OUGD501 - Studio brief 02 - Practical ideas feedback
Following further research into Fabric visual case study and Nightclub promotion I decided it was time to pick an idea to further develop as a part of my practical. I required feedback from both peers and tutors to decide upon an idea, firstly to start with peers who believed that the Fabric visual case study came across like a more interesting project to undertake as posters maybe more mundane. Although it was down to more research into nightclub promotion to make the project less mundane, I believed it was time move on research and begin production of ideas. As my peers haven't read my essay I aimed to introduce the points in the clearest way but I knew the most constructive feedback I could receive was from someone who read the essay such as a tutor. Therefore Richard Miles was able to link my essay to the ideas and give some feedback, he believed the Fabric idea related to the essay in a number of ways such as how potentially graphic design saved Fabric. So the best way to tell the story of the closure and reopening was from one of simplest forms of graphic design, a icon or symbol. Also through the use of icons and symbols this also links with the Save Fabric icon which combined the logo and the iconic smiley face (rave influenced) to create a defiant graphic language for Fabric.
Therefore from research and personal preference I decided to pick the Fabric visual case study to further develop and produce.
Tuesday 28 March 2017
OUGD501 - Studio brief 02 - Developments
Following feedback on my prototype solutions it was time to select two to further develop and research more. From personal preference and feedback I received from both tutors and peers, I chose the Fabric visual case study and the nightclub promotion that uses contemporary design to reach out to a new audience idea.
Fabric visual case study further research
Fabric first opened on 21st October 1999; though it started as an idea many years prior to that. The building alone took over three years to convert but the club now stands proudly in the renovated space of the Metropolitan Cold Stores in Farringdon, London.Simply put, fabric was conceived by people that go to clubs, for people that go to clubs. The club has three separate rooms (two of which feature stages for live acts) which each have their own independent sound systems. Aside from the unisex toilets, a unique feature of the club is the vibrating floor in Room One. Known as a "bodysonic" dancefloor, sections of the floors are attached to 450 bass transducers which emit bass frequencies, allowing clubbers to feel the music through the low end frequencies transmitted into their skeletons via their feet.
As the visual case study is about the court case that made Fabric the centre of news for many weeks, but in the end the electronic music community came together to secure Fabric’s future, but how much of this was down to the importance of graphic design and Fabric’s visual identity. The whole idea is about portraying the court case and happenings around the event in symbols and icons, as the savefabric icon/symbol did end up playing a pivotal role in helping saving Fabric.
A necessary start to further research was looking at what potential events could be told through icons/symbols. But knowing the exact story of the Fabric court case was the best possible research to undertake and from this I could highlight critical points in the case. The key happenings and occurings I discovered are below:
The identity for San Marino University’s design workshop week puts icons and symbols to excellent use. Graphics for each event in the seven-day series at the Italian institution utilised different icons. The symbols related to cartography and map-making. Simple and largely undecorated, the back-to-basics design is thoroughly pleasing to the eye.
These icons represent touch, taste, sound, vision, smell and balance, for the BBC’s Cape initiative. Cape (Creating a Positive Environment) is aiming to raise awareness of the need to improve access to work for people with conditions such as autism, dyslexia and Tourette’s. The icons aim to highlight the fact that senses affect those with neurodiverse conditions in hugely different ways and each icon uses a triangle as its focal point in various forms such as an eye or tongue, or see-saw drawn from the angular logo. The logo uses an infinite symbol, with half-filled, half-line work to represent the two sides of the brain.
Nightclub promotion that uses contemporary design to reach out to a new audience idea further research
For further research for this idea I contacted Boiler Room lead designer Caterina Bianchini. Boiler Room is a global online music broadcasting platform commissioning and streaming live music sessions around the world. What I wanted to get from Caterina was seeing what she likes to reflect in the Boiler Room work, research she undertakes, what influences her and how she targets an audience.
One really helpful part of this was how she talks about incorporating a feeling into the designs she develops, and how this feeling usually reflects the genre of the music or the vibe of the show we are working on. 'vibe of the show' was one part of my essay which was about branding and marketing of underground electronic music. From her response about the artwork being really conceptual and based purely on a conceptual thought rather than the artists and the music itself, I decided to look at examples of work that is both highly conceptual but also plain and simple design that communicates the artists or music. To also narrow my research down I looked at event posters from Leeds as the this developed idea would most likely focus on Leeds nights or nightclub. As it the city I'm based and the clubs I'm most familiar with in terms of aesthetic, music and people.
