emmamillsdesign

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ANTHONY BURRILL: WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN, WHERE ARE YOU HEADING NOW?

When starting out as a new designer, Anthony Burrill was focused on different ways of promoting his work. He did this by “showcasing” it to clients and by printing his own works - it was originally “as means of self promotion.” Magazines, Illustrations, Advertising, Postcards and many more outcomes he would construct and then would send out to people in the hope of gaining some commissions. Burrill was - and still is very interested in all areas of graphic art and design and sought inspiration from movements such as Pop art and artists like Peter Blake. Influences also came from artists who used a lot of typography in their work like Ed Ruscha and Robert Indiana. He really enjoyed working with “letterforms, words and typefaces”. Especially when words are used in an art context they become “almost quite poetic.” He explains he likes how you can “collaging words together to make a piece of work.” Burrill has an appreciation for the fine art, experimental use of words, like for instance work by artists like Barbara Kruger. He was was drawn to words in “song lyrics” and the “weird texts.” Response to his work came quickly and he found that could be because when you work with type the “communication work more directly than maybe images, as soon as you put a single word down, everyone responds to it instantly.”

He then looked into forms, abstract shapes and typography. Whenever out of the studio he finds himself always surrounded by type and looking at it all the messages that we see on a daily basis, and all the information we can find. Specifically “things that have weathered over the years that have become quite textured.” This is evident in his work and when asked about this edge or trend within his process he then explains interestingly in his work how almost tries “to celebrate letterforms and words by trying to keep the design as simple as possible.” His work is very clear and precise but also colourful and intriguing. The words are the main focus and cause an instant reaction due to the boldness and beautifulness of it’s simplicity. “Everything is reduced to the minimum, it is focused on the message of the work as much as possible.” He does this with centred and clear text over a single coloured background and the outcome couldn’t be more exciting.

After the great successes he has had so far with his creative career, I had to ask the question: What he is planning on doing next? He explains that in the past 10 years or so the “graphic art scene has grown” and people are really interested in visual culture and it links into a lot of other things such as fashion, music. All these different things have always been interrelated. Personally he has always been interested more in “interiors for spaces”, and finds that “incorporating typography into spaces would be a really nice thing to do.” Everything evolves so quickly, the future is unclear until we get there. That is what is so exciting “because you are not sure what is going to happen next” it is an interesting prospect - “everyone influences everyone else” and you become more ambitious as your go with projects as well. Anthony Burrill will be hosting a workshop at the Graphic Design Festival Scotland 2017 in a couple of weeks from 20-26 October, as well the 2017 Northern Design Festival, ‘Material Matters’ , opening on 3 November with the Design NOW symposium featuring a stellar line-up of speakers including Anthony Burrill and Sarah Hyndman. He has just come back from hosting a Letterpress workshop at Something Good Design Festival Bristol.

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PSYCHEDELIA: WHAT IT MEANS FOR US TODAY

The Psychedelic sixties was renowned for being unlike other decades in history. This vibrant era was driven by pleasure, curiosity and excitement. Visual communication started to develop in another direction - neon printed poster designs and trippy colourful light shows began to emerge and so did new, more daring experiences. As the Design Museum - California: Designing Freedom exhibition comes to an end it is time to look back and see the psychedelic sixties movement, the visual culture surrounding it and what it means for us today. This exhibition prompts the question - What is the legacy of California design and psychedelic era in contemporary design? The fluid and expressive style is recognisable and instantly associated with this era. “Britain is a museum of style. We had a sort of hippie scene of our own, well, we smoked a lot of dope and took acid” (Jonathon Green, 2017) This article explores this idea of ‘style’ and how it can be reinvented and how we can see the legacy and influence of this era in the work of Sagmiester and Walsh.

“Trippy optical illusions, flying furniture, and a pink painted horse are a few of the animated motifs that appear on billboards, magazines, newspapers, and in stores across the middle east.” (Azzarello, 2016) There is no denying the distinction between this work and the original psychedelic style example (Figure 1). It is not certain whether the designer’s intentions were to purposefully use the psychedelic style for conceptual purposes but what is clear is this idea of assimilation. How this style was once associated with the “catch-all sobriquet for a community of like minded antiwar” (Kramer, 2016) individuals who were constantly threatening the mainstream to then be used in a commercial sense for a furniture brand campaign.

