Downton Abbey infographic

Informal infographic

Initially my idea was to focus on the scandals of Downtown throughout the series. However, there were just too many to include, so then I focused on just those concerning the family who lived above stairs. Even those were too numerous! I eventually chose to focus on the loves of the three Downtown daughters, Lady Mary, Lady Edith and Lady Sybil.

I wanted to make it interesting to people who hadn't followed the whole series, or to those like myself that had watched every episode but forgotten lots of the detail.

The infographic is sized for iPhone 5 and above, at 640px wide, as this kind of trivia is most often viewed on mobile devices while passing the time.

I researched colours used in the 1920s in interiors, and found the following image, along with the typefaces and glyphs (Nouvelle Vague Black,  Diehl Deco, Gill Sans and Nouveau Rocco Deco - glyphs).

The colours and imagery will reflect the era (from 1912-1925), embracing the Art Nouveau, but also the stately home feeling, but also incorporating a lot of typography and modern language. I used photographs as a useful reminder of the characters over the last 6 years.

All my information came from here: http://downtonabbey.wikia.com/wiki/Downton_Abbey_%28programme%29

My finished infographic:

Waterstones campaign

I decided to discard my ideas for a bag for life as I wasn't happy with how they were developing. I have revisited my concepts for a scratch and sniff gift tag, which I have developed further and will be continuing with for this assignment.

Infographic design

I chose to design an infographic called sourcing sustainable fish. I researched the sort of information that is readily available online regarding this subject so I could decided which aspects to include.

I found links to various useful websites:

http://www.kensingtonfinefish.co.uk/guide-to-sustainable-fishing/

The Marine Stewardship Council
https://www.msc.org/cook-eat-enjoy/fish-to-eat

Infographic with relevant information on from Sainsbury's http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/media/784088/our_future_with_fish_infographic.jpg

Which supermarkets are best at supplying sustainable seafood: http://www.mcsuk.org/what_we_do/Fishing+for+our+future/Supermarket+survey/Supermarket+Seafood+Survey+-+full+story

Pocket Good Fish Guide http://www.mcsuk.org/downloads/fisheries/PocketGoodFishGuide_2015_high.pdf

Sales revenue of sustainable fish in the UK 2003-2013: http://www.statista.com/statistics/282514/sales-revenue-of-sustainable-fish-in-the-united-kingdom-uk-since-2003/

However, against the major driver of health, there are several reasons cited for not eating fish. Most commonly mentioned is price, with 33 per cent of UK adults in our survey saying that ‘concern over the rising price of fish’ had encouraged them to eat less fish in the past year, and 46 per cent saying that cost is a barrier to eating fish in general. Other significant barriers to eating fish are lack of recipe knowledge (34 per cent), lack of availability of fresh fish in local shops (28 per cent), lack of time to prepare from scratch (28 per cent), ‘not liking the smell it makes’ (24 per cent)1 and difficulties planning ahead for meals (17 per cent). - See more at: http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/1488/uk-fish-consumption-trends-and-predictions/#sthash.YVIYT8GJ.dpuf

However, against the major driver of health, there are several reasons cited for not eating fish. Most commonly mentioned is price, with 33 per cent of UK adults in our survey saying that ‘concern over the rising price of fish’ had encouraged them to eat less fish in the past year, and 46 per cent saying that cost is a barrier to eating fish in general. Other significant barriers to eating fish are lack of recipe knowledge (34 per cent), lack of availability of fresh fish in local shops (28 per cent), lack of time to prepare from scratch (28 per cent), ‘not liking the smell it makes’ (24 per cent)1 and difficulties planning ahead for meals (17 per cent). - See more at: http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/1488/uk-fish-consumption-trends-and-predictions/#sthash.YVIYT8GJ.dpuf

Statistics to use - factors impacting the amount of fish people eat (use for IG), and projected increase in fish consumption.
http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/1488/uk-fish-consumption-trends-and-predictions/


I decided the areas I wanted to include in my infographic would be:
Fish in danger and alternatives
Best supermarkets for selling sustainable fish
Increase in sales of sustainable fish
What stops people eating fish

POP influenced graphic design

Pop art was a movement which started in the UK in the mid 1950's and was fuelled by the LSD-infused flower powered hippies of the 1960s. Pop art was a rebellion against abstract expressionism and a desire to return to popular culture inspired art. It often contained photography, comic-style illustrations and references to TV. Warhol in particular, tried to make his art look like it had been created by a machine. Inevitably, pop culture influenced graphic design.