These designs are for murky techno club nights and he is obviously referencing the dystopian discontent that is bubbling underneath fashion and music at the moment. Two event poster are displayed above for Wire and The Old Red Bus Station which are two of Leeds alternative clubs which offer a range of electronic music, and he uses a DIY inspired style to create an aesthetic that sums up the lineup of each night. All the artists are underground techno djs who reside in a more darker scene which I think is reflected in the designs. These are definitely more conceptual designs that are communicating a grainy looming techno dystopia and he is trying to translate into his own graphic language.
Above is set of posters that have a singular purpose in my opinion, sell tickets. One may argue that yes posters are for advertising and selling tickets of an event but in comparison to the other conceptual posters which have an underlying message of techno dystopia with the designer aiming to use his own style throughout. These posters are for Canal Mills techno events which are more for masses than say the murky events at Wire, the design includes the big linuep but also introduces the event space itself. With the addition of paint strokes and overlays to the design, it helps make these posters more aesthetically pleasing but the sound of the music is not included in the final piece in my opinion.
Following feedback on my prototype solutions it was time to select two to further develop and research more. From personal preference and feedback I received from both tutors and peers, I chose the Fabric visual case study and the nightclub promotion that uses contemporary design to reach out to a new audience idea.
Fabric visual case study further research
Fabric first opened on 21st October 1999; though it started as an idea many years prior to that. The building alone took over three years to convert but the club now stands proudly in the renovated space of the Metropolitan Cold Stores in Farringdon, London.Simply put, fabric was conceived by people that go to clubs, for people that go to clubs. The club has three separate rooms (two of which feature stages for live acts) which each have their own independent sound systems. Aside from the unisex toilets, a unique feature of the club is the vibrating floor in Room One. Known as a "bodysonic" dancefloor, sections of the floors are attached to 450 bass transducers which emit bass frequencies, allowing clubbers to feel the music through the low end frequencies transmitted into their skeletons via their feet.
As the visual case study is about the court case that made Fabric the centre of news for many weeks, but in the end the electronic music community came together to secure Fabric’s future, but how much of this was down to the importance of graphic design and Fabric’s visual identity. The whole idea is about portraying the court case and happenings around the event in symbols and icons, as the savefabric icon/symbol did end up playing a pivotal role in helping saving Fabric.
A necessary start to further research was looking at what potential events could be told through icons/symbols. But knowing the exact story of the Fabric court case was the best possible research to undertake and from this I could highlight critical points in the case. The key happenings and occurings I discovered are below:
- August 6th, the night of one of the two tragic deaths of teenagers at Fabric
- Believed teenager took class A drug MDMA
- News of death circulates around news and social media
- Islington council revoke the licence following the drug-related deaths of two teenagers
- Save Fabric campaign
- £270,000 raised through campaign to Fabric legal fees
- November 28th, court case to appeal Fabrics closure
- Fabric wins appeal but under stricter license conditions.
- January 6th, reopening night
As this idea focuses on graphic design and in particular symbols and logos communicating Fabric, for more extensive research I looked at how symbols and logos aim to tell a story in both literal and lateral ways. I found a really inspiring project in which one designer uses icons and symbols to intrigue an audience, the symbols and icons he creates are full of pop culture references that hark back to old video games, familiar toys and the internet. As a result the visual language he’s created feels familiar but still ambiguous enough to engage viewers.
The identity for San Marino University’s design workshop week puts icons and symbols to excellent use. Graphics for each event in the seven-day series at the Italian institution utilised different icons. The symbols related to cartography and map-making. Simple and largely undecorated, the back-to-basics design is thoroughly pleasing to the eye.
These icons represent touch, taste, sound, vision, smell and balance, for the BBC’s Cape initiative. Cape (Creating a Positive Environment) is aiming to raise awareness of the need to improve access to work for people with conditions such as autism, dyslexia and Tourette’s. The icons aim to highlight the fact that senses affect those with neurodiverse conditions in hugely different ways and each icon uses a triangle as its focal point in various forms such as an eye or tongue, or see-saw drawn from the angular logo. The logo uses an infinite symbol, with half-filled, half-line work to represent the two sides of the brain.
Nightclub promotion that uses contemporary design to reach out to a new audience idea further research
For further research for this idea I contacted Boiler Room lead designer Caterina Bianchini. Boiler Room is a global online music broadcasting platform commissioning and streaming live music sessions around the world. What I wanted to get from Caterina was seeing what she likes to reflect in the Boiler Room work, research she undertakes, what influences her and how she targets an audience.
