Final Post

I found this project interesting. It was great to get to use a different program and its simpler than it looks. Luckily, i had used adobe programs before so i was used to a lot of the terms and options.

The difficult part was sourcing usable and legitimate Victorian black and white photographs. Photography was expensive at the time so a lot of images were just illustrations so i tried my best to get photographs that were a decent quality and could actually be used to create an interesting collage.

I tried to keep the target audience as open as possible creating some nice vintage looking images to more fun and quirky ones. I had to rely on those to keep the subject matter interesting as the text was already given to me.

I researched as much as possible and this is present in previous blog posts as well as some things i didn't include that were unused.

Overall, i feel like i gave myself enough time to complete the project but with a short deadline, had to settle on some things i wasn't totally happy with. I still feel like the brochure is successful in terms of consistency and legibility.

Final Collages

This is one of my favourite collages. I started with a picture of Lottie Collins who was a famous singer and dancer. The original was her holding the skirt of her dress and was inspired by Victorian flower arrangements and the popularity of still life paintings of the time. Using this idea, I took various flowers from a few paintings and arranged them to create her skirt. This creates a bold and vibrant effect and brings some colour to the image. It’s also a reflection of her bright personality and what she used to do.

I found an image of a Victorian man juggling and found it very interesting. To turn it into a collage, I had many ideas but liked this one the best. To incorporate other circus acts, I added zebras as animals in the circus was extremely popular at the time. I coloured some parts in to bring some life back to the image and create a cartoony feel. This was to create the idea that the man’s juggling brings life and fun back into the world and transports people to a world of fun. It also helps exaggerate the black and white imagery.

Physicians were very experimental in this era and one of the events is based around this. I created a collage based on an image of a young doctor and a skeleton. I then found an image of a man and made it seem like the doctor transplanted his head onto the skeleton quite brutally. To add some comedy, I added a Victorian apron to the doctor with some blood stains that I left in colour.

I found an image of a Victorian snake charmer and thought of ways to replace the snake. Earlier, I found an image of Houdini performing a magic trick where he appears inside a milk can and thought it would be fun to combine the two. To add something extra too it, I added a patch of Victorian decoration behind it that I feel helps tie it all together.

After many experiments with this image, the one of the strongman balancing the elephants was one I felt worked the best. I tidied it up a bit and felt it needed a pop of colour, so added two lightly coloured ovals over the elephants to help them stand out and emphasised that the man is holding up elephants.

One of the events talks about illusionist Derren Brown and this prompted me to create a parody of hypnosis and trained bears. I simply switched a man for a dancing bear and this was the outcome. I added some texture to help it blend.

Another one of the simpler images was this. I played around with adding the horse to various situations before settling on this dinner scene.

This image was a bit more experimental on my part. I liked having someone on stage but it didn’t always work out so I just thought about having a giant man there instead. I used images of people featured in the events to keep it related to the information.

Although in my research I stated that I liked it to look like the images belonged there, once I started to create an experiment, I found that I liked it when the image looks places. Mainly because I liked to do it in an ironic way in the scene and not create a whole new image using lots of different parts. This was due to struggling to find source material given the only resource to use was google images. I searched various things from Victorian to 1800’s and 19^th century to try and get different results. All of which were still very limited. 

Typography Choice

My choice in typography was primarily to show understanding of font families and the uses of the font types within it.

For headers, i used a font called Victorian Parlor as i felt it needed something special to help it stand out.  (http://www.fontspace.com/burntilldead/victorian-parlor). This was a very artistic font in keeping with the ideas i had to make it look like the brochure was printed. 

I chose a font that had a serif and sans version to highlight my ability to format the document properly. I originally used serif for the title and heading until finding an alternate font that was also serif style and then stuck to sans for the main body of text. This is because I feel that using serif makes the body a bit more difficult to read due to the flourishes on the end of letters, it can skew the legibility of the document. I did want to include some serif, in keeping with the Victorian style and would have liked to have searched for a font that was very Victorian, but had a lot of options within the family. 