Warhol, self generated photo, MOMA New York

In 1969 The Beatles film and soundtrack Yellow Submarine were released, designed by Heinz Edelmann (below).

Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was another example (Blake and Hamilton) of Pop influenced design, from 1967:

Contemporary examples of pop graphic design from advertising are shown below.

Late modernism

Massimo Vignelli

Massimo Vignelli (1931-2014) was the foremost designer from the very late International Style or Modernist movement. Originally training as an architect, he was famous for saying “if you can design one thing, you can design everything”. He was a staunch supporter of the rational style and objectivity of the Russian Constructivists. He had a profound effect on corporate identity design in the US from the late 1960s.
He and 5 others set up Unimark International in 1965. It expanded rapidly and had several offices across the US and Europe. He is credited as main influencer in Helvetica being the most popular typeface of the International Style.

His most famous work was to redesign the NYC subway map in 1972. He was heavily influenced by the UK's London Underground map.

Along with Bob Noorda, Vignelli created the information graphics for the NYC subway (below).

In 1967 Vignelli designed the corporate identity for American Airlines which is still in use today.

Design Sponge has the following to say: One of the most well-known designers to popularize the “grid” technique of graphic design, the idea of structure informed much of his life’s work. Vignelli believed that design should be functional above all, following a strict stylistic guideline of grid marks, primary colors and typographic classics.

Referenceshttp://www.vignelli.com
http://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/Historical_Maps

Design Agency Research

Pentagram

We were tasked with reserching the work of design agency. I chose to research Pentagram.

Pentagram are probabably the most famous design agency in the world. They were founded in 1972 in London by 6 partners. They now also have offices in New York, San Francisco, Berlin and Austin. They still operate under the same flat organisation structure that has served them so well, except now there are 19 equal partners, instead of 6, including Angus Hyland in London (winner of over 100 design awards), and Michael Beirut (New York).

Pentagram's work is across multiple disciplinaries including graphic design, identity, architecture, interiors and products. Partners are also free to pursue Pro Bono work (for charities, etc, on an unpaid basis). Each partner works in an open plan area surrounded by their team, allowing for their collaborative approach and enabling all the partners to be hands-on.

Pentagram celebrated 40 years in business in 2012. This 4 minute video, showing some of their biggest clients, is called The Forty Story: https://vimeo.com/42562659.

Some of their famous work includes: V&A, MoMA, Boots, Harley Davidson, Sotheby's, Pantone, Nike. The list goes on.



Logo and graphic identity, V&A, London



Identiy for Faber & Faber, publishers

Interior architecture for CASS Art

Wayfinding for John Lewis, New York

Packaging for Pantone

Identity for Sotheby's New York

References
http://www.fastcodesign.com/1669866/watch-40-years-of-pentagram-work-in-3-minutes
http://www.creativebloq.com/computer-arts/pentagram-8108801
www.pentagram.com

Modern Museet - Stockholm

Over half term we visited Stockholm and looked around their modern art museum - Moderna Museet. They had a lot of work by the constructivists and a huge exhibition from the studio of Olafur Eliasson.

International typographic style / Swiss style

Background

I have already written a post about The International Typographic Style at  http://sandrajt.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/modernism.html when we were asked to write about one area of Modernism. This posts adds further information and also details the work of Max Huber

The International Typographic Style or Swiss Style was a graphic design movement which started in the early 1950s and continued to be the dominant style until the late 1960's. The term International Style also included architecture such as the work by Le Corbusier.

