Tone of Voice

Creating a tone of voice is an appropriation of creating the correct, illustration, structure, use of words, style; for a brand/ audience etc. It is an underlying the principle of understanding, it is a concept to support what your trying to say. All designers and creative people must go through this process. Again it is about creating the right tone to suit the audience one which the audience will respond to; yet in keeping with the theme and tone of the product/advert.

Below I have created a few tones of voice thought typography: each creating some sort of experience and showing what the words actually mean.

A good example which I had come across this year which perfectly represents a tone of voice is through these Skoda adverts; they are showing two completely different attributes for each of the Skoda cars, using two completely different tones of voice.
The cake car ‘full of lovely stuff’ made to resemble a homely, safer car for people with families and children. In comparison to the green Skoda ‘made of meaner stuff’ which shows wilder attributes to resemble a sporty more dangerous car. The tone of voice is appropriated on both to target and suit a particular audience. Not only is the tone fulfilled visually but also through the choice of music.

Legibility

Creating something legible in basic terms means to create something readable, visually understandable and able communicate with an audience. Designers, photographers, editors and illustrators are constantly thinking about whether their designs/ creations are legible and portraying in a clear, correct manor for what it means is for. 

Throughout design, legibility is created with the different uses of:
- Typography:  as it changes the tone of what you are saying/showing. Handmade text legible?
- Alignment: as it is different in the different cultures
- Paragraphing: to break down text and makes it easier to read
- Colouring: used to enhance text or areas, can be used to make text shout out, or create a contrast, this is where colour theory comes in.
- Imagery: to break down a page, is it understandable with overlaying text? Distortion/photshoped image legible?

Legibility is not only the design of the overall image but also includes legibility within the media and content in which it has to work within; as several companies now distribute their products and advertising over a variety of platforms; like, mobile apps, leaflets, billboards, t shirt designs, interior design, outdoor signage etc. All of these designs would be created individually to suit its unique interfaces; yet have a consistent legibility throughout.

Some designers which I have come across which have been breaking boundaries of legibility include Neville Brody and David Carson. This is thought their iconic and inspirational designs in the magazine and editorial industry. Although there works break boundaries of legibility they create some informative, thought provoking, cutting edge and very creative iconic designs, which have influenced several people; including me!



Neville Brody's work



David Carsons work

Here I have chosen to show Coca Colas consistent legibility, thought the variety of medias in which they have kept steady throughout its design process; creating a range of successful uses of design, promotion and advertising.

An Audience.... key to a reliable & creative process

An audience is vital for any piece of design, each brief has to create an educated response in order to appeal, intrigue and do its job for the different audiences. The different audience will influence the aesthetic, language, design and approach etc in which a designer would take towards and product, advertisement to entice the audience. The understanding and knowledge of the different audiences will enhance and focus the method communication designers choose to use.

If you were to get one brief and have to create it for two different audiences, both creations would be completely different. Ideas will have to be totally different and  be manipulated around the particular target market, to see what the different ages, races, gender etc will respond to best.
For example designing for younger children you would have to think of ascetics like colours, textures, characters and even the choice of language; to find what is appropriate and entices them. Whereas for an adult you would have to use sophisticated language, interpretations and complex yet thought provoking imagery in order to engage them; in comparison to children’s audience.

Below I have a few examples of different magazines which are aimed at completely different audiences, each using techniques which engage and communicate for their intended audiences; in terms of their design, aesthetics, language etc. Just as any advertisement or product should aim to do.

 As a visual communicator myself I find that this will be a particularly important part of my journey though university and thought my career in the visual communication industry. As I will have to create a variety of different responses to appeal to the targeted market in which any brief is based on.

Researching... key to a reliable & creative process

Researching keeps us in a constant state of curiosity, keeping us excited, creative, intrigued and inspired. Researching is a way of enhancing excitement in your project or day to day lives. It is a way of allowing things to connect with you, connect with your chosen practice and on your brief.
In general researching is essential to problem solving, as we are figuring out and learning new skills, techniques and information. It’s like looking at a painting and finding several different meanings; from the artist’s initial interpretation, your point of view and other people’s points of view and understanding from it.

There are a few different types of research in which we can do as designers:
Primary research – a collection of information which you yourself have gathered, first hand. [A personal interview]
Secondary research - a collection of information which already exists. [Books, internet, magazines etc]
Visual research – your own assortment of day-to-day/ constant drawings, videos, photographs and illustrations.