One really helpful part of this was how she talks about incorporating a feeling into the designs she develops, and how this feeling usually reflects the genre of the music or the vibe of the show we are working on. 'vibe of the show' was one part of my essay which was about branding and marketing of underground electronic music. From her response about the artwork being really conceptual and based purely on a conceptual thought rather than the artists and the music itself, I decided to look at examples of work that is both highly conceptual but also plain and simple design that communicates the artists or music. To also narrow my research down I looked at event posters from Leeds as the this developed idea would most likely focus on Leeds nights or nightclub. As it the city I'm based and the clubs I'm most familiar with in terms of aesthetic, music and people.
These designs are for murky techno club nights and he is obviously referencing the dystopian discontent that is bubbling underneath fashion and music at the moment. Two event poster are displayed above for Wire and The Old Red Bus Station which are two of Leeds alternative clubs which offer a range of electronic music, and he uses a DIY inspired style to create an aesthetic that sums up the lineup of each night. All the artists are underground techno djs who reside in a more darker scene which I think is reflected in the designs. These are definitely more conceptual designs that are communicating a grainy looming techno dystopia and he is trying to translate into his own graphic language.
Above is set of posters that have a singular purpose in my opinion, sell tickets. One may argue that yes posters are for advertising and selling tickets of an event but in comparison to the other conceptual posters which have an underlying message of techno dystopia with the designer aiming to use his own style throughout. These posters are for Canal Mills techno events which are more for masses than say the murky events at Wire, the design includes the big linuep but also introduces the event space itself. With the addition of paint strokes and overlays to the design, it helps make these posters more aesthetically pleasing but the sound of the music is not included in the final piece in my opinion.
Monday 20 March 2017
OUGD501 - Studio brief 01 - Essay feedback & addition of academic source
Feedback on my essay was positive as my tutor remarked that it is already a very good submission. It includes a very good range research and a good discussion of the design for this particular dance subculture, but to improve it I need to add a couple more academic sources to make the essay an excellent submission. I was provided with a number of academic sources which I could potentially add to the essay, including the concept of the temporary autonomous zone (Hakim Bey) and Dick Hebidge: The meaning of style. Richard recommended to potentially link a part in The Meaning of Style about how subcultures represent noise to certain points in my essay.
I read particular sections of the book such as the function of a subculture, the sources of style, style as intentional communication and style as homology. The most valuable part of this book was most certainly what Richard recommended about subculture and noise. This small paragraph below can be added and linked to a number of points in my essay such as Thatcher's opinion on rave culture and the micro media of rave culture.
'Subcultures represent 'noise' (as opposed to sound): interference in the orderly sequence which leads from real events and phenomena to their representation in the media. We should therefore not underestimate the signifying power of the spectacular subculture not only as a metaphor for potential anarchy 'out there' but as an actual order mechanism of semantic disorder: a kind of blockage in the system of representation.
Essay addition
I added the part about subcultures representing noise from The Meaning of Style, to the point made about micro media offering a blow to Thatchers ideology. The addition is only small but I ran this past Richard for feedback and he recommended to only describe and comment on work of the rave scene as 'noise', and this would link to the point I added.
Firstly to analyse the marketing side of micro media that was handed out by ‘real live people’, the micro media of rave culture was intended to be more intimate and less commercial. It was like this because it was targeting a tight knit group of people, this technique was described as ‘Semiotic guerrilla warfare’ (Rose,1991) ‘Where can you find the wildest, craziest, maddest, most hedonistic, HARD CORE, dance experience, that takes place every Friday and Saturday night?’ (Printed on Uproar flyer 1990) Messages such as these on flyers tested the status quo, it could be considered as direct marketing that was challenging Thatchers Britain.
Furthermore this direct marketing of rave culture interfered with Thatchers orderly state, it simply represented noise as many subcultures do. ‘Subcultures represent 'noise' (as opposed to sound): interference in the orderly sequence which leads from real events and phenomena to their representation in the media’ (Hebdige, 2012)
Feedback on my essay was positive as my tutor remarked that it is already a very good submission. It includes a very good range research and a good discussion of the design for this particular dance subculture, but to improve it I need to add a couple more academic sources to make the essay an excellent submission. I was provided with a number of academic sources which I could potentially add to the essay, including the concept of the temporary autonomous zone (Hakim Bey) and Dick Hebidge: The meaning of style. Richard recommended to potentially link a part in The Meaning of Style about how subcultures represent noise to certain points in my essay.
I read particular sections of the book such as the function of a subculture, the sources of style, style as intentional communication and style as homology. The most valuable part of this book was most certainly what Richard recommended about subculture and noise. This small paragraph below can be added and linked to a number of points in my essay such as Thatcher's opinion on rave culture and the micro media of rave culture.