Features

The main features of International Style graphic design were:

Asymmetric layouts
Use of grids
Clear minimal design
Sans serif typeface - typefaces should never be mixed
Type always horizontal
Flush left, ragged right justification
Photos were preferred to illustration

Influences and development

In 1918 Ernst Keller, a teacher at the School of Applied Arts in Zurich started practising the beginning of what was to develop into International Style. Theo Ballmer (who was influenced by the De Stijl style), supplemented Keller's style of work and made it more grid focussed. Max Bill, an ex-Bauhaus student practised Art Concret which was a further development, based on mathematical principles.

Major designers

Max Huber (Zurich School of Arts and Crafts) added photomontage to the style in the late 40s - including layers, overprinting, and dynamic design.

Huber (1950) poster for UNESCO

Huber poster (ND)

By the 1950s Josef Müller-Brockman was the dominant designer in this style. He studied at Zurich from 1932-1934 and was influenced by the De Stijl style, Suprematism and Bauhaus. Some of his most famous work included concert posters for Zurich Town Hall and the Swiss Automobile Club. Muller-Brockmann initiated the magazine Neue Grafik, published from 1958-1965 in 18 issues.

Muller-Brockmann (1953) poster designed for the Swiss Automobile Club.

LMN (1958) Neue Grafik journal cover

Adrian Frutiger developed the first mega-family typeface in 1957 - Univers. He was also responsible for upgrading Akzidenz Grotesk to Neue Haas Grotesk in 1957 which then became Helvetica in 1960 - the most popular typeface ever.

Basel

In Basel, Switzerland, a softer interpretation of the International Style was in use. Armin Hofmann and the students he taught there made Basel an alternative home for Swiss Style. Emil Ruder also started working there in 1942. Their style was considered more whimsical, with vertical text and merging the text and image together such as in the Giselle poster (below).

Hoffman (1959) Giselle poster

Max Huber

Max Huber was born in Switzerland in 1919 (died 1992). He was educated in Switzerland and practised graphic design from 1942-1980.

Huber was education at the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts from the age of 17. He was encouraged to study the work of Tschichold, abstract art and Constructivism. Hi work at this time was very much the Swiss style - grid based, flush left ragged right, sans serif type and clear hierarchy.

Huber (1957) book cover, Einaudi

After completing a graphic design apprenticeship, at the age of 21 Huber moved to Milan in 1940 where he worked with Antonio Boggeri. It was here Huber collaborated with a vibrant group of painters, photographers, illustators and designers and the event-garde. 

During WW2 he went back to Switzerland where he worked with the Alliance (a group of modern artists). 

After the war, in Milan again, working with Einaudi, Huber's career took off. Huber believed that design had the power to resolve the tragedy of war and restore human values, an idea which was popular in 1950s Europe. 

Huber was always a freelancer who enjoyed working directly with clients. He collaborated with the Castiglione brothers and spent much of his time with the left-wing artists and creatives based there. His poster of the Monza Grand Prix won first prize (one of those below - it is not clear which).

Huber (1957) 500 Miglia di Monza poster

Huber (1968) 1000 km di Monza

His graphic design style combined painting and photographic and he was of the avant-garde style. He was heavily influenced by Bayer and Moholy-Nagy and their utopian vision. He often mixed strips of colour with flat photography to connotate speed and dynamism. He used bold shapes and primary colours. 

Huber (1951) advertisement for store

Huber was often seen as the fashionable link to Italy, and as a major protagonist of the Swiss style, he was in demand to give talks and lectures worldwide.  He married a Japanese woman and spent time living in Japan. 

Huber enjoyed the ideals of Futurism, which were apparent in his sports posters, such as for Monza (above).

He was known for his book covers and jazz record covers, but his legacy will be in the logo design for La Rinascente department store (1950), Coin clothing (1955) and Esselunga in 1958.