A style which was once used for rebellion is now used in something that is so far from revolutionary - a store for furniture, a campaign that everyone has access to, something overground as appose to hidden under the streets of London. Using an old idea, or past style and recreating it. Likewise, the same can be said for the UFO example as this visual aesthetic takes inspiration from the movements of Art Nouveau with an Op Art accessory. This ‘style’ that is being “naturalised” has become part of conventional society - the mainstream ‘narrative’ or story within the Aizone campaign. It goes beyond the visual to the majestic or hypnotic attraction you feel when admiring it. The “vivid and vibrant milieu” (Azzarello, 2016a) is only part of the recuperation, the style of impact and effect the image has on us as audience is almost the same if not identical to that of the UFO club. The energetic, out of box mindset and “tuning out” and “going out of your mind” (Leary, Page 4, 1999), losing self control is incorporated into this example. It does this through the spectacular colour scheme and sequence of repetitive shapes you are taken into this new fantasy, a new world of thinking - a new way of looking at furniture and how they could be sold or presented. It is drawing the consumers in, in a much more in-depth way, new form of reaching out to the consumers at the same time as producing a new idea, trend or direction in the creative industry.

“Even if the 1960s happened before your time, it’s vibrations can still be felt in every aspect of popular culture today.” (Poynor, 2006) WALALAxPLAY is a maze that explores colours of bold and patterns which are hypnotic and creative. The design concept is vivid and playful. It is “a psychedelic maze that sounds part puzzle, part fun house, part Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole.” Many advocate that the past exhibition at the V&A entitled ‘You say you want a revolution’ was nothing more than a “nostalgia trip”. On the contrary, “it’s actually seeking to explore what that period might mean for us today, at a period of political turmoil,” says Broackes, “repeatedly questioning whether we have lost the ability to imagine a better world.” (Hoggard, 2016) The reader of this article can be left questioning, what was it really like being part of the UFO club culture? Why was it assimilated into mainstream? What does that say about society in the present day?

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MADE IN NORTH KOREA : Graphics From Everyday Life in the DPRK

"Although I primarily work in North Korea, Beijing has provided the gateway for me to enter this fascinating and little-understood country, and as a place to live it has provided me with incredible opportunities.” (Bonner, 2009) ‘Made in North Korea’ by Nicholas Bonner and published by Phaidon on 2 October, is a beautifully crafted and curated book of ordinary images from the world’s most enigmatic country. Not only is this work a piece of publishing excellence but is also a monograph of exceptional in-depth visual research which gives us an understanding of the unknown culture surrounding this area of the world. Through this raw and untouched footage, we can gain a very rare insight into what is it like inside - what the lives of ordinary North Koreans are like. Bonner communicates this through every day life objects, everything from food packaging, to postcards, cigarettes, airline tickets, comic books, labels and propaganda. Since just over a week ago the reviews of the book have been signing it’s praises: ”The most comprehensive collection of North Korean graphic ephemera to date." ―i-D.vice.com, "Fascinating... Essays by Bonner provide an insight into daily life and culture in the country and highlight some recurring themes in North Korean design... A rare glimpse of the country's visual culture and shows how the ideology of the Workers' Party is expressed in everything from cosmetics to cigarette cartons." ―CreativeReview.co.uk, "Fascinating... Beautifully produced and printed on toothy uncoated paper, with an appealing use of colour throughout, the book contextualises its content through essays and extended captions, encouraging readers to consider not only the images' visual appeal but also what they can tell us―through their appearance, style, origin and means of production―about North Korea itself." ―grafik.net.

This is not so much a book of information or guide but a simple and effortlessly well presentation of a researcher’s collection. It uncovers the fascinating and surprisingly beautiful graphic culture of North Korea. He collected over a thousand of these different items and with this, presents to us a new understanding and appreciation for North Korean design.“Graphic design in North Korea breaks down into traditional elements and contemporary socialist influences” says Bonner. Additionally it informs us through essays written by Bonner, where he highlights different rules, characteristics and themes that are embedded within their techniques of visual communication. ���The graphics have developed largely independently of the outside world and they now have a much more assured Korean style.”

