Katie Sz

Central Park 2011

2011-04-12T21:14:00.000+01:00

CC Katie Szadziewska 2011

Lurpak Kitchen Odyssey

2011-01-24T20:56:00.000Z

Probably the most alluring, and visually attractive TV advert I've seen in a while. Even as someone who loves food, baking and cooking, it made me see ingredients in a whole new light - one that makes them look incredible simply by themselves. All of this is achieved through brilliant filming, unusual and new angles, great lighting, crisp focus and extreme close ups but what makes this an accessible advert is this amazingly cool and artistic film that's going on is made simply with everyday objects that every person can find in their fridge (well maybe not if your a student!). Every time I crack an egg now I'll be thinking of a bright yellow yolky explosion, or the creeping inferno of lighting a gas stove.

Shufti Magazine

2011-01-01T21:02:00.004Z

Provisional spreads for Shufti Magazine - Based on a secret garden, a place where young people can meet, have fun, while being hidden away.

COVER rsvp
SPREAD ONE the kissing gate
SPREAD TWO eloquence and decadence
SPREAD THREE (several variations) young and wreckless

The battle of finding a concept...

2010-11-23T14:37:00.001Z

I've been battling with this brief for a few weeks now to no real avail, what do you do when the product isn't great and people, realisitically, aren't going to buy it?

So I thought I'd put it out there, a non alcoholic beer for 28-55 year old men is about to be launched needs an advertising campaign, how do you convince them that non alcoholic beer now tastes great and is a positive alternative to cola and all on a shoestring budget?

A few things I've though about are

collecting man points for challenges associated with the brand and sponsorship of local pub quiz nights.
That this drink pours like a beer so you can do everything with the lads safe in the knowledge you still look like a man and can drive home at the end of the night
Avoid stupidity and those unfortunate moments often instigated by alcohol.

Any ideas are welcome and feedback on the above. I think this has made me realise that I need some time to recharge my creative juices because I'm severly lacking in them at the moment!

Gordon Ramsay: Good Chef, Horrendous Logo

2010-10-18T17:58:00.000+01:00

The logo going with Gordon Ramsays new show "Ramsays Best Restaurant" has been troubling me since the day I saw it. The "R" made up of knife fork and what I can assume is a plate, but looks more like the moon, is just awful. The items sit together awkwardly into a shape that vaguely resembles an R but looks, quite frankly, like a junior school kid put it together. A typeface is designed so that all elements fit together nicely on a page and the "R" here disrupts the balance that the type designer intended. The white on black background I find terribly stark too, uninviting and like it hasn't been considered to fit the show.

Now, although it is all very well moaning and complaining about the incompetency of the design here, I took it upon myself to design a new logo for the show using the same restrictions as the old one (black, white, and including a cutlery element). These are hardly the best logos, but this is what 10 minutes gave me -

Time

2010-10-18T17:17:00.003+01:00

So our new project is entitled "Time" and is an "any media, any aspect" brief where it seems we have free creative reign.

I am currently exploring two ideas, one is "invisible time" and the next is time as a cycle. This is such a broad brief I've gone back to my photographic routes and it's going to give me chance to explore something more conceptual rather than commercial design.

I've been experimenting with some visuals over the past few days which has resulted is some interesting results - I'll keep you posted on the development of the project!

Invisible Time - Spectacular everyday moments that the human eye will never experience.

(Light a firework; The last drop of milk)

Time is a Cycle - A single 360° photograph showing 24 hours

(Test shot of 2 hour sunset)

TREND - handmade scribble

2010-09-24T15:14:00.000+01:00

Sorry for not blogging in a while. I have been hectic sorting out the first issue of the student newspaper over the past 2 weeks while also trying to get a fair bit of dissertation reading done! See an update on my projects and work at www.katiesz.co.uk.

Over the past few weeks I've noticed a new trend emerging - the use of a handmade feel. This has significantly been in typography with hand written copy rather than typed but also the use of small illustrations and a collage feel has been noticable. I believe this is to try and give customers a sense of a 'personal touch' to your product or something natural and untampered with - simple, untouched and trying to give the impression it isn't mass produced. A couple of examples I have seen over the past weeks I've put below, but I'm sure the more you look, the more you'll find.

- The Autumn Handbook for Jack Wills where a collage feel has been created by layering textures and writing. This is quite different from their past catalogues which are usually clean and uncluttered. On the demin pull out you can even see usual serif fonts that have been traced by hand to give the clean look of a designed typeface with a handmade edge.

- The Marks and Spencer bottled water where a handdrawn font is used to give an authentic natural feel - trying to reflect the product inside. (image coming soon - need to go to M&S)

Arcade Fire take personlisation to the next level

2010-09-02T18:26:00.001+01:00

Last year I did an essay on the personalisation of media, and I think Arcade Fire's new 'interactive video' proves how far personalisation has gone even since last year. We strive for a world tailored to ourselves and I think this interactive video proves this. All you need to do it type in the town you grew up in and the series of panels that make up the video start revealing that town before your very eyes thanks to Google. Definately worth a go; I think it shows the future of custom media channels, and also proves how fast media and technology is developing.

Try the interactive video here.

McDonalds weather

2010-08-19T20:23:00.001+01:00

When I saw this advert, I adored the concept of having the old weather symbols as the actual weather. I was captivated by it and was amazed why someone hadn't thought of it before. The only problem was, I was highly disappointed to find out it was for McDonalds... Brilliant advert for a not so brilliant company.

Olympus PEN Augmented Reality

2010-08-07T13:30:00.001+01:00

I've been pining after an Olympus PEN for a while and this augmented reality has given me a chance to have a go on this amazing camera without buying it. Augmented reality never ceases to amaze me, especially when it is as simple as this to get on your home computer and manages to encapsulate all the features of a technical product. You can change your filter mode, put on the flash, take a picture, and view it on the camera exactly as you would do if you had the real product. All you have to do is download and print the marker, visit the website and you'll appear to have the real 3d camera in your hands.

Have a go yourself here.

Typography Make News

2010-07-31T18:52:00.001+01:00

I've noticed that recently typography has made the news more than once. Okay not the big headline stuff but it seems that the general public are starting to have an appreciation for (or are just simply baffled by) typography and its importance.

The first article from BBC news looked at do typefaces matter to the Average Joe? Personally, I hadn't really considered the intricacies of typography before I was introduced to the discipline at university but that said, I certainly knew different fonts had different 'feels' - as simple as serifs were for formal stuff and sans serif to look cool and script to look personal. But after university, I've realised that type is more important, has a lot more depth and I've grown to like it (not love it, but I see the importance of getting to grips with it). That said, essentially, it's about what the person on the other end of you poster, or website, or film sees or feels which matters; just because you as a graphic designer or typographer can see the small and subtle details, others who you are targeting will maybe see it another way; the key lies in seeing your work in the eyes of the target market and communicating to them on their level. The article can be read here.

The second article my dad handed to me in the G2 section of the Guardian; an amusing take on Comic Sans, its lovers, and its haters. As someone who, shall we say, doesn't appreciate the font, I found it interesting to hear about what the journalist had to say about the positives Comic Sans. Cory Holms, I think, sums it up brilliantly;

"Comic Sans is proof positive that design works, the public gets it and understands that type means more than just words."

What was more amusing in the article was the monologue referenced, written in the first person perspective of 'Comic Sans' by Timothy McSweeny; definitely worth a read! The article can be read here and the monologue here.