Huber (NK) logo for la Rinascente

Huber (1960) ad for Esselunga

References

Eskilson, S (2012) Graphic Design History

http://www.howdesign.com/featured/international-typographic-style-brief-history/

http://www.domusweb.it/en/design/2010/02/16/max-huber-maxieland-jazz-.html

http://uk.phaidon.com/store/design/max-huber-9780714861104/

http://www.iconofgraphics.com/Max-Huber/
http://www.esselunga.it/cms/azienda/storia.html

Infographics

Analysis

We were asked to review 5 infographics, in a variety of styles.Whist searching I found what is potentially a really useful tool from The Guardian:

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2014/aug/28/interactive-infographics-development-data

Example 1: The Guardian - The world's top 50 banks

This infographics (ROGERS 2007) represents a serious subject for a serious readership and is presented in a formal manner. It has a standard colour scheme across all colours, and a business like serif font (the same one the Guardian uses, I think). It includes source information (in very small print). No key is necessary and it is very easy to understand and compare the data, as the size of the circles relate to the amount, and countries are displayed in a single colour. The audience is the readers of The Guardian newspaper - I'm guessing they would be well educated and interested in a factual analysis. This infographic would look better in print as the writing is too small to read on an iMac, let alone on a tablet or phone. There is no hierachy involved as all the information is equally important, which makes the eye flit around looking for somewhere to settle, which is perhaps a weak point of the graphic.

Example 2 - The Guardian (Culture supplement) - Fact-checking the famous: Beyonce

This tongue-in-cheek infographic (Dee, 2013) contrasts in style with the previous example from The Guardian. This is aimed a less serious reader, or the same reader who expects something more light-hearted from The Guardian's culture supplement. No sources are referenced, because to be honest its unlikely that Beyonce has "the world's most powerful thighs'. There is a clear hierarchy in the information, with the dominant pink colour drawing your eye round the page with its repetition. The typefaces are straightforward sans serifs making it a very quick read. The simple doughnut graphic is the only formal element, even that is used to show trivia. It serves its purpose well though and would appeal mostly to teens or someone looking to fill a spread 30 seconds.

Example 3 - UK road sign

This infographics is a very straightforward road sign (Traffic road signs giving directions, ND). Signs like this are directed at the road driving public who would be very familiar with them. They are in standard colours, in the same standard typeface, Transport, that was introduced in the 1950s. It is large and easy to read from a distance with a large x-height. The pictograms representing airport and motorway would be recognisable to any driver from anywhere in the world. The graphic representing the roundabout is standard and straightforward. This is obviously a serious, if simple, infographic.

Example 4 - London's Literary Haunts

This piece of art shows the places that characters from famous novels visited (Dex, ND). It is a fun piece and is on display at The Literary London Art Collection. Presumably the more famous the character, the larger the type. The river Thames is clear to see. This is informal but eye-catching in black and white, with a variety of hand drawn typefaces and a few pictograms thrown in. I'm sure this piece is stunning in real life, but on screen it's a hard read.

Example 5 - Preserves

Preserves (Wildish, ND) is a lighthearted infographic representing the ingredients of various preserves (except The Jam!). It is straightforward and to the point, with different colours relevant to the colour of the ingredient they represent, and consistent in each jar. The typeface is a clear sans serif, which goes well with the informal and quite retro tone and subject matter. It is simple enough to be clearly legible on a smartphone. As Wildish is a graphic artist, it goes well with the other work in his portfolio and would suit many applications.

References

DEE, J (2013) Fact-checking the famous: Beyonce [online] The Guardian. Available from http://www.theguardian.com/culture/interactive/2013/feb/15/infomania-beyonce [Accessed 24 October 2015]
DEX (ND) [online] http://www.stipso.com/blog/2014/10/16/infographic-of-the-week-whats-killing-james-bond [Accessed 24 October 2015]
FERGIE'S DRIVER TRAINING (ND) Traffic road signs giving directions [online] Available from http://www.drivinginstructorm44.co.uk/learning-to-drive/learnig-to-drive/uk-road-signs/traffic-road-signs-giving-directions [Accessed 24 October 2015]
ROGERS, S (2007) The world's top 50 banks [online] The Guardian. Available from http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2009/mar/25/banking-g20 [Accessed 24 October 2015]
WILDISH, S (ND) Preserves. Available from http://stephenwildish.co.uk [Accessed 24 October 2015]

Mailers - inspiration

Mailers from Boden and White Stuff, self-generated photo

These two mailers were sent to me by Boden and White Stuff over the last couple of years. These companies are really inventive with their mail shots.