An short extract from Introduction from ‘Made in North Korea’ “In the West, advertising and branding trigger emotional rather than rational responses so powerful that you believe your purchase will help improve your life, make you more attractive, fitter, happier, more productive. The inference behind the ephemera I collected seemed more naïve, more simplistic, often using a graphic image to replicate what is contained within the packaging. There is almost no Western-style advertising in North Korea – and what little exists is habitually referred to as ‘promotion’. Backlit panels that elsewhere push shampoo and carbonated drinks have been used in Pyongyang from 2006 to illuminate propaganda posters – different message, same medium. Until recently there were no advertising hoardings, no television advertising, no internet (still true, although there is an intranet that people can access on smartphones and in libraries). The first billboard was for a joint venture car company that erected adverts in five places in Pyongyang in the early 2000s. To this day they remain the only ones in the city, but at times have used implied celebrity endorsements by having a photo of a famed singer or sportsperson included in the billboard.”

[emmamillsdesign]

ANTHONY BURRILL: WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN, WHERE ARE YOU HEADING NOW?

When starting out as a new designer, Anthony Burrill was focused on different ways of promoting his work. He did this by showcasing it to clients and by printing his own works - it was originally “as means of self promotion.” Magazines, Illustrations, Advertising, Postcards and many more outcomes he would construct and then would send out to people in the hope of gaining some commissions. Burrill was - and still is very interested in all areas of graphic art and design and sought inspiration from movements such as Pop art and artists like Peter Blake. Influences also came from artists who used a lot of typography in their work like Ed Ruscha and Robert Indiana. He really enjoyed working with “letterforms, words and typefaces”. Especially when words are used in an art context they become almost quite “poetic.” He explains he likes how you can “collaging words together to make a piece of work.” Burrill has an appreciation for the fine art, experimental use of words, like for instance work by artists like Barbara Kruger. He was was drawn to words in song lyrics and the weird texts. Response to his work came quickly and he found that could be because when you work with type the “communication work more directly than maybe images, as soon as you put a single word down, everyone responds to it instantly.”

He then looked into forms, abstract shapes and typography. Whenever out of the studio he finds himself always surrounded by type and looking at it all the messages that we see on a daily basis, and all the information we can find. Specifically “things that have weathered over the years that have become quite textured.” This is evident in his work and when asked about this edge or trend within his process he then explains interestingly in his work how almost tries “to celebrate letterforms and words by trying to keep the design as simple as possible.” His work is very clear and precise but also colourful and intriguing. The words are the main focus and cause an instant reaction due to the boldness and beautifulness of it’s simplicity. “Everything is reduced to the minimum, it is focused on the message of the work as much as possible.” He does this with centred and clear text over a single coloured background and the outcome couldn't be more exciting.

After the great successes he has had so far with his creative career, I had to ask the question: What he is planning on doing next? He explains that in the past 10 years or so the “graphic art scene has grown” and people are really interested in visual culture and it links into a lot of other things such as fashion, music. All these different things have always been interrelated. Personally he has always been interested more in interiors for spaces, and finds that “incorporating typography into spaces would be a really nice thing to do.” Everything evolves so quickly, the future is unclear until we get there. That is what is so exciting “because you are not sure what is going to happen next” it is an interesting prospect - “everyone influences everyone else” and you become more ambitious as your go with projects as well. Anthony Burrill will be hosting a workshop at the Graphic Design Festival Scotland 2017 from 20-26 October, as well the 2017 Northern Design Festival, ‘Material Matters’ , opening on 3 November with the Design NOW symposium featuring a stellar line-up of speakers including Anthony Burrill and Sarah Hyndman. He has just come back from hosting a Letterpress workshop at Something Good Design Festival Bristol.