It seems, typography is becoming more accessible to the general public and the small details, I thought were often overlooked (not that the public don't notice fonts more they don't realise probably what a painstaking process has gone into choosing exactly the right font) are starting to be recognised. Graphic designers sometimes get caught up in their own creative worlds, when what needs to be considered is what the consumer or viewer sees; maybe Comic Sans might be the right type for the job, even if it makes you vom a little bit.

Bye Bye Grafik Magazine

2010-07-16T13:45:00.000+01:00

I was informed today that Grafik Magazines publisher has gone into liquidation and so the much loved magazine will not be published in the foreseeable future. This is my second year of subscribing to Grafik and I have always seen it as an inspirational magazine, I have looked to it when I'm running low on creative ideas, and have found some of the articles more than helpful (information design feature, in house design feature to name a few). It is possibly the best printed quality of a magazine I have ever seen with very thick high quality paper, immaculate printing, and exemplary layout and design within; it has often been confused as a book by friends. With so may magazines moving online I'm going to miss the tactile experience of reading magazines as they gradually fade away, especially Grafik. Staring at a screen (which being a graphic design is what I spend most of my time doing, as well as wrecking my eyesight even more) is not the same experience as leafing through high quality images and having the feel of paper in your hands. It might be RIP Grafik but I sincerely hope that some good quality creative magazines will last the test of the digital age.

Grafik Blog on the liquidisation is here.

(500) Days of Summer

2010-06-11T14:03:00.001+01:00

I love this film, and I think what makes me love it even more is the attention to the illustrative sections put in between sections of the film to show what "day" it is. It subtly changes from a blossoming warm scene at the beginning of the relationship, to cold and grey by day 500. It's a brilliant way of showing the change in the story, the relationship, and as a pointer to the mood of that section of the footage as it changes throughout the film, and that is all communicated very simply through choice of colour and the state of the dominant tree illustration.

I also really like the choice of typeface, it's very neutral and not detracting from the story or illustrations, yet it's not the average Helvetica or equally recognisable and used everywhere sans serif that is usually used by design concious films/stores etc. to look trendy. Not sure what the type is but I'd love to know.

Generally, I think these were amazingly well thought out and run brilliantly parallel to the story and changing relationship. I'm glad film has seen that design can add a really interesting element to moving picture and can help the clarity of a story. The animated 'slides' and title sequence were designed by Imaginary Forces.

Levis Flyer - How Beautiful.

2010-06-01T13:13:00.000+01:00

I'm preparing to move house which means a hell of a lot of cleaning up. I found this while sorting out the mounds of stuff we've acquired in our flat that I must of picked out to write about during the past few hectic months.

Now, living in a student area, we must get at least 10 flyers through our door per day that collect in our hallway until it's hard to get in the front door; it takes something special for me to actually pick one up and look at it. Levis flyer for their instore student lock in is, I have to say, beautiful. Someone has taken a lot of care and consideration over the typography, stock and printing techniques - something very unusual for flyers which usually take the disgusting gloss cheap paper and garish colours.

The matt black with contrast red epitomises the Levis brand and it's trademark colours and the red print on black gives that colour contrast needed to make it stand out, as well as the contrast in finish (the print has quite a glossy look). It looks like it's been screen printed on, but has quite precision and the colours still look bright on the black paper so I'm not sure, if anyone knows how this was printed I'd be interested to know. The type on the back is nicely considered and aligned to give it that tidy and to the point look, while also staying relevant to the student audience by conforming to a new type trend of varying sized text and block capitals so all the text fits neatly into a rectangle; that said, the colour and size change does give a nice sense of hierarchy on the flyer. Overall, brilliant quality, typography, colour choice, stock and printing - just a very good simple design.

My boyfriend commented that "it looks like something you made", I'm taking this as a huge compliment (and that maybe Levis can offer me a job?).

Good Typography Making a Comeback

2010-05-24T18:09:00.004+01:00

I have noticed some very good typography around currently, I think people have realised it can make a big impact on an advert, website, anything really. The latest I have seen is the Visit Wales 40s adverts with the kitsch outlines, hand-drawn type which gives it such a personal and homegrown touch. The outline makes it that bit more subtle and the drawn look overlays perfectly without being obtrusive on the video footage.

Examples of the ads:

Volcano (Eyjafjallajökull) Footage

2010-05-19T12:22:00.002+01:00

The boyfriend showed me this a couple days ago and this guys footage of Eyjafjallajökull is absolutely amazing. It looks almost surreal with the motorised track controlling the smooth movement throughout the timelapse, and the depth of field is beautiful on the aeroplane shots. The colour and quality are just perfect for making it look really dramatic too. It's a beautiful video documenting what has been quite a dramatic event.

The video was shot by and edited together by Sean Stiegemeier on a Canon 5D. I wish I could use a camera as well as him.

Iceland, Eyjafjallajökull - May 1st and 2nd, 2010 from Sean Stiegemeier on Vimeo.

Fringe - Typography becomes cool

2010-05-17T13:14:00.001+01:00

Sorry for the lack of posts recently - I'm sure you can appreciate that being a university student means, contrary to popular belief, we actually have to work pretty hard! I'm just revising for my final exams for this year, and then have to get my dissertation proposal in.

During this period of revision and project finishing, I have been watching TV show Fringe. Apart from being a pretty awesome show (I recommend every should watch it), it's the first TV show I've seen use typography to their advantage. With constantly changing locations, the show could end up with a rolling location tab added at the bottom of the screen but instead they decided to integrate it into the camerawork and scene as if it is actually there. The colour of the text reflects the location and appears to seamlessly fit into it. Take a look at the intro sequence below and some screenshots of the text in situ and you'll realise it has become a distinctive, but vital part of the show.

I think this is a really innovative way to keep the viewer engaged with the changing locations. It reminds me of the film Zombieland too, where the text appears as part of the footage, not an added extra. It also shows the opening for people motion graphics are no longer just there for special effects, but can also add their own mark; Andrew Kramer, the person responsible for the Fringe title sequence, and I assume some of the thinking behind the integrated type seems to have become an overnight success with his charm and amazing motion graphics skills. It's certainly a step in the right direction for type in film and TV.

Title sequence:

Examples of typography in Fringe:

So how DO you get families with parents over 60 to play beach volleyball?

2010-05-03T16:06:00.003+01:00

I've been working on this project since February, trying to persuade a target audience of families with parents over 60 to play beach volleyball. Here's my folio of pages (contains my one week brief too) and soon to follow a video demonstration and basic webcam demo. Enjoy.

Leeds Student Newspaper

2010-04-27T14:37:00.001+01:00

I've been working on some interesting design for the newspaper over the past week or so as we approach our final 2 issues of the year. Editorial and information design is definitely an area I'd love to get into so I guess I'd better start practising.

World Cup Chart Icons:

World Cup Pullout Chart:

Summer Ball Map:

Election Special Icons:

Work Experience Summer 2010 (little mailers)

2010-04-07T18:42:00.000+01:00

I'm currently searching high and low for companies to take me for some work experience or a placement over summer. I've made these little envelopes to send out to people, hoping to get some recognition/ contact/ anything for the unusual approach I've taken playing on the jobs all work experience have to go through in order to get their foot in the door.