Contemporary use of the Victorian Era

The Victorian era has been very popular in recent years as the subject for modern media. Many mediums show inspiration from the era and have applied its themes and design.

(Downton Abbey, 2015)

This was the recent TV series called Downton Abbey. It was set in a post-Edwardian era and follows the events the family incur. I feel this is useful to look into as a starting point for inspiration into the Victorian era.

(Penny Dreadful, 2015)

Similarly, there is Penny Dreadful that is set in Victorian London. This would be a darker more gothic take on the era and depicts a lower class to the one in Downton abbey.

(American Horror Story, 2012)

In a different example, the first series of American Horror Story follows a modern family moving into a haunted house built in the Victorian era. The inhabitants killed within the house often visit the family and the original design and features of the house are still present. During flashbacks, we see a lot more about the fashion and design from a family that has fallen from society’s graces.

Using these reference points, it gives me a good idea about the era in terms of fashion, colour, interior decoration and how this varies between upper and lower class. 

References

Abbey, D., 2016. Dowager Countess and Lady Mary Crawley. [Online]
Available at: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/129900770481991158/
[Accessed 11 03 2017].

Dreadful, P., 2015. Penny Dreadful. [Online]
Available at: https://art-s.nflximg.net/e1c99/be4dc5bba24f91f6ea5c674ae322d0191fae1c99.jpg
[Accessed 11 03 2017].

Story, A. H., 2012. American Horror Story: Season 1 - Spoiler Free Review. [Online]
Available at: http://uk.ign.com/blogs/boltok/2012/12/22/american-horror-story-season-1-spoiler-free-review
[Accessed 11 03 2017].

Recipe Exercise and More Structure

During this lesson we were taught about styling within InDesign. This included leading, kerning and tracking. Things like alignment were demonstrated and how appropriate use can increase the flow of the project. Font types were also looked at. The difference between serif and sans serif were explained in depth as to make sure we use an appropriate font for print.

We also went into paragraph styling. This was a tool to format a group of text and do it quickly. It would also allow for any group changes once the project was complete, saving a lot of time and effort. Whilst doing this, we had to break down a text to figure out its structure to appropriately format it.

This was applied to a recipe in order to make it easier to read. 

Colour and Collage Experimentation

During this session, we were taught some in depth things about colour. This was very similar to a lesson in a previous assignment. It was a helpful refresher so we could best apply the skills we had learned before to this project.

Afterwards, I began to experiment with Photoshop collages based on the artists I researched before. My initial images were based on one I found during my research for Victorian entertainment.

(Victoria and Albert Museum, 2017)

Using this as a base, I just experimented with adding something from another image in place of the balancing man.

I then thought about adding some colour and geometric dimension to the image. I also altered the colour of the image. I kept to a sepia colour sceme but would like to develop it to incorporate more colours from the era. “Rich dark colours such as ruby reds and forest greens are typical. The Victorian colour palette was quite limited because chemical processes were still developing. Purple and blue came in by the middle of the century.” (BBC, 2017)

I would like to further develop one of these images to use in my final project.

(Victoria and Albert Museum, 2017)

Using the research I found about the Victorian era and decoration, I decided to integrate the idea of flowers as fashion. I added Victorian flowers to the image to replace her skirt. Again, this is something I would like to develop and add to my final project.

I also liked this idea and thought about adding the guests from the event into his hand instead. 

Overall, I wanted to make sure that although what I add to the image would be completely out of place, it would look like it belonged in the image. This would cause the viewer to have to look at the image longer to make sense of it. In terms of colour, I will be looking to create a palette of warm rich tones typical of the time and continue to base my work on those colours.