[emmamillsdesign]

Quality over Quantity

During this project I haven't learnt there are many differences between being a student and becoming a professional. During my studies as a student I have always worked really hard but at the last minute sometimes I burn myself out! I have learnt in this project it is important to be more consistent throughout the whole project and to keep going! In the industry you need to show that you are able to say consistent so I have learnt this in this project which is so helpful for the future of my career! This is a goal of mine which I will keep trying to achieve throughout the rest of my studies and later on in my professional practice!

[emmamillsdesign]

@palomamomac has been a great social media manager through out this project! It is a fantastic way for us all to promote our class’s work as a team effort as well as our own individual practices! It also brought us all together as a class once again, and to have something that we can all have access to!

We Create Graphics

When asked to be the social media manager of our class I got really excited since it is something I really enjoy doing and working on. My first thought was that to seem like a studio we needed a name. After mind mapping and talking with my peers we came up with ‘We Create Graphics’. Since UCA is all about the ‘We Create’, We Create Graphics seemed the right way to go.

After giving it some thought I realised Instagram would be the best network to use. Everyone seems to use it in a regular basis plus with the hashtag we can promote our work and studio, for other users interested in the same categories as us.

Once I created the account I asked students for pictures submissions ideally with captions so I could post not only pictures of their work to promote their own accounts, but pictures of what we get up to in the studio. This way agencies can view our way of working.

WeCreateGraphics 

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This is so sweet of my peer @bethanyflowerdaydesigns to share! It’s really nice to see that my fellow peers take an interest and see things like this! I really am very flattered! It’s nice to see how something very similar to what I created can become something as beautiful as this! - and to be featured on packaging for a very well known brand such as Ted Baker! The colours used in this packaging are also really striking and the pattern does work really well on packaging, I would never have thought of it!

Interesting Packaging

As I have acquired a greater interest in packaging, I have recently been inspired by various designs I have seen. This one in particular reminds me greatly of @emmalauramills work she did at at workshop at the Glasgow Graphic Design festival! When I first saw it I couldn’t believe how similar it was. It’s great to see how designs you have made in this context could be used in a certain environment and is really encouraging to see it on such a famous brand! This pattern is clearly all about the aesthetics and creates a really nice visual on the can! It is interesting to see how colour combination is used in this situation also.

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Helping my peers out with Work Experience:

I have been focusing a lot of my time on finding work experience in this unit and  I have managed to find quite a few places! 2 of my peers asked me how I got them and instead of leaving them to it I helped them out gave them contacts that I have for example my friend really liked the look of ECHO HOUSE so i sent her the link to the website and then gave her Dan ( the directors) email address! I have also helped out my other friend in getting her into the first place I went to in Hampton Wick! Mark is really nice and I really enjoyed working there so i told my friend she most likely would too because we are quite similar in personality and same level of designers! It is great to share your contacts and to not be secretive and competitive about them! I hope they will enjoy these opportunities as much as I hope to! 

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Possible chance of creating our own Design Team:

After this unit we have learnt a massive amount about ourselves, not just as individuals but also as a class! I feel as if we have all come together far closer and much more since this particular unit and my peers and I have talked about organising our own business one day and possibly our own design agency. There is a big group of us and we all know each other so well, we know everyones strengths and weaknesses and we all work really well together! I had never thought of doing this before but after having insight of what it is like to work in an industry drive environment, we have realised the potential we really would have as a group! @bethanyflowerdaydesigns @kristajadoodesigns @tilliependlebury @sbskingley

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Creative Review doesn't need an introduction! It has always been one of my absolute dreams to work for this company as it was one of their annuals that really got me into think about becoming a graphic designer! They share wide range amount of work and I would love the opportunity to be surrounded by such a prestigious group of creative individuals! I am lucky enough to have a contact who is going to be talking to them about possible placement in the summer. I am also in the process of writing an email to whom this contact will keep stay private in order to show my passion and eagerness to work there! I have been taking my time and not rushing this email, because this big company is extremely well known and I will be up against a huge amount of competition! I cannot wait! Even if it doesn’t work out I will gain practice for applying to large, scary and intimating companies like this! 