The mailer is a very small envelope, printed both sides, with a teabag inside with a Katie Szadziewska label attached to it. Fingers crossed!

All Copyright Katie Szadziewska 2010

Joules Catalogue

2010-04-05T17:26:00.000+01:00

Got this free with a magazine last week, and was very impressed with the colour palette they've used. It manages to communicate sophistication, youthfulness but also a sense of maturity, springtime, modernness, light and airyness all at once, a very hard thing to do. It just shows that good design choices come not only in graphic design, but is also an important part in presenting a fashion label and communicating it's ethos through a select few colours.

The Joules Catalogue/ Freebie Magazine:

One Week Project: Kill The Sound (Update)

2010-04-03T18:42:00.005+01:00

I have just finished updating my one week project boards to a more cohesive, and consise style. What do you think? Any suggestions for improvement would be welcome.

Check out more on the portfolio tab too!

Kill The Sound
Print/Digital A3 Proposal Boards and Digital Advert
(January 2010)
A one week project that I based on persuading city dwellers who own iPods to listen for traffic. The outcome is a digital advert shown on iPods and 4oD ad breaks, which also lead onto an informative microsite. (Research, development, final outcome boards; digital advert)

Information Design, The Guardian and Grafik

2010-03-23T14:42:00.002Z

Grafiks feature this month was on information design. One area I'm interested in is publication design (newspapers, magazines etc.) and something that really caught my eye was the article on the Guardian. I have always admired the Guardian's modern, yet informative layout and style so it was interesting reading about how fast the information design team have to work to turn written words into easy to digest graphics. This is something I'm working on introducing into Leeds Student being design editor.

The graphics turn quite complex topics and statistics into basic geometry that can be looked at and understood quickly but also then be looked into further by looking at the details of the diagrams. The colours are vibrant and fresh, but also maintain the serious stance of the newspaper. This is an example of graphic design being put to use in the 'real world' and not just part of the graphics clique of firms.

Information Design spread from Grafik magazine:

Birthday Card

2010-03-18T23:20:00.000Z

Just a short post, during the Easter break I hope to be updating a lot in the small chance I might get some work experience or a placement out of it.

I received this card from my parents for my 20th birthday in January and just adored the craftsmanship. I realise it was probably cut by a machine but the simplicity of the design (no colour, just cut out), yet the intricacy of the design, and handmade nature makes it a brilliant card. I think my mum knows how much I adore the simple things like a beautiful stock and simple, elegant design.

The card was made my Roger la Borde and is rom the First Press rage which can be viewed online here: http://www.rogerlaborde.com/firstpress-ranges.html

The card:

Work Experience?

2010-03-17T22:25:00.003Z

I'm looking for some work experience/ placements over summer, can anyone help?
These posters might extend and develop into some business cards.
Copyright Katie Szadziewska 2010

Marketing Reports

2010-03-15T18:57:00.002Z

Marketing Creativity and Innovation - January - March 2010

A group project aiming to analyse two businesses and come up with new marketing strategies for them. Big thanks to Nathan Perkins (his website is here: http://www.gotthathunger.co.uk/), Angharad Allsop, Lauren Wells and Laura Green.

Levis

2010-03-14T13:45:00.000Z

Me and my flatmate Syrah went to buy my boyfriends 'flat' birthday present last week. We ended up buying a Levis denim shirt and meeting the most wonderful sales assistant ever. As he was wrapping up the shirt, I noticed the gorgeous, unique and very 'Levis' tissue paper. He was lovely enough to roll me up about five metres of the stuff so I can do a blog on it.

The wrap is simple white tissue paper printed with a cartoon style type that looks very hand-drawn, it gives it a personal touch. It is then sealed with the classic Levis horse logo. The copy tells you the story of how Levis jeans came about - it's like wrapping the new products in a little bit of the Levis history. the bag is beautiful too; a simple brown paper bag with a slightly corrugated feel printed with the black Levi's name. The card is really thick and looks like it'll take a lot of wear and reuse. This kind of links back to my post on Hollister and their almost advertising scheme they create by reuse of their bags as a status item.

It's nice to see stores taking care with their customers, it makes me want to go back and buy from them. The little personal touches make it more engaging with the consumer; we want more!

The bag, the wrap and some close ups:

I'm thinking a lovely frame could be done with the tissue paper wrapping... Maybe with my Jack Wills, Hollister and Chanel wrap too.

New designer trend? Circles

2010-03-02T14:27:00.002Z

Since starting back Christmas, I've seen a big rise in the use of circles with whited out text.

New trend?:

Testing this out for my logo, looks good but not sure...

MTV and it's 'new' logo

2010-02-27T19:01:00.000Z

I'm doing a brand audit on MTV for my design management module and I'm actually finding the research more intriguing and rewarding than any of my practical projects and I'm finding out some awesome things about the channels as a brand. For once, I'm enthusiastic!

This month MTV altered its logo very slightly to a rectangular format in order to fit the 16x9 format of images the MTV broadcast in behind the logo. This way, anything MTV broadcast can be framed in the logo. This seems to be a bit of a trend at the moment, especially with the branding company Wolff Olins.

To be honest, I wouldn't call the new logo a redesign, but I like that it stays true to the original 1980's logo. It's amazing that this logo still looks modern and up to date 30 years on, when nothing has really been changed from Manhattan Design's first MTV logo (they only paid $1000 for the original, who would of thought it'd turn out to be such an iconic logo). I think MTV is one of those brands that is constantly 'refreshing' to fit with the trends and with the times and staying up to date with the youngsters, but the underlying essence of the company will always be cool and have that aspirational quality, MTV is just cool.

Perhaps it's because I've always had a love for the MTV brand that I'm enjoying it, but the more I read, the more I want to be part of this company. My dream job.

Here's the new logo thanks to Creative Review:

Read more about the new design on the CR blog: http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2010/february/mtv-refreshes-logo

Design Bites: Grafik Magazine.

2010-02-23T16:07:00.000Z

Over the next couple of days I'm hopefully going to be updating my blog with a few 'design bites' from the last couple of weeks.

Today is Grafik magazine. A really good and high quality graphic design magazine, I've been a subscriber for just over a year now. I used to be really into it, it's printed onto the most beautiful, thick, stock and the layout is exceptional; it's been a real learning tool for me when I'm thinking about layout for my work and the newspaper. I keep them all on my bookshelf almost like reference books, not magazines.

Unfortunately, for the last part of 2009, I really lost interest, the illustrations and covers became, well, boring with no variety and so I lost interest in looking at the text beyond that. However, the last two issues I've received have been brilliant and really got back to the 'Grafik' style I fell in love with as a first year design student. This months issue has probably had the most reading and wear in a long time. The illustrations and cover made me actually read it, not just look at the images, and the main article on branding turned out to be, well, useful. Welcome back Grafik, I've missed you.

Some covers from the past 6 months:

And some spreads from this months magazine, brilliant design:

Olympics Brief

2010-02-07T17:30:00.008Z

Over this semester (February-May 2010), instead of being giving a large brief and working on it over the entire 11 weeks, each week we're given a new 'section' to the brief which will eventually all combine for a final project related to the olympics. Today we were told, the eventual outcome will be to persuade the target audience to participate in, take up, or watch a sport at the 2012 or 2018 Olympics.

These will updated and redone slightly over the Easter Holiday, but I'll leave these up to see the progression and any critique.

