My next project I have been assigned to design a mock up website to incorporate within my portfolio. The reason for this is to be able to set the foundations for a future in graphic design. The websites going to be a multipage site, which includes several different types of graphic design and several, separate types of imagery.
So for the first part of my new project I have had to analyze a website which I have been given. The website which I have been given is linked through the site www.natl.tv. I really like the site simply because of how it looks. I feel it looks very professional and simple to use. Although it isn’t fully interactive it does have some part, which are interactive. I would describe the site as dynamic. The transfers from screen to screen and page-to-page is very smooth and easy going. The website itself is very easy to use; this is a great feature because it keeps people interested in using the site. If I site is very hard to use the people tend to get annoyed and don’t enjoy browsing the site. So with an easy flowing page like the one in analysis people enjoy looking through the features.
So moving onto the second part of the page. Once selecting a part, which you want to look at, you are presented with images, which surround that area you have selected like the image above. For instance I have clicked to focus on the advertising section and am presented with an image of Britney spears promoting her jewellery range. If I was then to click on that link the promotional material is shown to me in a separate part of the site. The video itself is then played with images, video and sound coming from the site. The way in which each section is presented is again very simple easy to use and enjoyable to browse. I assume that each section is changed weekly or monthly. This therefore keeping the site up to date and fresh.
The visual theme to this website is very easy to the eye and nice to look at. I think the use of the same text throughout the whole website really ties it all in together although in some places the font choice could be seen as over powering. The colour choice again is that which can be easily adapted to whatever colour the article included is. And with the neutral base colours of black, white and blue it looks very smart and professional. After clicking through the sub categories I noticed that the background colour changes to a bright white. I think this is a really good idea because when studio images from certain articles are uploaded the white background from the image matches that of the website bringing the whole images and text together.
Another great feature that I noticed about this website was the news page to keep browsers interested in the site. I like the fact that the whole layout seems to change when you click on the news link. This adds dynamics to the page itself and like I mentioned keeps browsers happy. The left of the page links appear with a fully interactive scroll menu so you can look through what is featured within the news. When clicking on the news feed it links your straight into the videos, which you can pause and browse how ever, you like.
Although the majority of filmmaking is made with a camera there ahs been a recent market of introducing the use of motion graphics within the film. Saul Bass was one of the first graphic designers to introduce the use of animation into the film world. There has been more demand for effects and text being added into most films now.
It has taken the development of technology to allow this to happen. But with the equipment and software available the use of special effects is becoming seemingly more realistic. A couple of good examples I can think of are of course avatar, which is massively based around graphic design, animation and motion graphics. Another good example is a few scenes in zombie land. The use of after effects I very apparent when it comes to being able to see certain bits of font break or move. This is one thing I could look at using within my project.
Motion graphics are a type of graphics, which use video and or animation to create the effect of moving and motion. A lot of motion graphics are usually teamed with audio to create multimedia presentations or adverts. Motion graphics are around us day in day out.
They are becoming more and more common within TV advertising. Possibly looking into this kind of advertising may open up some idea for what I could use within my project. The thing about motion graphics it doesn’t have to be teamed up with video to be Effective. A still image with a great amount of thought can be turned into an amazing piece of motion graphics.
Street photography is a type of documentary photography, which features certain types of situations, which take place within public areas such as parks, city, streets and many other settings. Street photography is a very unique type of photography usually with hidden meanings from the photographer’s point of view and how they may try and get that point across within a picture.
Instead of big industrial good quality cameras, street photographers usually use compact 35mm SLR cameras and sometimes even smart phones. This give them the flexibility that if there is a certain moment a good shot could be captured then they can capture it without setting up lighting effects and a big set. Here Are a few examples of new street art and also some from when street art first became popular between 1890 - 1975.
Rob Chiu one of Great Britain’s most well known influence within the graphics world. Unlike many graphic designers rob Chiu has a lot more about him. Not only does he produce fantastic bits of imagery but he also produces amazing motion graphics photography and he sometimes even directs his own motion graphics filming. Chiu has worked for big firms such as Leica, Cartier, Nokia, BBC, Green Peace and channel 4.
Throughout his career his short films has feature at many film festivals picking up award after award along the way. His inspirations for his work are mainly film, travel and music. Being such a great designer he has had the opportunities to travel the world gathering vast experiences and knowledge for his work.
Rob Chiu is a fantastic designer and a real role model to me. Chiu use his own photography within the short motion graphic films he makes and being able to capture the right picture at the right time is a great skill which I need to include within my work.
Rob Chiu’s street photography is a piece of art in itself let alone teamed with his great motion graphics. I enjoy looking through his photography and here are a few examples of his best work.
One of my personal favourite street artists is the infamous banksy. With his art work spread in and around London and expanding recently to further locations. The reason I have taken a liking to banksy’s work is because within his portfolio of work he portrays a very simple and straight to the point image, showing the braking of the Great British community and also trying to promote anti violence. His artwork is mainly made with stencils and is usually done within a night. Some of his crude political views have influenced many of his followers.
His brief look into a corrupt society again has been shown through his work. Banksy is one of my favourite artists within the street genre simply because of his work, which I feel is very forward and includes many powerful views. The ideas which banksy comes up with are incredible the colours and the flow and imagination behind each image just amaze me. Keeping his identity hidden from the public is what I think allows him to have so many followers. Another reasons behind this hidden identity it to keep him away from any political up roar and also away from the police eye.
Above are some of my favourite pieces from banksy. These are the ones I feel are the most appealing to his target genre. The use of unrealistic scenes, which although in the current UK position seem so true.