References

BBC. (2017, 03 10). Victorian (1837 to 1901). Retrieved from BBC.co.uk: http://www.bbc.co.uk/homes/design/period_victorian.shtml#get_the_look

Museum, V. a. (2017, 03 11). Lottie Collins. Retrieved from Victoria and Albert Museum: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/l/lottie-collins/

Unknown. (2017, 03 11). Harry Houdini,1874-1926:The Great Escape Artist. Retrieved from tingvoa: http://www.tingvoa.com/html/20101219/32956.html

Victoria and Albert Museum, L. (2017, 03 10). Music Hall Strongmen The Pasquali Brothers. Retrieved from V and A Images: http://www.vandaimages.com/results.asp?inline=true&image=2006AG8851-01&wwwflag=1&imagepos=6

British Library and Target Audience

I looked at the British Library website to get an idea for the kind of font, colour and layout they use in order to design something in keeping with their style.

(Library, 2017)

They use a lot from their logo, keeping it iconic to them and also making easily recognisable as the British Library. The font and layout make it easy to read but I find it a bit too simplistic as its not very memorable but keeps the information easily accessible. By doing this, it keeps the target audience bigger and directing it for the general viewer.

I then looked at existing brochures from the British library. One being the Corporate Members brochure.

           (Library, 2017)

The art present on the front of the brochure creates a theme that’s present throughout the rest of it. The colour scheme stays the same and ties it all together with various other artworks featured. This keeps it clear and cohesive and the formatting makes it easy to read. The target audience is never narrowed and kept as open as possible as the British Library wants to stay as open an as accessible as possible. The alignment separates the paragraphs appropriately with a coloured separation keeping a good proximity and dividing information correctly.

Overall, the British library keeps their information clean and minimal in order to help the reader scan and get as much from it as possible. Using this information, i will be trying to keep my target audience as open as possible, in keeping with the British Library standards. 

References

Library, B., 2017. British Library. [Online]
Available at: http://www.bl.uk/
[Accessed 23 02 2017].

Collage Artists

Looking into collage, I found a few artists whom work  appealed to me.

Firstly, was Julien Pacaud. His collage work may consist of items pieced together but the often look very cohesive. The colours in this piece all seem to be from the same pallet. Although the images vary in style, at first glance, the images all seem to fit together perfectly and purposefully.

(Pacaud, 2014)

Theres often use of geometric shapes in his work and mirrored images. Shapes and symmetry seem to be present in most of his art and adds a new futuristic dimension to it.

(Pacaud, 2014)

Another artist I found was Cristiana Couceiro.

(couceiro, 2016)

I like the use of an image that’s been deconstructed in various ways. The image or part of one hasn’t been taken and used as it is, it’s been further manipulated to fit the piece. Much like before, the colours all seem to be from the same palette making it cohesive. 

(couceiro, 2015)

There’s a similar technique used here where the image has been further manipulated in the piece. Like Julien Pacauds work, there’s a lot of use of shapes to enhance the piece.

Overall, even though the work may be done through the collage technique, I feel like it’s important for the images to look like they all fit together in terms of colour. Objects and shapes further add to it, giving it a modern style and changing the original context of the image to fit its new purpose. Their work is very symmetrical and everything is placed with care and all within relation to one another. Although objects and art are clearly from something difference, the are altered to fit their new purpose in the collage. It shouldn't look like it has been copied and pasted from something else and applied to the new artwork. 

References

couceiro, c., 2015. West of Sunset. [Art].

couceiro, c., 2016. The Illusive Maggie Thatcher. [Art].

Pacaud, J., 2014. Domestic Waves. [Art].

Pacaud, J., 2014. Stereo. [Art].

Typography and Structure

During this session, we were taught about typography. It was important for us to know about how to format and change the text in order to communicate effectively. Correct font usage would also help clarity and context as long as an appropriate font was used. For example, a font that was somewhat grunge would not work with text talking about a Victorian exhibition.

As well as this, we also talked about font families. This means one particular font has some variations that can be applied to one document. The title, subheading and main body of text can have font from the same family and whilst looking different, it will still be cohesive.