Week 1 - Research a randomly allocated audience and their digital habits. My target group is families with parents over 60.

Week 2 - Research a randomly allocated sport, in isolation and in relation to your target audience. My allocated sport is beach volleyball.

Week 3 - Come up with five strategies to persuade your target audience to participate in your sport.

Week 4 - Choose your favourite strategy and come up with six concepts to support it. I have chosen my strategy as making beach volleyball a way of bringing the whole family together.

Listen; a one week project.

2010-02-02T20:56:00.004Z

January 2010

This brief we had to research, develop and come up with a final outcome in 7 days. Here we had to persuade a target audience of our choice to smile more, lie, have good manners, dance, have a face to face conversation, or listen via digital media channels.

I based my project on persuading city dwellers (aged around 19-35) who own iPods to listen out for traffic on the streets. The number of young people being killed by cars is at a horrifying statistic, 500 every month in the UK, and taking the time to listen for traffic rather than carelessly walking out into roads could give more young people a chance to live their lives to the full.

The presentation boards are a visual research board, a board to show development, and a final outcome board. My final outcome is a digital advert shown on iPods and 4oD ad breaks, which also lead onto an informative microsite.

(Reworked versions from April)

Jack Wills Spring Term Handbook

2010-01-27T17:56:00.000Z

The next in my series of Jack Wills posts. The Spring Handbook came through the post a couple days ago and the photographic quality has continued from the Christmas one; I was unsure as to whether the handbooks would meet the standard of the first I blogged about but it seems Jack Wills have managed to maintain their consistency as they do with their other branding items.

What really grabbed me first of all is the brilliant use of the typography and colour on the front cover. I felt the Christmas one was too fussy and, the illustrative 'Christmas' was just a bit amateur. The overall aesthetic did not really fit with the sleek and fashion forward ethos of JW. The Spring handbook on he other hand used a sophisticated, yet youthful choice of navy and a yellow-green. The choice of colours was more subdued and subtle that a fluoro against black as the use of navy gave it a very trendy and 'now' colour scheme. The stock I didn't notice about the last book either (although I think I was too engrossed in the photography) but the matte finish, grainy thick paper gives it a handmade and authentic feel really standing apart from the glossy pages of magazines from which we also aspire to buy clothes from. It shows that every element is important to consider when marketing a product or lifestyle.

I guess the consistency in photographic style and aesthetic is down to the same use of photographer, Eleanor Hardwick. I really admire how the same photographic style is used, but yet doesn't get boring. Maybe this is down to the pictures evolving as the seasons do, as the clothes do too. It gives a real sense of immediacy and that these photographs have been taken recently and do set out the way for that seasons clothing styles and ranges. One thing I did like is the use of more experimental layout rather than full or half page spreads throughout. It isn't really 'experimental' as such, just more diverse by diving some pages into six it allows us to not always focus on the clothes but the surroundings too in order for us to really gauge the lifestyle of these aspirational people being photographed. Also notice the use of bight but softer lighting not only in the daytime pictures, but the night too keeping that 'spring' feeling throughout. The natural poses help reflect the season too rather than the more posed, structured and 'hard' images of the Christmas handbook. [I've just noticed this girl is 17! She has a lot of good things ahead of her, I can tell you that.]

The handbook can be viewed here: www.Jackwills.com/
Some screenshots of the handbook (I'll get a photo of the cover asap and a close up to show the quality of the stock.)

Limited Edition Classic Album Cover Stamps.

2010-01-13T12:01:00.000Z

Like most students across the country, I'm feeling the pressure of exams at the moment so posts have a been a little scarce. I'm sure I'll get back into the flow as soon as this has all finished.

An interesting post today. The Post Office have launched a limited edition book of 10 First Class stamps with iconic album covers on. This is the first time ever in history somebody alive (apart from the Queen) has been shown on a stamp and so are a set of iconic stamps themselves. I think the choice of albums is very interesting, some I knew, some I don't, but also they've managed to pick from a range of eras, not just focusing on the 70's and 80's where album art was probably more prominent than todays slightly more self indulgent covers mostly plastered with pictures of the artist themselves. As a music and design lover, these instantly appealed to me, and feeling a bit geeky I went and bought a set to keep; it's little beauties like this which introduce the general public to good design and to classic designs in pop culture rather than the appreciation of good design being kept between designers.

Buy a presentation pack of these stamps at your Post Office for £4.40

The stamps in a presentation pack:

From left to right; The Division Bell, Pink Floyd; A Rush Of Blood To The Head, Coldplay; Parklife, Blur; Power Corruption and Lies, New Order; A Basket of Roses, Henri Fantin-Latour; Let It Bleed, The Rolling Stones; London Calling, The Clash; Tubular Bells, Mike Oldfield; Led Zeppelin IV, Led Zeppelin; Screamadelica, Primal Scream; The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, David Bowie.

Modularity and Fractals

2010-01-12T16:36:00.002Z

At the University of Leeds we take a number of theory modules as well as our practical ones of which you see most of the work here on my blog. However I thought it would be good to get some of the geometric theory work I had to complete for my second year Design Theory module on here too.

Design Theory - September-December 2009
This assignment was concerned with the theory of modularity, "minimum inventory, maximum diversity", where we had to create 12 tilings from a polygon cut into 'tiles', apply them in situ, and cost the whole thing. After much confusion and time, I came up with a set of Modernist tilings suitable for a digitally printed kitchen splashback.

Something else I found particularly interesting in this module was the concept of fractals, an object or pattern which, no matter how small you zoom, look the same. An example is a snowflake or broccoli. For a journal entry, we had to design our own fractal and show at least 4 stages.

Swift Plasters

2010-01-12T12:12:00.004Z

Design Application September 09 - January '10
The brief was split in two, the first part to add value to a basic product (in my case plasters) and then secondly create a 3 piece marketing strategy for your new product.

My new product was a soft plastic pack of plasters that only one piece of backing has to be removed in order to apply, removing the hassle packaging removal. The size, no bigger than the plaster itself, and flexibility of the packaging makes it a convenient product that can be carried around easily in a handbag or pocket without damaging the plasters.

The product is primarily aimed at busy mothers who need to tend to children who fall over quickly without any fuss. This was the basis of the two boy and girl magazine adverts that would be placed in own brand publications such as ADSA magazine, Boots magazine, and Sainsburys magazine where you could also buy the product. The third media was also targeting sales points by using the movement of the automatic doors to simulate the easy sliding action to remove the plaster, both interesting for a child and eye catching for parents.

I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK: Plaster Marketing (Temp post)

2010-01-03T17:52:00.003Z

Hi!
My plasters project is being handed in in a weeks time and I'm trying to get my marketing in place. I need as much crit and feedback as I can get to do some alterations before printing on Saturday/Sunday so please help!

The original product can be found on this post: Swift Plasters and the target audience is mothers as it is a convenience product ideal for the handbag and so treating kids falling over can be done quickly without fuss.

1. Girls print ad for magazines
Been having some trouble with the type placement here, and debating whether or not to try and delete the shadow on Photoshop:

2. Boys Print ad for magazines

Thinking about making the text white for cohesion and so having to try and get rid of the stripes on his top using photoshop...

Spent this morning editing this - taking out the stripes seemed the easiest option to make the text white then cropped in a little more to get rid of the edge of the texty/sewn on section on his top in the left hand corner (without the stripes this looked plain odd and trying to edit it out it looked very obviously edited.I think this is going to be the final print unless anyone points out a mistake!

