Responsive / Evaluative writing

FEATHR

I was happy with my final outcome although I do believe I could have been more creative, this may have resulted in my design being selected. The distortion of the grid wasn’t aesthetically based which I am happy about however I am aware that similar aesthetics are popular within contemporary graphic design; a similar design was placed in the window of Urban Outfitters a week after my submission.

If I were to re-attempt the brief I would enjoy experimenting more and avoiding this unintentional contemporary G.D aesthetic. Applying the design to soft furnishings and imagining the design as part of a brand aesthetic worked better than it did as wallpaper, I was happy to imagine collaboration within the fashion industry. I would have liked to print the design as wallpaper and decorate a wall with the design however my poor planning in relation to printing decided against this ambition.

The brief did give me my first opportunity to work with tiling and printed textiles which I enjoyed and do expect to work within again. It was never my aspiration to win the competition, as I would have been more creative in my response, it was my aspiration to work with one of my ‘to-do’ ideas I keep a list of to work with in the future.

NYC

Need Money For NYC let me explore the problems of working without a budget,

re-appropriation and collaboration. This was the first time I had worked with the photographer, Jamie Carmichael. He originally gave me a mock up of the zine, it was a poor in relation to design however he had insisted that he was to keep the content pages he had printed and we were to only create a front and back cover. I didn’t agree with this compromise and insisted the whole publication was to be redesigned. This was a problem and in evaluation, I should have realized my own and Jamie’s creative partnership was not to end well.

Redesigning the zine to a concept as well as creating the artwork strengthened the publication. We did manage the £0 budget we intended and the concept of re-appropriating materials out of necessity was achieved. If I were to start the project again, I would have attempted to apply this idea more thoroughly throughout the publication, perhaps using found paper and staples; however this is an idea I can use again in a future project.

CHANEL

One of my most enjoyable briefs, I set the Pushkin Press competition to be a one day brief; purely to see if it was achievable. The research for the project was considerably easy to source, the CHANEL website was incredibly informative as well as the great amount of publications in the library. This crash course into the history of the brand helped me develop several concepts I could work with and develop. I was happy with the concepts I basically communicated at the critique stage. It was this critique of ideas that helped me define a path. I believe working with the abstract link I created helped create a sense of questioning to the average reader, however ‘Qui qu’a vu Coco’ would be recognizable to any respectable fan of CHANEL, which I assumed to be the target market.

The production of the typography was a technique I haven’t used for 2 years, hand rendered type, scanned and then edited. I was happy with the final response although my expectations to win are low as I can imagine the winning illustrated minimal representation of Gabrielle Chanel’s face as I write.

I intended the design to be spot varnished as to not detract from the books’ cover however, yet again due to my poor planning in relation to print and the constrictions of a day brief, I was left without a printed response. It’s unfortunate, as the production of the design would have definitely exaggerated its strength.

PENGUIN

Another day brief, the Penguin Design Awards was a brief I was not expecting to enjoy, I initially planned to complete the brief as a challenge; book cover was a field of design I had never contemplated. Surprisingly I thoroughly enjoyed its completion although I don’t believe my future lies within the field. As it was a day brief, I did not have the time to read the book even though my regular working day consists of 9.30am to 8.30pm. This time limit made me source efficiently without the ability to tangent, a good skill I am to repeat in the future.

My response was somewhat mature in its aesthetic, I didn’t intend to shock or use such imagery for attention, I simply believe the imagery relates well to the narrative of the book. In this decision to not be censored by social constraints I believe I have found a sense of rejection towards the idea of work that is not fit for public consumption.  This approach is apparent in my secret7 submission.

I am pleased with the response but never satisfied, there are several minute details, which I was unsure about, as the field of book design is new to me. If the design does get shortlisted, Penguin’s art director is said to direct any changes.

ID Magazine for D&AD

This was the largest and most time consuming brief I intended to complete, I had great hopes for the brief as ID Magazine and other fashion related editorials are where I intend to work in the future.

I chose to use this brief as the collaborative studio brief 2 as my photography skills are not so strong and are currently in development. I worked with Jamie Carmichael on the NYC zine simultaneously alongside this brief.

I believed the proposed concept of the shoot to be well considered, the interpretation of this concept into photographs I was not as sure about as my experience in this field is one that I aspire to develop considerably.

My working agreement with Jamie was certain, we both agreed on a deadline and we had discussed the proposed shots with acceptance from both parties. We had been in communication daily and I was under the presumption the proposed shots had been taken, this was wrong of my to presume and when we met on the Tuesday the 24^th (Day after deadline) it became apparent no photographs had been taken. We attempted to re-appropriate from Jamie’s existing library however, as seen on my blog, no 3 images were appropriate.

