Using old engravings in book covers

Tags

adjustments, reflections

I got hold of some copyright free engravings and had great fun adding them to the book covers and using transparency to make them more or less dominant. These are the images I worked from.

I added the sculpted head behind the Country of the Blind image. The blank eyes seemed to make the sculpture represent the whole country of the blind. I tried the other related image, of the person with the blank glasses but felt that this was too identifiably an individual, whereas the sculpture has a more generic feel.

Then I had a go with ideas for Mr Kipps using one of the women he gets embroiled with in the image. Then I realized I really needed two women in the image but unobtrusively. That’s because Mr Kipps has two important relationships with women which change the course of his life. experimented with a few options.

I tried to come up with a similar idea for the book cover The Shape of Things to Come but realised it would be more of a challenge to find a satisfactory image to work with the overall concept. I found an image of a furnace and tried to use that but feel that this doesn’t work altogether successfully with the abstract circle/vortex shape.

Here’s the final two other book covers, improved from my original submission I think.

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Reviewing and reflecting on assignment two

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reflections

I did finally go back to the book covers I did for assignment two and have another go at them following tutor feedback. I think I was kidding myself that having deleted the raw images from my Skribl app when it crashed in an attempt to free it up and get it working again, that I couldn’t therefore do any reworking of them because the component parts had been merged. In fact, despite this restriction, I do think I have improved the book covers. This is as a direct result of having looked at the George Orwell book covers recommended by my tutor. These are traditional Penguin book covers that have morphed into their 21st century equivalent. Much more contemporary looking but with a nod to the original Penguin design, they are both comforting in their historic reference while challenging and uneasily post modern. I don’t think my final images are as interesting as these covers but I think they are richer and more interesting than the first set I did because they leave the viewer with more questions. I think two out of three of them work.

The one thing I should point out about my use of typography and tutor suggestions to alter the kerning etc. I can’t do that in Scribl. It’s a kind of cut down vector app so though it purports to be a professional scale app, it is very limited when it comes to the use of typography. At least if there is any further fiddling possible, I haven’t discovered how!

So I started by attempting to alter the division of colours on the page, and then also played with the position of the type and then added colour gradients. Here’s a selection of my experiments.

I used the font Helvetica Neue Condensed which I think worked well. I thought at first that I should use a serif font because it’s an old fashioned story and I did try that but ultimately didn’t feel it worked. It looked too fussy.

Then I fiddled a bit more with a serif font, but rejected it….

And eventually plumped on this one….

But I did consider adding more elements to the design and remembered I had some Edwardian era copyright free images I could use ……

Another go at STOP anti-gay laws in Uganda poster

Tags

adjustments, reflections

Because of the feedback I’ve had from my tutor on typography and being bolder and thinking it’s use through more carefully, I decided I should have another go at this poster.

This one didn’t work well …

But I do think this one works better than the first design I did.

I think the large ‘stop’ is important and having it slightly opaque so that it doesn’t interrupt the image too much, works.

Reflections on my tutor’s report (assignment 2)

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reflections, research, tutor report

It’s great to get feedback and feel inspired to go back into images I thought I’d resolved and realise that there is plenty more I can make of them. I enjoyed and think I improved the fruit and veg exercise my going back into it. The most frustrating thing is that because my iPad app was playing up and I thought deleting stored images would help revive it, that I cut the book cover illustrations, meaning that though I wanted to have another go at them I would have to start from scratch, and, erm, I don’t have the heart! So though, having looked at Marion Deuchars’ Orwell illustrations, and fully appreciate the further work I could do, I’ve decided not to start for scratch. I realise I should have done the book spines too, and another time I do book covers I will have a go at this. I think Deuchars’ covers are very effective and feel contemporary while retaining a backward look at the familiar and much loved Penguin original designs.

Moving on, I tried to play a bit further with digital versions of the typography for the cut out cards. I agree that the digital type doesn’t work as well as the cut out type, particularly the Stand Up cut out text does work well as it’s integrated with the image more strongly than the other cut out images. But since it’s simpler to experiment with the digital type a bit more I’ve had a go. I am still not convinced the digital type works well, even in these new versions, but I have tried to push the type further, to reflect the meaning in the cards.

I looked at nutrejeweller to understand the idea of cards that can be popped up. I do see that the cards I’ve created could work like this, but I’d have to redo the cut outs and experiment with the idea… I will if I find time!

I’ve been pointed to Mark Hearld and Jonny Hannah which I find quite funny because they couldn’t be more spot on as suggestions for me… I’ve already got books on both of them! I discovered them both while I was doing my illustration course and there was a Mark Hearld exhibition at YSP last year which I really enjoyed. I’ve seen videos of Marion Bantjes talking about her work, and am familiar with a lot of the artists on St Jude’s Gallery website. There are a couple of suggestions on the list that are new to me though, and I will be looking at them over the next week or two.

Finally, having already moved on to section three of the course I realise now that I am not being bold enough with type, which has prompted me to look at the work I’ve already started for section three and to be more bold with the typography and think over it’s role in the overall image more carefully.

Getting somewhere with fruit and veg

Tags

fruit and veg, Point of Sale display

Here is a more resolved approach to fruit and veg developing. The thing is that the colour doesn’t stand out enough. So I created an outline around the lettering, and then also added shadow. I tried white and green lettering, and then added a dark green background which I think works quite well. I’m still not sure which image I like. Best, something to ponder on. On reflection, I think the second one down probably works best, it’s got a more refreshing feel to it and is legible.

Revisiting the fruit and veg poster

Tags

fruit and veg, Point of Sale display

Having received my assignment two report from my tutor, I decided to have another go at this exercise taking in board the need to integrate the text more strongly with the images and perhaps overlaying the text and using negative space.

I tried a range of things, snippets of which can be seen below. None of these worked especially well, but it was fun having another go and trying new ideas. The black was the idea that a green grocer might handwrite something on a poster in thick black marker, but it looks too black. The thing I do like though, it handwriting over the images since it gives the poster more energy. Indeed to find a way to make the colours work though.

Graphic design research

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inspiration, research

I am keeping a spreadsheet of graphic designers that inspire me for future reference. It’s a fast developing list!

Su Blackwell, paper cutter supremo

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inspiration, reflections, research

Now that I’ve had a go at paper cutting I am looking again at Su Blackwell‘s work. I would just love to have the patience and dexterity to do the sort of work she does, so beautiful and with magical results. Again great photography sets them off. The connection between the content of the books and the final work is also sensitive and somehow appropriately done. Recycling at the sophisticated end….

Inspirational paper cuts: Tom Allen

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inspiration, research

I love the story telling Tom Allen has managed to do with his found images plucked out of the old books he has ravaged. They tell new stories, and in these images context is all. That is, the context of the making of the images as well as the context of display and viewing of them. Once made and stored, they will gather dust and sleep inside mouldy pages of creased books again, but their moments of glory are immortalised in excellent photography with good lighting, captured to create a whole world retold through 21st century eyes.

Postsecrets

Tags

inspiration, research

This website has some stunningly good stuff on it, but you have to trawl through some crass rubbish to find them. Having good graphic design skills is not a badge to be careless with language. I can’t detach good layout and design and typography from the messages contained within them. It’s difficult to be dispassionate about design, and in these days of quick sound bites, it is more important than ever to choose carefully. It’s a good reference website for ideas though. I bought the Postcard book, and feel the same about this really. Difficult to get under the skin of the postcards unless they are very very good.