3. Automatic Doors Large Format Display at Points of Purchase (they simulate the action of removing the plaster by pulling...) In situ and Illustrator simulation

I am going to be HUGELY grateful for ANYTHING I can amend or advice on the queries and indecision I have mentioned.

Live Lounge 4 CD Case

2009-12-30T12:06:00.000Z

A short post today just to show you the importance of a sharp graphics eye.

On the back of the Live Lounge 4 CD case, the text "disk two" uses the number '0' instead of the alphabetical character 'o'. Although a small mistake, it misbalances the word itself and just looks odd. The zero character is much more elongated than the 'o' causing this misbalance in a typeface which is very rounded and with fairly wide characters.

A graphic designer must have looked at this cover many many times before it went out to print so how did this mistake slip through? This shows that a break from your work, or getting someone else, graphically minded or not, to have look at it helps you spot the mistakes that you wouldn't normally see. Spending hours on one image can make the obvious pass you by.

The back of the album cover:

Hollister Co. - the USA hits the UK

2009-12-27T15:23:00.001Z

Hollister, the Californian fashion label owned by famous brand Abercrombie and Fitch is starting to launch itself across the UK, with one recently opening in Cabot Circus, Bristol. I have always been addicted to buying A&F and Hollister clothing when I'm over in the states not only for the clothes itself but also the brand packaging, I've even been known to go and buy products separately to get more carrier bags!

After buying something in there last week I made sure to get a large carrier and picked up a business card and gift card to show you how good, consistent, and loyal to the original brand their branding is as well as the quality of it all. As I mentioned in a previous post (Jack Wills Seasonnaires Clothing I believe), I am big on fashion branding especially labels and carriers and I think American companies like Hollister have a lot to show UK companies in terms of quality branding and the 'free' products which often get neglected as the emphasis is on the clothing itself.

The carrier is a sturdy paper bag which far outweighs the plastic carriers more stores use. Not only better for the environment, they have a luxurious, quality feel to them linking to the more 'exclusive' nature of their products to the UK market. Having bags that are sturdy also ensures constant 'advertising' through reuse of bags not only for convenience, but also the 'kudos' of owning products from these companies is flaunted through reuse of their bags. The gift card follows suit using the same textured brown paper look with gloss print of the logo which keeps the brand consistency. The card itself lets the whole aesthetic down a little but keeps the brand look of beautiful people in beautiful clothes together and also adds to the aspiration of a lifestyle associated with the clothes. The sepia tone helps it stay in keeping with the earthy tones of the brown, maroon/red/brown, and warm grey used across all the elements of the brand. The business card is a little more classy but still keeps the warm tones but in a more classic cream stock rather than the 'trendy' brown paper.

All of these little touches make you want to show off the things you can get free rather than a plastic carrier and boring grey-white receipt that just get thrown away straight away and so are a great marketing technique for Hollister, advertising and marketing for free.

Find your nearest Hollister store or browse online here:
http://www.hollisterco.com/

The freebies:

Food Network Advert

2009-12-21T21:23:00.003Z

Saw this advert a while ago on TV advertising the Food Network, a new channel on Sky. The stop frame style makes food seems fun, young and interesting rather than the homely traditional feel that is usually portrayed by food programmes.

The white background not only gives a no fuss attitude and helps echo the cleanliness needed in a kitchen but sets off the food being played with to create the words. Seeing the words being created and 'played with' to create a new style of typography also helps subvert the saying "don't play with your food" as reiterated by the final image where we see the entire sentence rather than the individual words, which spells out "who says you shouldn't play with your food?". The baking element in the meringues and pastry also add that added depth and movement to the whole page as to not make it too static once all the words have been created. I really think this is, although not innovative, a more interesting way of mixing typography and the subject of food together, and also reminds me of childhood where we use spaghetti and sauce to spell out words bringing us back to the fun and youthful edge of this advert.

The only thing that I feel lets down the advert is the addition of the 'now available...' as it doesn't fit the overall style of the advert, it seems unconsidered and an obligatory addition. Could the designers have thought this through a little more to integrate it? For example, the food network logo could have been a splat of jam or ketchup and the added type reduced in size to become more of a secondary thought than drawing your attention away instantly from the food typography.

The advert was designed and produced by Blac Ionica whose website can be visited here:
http://www.blacionica.com/
Watch the advert here:

Photography: My New 1960's Camera

2009-12-20T21:59:00.003Z

Yesterday I was given my third 35mm camera by my boyfriend. It's a Zenit B from the USSR and takes the standard 35mm film that you can still buy in normal shops. I've always loved photography an, as part of the 'digital generation', made my way through several compact and DSLR cameras but have been fascinated by 35mm film cameras. The Zenit is my oldest of three I own, and took a while to work out all the functions (unfortunately nearly all of the first film I shot today was blurry because the shutter speed was set t 1/30s rather than the 1/250s I wanted it at!) but the pictures I got developed showed the beauty of traditional photography. The colour is vivid, the tones contrasted, and the whites are slightly 'off' to give this almost vintage feel to the prints.

I hope that todays trial run will result in some precise and unique photographs to come in the future. Using traditional photography will also be driving me to look at some more traditional techniques (if suitable) in the projects that come in the new year and not relying totally on the digital methods I know, maybe giving me some more unique and outstanding outcomes.

Here are a few from the film taken today at Westonbirt Arboretum:

And the camera itself:

And some interesting shots taken using my compact digital Canon Ixus through the viewfinder of the Zenit, I thought it really set off the colours you see through the viewfinder and the older feel of the camera and it's images. The large black outer 'frame' and mirror reflection of the image coming through the viewfinder are nice additions which shows the technology behind the old SLR cameras. These photos are entirely untouched by Photoshop:

Apple Business Cards

2009-12-16T20:14:00.001Z

Just a short post today. I needed to get my MacBook Pro fixed so my mum popped into the Apple store in Cabot Circus, Bristol to ask about repairs. The guy here passed on his business card so that we could make an appointment to get it fixed. I think it is outstanding effort how Apple have managed to create such a cohesive brand ident from the stores and the products we know, love, and recognise instantly, right down to the tiny details such as the business cards. Such a recognisable brand identity that is retained down to the finest details is something that every company should aspire to and use look to Apple as a near perfect example; It makes for such a better company and brand and makes sure you are consistently memorable and recognisable to everyone that comes into contact with you or your company.

This follows on nicely from yesterdays post with the use of minimal colouring, the white is famously linked to Apple products and the text is nicely set off in a more unique and interesting fashion than plain solid colour, by using a silver foil. The only thing slightly off kilter is the black text for the store location, Cabot Circus; Could this have been done in silver? Although, it would have been nice to see it in silver, I fear it would probably be a bit too snazzy and detract from the simple, exclusive, yet inviting look of the card and brand, maybe the black adds that much needed balance.

The business card:

Mimco Christmas Catalogue

2009-12-15T19:37:00.001Z

Firstly, apologies with the lack of updates recently, I have plenty of notes jotted down for blogs! However, the last couple of days have been filled with saying goodbye to my friends in Leeds and making the 4 hour journey home to Bristol for Christmas... I'll get the blogs flowing again soon in between Christmas shopping and revision for January exams!