'Subcultures represent 'noise' (as opposed to sound): interference in the orderly sequence which leads from real events and phenomena to their representation in the media. We should therefore not underestimate the signifying power of the spectacular subculture not only as a metaphor for potential anarchy 'out there' but as an actual order mechanism of semantic disorder: a kind of blockage in the system of representation.
Essay addition
I added the part about subcultures representing noise from The Meaning of Style, to the point made about micro media offering a blow to Thatchers ideology. The addition is only small but I ran this past Richard for feedback and he recommended to only describe and comment on work of the rave scene as 'noise', and this would link to the point I added.
Firstly to analyse the marketing side of micro media that was handed out by ‘real live people’, the micro media of rave culture was intended to be more intimate and less commercial. It was like this because it was targeting a tight knit group of people, this technique was described as ‘Semiotic guerrilla warfare’ (Rose,1991) ‘Where can you find the wildest, craziest, maddest, most hedonistic, HARD CORE, dance experience, that takes place every Friday and Saturday night?’ (Printed on Uproar flyer 1990) Messages such as these on flyers tested the status quo, it could be considered as direct marketing that was challenging Thatchers Britain.
Furthermore this direct marketing of rave culture interfered with Thatchers orderly state, it simply represented noise as many subcultures do. ‘Subcultures represent 'noise' (as opposed to sound): interference in the orderly sequence which leads from real events and phenomena to their representation in the media’ (Hebdige, 2012)
OUGD501 - Studio brief 02 - Prototype feedback
For feedback on my prototype solutions, in class we had to pair up with a fellow peer and run through our individual ideas.
Feedback notes / Nightclub promotion that uses contemporary design to reach out to a new audience
For feedback on my prototype solutions, in class we had to pair up with a fellow peer and run through our individual ideas.
Feedback notes / Nightclub promotion that uses contemporary design to reach out to a new audience
- Design adds value
- What audience do I want to reach? consider who attend event
- Invent a night event for a specific audience
Feedback notes / Fabric visual case study
- Could come across negative
- Need to celebrate
- Very relevant and current
Feedback notes / Rave influenced album artwork
- Could possibly link to nightclub promotion idea
I also had a one to one tutor feedback session in which I talked about my ideas in more depth and how they are informed by my research and essay. The Fabric visual case study received the most positive feedback as it has more links to the essay my tutor believed. By telling the story of Fabric solely through symbols and icons created enthusiasm and makes the practical more relatable to the essay.
Monday 13 March 2017
OUGD501 - Studio brief 02 - Prototype solutions
For development of the practical I need three proposed solutions derived from idea generation stage. At this stage visualisations are rough but are accompanied by an explanation/justification in reference to the original problem/brief.
Idea 1 / Fabric visual case study
In my essay I talk about the importance of Fabric visual identity and how potentially the clubs identity saved it from closure. The club which has been around since 1999 reinforces design just as much as music, and points in my essay such as the event posters designed by the club in house graphic designer Roberto Rosolin in which he reflects the space, the people and the music are explored. Other explorations in my essay are Fabrics nods to nostalgia with the use of the acid smiley face and the aesthetic that reflects the institute which had formed a design language over the years, it
provokes and intrigues an audience while nether taking advantage of the brand.
The visual identity of Fabric is just one part of a business that represented a distinct cultural moment in the history of nightlife, and it successfully stood on behalf of underground electronic music. So for my first idea I want to tell the story of Fabric but through only the use of symbols and icons. The save Fabric mascot was an icon itself and it successfully told not only the story of Fabric but also nightlife in general. It mixed the iconic smiley face with the Fabric logo to create an iconic symbol / icon that told a story. Having symbols and icons as the only form of communication means it will indicate and signify representations of ideas, objects, or relationships relating to Fabric. Symbols and icons allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different concepts and experiences.
So for the visual case study it would most likely be a publication which tells the story of Fabric page by page, it would include the recent court case and It could potentially include the Fabric points in my essay in the publication. Including Fabric points from the essay would contextualise the visual case study more.
Idea 2 / Nightclub promotion that uses contemporary design to reach out to a new audience
This idea is derived from the point in my essay about how branding and marketing of Dj’s, Labels and Events is more considered today as each aim to reach a target audience in new and exciting ways across a number of platforms such as social media and print. A graphic designers critical role in electronic music scene is to identify potential audience through the use of visual communication and for my practical research I looked at clubs such as Tresor and Futur Sound. And how the posters are effective because they don’t always look similar but they are recognisable as a cohesive series and have the clubs character at the heart of them.
