Music CD Cover Theme

Imagine by John Lennon. Only on word comes to mind when I hear this song, and that is peace. The actual album does not interest me, but I do have a special place in my heart for the main song, Imagine. The song basically talks about unifying the world, excluding the many downsides we posses. Not only is the message deep but the actual quality of the music is sheer perfection. Lennon's music stays simple and seems to grasp the lyrics without a seam. It is the type of song that will appeal to almost anyone who hears it because of its rhythmic, almost hypnotic sound. It is the type of song that touches a person's heart, the kind of music we listen to because we can feel it, not just hear it.

Typography Follow-Up

This project was very daunting and cumbersome for me. I guess I was trying to be way to intricate and detail that It was hard for to just be simple. I didn't just want to have straight letters like everyone else did because it seemed flat to do it that way. So I skewed individual letters and placed them one by one onto the outline of my face. This took absolutely forever. I realized halfway that I could have just copy and pasted a lot of the letter to save time. Overall I don't think this project was so successful. I had a reliable theme and a good idea what I wanted in the final result but my execution wasn't what I wanted. Text is hard to work with.

Tabloid Project

HillmanCurtis.com

After watching all three of the videos of the artists, I felt that each one of them had their own unique style. First, I watched the video on David Carson. His work has a sort of surrealist and abstract feeling to them. This is probably because he wasn't properly educated in the arts, so he does what he wants and not others. His work has no limit to what it can be and isn't like other artist. He does what he believes is right, which I think is amazing. Then, I watched the video on Paula Scher. Her work seems very technical and she probably put a lot of deep thinking and planning before actually executing it. She uses big and bold text that have a specific rhythm and pattern to them. Her initial sketches of her projects are very simple at first and slowly develop into something more intricate. I enjoy the way she utilizes the mostly modern text, so it makes a big statement. Lastly, I watched the video Segmeister (5). I thought he's work seemed very odd and weird. He utilizes the objects he uses in very unique ways. Definitely nothing I've ever seen before. I enjoyed watching each one of these videos, It broadens my view on what is art.

My Theme

I thought long and hard of a theme I could use for my project and then I realized, it was right there all the time. I find myself constantly thinking about everything and anything. My thoughts are central in my life at the moment, whether it be about school, orchestra, work or social time. Hectic or melancholy, my thoughts can vary. Sometimes my mind is filled with clutter, like a deep fog. I need to be cleared of all the junk and have an empty mind, just for a bit. But I know that it is impossible to do so, because life is a constant cycle. There is so much in my mind and at time I feel like I am going to explode, like the eruption of a volcano. I want to have my face dead center of composition, with letters exploding out of my head. This giving the idea of congestion to a point where i can't handle it any longer.

Disliked Gift Visual Analysis

Contrast
When there is contrast between objects, I immediately think of big and small. So by making one of the chicken's head abnormally large and by having the other be as small as an insect. The contrast is clear.

Repetition
When I thought of this concept and having my object in mind, the first thing that popped in my head was an assembly line. To further this notion, I add a little perspective to make it seem like it keeps on going.

Alignment
I figured that the rubber chickens would just be going in one direction, but then I realized that it would look too much like repetition. So I took one chicken and made it stand out of the crowd, they are aligned but with one little twist.

Proximity
I tried very hard to find a proximity situation to my liking. Then I figured that the chickens do resemble bowling pins so I used that concept. There is the notion that they are very close to each other with the bowling ball disrupting that harmony.

Theme

Upon reading the handouts on theme and concept, I couldn't help but agree completely with everything that was said. Theme definitely needs to be central in any situation, whether it be in a book, a play or a movie. Sure, any of these can have colorful characters or big explosion but there always has to be that binding theme to bring everything together.

The Four Basic Principles

Contrast
To separate one subject from another using different values. It develops a sense of depth to the overall piece, so that they "pop out!" out of the piece. A light to dark ratio.

Repetition
When using a subject more than once in the same manner to grab the attention of the viewer. To create an overall pattern of sameness.

Alignment
Arranging objects together so there is balance, as to being messy and unorganized. Wide clutter is confined to a specific spot and in a specific way.

Proximity
Used when needing to create a sense of unity from several similar subjects in a piece. In order to convey a clear message.

Black and White Problem

Black Square Solutions

• Increase
• Bold
• Congested
• Tension
• Playful
• Order

Beginnings

This is a test entry for my 2D Digital Design class.