I picked up this catalogue in House of Fraser back in Leeds before coming home, purely intrigued by the cover as to what it could be selling and who could be using such a beautifully understated piece of design as promotion.

Turns out it was for fashion label Mimco. The cover is a beautiful embossed matte white piece of stock, feels beautiful and is quite sensory with the embossed wing which lures you into running your fingers over it as well as the was the embossing creates light and shadow without any change in the colour of ink or stock. I think this really emphasises how simplicity can be so key to creating an intriguing piece of marketing; bold colours may work sometimes, but equally the use of no colour here has created the same effect. Creating this tactile experience for the consumer creates a bit more of a personal approach and the ability to make people become consumed into your brand without realising it.

Sadly some of the central pages don't quite live up with the beautiful simplicity of the cover but some of the paper craftsmanship in the photographs are amazing. The detail and flawlessness is spectacular considering paper is such a fragile medium. I particularly like the recurring image of the wings.

You can visit Mimco's website here:
http://www.mimco.com.au/

The cover:

Some inside spreads:

Urban Outfitters: Martin Maybank Photography

2009-12-10T21:23:00.000Z

I was in Urban Outfitters today and saw a set of neatly framed almost vintage style photographs on display. that I loved. Turns out it was a display for Leeds photographer Martin Maybank. It's nice to see large chain stores getting personal and creating a more individual store for each city as well as supporting local talent.

What I particularly liked about these photos is the use of old film cameras to take them and going back to the original techniques that can create such beautiful images rather than relying on the tricks we can all create with a digital camera and Photoshop nowadays. The colouration of the images are fantastic and really emphasis the fact these are real photographs, not digital. I also particularly like the composition, particularly on the fan (I think!) image and construction with the ultra close up shots which highlight the pattern and structure behind the objects. The burnt edges also add to the 35mm photograph look. All of these elements which make the photographs so special add an exclusivity to them. It's nice to see real photography making a comeback, its a style and look you really can't replicate with digital.

Martin Maybank's website can be visited here:
http://martinmaybank.carbonmade.com/
The display in Urban Outfitters (taken on a camera phone so apologies for the quality):

Contraception Worth Talking About - NHS Advertising Campaign

2009-12-10T21:04:00.000Z

These adverts have just been launched on television and I personally think they'll be a big hit. It's a hard subject to approach talking and thinking about but these adverts make sure it sounds easy, simple and friendly while retaining a serious edge.

The speech bubble style and the overlayed animation onto the real video image work well together and making it feel as if it could be anyone sat in those positions. The animation is pretty seamless and professional too, which shows the NHS are taking the campaign seriously. I think the adverts really shine and continue the designed, professional look that the NHS have with their adverts, from the hook stop smoking adverts, and alcohol units adverts we are all familiar with. However, what I find is these adverts get you talking, but do they actual encourage change and action?

Watch the advert here:

Portfolio Update: Seven Deadly Sins Photography Series

2009-12-09T21:34:00.004Z

Photography - April 2009

A series of photos under the theme of the Seven Deadly Sins. My concept was about reverting these qualities back to sins or which you should be punished rather than the glamourised view portrayed i modern media, showing and unmarked innocent life stained and tainted by these sins.

Paramore - Brand New Eyes Album Art

2009-12-09T11:03:00.002Z

I'm a big believer in buying CDs. In fact, I refuse to download if I can get a CD. The idea of holding a physical object is so much more appealing that having a small file on your computer. As well as that, I adore looking through album artwork. I must own just between 250 and 300 CD some of which I've never actually listened to but bought solely because I liked the art.

SInce coming back to university in September, one of my most listened to, and most looked at CDs is Paramore's Brand New Eyes (Art direction and photography by Ryan Russell). The art direction is pretty seamless and reflects the band's aesthetic and the sound for this album. The booklet comprises of eleven photographs linked to one o the songs. The photograph reflects the subject and tone of each song while retaining a unified style. The slightly unsaturated colour and contrast of some of the images give them an almost vintage feel. All have an eerie air about them which almost draws me in more strangely. The typography has also been carefully considered. The small serif font means the type doesn't intrude on the photograph but stands out enough to be read and add to the page. Certain sections are also in capitals, bold and italics for emphasis as well as small details like (in Playing God) lonely is purposefully set outside of the mirror frame and out of line with the bulk of the text, a physical representaion of the lyrics.

This album has been quite a large influence on the book about myself. Although the illustrative style is completely different, I wanted to make sure the type was considered and each image entirely reflected the song, not a self indulgent series of photos of the band which is where a lot of albums are heading.

The art direction was lead by designer and photographer Ryan Russell. His website is:
http://www.ryanrussell.net/
I might well do a blog later on his personal photography, it really is beautiful, and he also has my absolute dream job.

Some spreads from Brand New Eyes:

My CD Collection (I need more storage!):

A One Minute Film: Happiness

2009-12-09T09:53:00.002Z

I have just finished my first endeavour into motion for a university module. The brief was to create a one minute film, not one second over or under, that includes opening and closing credits. I used a Sony Z7 to film Happiness, then Premiere Pro, Soundbooth and After Effects to do the editing.

The film is based on an alcoholic who seems to be more and more consumed by alcohol having sold everything he owns apart from a dining room chair, small table and old TV for beer. He becomes more and more engrossed in his solitary lifestyle, wishing only for more beer, his personal happiness.

Making the film really made me realise the effort and time that goes into getting an idea to a fully fledged film and opened my eyes to a new media and the difficulties it holds. Hopefully you like it.

Watch Happiness here:

Hyundai i30 Channel 5 Film Sponsor

2009-12-04T16:08:00.003Z

Watching the Green Mile on Channel 5 this Sunday, I noticed the sponsor for 5 films. Each person is shot with the car reenacting their favourite film making a humourous and yet fitting link between a car and films. Most are fairly humourous and are short enough to keep you entertained for the short gap between the film ending and the adverts. An innovative marketing strategy as the clips must be shown around eight times throughout the film, and are shown directly after or before the film, before the viewers have got up and left or lost attention. My personal favourite is the Jurassic Park one where the sound effects really emphasise, and pull away from the stereotype of car advertising.

Jurassic Park Hyundai I30 Film Sponsor:

Watch the other clips here:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xapcz0_hyundai-i30-sponsor_shortfilms?from=rss

"self titled"

2009-12-03T20:35:00.009Z

Digital Design - October - December 2009

Self titled is a digital design project under the brief "about me". I have created a CD booklet containing sixteen lyrics that have inspired me or describe me and illustrated them. This is going to be presented in a more unique way than a hardbound book or just simply the booklet, by putting in the case and printing the back cover and CD itself too, almost as if it were an album.

Click the arrow on the right to flick through the pages, click on the book to make it full screen.

Act on CO2 - Department for Transport 2009 Ad Campaign

2009-11-30T10:11:00.004Z

The ad starts with what you think is a roof of a factory, as if to get the viewers talking about 'how bad global warming is' in the context of these factories, but then slowly twists and zooms out to reveal what you believed to be a factory roof, is actually the exhaust of a car, putting the global warming emissions into a much more real situation. I think this is a very clever strategy by the Department for Transport and their advertising agent as it is more shocking than leaving the CO2 emissions talk only in these abstract context of factories and large establishments that not many people can empathise with, but will quite happily talk about and critisise. The visuals are very clever too and really captured my attention once the seamless movement and transition began; not only visually alluring but technically brilliant too. I really commend the Government for taking the initiative to crate a set of adverts that perhaps skimp a bit on the technical and scientific detail but communicate in an attractive and attention grabbing way.