One good example which came to mind of an artist which used visual research; is Mr. Brainwash, originally known as Thierry Guetta; he had a compulsion of videotaping every moment of his life. Showing us the constant record of everyday life, inspiring him to create art himself as he caught up with some of the world’s leading graffiti designers and documentation of the phenomenon of contemporary street art.
You can find out more about him and what he did through the film; ‘Exit through a gift shop’, a movie which I recommend for everyone to watch!!!! --

Not only does research mean, looking online, into books, magazines, watching the news and jotting down designs and sketches but means researching and experimenting with different medias. E.g. Photoshop, photography, screen printing, using spray cans etc.

I have found by using very different medias it such as screen printing in comparison to Photoshop creates a whole new effect to an image, allowing us to create very different visuals, as well as expanding our capabilities.

In this project ‘to intrigue people into Birmingham’; so far I have used photography, film photography, illustration screen printing and mono printing allowing me to create a variety of different styles and outcomes. Some of which I will upload …



Bricolage & its use in Contemporary Culture:

Bricolage is a concept of construction from a range of things available to us, the creation of a visual from a variety of mediums.  

50 years about this would have meant the conjunction of photography, pencils, paint, pastels combined to create a visual. If we look at the way it is used in contemporary culture it means using computer software to re-touch, combine and manipulate images to create a visual. Both methods working so well that they question whether the image we are looking at is real or not.

This in a sense bricolage can be done with almost anything from art, advertisings to poetry and writing; combining things together. It again makes us question who’s and what is the original? Exemplifying my views of nothing being original and that everything comes from a source, a context; whether it be from an artist or piece of design etc.

A good example of this in a historical context would be Elsie Wright - Cottingley Fairies. This image caused a huge impact during 1917, questioning the reality of fairies and mythological creature; when this image was simply created with some sort of collage, pencil drawings.

In today’s contemporary culture there are several images produced which use this medium of bricolage to create new and innovative visuals seen today. Making us question the reality of what really does happen. I feel that this car advertisement is a perfect example of visuals today!

Notions Of Originality:

Notions of originality are key concepts in art and design but also questionings for several other of our day to day things: from books, business, electricity, poems, to furniture etc. Making people still question what is original? For an idea to be truly original its has to be born from nothing! Yet no matter how unique a concept may seem it has had to be sourced from somewhere, it has been inspired by something or someone!

This notion has been questioned throughout history, from artists following techniques, recreating and reanalysing masterpieces to create similar pieces but from their points of view. We today also are constantly looking back through history for something or a technique to inspire us.

To me nothing is original; there may be unique styles out there but everything comes from a source of inspiration; from being influenced by the environment, culture and history which is surrounding us.

Lets take an example: The great graffiti artist Banksy’s ‘rat’, has thought have been inspired [stolen as some may say] from the French artist Blek Le Rat. There is a whole documentary which features and questions aspects within Banksy’s graffiti revealing this ‘source of inspiration’.                    http://www.channel4.com/programmes/graffiti-wars

There are also several other pieces of advertising in which I have come across which I feel have has some ‘inspiration’ for there advertising, questioning originality:

Charles Allan Gilbert - All is vanity & Vincent Peters -  Dior advertisement.

Although this advertisement clearly uses a huge concept within Gilberts art I feel, that’s what makes the concept of using the idea in the Dior poison perfume advertisement even better and inspirational for those who know about the original piece.

Hokusai – the great Wave of Kanagawa & Ashanti Beer Advertisement

Again we can clearly see that the concept of this advertisement was inspired by Hokusai, questioning originality of advertisements created today!? As we are all told to create a unique style and push the boundaries for our own work, yet these ‘copied’ [as some may say] advertisements are so inspiring, well known and successful by using this technique!!! Could we use this as a technique ?

Developing fluency into ideas..

Developing fluency into ideas is creating a range of ideas, then re-assigning them into sub categories, allowing you to observe another range of ideas. This broadens our thinking process and gives us a broader field in which to choose from the main theme. Some ways in which people can use to expand on ideas is by brainstorming, mind mapping, sketching etc.

Here are a few of my brainstorms which I have created over the past few years. They are very different from each other. Some consist of visual notations and others consist largely on written brainstorms. Yet they, are also different as some are written by hand, some with little visuals, and others are created on the computer; some consist of a variety of bright colouring, others being black and white; all creating very different impacts yet still generate more information for my main project headings.

A good example of fluency in ideas would be any character design, for example the famous Walt Disney’s Mickey mouse character, there are a variety of different variations of Mickey mouse with ranges of emotions, movements, posture, gestures etc, yet all interlinked. All designs going through a range of thinking processes and holding unique features.

More images here: http://marciodisneyillusionoflife.blogspot.com/2011/08/mickey-mouse-sketches.html

There are also other illustrators which develop fluency into ideas, in terms of having their own language, a unique style yet keeping consistent and apply a different message into each of their pieces; creating new visuals. They stimulate different possibilities from one starting point.

