2 | MODERNISM & POSTMODERNISM

In this session the differences and overlaps between modernism and postmodernism were discussed. 

Modernism:


  • Rejection of ornament (anti-decorative).
  • Form follows function - purpose comes before the appearance.
  • Swiss designs.
  • Uses a grid.
  • Features Helvetica/Aksidenz Grotesk.
  • No illustrations.
  • Flush left, ragged right.
  • Universal, purely functional.
Postmodernism:
  • Exhaustion.
  • Pluralism.
  • Disillusionment with the idea of absolute knowledge.
  • Modern life.
  • Technology, new materials.
  • Communication - overlaps with modernity.
We also went through some designers for each of these categories and watched a few clips of them talking about their work in regards to modernism/postmodernity.




This is a piece of design by Carlo Vivarelli which clearly demonstrates modernist principles. Firstly, notice how minimal this piece is, there is no element existing purely for decoration, it is purely functional type. The purpose of this design is prioritised before its appearance. Vivarelli's design features Akzidenz-Grotesk, a font similar to Helvetica which is predominantly used in Swiss-style graphic design. You can clearly see the grid system exercised in this piece of design, with a flushed left and ragged right, a feature commonly included in modernism. There are also no illustrations included here.


And here is an example of a postmodern design by David Carson. There is such a distinctive difference between postmodernism and modernism that you can see immediately. Rather than function being the main goal, postmodernist design is decorative and experimental. Here, Carson used Zapf Dingbats instead of a legible font for this piece as he simply did not like the article on Bryan Ferry.


"Don't mistake legibility for communication"
- David Carson

Wednesday, 15 October 2014

OUGD401 | A HISTORY OF TYPE - LECTURE

Today we had a lecture on the History of Typography with Richard which gave a good insight into the origins of some of the key typefaces around today.

We learned that typography is the intercept between verbal and visual communication. It includes meta communication, paralinguistics and kinesics. 


We also went over some of the categories of typefaces such as:

  • old style
  • transitional
  • modern 
  • slab serif
  • lucida blackletter 
  • gothic
I also found it quite interesting to learn about the age of print and how it began around the 1450s, and about Gutenberg's printing press beginning the print of typography. 

It was also insightful to discover that Arial is a complete rip off of Helvetica as I had been under the impression that Arial was created first, which is not the case. However there seems to be a lot more negative points for Microsoft. Vincent Connare, the creator of the infamous Comic Sans, also worked for Microsoft. We learned that the only fonts available on internet explorer, is Comic Sans and Arial (which is lame).

Overall I found the lecture interesting and worthwhile, as I have gathered a bunch of new information.

Thursday, 9 October 2014

OUGD401 | VISUAL LITERACY - LECTURE

Visual Communication:

  • Sending and receiving messages using type and images.
  • A level of shared understanding of signs, symbols, gestures & objects.
  • Affected by audience, context, media & method of distribution. 

Visual Literacy:

  • Ability to construct meaning from visual images and type.
  • Interpreting images to the present, past & a range of cultures.
  • Producing images that effectively communicate a message to an audience.
The idea that pictures can be read. For example we were shown a korean toilet sign and we could all distinguish which symbol meant male or female, even though there was no type.

Visual literacy requires an awareness of the relationship between Visual Syntax (visual organisation of elements) and Visual Semantics (relationship between formal meaning, e.g. cultural references, religious views etc).

Semiotics: 

Study of signs and sign processes. Closely related to linguistics, structure/meaning of language.

Visual Synecdoche:

Term applied when a part is used to represent the whole (or vice versa).
Only if universally recognised.

Visual Metonym:

Symbolic image referencing something with a more literal  meaning. 

Visual Metaphor:

Transfer one meaning of an image to another.


Overall this lecture proved to be very insightful and I learned some useful terms.


Wednesday, 8 October 2014

OUGD401 | STUDY TASK 1 | IMAGE ANALYSIS




The Uncle Sam Range (image one) depicts what appears to be a lincoln-esque man hosting a dinner party. He seems to be part of the bourgeoisie ruling class, as the room looks lavishly furnished and his outfit suggests he has a good amount of wealth, imposing a desire for money and luxury lifestyle through the imagery.  
This advertisement could be said to be targeted at a male audience, conveyed through use of male terms e.g "bro" "Uncle", and the idea of having a luxurious lifestyle that any male in America may aspire to have; "the American Dream." However I think this advertisement would be aimed at a more middle class since the lower classes would not have disposable income to purchase an expensive cooker. 
The overbearing bombardment of red white and blue is a clear indication of American patriotism, paired alongside the American eagle sitting on Uncle Sam's shoulder, symbolising freedom. Uncle Sam seems to be a personification of American pride and is featured in a lot of propaganda from that era. 
The type used in the declarative title is a West 'saloon' style serif font, coloured gold to represent the conquering of land by Americans, since gold is highly valuable and signifies superiority. If close detail is paid to the clock in the image, it represents the centennial celebration of America. 
There is a list of countries featured in the image, after closer inspection it is evident that these countries are being mocked due to America's attitudes on cultural superiority, for example Ireland is seen to only have eaten potatoes in various forms. There is also a derogatory representation of black people, for example the "world" is depicted with an oafish expression and the use of slavery, since that was relevant during the 1870s. 
The poster by Savile Lumley has a completely different tone to the first image. It depicts a man being questioned by his child about his role in the Great War.
In contrast, this image is British, indicated through the red roses and royal symbols in the image.
 The type is playful and has a lot of flourishes, perhaps this is because it could be read in a child's voice. The whole purpose of this image is to trigger guilt, the diminutive structure "daddy" will relate to the family, something very sensitive and precious. The direct address "YOU" not only conveys volume through uppercase, but also directly includes the audience. It is an interrogative which provides a conversational and inclusive discourse structure. "Great War" suggests the promise of success.
The inclusion of war themed toys stresses the influence of war, almost glorifying it, as the toys are dressed in uniforms that symbolise the Queen, conveying duty. The daughter seems to be learning about war as she is pointing to her book whilst asking the question.
A similarity between both images is that they contain tones of propaganda, and both induce patriotism however through different tones. Image 2 seems to use guilt as opposed to the pride in Image 1. 


Both images have the same persuasive purpose and seem to be directed at males. They both represent a masculine gender role and the pressure to live a certain lifestyle. They contain male dominance, and convey men as the obvious breadwinners in the family.