Visit the Act On CO2 website here:

http://actonco2.direct.gov.uk/actonco2/home.html

Watch the ad here:

'An Intel Star' Advert

2009-11-29T19:28:00.001Z

I saw this yesterday on TV and found it not only amusing but it also appealed to the techie graphic designer in me. I think the advert really highlights that different peoples' cultures and interests lead them towards different idols and 'stars'. What is also clever is the focus on the people that make Intel work, rather than the products themselves; simple, but a different strategy to take when most technology adverts are highly focused on the product and it's new features. It has made me think more about my marketing strategy for the plasters project I'm currently working on as a way to stand out in a very standard, average and technology based advertising culture for the sector.

Watch the advert here:

Creative Review December Edition

2009-11-28T20:45:00.001Z

I have to say, I'm always quite excited to see CR pop through my letterbox each month, but even more so this December issue with it's fun envelope packaging (for those non-designers, Creative Review is the design industry favourite monthly magazine). The packet has a CR Christmas tree design printed on with some small instructions which allow you to make your very own CR Christmas tree for your room simply by cutting out the tree from either side of the envelope and slotting them together. It's brilliant being a subscriber!

White Lies

2009-11-28T20:14:00.002Z

Last night my two flatmates and I made our way over to Manchester to see White Lies live at the Manchester Apollo. I admit, going to Manchester was my fault (and the gigsandtours.com website) because it didn't show up the Leeds show when I was hastily buying tickets. However, I am really glad we did go over not only to see a great band who are even better live but also to experience the Apollo as a venue. It blows the O2 Academy venues out of the water. An old theatre, the venue is decorated in decadent reds and golds with the most spectacular patterned ceiling (maybe my design theory module based on geometry is getting to me?).

Not only was the venue something unique and special but during the performance the light show going on was also amazing, yet simple. Only white lights were used but contrasted against the darkness of the room each beam lit up the faces of the fans. It reminded me of my History of Art module last year and the electronic art lecture we had and how light shows and lasers were becoming an art form. This show really made me appreciate the skill behind lighting; it needs to fit the music, and be spectacular. The White Lies tech team managed to do this all only using white lights in three positions, the rig at the front of the stage, the panel behind the band and two static lights onstage

The White Lies website can be visited here:
http://www.whitelies.com/
Here are some of the photos from the night, taken by myself:

Jack Wills Seasonnaires Clothing

2009-11-25T17:21:00.003Z

After exploring the handbook in a previous blog, it was time to get my hands on some of the new clothing from Jack Wills.

This morning I woke up to find one of my flatmates had picked up the post for me and a beautifully large trademark navy and dusty pink striped package lay on the lounge table. First thing I have to credit Jack Wills for is their sense of brand consistency. They are instantly recognisable through their selection of a simple striped pattern in two more unique colours that look as if they were specifically chosen, not just picked out of a colour chart; just these two colours instantly brings the brand to mind. The pattern is often used on their clothing but also clothes tags, wrapping, and a lot of their in store window displays.

After opening the packaging, I felt like a kid on Christmas! Each piece of clothing was individually wrapped in personalised Jack Wills tissue paper and sealed with Jack Wills sticker. I have always been enthusiastic about clothing packaging and labels; JW have exceeded most companies and my expectations. It has a more sensual and personal feel picking up the tissue paper parcel before careful unwrapping it to get the clothes; almost like a ritual.

So I revealed three items of clothing, a hoody, tshirt and pair of tights. Basic items with a simple enough logo and design that they can be worn season after season. The hoody and t-shirt are from the Seasonnaires collection which pleased me as they limit the front text to 'Jack Wills Seasonnaires' unlike the majority of previous collections which likes to splash around being part of boat clubs and sailing groups, making people part of this club that realistically they would never join wearing it purely for the image. Saying that, wearing my Seasonnaires hoody for the first time, I did feel part of a new, exclusive group, but I guess that's what it is all about, lusting after a life where we ski during the winter and go to the beach in the summer (a million miles away from us graphics students who are tied to our laptops 24/7). I love the slim fit, and long length in the top and hoody too.

Jack Wills will always be the 'exclusive' brand it is made out to be with the hefty price tags and clique-y nature, but why not treat yourself every once in a while and make yourself feel like you are part of the brand and get that personal feel that every other high street stores lack? I know my clothes are going to last a long time, so sometimes it is worth splashing out that bit extra (even if it is a bit for the packaging!).

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

2009-11-22T22:23:00.005Z

The latest phenomenon of Twilight had it's second instalment much to the pleasure of most of the young female population, and the disdain of the young males.

As a fan myself, I was nervous as the second film, New Moon, had a new director. I wanted to know if the film would be as close to the book as the first had been, whether the striking cinematography would continue into the sequel, and whether it would really capture me as the first film had.

Although you could tell the film wasn't done by the same director, and larger sections of the book were left out than the first. Shot in widescreen, the film had a warm glow to the shots throughout (perhaps reflecting the focus on the warm-blooded werewolves in this film, perhaps unconsidered?) and had plenty of action, special effects, and a fast paced story to keep the audience interested. However, this was where the problem lay for me, the focus seemed to be on keeping the teenage girls happy and following a story, with less careful focus on the cinematographic look and visual feel.

What I felt it really lacked was the cinematographic lure I had with Twilight. The ultra widescreen, icey blue lighting and filter on nearly all shots, jaunty diagonal angles, and the intrigue of rarely ever seeing a the full length of a person throughout the two hours. Twilight really sparked an enthusiasm for looking at the aesthetic feel of a film and not just following a story. The typography for Twilight really inspired me too as I felt it was carefully considered in the process and the effects added only drew me in more (and in fact influenced my hydrophobia typographic project).

Overall, New Moon is a brilliant film for fans, but it does not really step up to the seduction, and truly engrossing nature of Twilight which sets it apart from most teenage films.

Watch the trailer for New Moon here:

Watch the trailer for Twilight here:

Leeds Student Advertising

2009-11-22T21:27:00.001Z

As a Design Editor at the University of Leeds student newspaper (Leeds Student http://www.leedsstudent.org), I was asked over summer to design a series of two adverts to promote the recruitment of writers, photographer and designers during Freshers Week 2009.

I developed the concept from the typical idea of students to create a landscape and portrait advert which has been placed in the newspaper several times this semester.

Jack Wills Christmas Handbook

2009-11-19T13:28:00.000Z

The Christmas Handbook for British clothes store Jack Wills popped through my letterbox this week. Although I usually find myself flicking through and deeming the clothes "way too expensive for what they are" within 10 seconds, something caught my eye this season.

Half of the handbook comprises of some very well shot fashion photography before the 'catalogue' of clothes begins (along with the extortionate prices, £798 for a limited edition dress of which I have a distinctly similar one that I got for around £35 in the French Connection sale last year...).

These photographs closely relate to the autumn/winter season of the clothing in the 'handbook' with most of the pictures shot in the dark and emphasising the idea of parties and celebration. I love the use of very vivid colour photography to emphasise the clothing against the background, the setting and emphasise the atmosphere of festivity. The photographs also kind of promote a lifestyle to the people who would buy their products: an exclusive, frivolous lifestyle which would appeal to any teenager. The photographs almost seem to document 'a day in the life of' the teens in these images who wear Jack Wills; inviting people to join this 'club' by wearing the right clothes. Although i don't condone the clone-like sentiment Jack Wills promote and attain, the photography draws you in in a very subtle and seductive way making me look through the booklet over and over, lusting over the clothes I can't afford, when usually it is only good for the bin.