For example: Oscar Wilson, a very famous illustrator creating a unique and iconic fluency to his illustrations. They all are approached with the same strategic style yet all create such stunning textual illustrations for his commissioned and private works. His speciality is hand crafted typographical approaches of creating an image, very informative and pleasing to the eye. He has a consistent style; yet inspiration allows him to create innovative new images

View more of his works a : http://www.studiooscar.com/docs/work.php

Manage a Creative space...

Managing a creative space is looking at the world around you, being inspired and finding u what inspires you.  Everyone, from people in business to designers use the world around them to motivate them. From people in business creating aims, using inspirational books and quotes, just in the same way designers may choose to stick up materials they find, images, typefaces, interesting layout etc.

Creative spaces can be your bed room, a garden, your work desk or even a lecture room at university all which are filled with inspirational images and scenes, designer’s works to get your mind sprinting of creative ideas.

I make collections of artists, illustrators, designers, sculptor’s articles from a variety of magazines, this allows me to flick though to get some inspiration or even to relate to my own work. Interlinking with, developing fluency as I will be broadening me thinking process by engaging with the different materials and images I have collected.

^a few of my collected articals of inspirational artists. A lot more in the folder! It truely is a great way of getting inspiration and interesting peices to read!

Below is the working space of the designer Danny Allison, through this image of her creative space, if we go to analyse what his work may be like I think we will definitely be able to see whether his work is inspired by her working area. The cutting mat suggests that he may do some collage work, with the incorporation of the paint, with the brushes and paints in the background. With the computer central could also suggest that his work is very much manipulated and refined also suggesting that he may be doing editorial work rather than one off pieces. We are also able to see a graphics tablet which again justifies my opinion.

After looking at his work I am defiantly able to see that he is inspired by his creative space, to do the particular things he creates.
You can see more of his images here:  http://www.dannyallison.co.uk/

Using the creative brain…

Throughout the course of any reflective visual journal people go through processes of playing, experimenting and processes of reflection and analysis. This comes unconsciously from the way our brains work, with the left and right hand side working differently yet working alongside each other to create. The right hand side of the brain can be described as the ‘child’ creating motions of creativity, experimentation and play allowing us to create different thought and ideas. The left hand side of the brain is more analytical, creating brain waves of speculation and allowing us to evaluate and interrogate pieces.

With these two processes combined we are able to focus of designers works and evaluate things/designs we may have done unconsciously, allowing us to explore and find possible structure to work. This thinking also merges into the cyclic design process with the idea that we may sketch something down (using the right hand side brain), then evaluate it and improve it (with the left hand side of the brain) rekindling the cycle of development.

I have seen that there are some apparent online ways, in which so call can ‘test your right brain and left brain to determine whether you have a creative brain or not’. But I feel that there is no way of determining whether you are creative or not everyone expresses creativity in their own ways, whether it be drawing, writing, singing, creating lyrics or through clothing etc.

One website which does it : http://www.wherecreativitygoestoschool.com/vancouver/left_right/rb_test.htm

The Cyclic Design Process

The cyclic design process is a method of changes, developments and solutions. Everything which is produced consists of this design process; an initial idea is always evolved into something better. It goes through stages of development, refinement, evaluating, testing and justifications etc. The process is repeated several times, with questionings like, how can it look better? how will it look like this? what if I do change this? all developing from a first notation or a quick small sketch.

The process can be done thought sketches, brainstorms, evaluating and even prototyping, a style in which everyone can do depending on preference. Also showing that this process is done by several occupations including; designers on their designs, musicians for their music/lyrics, scientists on their creations etc.

 This cycle is carried out on things from everyday buildings and structures to advertisements, foods, toothbrushes and light bulbs. A perfect example of this cyclic design process would be of the famous Thomas Edison who designed over 10,000 prototypes of the light bulb, until he was satisfied and knew it worked. A way to think of it is not the effort which you put in and it not working but the acknowledgement of knowing you tried it and it wasn’t as good as it could be! Overall creating something improved and to be adored by several.

Not only does the cyclic design process evolve over the period one project/ brief but also happens over time; for example the development of architecture, structures, of technology, logos etc.

This example of the apple logo shows the use of the cyclic design process, with the logo evolving and developing from its initial state over time. Changing from Apples original logo; with Isaac Newton under an apple tree, to a rainbow ‘bitten apple’ silhouette concept and now to a simple, modern monochrome logo of the ‘bitten apple’ silhouette. Changing to adapt to the society and modern developments within its field and to its audience.