In Reference to the Reading... (Vis Com)

The readings both had the same basic principles about visual language and how images are much broader in meaning and how each individual will view something and think something different. I thought it interesting that after that part of the reading it went on to say that you don't have to be literate in order to understand what the picture is trying to portray, yet some education of the public might be required to broaden the sense of understanding.

In our last project, our images could definitely be understood by our classmates, possibly even to upper class men. Then I started to think about my own work, would my images be understood up at Sunfresh? What about in St. Charles? Iowa? Florida? Ireland? Where would understanding stop? How much would I have to say in order for people to understand if I didn't include the lines of the Haiku? The further you push into abstraction the less likely someone would be able to get it. This is something that I as a designer, and that all of us as designers, have to keep in mind no matter what we're working on. Yeah, that's a picture of a cigarette, what of it? 

Noodles revamped, upper and lower case (minus last few letters in lowercase)

Haiku Part 3: Concrete and Iconic images

I threw in some iconic images just as a point of reference. :)

Haiku Part 2

My cigarette glows

A  -glows  -cigarette  -held  -viewed  - smoking  -smoke  -red  -orange  -cherry  -ashes  -illuminate  -nicotine

B  -illuminated  -mine  -glows  -hot  -smoke  -breathing  -carcinogenic  -fed  -encouraged  -burning

Without my lips touching it, --

A  -lips  -mouth  -sense  -textured  -untouched  -smoldering  -without  -unused  -resting  -touching

B  -distance(d)  -feeling  -empty  -clean  -cleansed  -lit  -neglected  -ignored  -unnoticed  -unwanted

A steady spring breeze.

A  -rain  -wind  -consistency  -balanced  -flowers  -strong  -green  -delicate  -fragile  -stable

B  -strength  -warmth  -cold  -debris  -flowing  -conformity  -encouraged  -new  -growth  -young

Haiku

My cigarette glows

Without my lips touching it, --

A steady spring breeze.

cigarette

smoke

fire

lighter

lips 

leaves

grass

ashes

tobacco

twigs

dirt

ashtray

lipstick

lip liner

springs

flashlight

light bulb

fingers

hands

brace

crutches

clothes line

flower petals

pin wheel

cellophane 

napkin

Line Comp. Book and Process

I had a difficult time finding line compositions in the real world that matched line compositions that I had on paper. When I was creating the paper line compositions, I tried to make them interesting and different without any real world reference. I found that when I pushed too hard the compositions turned muddy as if I had been mixing paint for so long that the color decided to give up on me. I'm pleased with the compositions that I ended up having and using, but I think that if I had a form of transportation that would have allowed me to go farther I might have been able to find some better photograph compositions. 

That being said, the images that I did find seem to work well with their individual line composition, as well as with the words I chose for each. It's strange to me how much of a difference contrast makes. Muddy images aren't interesting to look at, that's not what I'm saying. I just find it crazy that if I hadn't brightened up some of my images it would have been the downfall of some of my spreads (such as the parking lot/ISOLATION spread). 

Making the book was fun. I like exact sciences such as the measuring and other aspects of creating the book. I don't think the book is perfect, but I'm not ashamed to look at it either. I found the demonstration the upper class-men gave to be unbelievably helpful. Some of the advice they offered as well as technical techniques (such as the three board sections between boards in order to get the correct crease so the book closes) was amazingly helpful. I'm sure I would have been way more frustrated had we not seen them work. 

I also ended up changing the order of my image and line compositions. Instead of a random order under a line comp, image, line comp, image pattern, I tried to tell a story. 

I chose emotions over senses for my word choices in relation to my line compositions because I feel that emotions are better at telling stories (and we all know how much I like telling stories). Also, when I attempted to choose senses I felt limited. Thus, emotion is the way I went. 

A person begins life in ISOLATION. When they discover the concept of relationship, they must sit in PATIENCE. The more they think about it, the more they are overcome by a sense of LONGING. When they finally decide to do something about it, they become EXPLORATIVE. The longer it takes to find someone, the more AGITATION they feel. Finally the person either finds someone or gives up. Either way there is a great sense of RELIEF at the end of the journey. 

Viktor Koen

I have found a new god in the world of Graphic Design. His name is Viktor Koen... and let me just say, "Wow" doesn't nearly cover his work. 

Just take a look and you will see what I mean. 

Want to see some of my past art?

Probably not but I'm willing to put the link on here anyway- even if it is just for the sake of making a first post. Woot.

CLICK HERE to see my DA page :)