The first one is from Boden. A paper envelope shaped like a camera with a tab on the side invites you to pull. This reveals a double sided sheet advertising their sale, mimicking the pulling out of old style Polaroid Instamatics. This idea works well for Boden as they rely heavily on their retro styling and old school imagery.

The second piece is from White Stuff. They sent out a thick card in A5 with pop-out cocktail toppers, which suited their catalogue theme, being summer holidays. Although not amazingly practical, it is a fun idea, and very engaging.

Minimalism

Minimalism in graphic design can be defined as using the simplest design, with the least number of elements required to communicate a message. Simple tools, simple message.

We started by listing all the positive imagery that McDonalds conjures up:

Golden Arches

Ronald McDonald

McFlurry

Milkshake

Red and yellow

Happy Meal

I'm lovin' it

Etc

We then pared this list down to the items which were exclusively McDonalds, and would be instantly recognizable. Perhaps only the yellow McDonalds M, Ronald McDonald and I'm lovin' it. However when two of these elements are combinded, McDonalds would certainly be signified, for instance, combining a milkshake with a straw and the colours red and yellow. This means somethings to a very wide audience, and in the case of McDonalds, to most of the world. This is so, because the McDonalds products are entrenched in our cultural mythology. 

Sometimes, words alone can be enough. It's all about the audience.

Research

We looked at film posters and book covers created in the minimalist style. 

Memoirs of a Geisha is so successful because it relies really on just one element, the red lips.

http://nelos.deviantart.com/art/Minimalist-Movie-Poster-Memories-of-a-Geisha-286229348

I really like this Titanic poster for its simplicity. The placement of the liner in front of the negative space of the iceberg works very effectively. Their relatively small size on the poster infers how small humans are when nature decides to strike. Titanic in large type represents the enormity of the event.

https://francescoturla.wordpress.com/category/minimal-movie-poster-collection/

My work

I chose to design posters for the TV series Outlander as it has some imagery in it which, when paired, would signify Outlander to those who has seen the series, or viewed trailers. 

I listed the obvious images from the series:

Tartan

The stones

Medicine

200 lashes - scarred back

Scotland

The Laird's deformed legs

I decided that combining a quote from the series, together with tartan and another graphic element would work well.

I created the tartan by making a pattern from the swatch on a tartan manufacturer's website:
http://www.kilts-n-stuff.com/outlander-products/outlander-tartans/.This is combined with a simplistic representation of the standing stones which are constantly referenced in the series.

I think this poster works well, as the words and tartan represent a Scottish origin, and the standing stones would be recognised by a fan of the series. The type was placed in short lines in large type as a reflection of the simple statement that the words represent. The sentiment is firm and non-debatable.

I don't think this poster works as well. The red was meant to represent blood on Jamie's back after being inflicted with 200 lashes. I don't think it works though. I spent some time trying to improve it, and swapped the tartan for a skin coloured background but didn't feel this worked either.

The above poster is my final design, and one which, when I sketched the thumbnails, I thought would be the least successful. However, I actually think it works the best. Anyone who has seen the series would recognise the Laird's legs, inflicted with Toulouse Lautrec syndrome. The tartan legs, cut off at the top of the page look like he is walking menacingly across a darkened room, and the writing in red communicates a sinister feel. I wrote in a small point size as the words are spoken softly, but menacingly. The black negative space is another element that makes this poster work well. It adds to the drama.

The typeface chosen for all the posters was a celtic one, which I thought trod the line between stylistic aesthetics and legibility well. The words are obviously Scottish so the tartan could be overkill, except patten has the immediacy that words do not.