With the missing of submission for the module deadline, it was apparent we would not complete the brief. I was severely disappointed, especially as I considered this to be the most exciting brief to complete. Although I did not complete the brief I have learnt to choose creative partners a lot more carefully and not simply because they are friends. I am to develop my photography skills noticeably so that I am not to rely on a photographer in the future.

Laynes Espresso

First of two submissions for NEST magazine. This brief gave me a lot of room to explore my ideas without the restriction of being heavily critiqued or having to be conceptually heavy, allowing creativity to lead.

As a fan if the caffeinated beverage myself, I enjoyed the idea of relating my interest to graphic design. I have always seen the relationship between working and coffee as an example of two parallels; it was this idea I explored in the response. Creating a simple design to frame an ‘accidental’ spillage of coffee exaggerated this relation.

Although this vision would be logistically and time consuming, it is something that could work well on a smaller scale, perhaps on the business cards of a merchant.

I do think my response was stronger than the chosen advertisement in the magazine but may be due to my bias subjective opinion.

Module Evaluation

I do think the independence and the open nature of the module was a pleasure, it gave me my first insight into the industry as well as beginning to define the type of creative that I am.

My hope to become an art director became apparent over the module, as I began to move away for the idea of designing logos and business cards for a living; I became critical of the graphic designer. The limitations facing a graphic designer bore me; I understand the definition of a graphic designer is just that but my interest in creativity surpasses graphic design.

As of yet, my responses from the competitions I have entered have been unsuccessful, this doesn’t bother me in any sense and I shouldn’t take this as a reflection of my work.

My planning of time is an area I need to seriously develop, it was because of this I was unable to submit physical copies of my work. My motivation and work ethic has been the greatest it has ever been and I am happy with the level of commitment I am giving to the course. I need to develop to production values and presentation, focusing on photo-shoots of work and crating an online presence of these.

I don’t believe I am completing work near my full potential at this point, I believe my ethic and motivation are there, it is experimentation and development I need to focus on to do better. I plan on doing so by allowing myself more time in briefs for such activities, as well as allowing more self less free time and more time working enjoyable which is a happy compromise.  

Responsive / ID Magazine / Development

My brief for Jamie:

'Capture a series of images that convey a sense of blur/ merge of today’s youth. Attempt to be as obscure as possible, avoiding recognizable visual elements as this would weaken and distract from the concept of ‘The Contemporary Blur’

Focus on the idea that contemporary subcultures cannot be defined and that a ‘blur’ of every subculture previously defines the current subculture aesthetic.

Avoid:

Portraits

Recognizable logos, typography and landmarks.

Consider:

More than the final photographic responses but the experience, travel and story you can create to enhance the concept.

Over-saturation, Over-Exposure and Distortion.

Deadline:

Mon 23rd March'

Agreement.

Formal brief 1/2

Formal brief 2/2

Images similar to Gareth McConnell's are the goal.

Responsive / ID Magazine / Development

My initial interpretation of subculture. In my experience, there are no subcultures, at the moment, defined enough to justify their own title. I believe our contemporary situation to be a gathering of re-appropriations.

Identifying the objects the current youth appropriate.

The contemporary blur, my conclusion of the current youth and
how this could interpreted visually.

The contemporary blur.

With the constant churning out of temporary ideals portrayed to the youth of today, how is any subculture able to stabilize and define itself?

‘local’ has diminished; communication has become globalized with the catalyst of the Internet. Documentation of the new is aiding in its destruction. Styles are no longer contained in a local area; photography on the Internet has destroyed all sense of community.

Fashion being used as a mode of expression has diminished;

Fashion has the intention of portraying a selection of personal attributes, but we have to question how can clothing be defined and categorized enough to be recognized to portray a specific ideology any longer. Expressions of interests, personalities and beliefs are decreasingly less communicated through ones attire, fashion has become less true in the sense that it has become a shallow, purely aesthetical declaration of, primarily, wealth. The concept of bearing logos and using the beliefs and ideologies of a brand could be interpreted as the signifier of the emptiness and the mindlessness of contemporary youth.

Social media can be seen as the platform that houses contemporary subcultures, if there are to be any. A transition from reality to a digital world is a dark thought. Secret groups dealing in vintage clothing; artifacts of past subcultures, can be seen as a metaphor for our contemporary blur, a merge of what once was, keeping and idolizing the aesthetic, yet loosing the original ideology; A subculture is, after all, more than fashion.

