Assignment 13: Research and inspiration!

RESEARCH:

What is exquisite corpse (rotating corpse)? A method by which a collection of words or images is collectively assembled; a collaboration

Where did this style originate? It began in the 1920s with a game called "Consequences", beginning with words that shifted towards a more visual approach.

Who? Surrealists developed this visual method; surrealism was an art movement that aimed towards working with the creative mind, almost fantasy

INSPIRATION:

Style? Silly, modern, or serious

This Stephen Kroninger spread has a silly, young feel to it, and the use of collaging is very nice. It would be cool for each part of the body to be made from other various parts.

I like the clean, intense, and modern feel that this illustration has. It contains a lot of contrast while keeping the picture neat.

This illustration, though it isn't a person, is very similar to the style that I would like to use. Though, it may be more difficult to do on a computer.

That's all for now, folks!!

The Creative Process!

*A series of steps repeated every time a designer creates something*

Why is the creative process important?

1. Improves consistency

2. Ability to plan and time your work (time management)

3. Raise the quality of work

4. Communicate more effectively and in a more professional manner

The steps:

• Research- The more you know, the easier the project will be!; research the client and the competition; online, magazines, music, and the world around you... get inspired!
• Brainstorming/Inspiration- "Striving to be unique and innovative while still following the current trends ensures a fresh and creative approach." Coming up with adjectives to describe the project is also helpful for brainstorming; good questions to ask:

-What kind of message am I trying to communicate?

-Who is my audience (young, old, trendy, etc)?

-What am I trying to tell them?

-What kind of color and/or style will work with this audience?

• Sketching- Thumbnails, thumbnails, and more thumbnails!; sketch to get your thoughts out and to work through ideas; consider placement of your elements, you colors, typefaces, imagery, what is it of
• Execution- Implement your ideas. Combine type and imagery into a well developed composition; utilize design principles and visual organization guidelines to help. Try techniques, explore possible options, and analyze the outcome. If you get stuck, walk away and clear your head; if the piece does not look how you imagined, or isn't working, try another idea.
• Critique and Revise- Take a step back (literally) and look at your design with an objective eye. Make sure the design effectively conveys the message to the intended audience; if it doesn't, go back and tweak the composition until it does.

Photo Composition!

Snapshot v. Photograph-

• Snapshot: a quick shot, often spontaneous, taken to record a moment in time
• Photograph: an image taken with care and thought

Rules of Composition-

1. Rule of thirds: imaginary lines drawn dividing the frame of your camera into thirds, both horizontally and vertically; subject placed where the lines intersect; horizon line at the top or bottom of the horizontal divider; can fill entire frame for closeup
2. Leading lines: use the lines created within the foreground or background of the composition to lead the viewer's eye through the photo/to a focal point
3. Point of View: changing the way your subject is perceived by changing the camera position; to make something look tall, compose the shot so that the camera is looking upwards, and vice versa
4. Simplicity: keep background simple and clear of clutter; mood and effectiveness of a photo can be altered by what is in the background; chaotic composition will cause the viewer to look away