In InDesign, Alan explained a bit more about formatting within the program. As well as explaining the origin of the term “leading”, he told us about its use and how it mean the space between lines. It was also important for us to remember that the leading should be 120% of the font size. Meaning that if the font was 10px, the leading would be 12px in order to keep it clear and legible. InDesign would apply this automatically, but we could alter it for whatever purpose.

Then we went through an exercise to get us used to breaking down a text to figure out its structure so it can be formatted appropriately. This included titles, subheadings, notes, and main paragraphs. This would be followed by using a tool in InDesign to auto format a part of the text and should it need to be changed later on, it could be done as a group. 

This was the first two page of the information sheet. I went through and annotated it so i knew how i would be structuring it. The change in colour represented the change in pages. I did this with the whole information sheet to be used later. 

This was after i applied paragraphing to the document in word. This will be useful when it comes to laying it out in InDesign. 

Victorian Photography

I began by looking for some photos and photographers of the Victorian era. This is where I came across John Thomson, a photographer known for documenting his travels in East Asia.

(Thomson, 1870)

(Thomson, 1871)

The photographer uses the people and architecture as a subject very frequently and fueled the inspiration in the west. The intricate carpentry and deep colour of the wood was a prominent feature in wealthy Victorian family homes as seen in the photo below. 

(Unknown, 2013)

Another trend of Victorian photography was Post-Mortem photography. This was hugely popular and fed into the fascination of the afterlife. They were a symbol of luxury and a memento to loved ones in a time of a high mortality. rate. 

Photography seemed to highly influence Victorian styling and was symbolic of their wealth and position in society. Eastern influences were extremely popular among socialites in the upper class. Warm colours and intricate floral patterns made their way into the homes of Victorians. 

References

BBC, Unknown. Period Style: Victorian (1837-1901). [Online]
Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/homes/design/period_victorian.shtml#style_
[Accessed 04 03 2017].

Fenn, V., 2017. I love Victorian post-mortem photography and here’s why you should give it a chance. [Online]
Available at: http://metro.co.uk/2017/01/05/i-love-victorian-post-mortem-photography-and-heres-why-you-should-give-it-a-chance-6308126/
[Accessed 11 03 2017].

Robisklp, Unknown. Victorian Style Decorations. [Online]
Available at: https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photography-victorian-style-decorations-image20873342
[Accessed 04 03 2017].

Thomson, J., 1870. Amoy, Fukien province, China: a married couple, standing.. [Art].

Thomson, J., 1871. PAILOU AT DAGAO HALL, BEIJING, CHINA. [Art].

Unknown, 2013. Victorian Decor. [Online]
Available at: http://housesinteriordecorating.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/victorian-decor.html
[Accessed 04 03 2017].

Brief and Initial Thoughts

We began going through the brief and breaking down the elements required for the brochure. With this, we had an introduction to InDesign, the program we would be using to create the e-brochure. I felt confident with the material as it was explained in depth. As well as this, we were also given some places to look for inspiration which I was excited to get into.

Alan went through various ideas and theories about what art and design should be, and what to consider while designing. This would include clarity of information, clear communication and being visually interesting. This was based off a theory by Robin Williams from her book "Non-Designers design book". My brochure will be conscious of target audience while making sure its informative and educational about the event. I shall be taking everything into consideration throughout the design process.

We were taught some basics of indesign and a brief overview of the layout to get us familiar with what we would be doing. This included setting up the document and how to set columns and grids for text to be aligned into. We then added images into the document and experimented with text wrapping techniques, depending on the image and look we were going for.

I also began to think about contemporary uses of Victorian style and iconic visuals from the era. This would be useful when it comes down to giving it a modern appeal. I would like to break down elements of Victorian style in order to create an effective collage that’s true to both the British library and Victoran era. 

I will be researching about some Victorian photographers to get an idea of the style of the era. This would include things like colour, fashion, and decoration. This would be useful when creating the images for the brochure. As well as this, i would like to look into modern interpretations of Victorian times. Things like TV shows would be useful, as they are usually fully researched and accurate where possible, especially with style and design. My collages would be inspired by some existing artists so i will be doing some research on those.