A wave of contemporary progressive design promotion is now sweeping across electronic music as event promoters are turning to graphic designers to represent the clubs, the music, and the
personalities of employees the clubs. So for my second idea I want to visually represent a chosen nightclub event, and to actively communicate the unique qualities of the event through contemporary graphic design. The event will have to already exist so I can research into the unique qualities and already existing aesthetic of the event. The final outcome would most likely be a poster series advertising events that can be both print and media based.
Idea 3 / Rave influenced album artwork
One solution I highlighted in idea generation was rave influenced artwork which is informed by the point in the essay about the role of graphic design in rave culture and how rave culture is influencing trends in graphic design today. During the 90s as the raves become increasingly more popular, the aesthetic of the micro media which advertised the raves improved. This is where a graphic designer played a role in rave culture, and most of the time the artwork was characterised by garish and utopian colour palettes which are now big trends in graphic design.
These trends are apparent in album artwork especially as I've researched into the likes of Frank Ocean and Laurent Garnier's album's both being influenced by rave culture aesthetic. The aesthetic of repetition, neon colours and stretched type are all aesthetics used by designers during the rave scene to reflect the culture, so my idea is to select an artist and design album artwork that reflects the music but through rave influenced trends.
For development of the practical I need three proposed solutions derived from idea generation stage. At this stage visualisations are rough but are accompanied by an explanation/justification in reference to the original problem/brief.
Idea 1 / Fabric visual case study
In my essay I talk about the importance of Fabric visual identity and how potentially the clubs identity saved it from closure. The club which has been around since 1999 reinforces design just as much as music, and points in my essay such as the event posters designed by the club in house graphic designer Roberto Rosolin in which he reflects the space, the people and the music are explored. Other explorations in my essay are Fabrics nods to nostalgia with the use of the acid smiley face and the aesthetic that reflects the institute which had formed a design language over the years, it
provokes and intrigues an audience while nether taking advantage of the brand.
The visual identity of Fabric is just one part of a business that represented a distinct cultural moment in the history of nightlife, and it successfully stood on behalf of underground electronic music. So for my first idea I want to tell the story of Fabric but through only the use of symbols and icons. The save Fabric mascot was an icon itself and it successfully told not only the story of Fabric but also nightlife in general. It mixed the iconic smiley face with the Fabric logo to create an iconic symbol / icon that told a story. Having symbols and icons as the only form of communication means it will indicate and signify representations of ideas, objects, or relationships relating to Fabric. Symbols and icons allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different concepts and experiences.
So for the visual case study it would most likely be a publication which tells the story of Fabric page by page, it would include the recent court case and It could potentially include the Fabric points in my essay in the publication. Including Fabric points from the essay would contextualise the visual case study more.
Idea 2 / Nightclub promotion that uses contemporary design to reach out to a new audience
This idea is derived from the point in my essay about how branding and marketing of Dj’s, Labels and Events is more considered today as each aim to reach a target audience in new and exciting ways across a number of platforms such as social media and print. A graphic designers critical role in electronic music scene is to identify potential audience through the use of visual communication and for my practical research I looked at clubs such as Tresor and Futur Sound. And how the posters are effective because they don’t always look similar but they are recognisable as a cohesive series and have the clubs character at the heart of them.
A wave of contemporary progressive design promotion is now sweeping across electronic music as event promoters are turning to graphic designers to represent the clubs, the music, and the
personalities of employees the clubs. So for my second idea I want to visually represent a chosen nightclub event, and to actively communicate the unique qualities of the event through contemporary graphic design. The event will have to already exist so I can research into the unique qualities and already existing aesthetic of the event. The final outcome would most likely be a poster series advertising events that can be both print and media based.
Idea 3 / Rave influenced album artwork
One solution I highlighted in idea generation was rave influenced artwork which is informed by the point in the essay about the role of graphic design in rave culture and how rave culture is influencing trends in graphic design today. During the 90s as the raves become increasingly more popular, the aesthetic of the micro media which advertised the raves improved. This is where a graphic designer played a role in rave culture, and most of the time the artwork was characterised by garish and utopian colour palettes which are now big trends in graphic design.
These trends are apparent in album artwork especially as I've researched into the likes of Frank Ocean and Laurent Garnier's album's both being influenced by rave culture aesthetic. The aesthetic of repetition, neon colours and stretched type are all aesthetics used by designers during the rave scene to reflect the culture, so my idea is to select an artist and design album artwork that reflects the music but through rave influenced trends.
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