There are aesthetic reminiscent of subcultures but have we lost the way of the thinking that can create a movement. Looking beyond fashion and music, are there any reminiscent of the security, belonging and devotion that were once found in subculture; or have these desires become satisfied with soulless digital replacements.

It appears subcultures have become censored, stripped of the original conceptual approach that defines them and robbed of the aesthetic that was used to convey such ideas. This stolen aesthetic is diluted to fit into mainstream society, appropriated by mainstream fashion to please a flock of followers.

A contemporary interpretation of a subculture is the ‘Hipster’, a hollow description in which 90% of today’s youth can fit into. Anyone who shares a sense of creativeness, absurdity or re-appropriation can be assumed to be a hipster.

We don’t experience the clashing of subcultures, the glamourizing imagery of everyday people fighting for escapism on a beach. We glamourize temporaries for their aesthetic.

We are the blur, re-appropriating the past but moving too quickly to settle, we are in awe of past subcultures, placing them in a contemporary context, it is unconceivable to imagine similar today.

Responsive / ID Magazine / Research

Ewen Spencer

http://www.ewenspencer.com/#/home

OPEN MIC

Capturing the UK Grime Scene.

http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/22525/1/watch-our-full-length-documentary-open-mic > A short documentary by Ewen Spencer on the growing british Grime scene.

Open Mic: A documentary of UK Grime

'In his raw and candid film Open Mic, trace back to the community centres, bedrooms and makeshift club nights where Britain’s last seismic youthquake began.'

Images are captured naturally, no gaze or posing. 

Minute details such as the man to the left of the image with two phones have connotations that would only be understood by people directly involved in the scene.
Capturing details like these communicate the essence of a subculture stronger than any proposed, directed shoot.

Documenting the activities of the scene.

BRANDY & COKE

Reliving the UK Garage scene

http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/19531/1/watch-music-nation-brandy-coke-full-length-channel-4-uk-garage-documentary

'...he starts to explain the fascination with subcultures that has driven his photography for almost two decades.

By “subcultures” he means the pockets of the world where young people have developed their own look, their own rules, or their own music. Finding one of these is always an exciting moment, he says, because it means he can get in there with his camera and communicate that scene to the rest of the world. That’s what happened in London, where he famously documented two of the city’s most significant music scenes of the last 20 years: grime (Open Mic) and U.K. garage (UKG and Brandy & Coke)'

"clean living under difficult circumstances. It’s when kids aspire to be something else, and that manifests itself in something truly creative — say they appropriate a look and define it in their own way. When that look starts to happen en masse, or in a couple of different cities, and it’s gone from 15 kids to 150 — that’s the genesis of a subculture.” 

'He has the knack of quickly befriending the kids at the heart of a scene and getting the kind of spontaneous, atmospheric pictures that suggest he’s been there all along.'

'Spencer comes from Newcastle, the same English city where I grew up, and I can see its influence on his attraction to “clean living under difficult circumstances.” It’s a place where most people aren’t affluent — and yet it’s a big party town.'

Responsive / ID Magazine / Research

“I didn’t get run over, but you do need to have your wits about you. In a way, it’s a noble end for the cars. What better way to go than being driven headlong into another car?” DEAN CHALKLEY

“Teddy Boys were the first proper subculture. I met one guy who was nearly 80 and still had a quiff. He said, ‘I was a Teddy Boy at 13 and I’ll be a Teddy Boy until I die.’ JAY BROOKS

'I’ve always had a fascination with people who live off the straight and narrow. I suppose it’s a reflection of me, really. I’m this middle-class country boy who’s had a supposedly normal life, so I’m fascinated by people who choose to live a different way. I thought of Hells Angels as the hardest club to get into. How did I infiltrate it? You’d have to ask them. I assume a bit of luck.' ANDREW SHAYLOR.

“I’ve lived with a camera around my neck since the late Sixties. When I was standing on the Tube every day, it became part of my life that I photographed. Back then, it was a weird, grubby place, and people used to pee on the platforms.' 

BOB MAZZER

"Anita Corbin documents the “informal uniforms” of young women'

'Anita Corbin documents the “informal uniforms” of young women'

'Anita Corbin documents the “informal uniforms” of young women'

'Gareth McConnell, is one of those books which seems to boil history down and to present it for inspection. Gareth describes it as a “frenzied reworking” of his accumulated archive; it brings together over ten years worth of photographs of rave culture, of civil gatherings and of riots, all of which is placed side-by-side with found imagery from the internet, shots from historical moments and personal and political perspectives. '

A more abstract approach to capturing a subculture. These images are more visually interesting however are let down by the lack of visual signifiers that relate to a certain subculture; the image above is ubiquitous, it could be of any subculture.