Imagine one of the world’s busiest and bustling cities completely empty and derelict. A photographer called Matt Logue has managed to capture such photos over the past few years. Putting together a compilation of the streets of LA completely bare of any life form. The only way that he has managed to do is either being in a close friendship with a big Hollywood director or some incredible Photoshop and editorial skills.
The pictures shown later show some of the work Matt has produced. I really like this work because of just the simplicity and photography skills used. With such derelict views of LA it shows scenes which thousands of people walk by every single day stripped right down to reveal an un noticed side of the streets.
Logue however doesn’t just focus on getting these shots he specifies in landscapes and vast expanses of nothing. The colours detail and scenes, which Matt photographs, are all incredible. More than anything it is how simple the photos are that appeal to me but the colour choices, lens choices and angle choices are ones, which I praise. His work is outstanding and he is a real influence within my work.
Another artist which I admire is someone called Nadav Kander. Again like Matt Logue his work isn’t all based around one genre of photography, portraits and landscape are what Nadav main focus is on. Like many well known photographers he has travelled the world capturing the places he has visited as he goes. The section which I do like on Nadav’s website is the portrait gallery. He has taken portraits of some very well known and very powerful people, on of which is Barack Obama. The colours and effects which have been added to a lot of these portraits is what interests me.
Moving onto his landscape photographs he tends to search for that one shot where simplicity and impact are equalled out. Something which doesn’t have to much going on but then again something which pictures nothing. I love the photos he has got of a river in shanghai where the natural landscape presents a piece of artwork on its own.
For a slight insight into what has impacted my project I have selected several images which I am going to analyse and explain what it is I like about the image itself and the actual influence it has had on my final piece.
The first image I have chosen is a piece of photography by Rob Chiu. It is of two very famous bridges in New York
The second of my images is again another piece from Rob Chiu, A photo of the renowned, “cucumber” building in London London
The final piece from Rob Chiu is and another image taken in New York
An artist, which I have been interested in for along time now, is another influence on my work. Banksy as he is known is renowned for his work with political views and about a corrupt British society. The first photo I have chosen to involve shows how effective simplicity can be. The use of words has created a piece of work, but with banksy its not just a piece of work it’s a message to his followers and also to the public. I really like this piece because of how simple it is.
For the second image by banksy again it is very simple but the use of the background black and red is what gives this image impact. The text again another big part of this artwork, highlighting that the younger generation is unlikely to have a decent future. I could therefore take into consideration the use of only a few colours within my final piece.
Very similar to the previous image with the use of restricted colour schemes, again a simple piece with a hidden message. The reason I like this image is because it shows that effective artwork doesn’t have to be done on a massive scale it can be small but still have a big impact. And as I’ve already mentioned it’s the messages within the imagery that keeps my interested and thinking about Banksy’s work.
The final image I have chosen from banksy is another illustrative piece. It shows what can only be described as a thug throwing a bunch of flowers instead of an offensive weapon. The idea behind this piece I think is the showing of a corrupt society. I have used this image in my own work in the past because it is one of my favourite pieces by banksy. The combination of black and white and a range of colours within the flowers really bring your eye towards whatever he is holding in his hand.
As I have previously mentioned the work of matt Logue has again been an inspiration to my final project. The thought of a derelict city or a derelict street with limited movement could be an effective head turner. The first of matt Logue’s work which I have chosen is a photograph of an American highway. I think the effective thing about this photo is the vanishing point in the distance. As you can see from the picture itself there is nothing as far as the eye can see and the lines down the centre of the road draw your eye to the perspective of the shot. An effect photo which, brings the thought of possible perspective views and ideas into my head.
The second image I have chosen off Matt Logue’s work again of an empty street in LA. The reason for this one similar to the previous image is the perspective views but also within this photo you can see that there is much more colour. The vibrancy of the colour could have been brought out through photo editing software but then again the right lens choice and atmosphere can easily produce a photo like the one shown. Going through Matt’s other work he doesn’t tend to use photo editing so I think this was simply down top the choice of equipment. This has taught me that the right timing and products can leave you with a very effective shot.
Found within a different photo album on Matt’s website the next couple of shots are either edited or again like previously mentioned they could have been down to the equipment. The reason why I like this next particular image is because the image itself is because is shows two types of atmospheres. The first of which is technology and the other which is nature. A very visually pleasing structure set upon a quite and quant background. It adds dynamics within the image and shows two sides of a photo which I really like. Again this could be used in my final piece but I think with the idea of a bustling city in my mind I don’t think it will be used. I just feel that this Is a great image with a hidden meaning which you have to take a step back and think about.
The fourth and final piece of Matt Logue’s work again is another landscape image. The reason for choosing this image is to do with the colour, the setting and the depth of the image. As you can see there is a frame like effect made by shadows and braches. This gives you the outer setting of the photo. In the second layer which I can pick upon is the greenery of the park. The vibrant greens draw your eye away from the darker frame. The next thing I notice is the contrast between the blue and the green this causes your eye to focus on the horizon of the image where the final layer can be see which is the building. The depth to this image is very appealing and the contrast not only between the colours but also the thought of technology and nature. More ideas which I can introduce not only into this project but also and in the future.
I guess from looking through work from different photographers has made me realise that there is plenty more in the world to look at and to focus around. To have the skills to capture pictures like the ones I’ve seen from the artists mention would be a dream. I have therefore learnt to take more photos and look at a wider side of art and photography. This will link in within my project because the filming for my final animation will use some of the techniques demonstrated.