These screencaps are taken from the online handbook which can be viewed here:
http://www.jackwills.com/handbook.aspx
The Photography for the Christmas 2009 Handbook was done by Eleanor Hardwick whose website can be viewed by clicking here:
http://eleanorhardwick.com

2012

2009-11-16T11:56:00.001Z

There hasn't be a disaster movie released in a while so seeing the trailers for 2012 really intrigued me. I really enjoyed Independence day and the Day After Tomorrow (the same director/producer as 2012, Roland Emmerich) and so was expecting some big things out of this film. After sitting through the two hours the film spans in a sold out cinema, I was highly disappointed. The characters were hard to empathise with, none of the relationships really capturing my imagination; I really wasn't that bothered as to who died, or who survived, as we followed numerous people, none of which with a story you can engage with.

Another factor which I felt let the film down was the special effects. After studying motion graphics for a short amount of time, I understand the intricacies and the long hours that must have been put into creating the epic CGI effects which were stunning and extremely impressive (such as various cities being submerged in water, Yellowstone become a giant volcano and erupting etc.), but I can't help but feel that the focus was on creating these special effects therefore sacrificing a storyline and the time put into the green-screening of some scenes.

I don't think the film lives up to the standard of Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow and is mainly let down by the very weak storyline and characters which are hidden behind two hours of special effects.

House M.D. Title Sequence

2009-11-15T14:24:00.003Z

Recently I've really getting into the series House M.D. where Hugh Laurie plays a medical diagnostician and solves these 'medical mysteries' each episode. I'm slowly working my way through the box sets but what has really grabbed me, from the very first episode I watched, was the title sequence.

The title sequence is very graphically stimulating with simple visuals placed together in a simple way which seems to keep the audience interested despite being shown at the start of every episode (a lot of show titles, especially if watching them on box sets, tend to become repetitive and irritating...). The sequence isn't very long but nevertheless, very captivating. I find the music almost entrancing and that linked with the slow movement of the images and faded cuts give the title an almost relaxing and entrancing feel. The illustrative quality also makes the show feel a little accessible and inviting rather than showing a sequence of blood, gore, hospitals, and doctors. At the same time though, the illustrations are very detailed, as if they were from a textbook, suggesting the show is more intelligent and driven by science than the average hospital drama.

The executive produced Katie Jacobs denies that there is actually any link between the names of the actors and the images they are put together with but looking closer I feel I can see some kind of link.

Hugh Laurie (Dr. House) is placed together with a view of a brain, the brains behind the team; Lisa Edelstein (Dr. Cuddy) is placed with a network of nerves, the network keeping the characters together; Omar Epps (Dr. Foreman) is placed with a ribcage with the heart almost glowing, the heart of the team; Robert Sean Leonard (Dr. Wilson) against the two hemispheres of the brain, suggesting he is the other side of House's brain, his conscience; Jennifer Morrison (Dr. Cameron) accompanies a cane, House's support, although this was changed in series' 1-3 due to Fox Entertainment objecting to the cane (and originally Vicadin) imagery and so her name is most often shown against an ariel view of a lake; Jesse Spencer (Dr. Chase) is shown next to a spine, the backbone the team; and finally David Shore placed on top of a neck, the creator of the show represented as the brains behind it.

The sequence is created by Digital Kitchen.
The soundtrack is 'Teardrop' by Massive Attack.

Watch the sequence here:

House Main Titles from DIGITALKITCHEN on Vimeo.

Fireworks Night

2009-11-12T14:59:00.003Z

Fireworks Night for me is an exciting night for photographers. It can end up a little cliche, long shutter exposures and the simple coloured fireworks against the black night sky, but for I see it as a chance to experiment with my camera. It's not very often you have a nights sky filled with different colours and a raging fire to use to your advantage, as well as the element of unpredictability, using your camera and having genuinely no idea what the final image is going to be just makes it more exciting to be doing.

This year I went to the Hyde Park fireworks display, the obvious choice for Leeds students and residents, and using my compact Canon IXUS8015 and took a series of photographs I was seriously impressed that this tiny camera can take. here's a selection of the photos taken that night, more can be found at www.flickr.com/KatieSz

A Short Up-To-Date Portfolio

2009-11-12T13:09:00.008Z

I will be updating my blog and portfolio section regularly as the work appears, but to start, here is a quick and short portfolio of work created in my academic life at sixth form and my first year at university.

Hydrophobia - A purely typographic project, the project relies on creative type and calligraphy to convey the mood and emotion that hydrophobia produces. My concept was based on the way water moves and reflects therefore creating distortion. I simply wanted to use the word water and concentrate on using the two qualities (distortion and reflection) to convey the mood and atmosphere felt by hydrophobes. The images are purely photographic with very minimal photoshop editing, the effects were created entirely by hand. (March-May 2009)

'Typo Awards' - A poster promoting the typeface Perpetua to typography experts. The brief had tight restrictions of 2 pantone colours and 40 words of copywriting. I decided to follow the path of Obama using it as his typeface for his logo and the idea that people (Obama, or in this case a typeface) do not have to be initially famous in oder to make the history books. (January-March 2009)

Keep Music Live - This brief was to be centralised around a target audience and their needs. One of the problems faced by live music audiences is tinnitus, the ringing in your ears directly after and often the day after a gig or concert. My final product was two posters to be used as flyposters around areas that normal gig and clubnight posters are put up to advertise the use of earplugs. (September-December 2008)

A Level Art Exam - I wanted to take the brief of the British landscape to a new level and instead of looking at the stereotypical view of British countryside, I looked at Britain from an urban perspective. I used layering, spray painting and screen printing onto a metal panels to create a subtle yet striking triptych. (March-June 2008)

A Level Photography Exam - An exploration of the theme 'combining images' as part of my A Level Photography exam. I used the British landscape as a secondary theme and used my editing and camera skills to create a collection of intriguing and interesting 360 degree images taken on Clevedon Pier (March-June 2008)

A Level Art - The brief was 'About me' and I decided to explore creating an individual advert for myself which showed all the things that make up who I am. The final design was done on a wall sized piece of board to give as close effect to a billboard as possible but had the personalised touch of hand painting and screen printing used to create the piece. (September 2007-March 2008)

A Level Photography - I pursued the idea of fast shutter speeds, droplets, and food colouring under the theme of movement. (January-March 2008)

2009-11-09T11:48:00.007Z

My name is Katie Szadziewska and I am a second year Graphic and Communication Design student at Leeds University. I am also Design Editor at the Leeds Student Newspaper and a keen photographer.

This blog was primarily started as an answer to a second year project on self promotion but is also an endeavour for myself to explore and comment on things I like, things I dislike and generally about the world of design whether that be fashion, graphics, film titles, posters, graffiti, or artists.

A more extensive portfolio can be found on my Flickr account
www.flickr.com/katiesz
Follow me on Twitter for more updates
http://twitter.com/KatieSzDesign
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http://www.facebook.com/pages/katiesz-graphicdesign/187405667297?ref=ts