[emmamillsdesign]

While I was in America I was extremely saddened that I missed the opportunity to meet Farrow creative so I decided to send them an email to respectively thank them for all of their great feedback! Even though I was unable to make it they still took the time to look at my work which I really appreciated! In this email I explained my reason and hoped that one day I may meet them and discuss a possible placement opportunity. I understood that the 5 internships were already taken but I thought there’s nothing to lose and no harm in asking! They contacted me through my tutor and I am thrilled to say that I will be working with them at some point in the summer! They contacted me to ask if I was still interested and if I wanted to email or ring them about possible dates! I will ring them some time this week! I am very excited about this opportunity and very thankful for my tutor for organising this great arrangement for us!

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In the process of all our final prints and foldings of our CV’s, we all were in the exact same boat in that it was time to really push to get the final finishing touches that we really wanted! This is probably the most stressful and hardest part of the design process as the time is really starting to fly by and its start to become a problem solving exercise now the designing is somewhat finished! Here are images of me helping out my friends with these specific problem solving methods of both printing and cutting/folding final prints. In order to cut a successful and clean line, instead of using a guillotine Beth and I helped each other but working as a team. This gave us both the support we both needed as it was very daunting having to cut what may potentially be the final print!  Keeping clam helped our nerves practising on scrap paper also helped. When looking at Sarah Beths work it was hard for her to chose which colour was the best, I suggested to her to chose her gut reaction and which she personally likes the best as this project is meant to promote us as designers! She really liked this advice and in turn helped me choose the colour I liked after test printing many out. 

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What are my goals for my future career in the industry?

Throughout this unit and the rest of my studies I have learnt a massive amount about myself. I feel more confident and ready to now do these work experience placements as I can feel myself moving away from being a student to developing as a professional graphic designer! The industry feels much more approachable and now that I have 4 placements lined up I feel really excited at the prospect of immersing myself in the industry in much more detail! After attending and working for many 'events’ based industry atmospheres like OFFSET dublin and london, GDFS, and Visual Arts Festival in Edinbrugh in the summer, I have realised that I actually really love this idea of inviting students, professionals and experts to one event that all abilities of the industry can enjoy! That is when I had the idea that one day I would really love to design my own creative festival event! Combining both the workshops of GDFS and the lectures of OFFSET together! From this unit, both the Live project and the Promotional branding I have realised that I am a confident and ambitious individual, in a good way! I should use this element and hopefully one day be confident enough to run my own agency, and design festival! There are many various opportunities within this industry to go into, many different career options! This is I feel a goal I will aim for after I gain more experience in all the many kinds of career opportunities out there!

[emmamillsdesign]

Inspirational people in the industry: 

Warriors Studio, Glasgow: James Gilchrist and Beth Wilson

When I attended GDFS back in october I really didn’t know what to expect I was’nt honestly very sure whether I would like being on my own at an event like this. When I first walked in I was mesmerised by the sense of community and how friendly all the attendies and the workers who were there. The idea that 2 people can organise such a great event like this, with agencies around the world to come in and work with other designers is really inspiring! I decided to look back at this experience because I feel as if it gave me the strength and the determination to start getting myself out there and into the industry! The industry is so huge and filled with so many opportunities! It is refreshing to see how a company can not only excel as an agency through it’s work but also create an experience for designers of all standing all over the world! 

Aims of GDFS Encourage creative thinking Provide an opportunity for people to learn, develop skills and grow Promote Scotland as a hub for creativity and design Bring international creatives from across the world to Scotland Create links between students & industry Provide a platform for up-and-coming creatives Empower graphic and visual designers Build and strengthen a creative community Bring graphic design into the public domain

[emmamillsdesign]

I really love Chloe Gracie’s CV and Business card combination! I think they link to each other so well and so effortlessly. I not only love the minimal designs but also how the promotional materials are presented in a simple and beautiful way! One the best things about studying in an arts university is that you are surrounded by so many creatives from all over the world! It is so inspiring! The more and more you look at your peers work the more you feel proud of them but also really inspired by them!

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Workspace Wednesday, Who knew it would take a whole day to print! Luckily I had planned for something like this to have happened! Giving yourself extra time is always a must in case something goes horribly wrong! In this case I had printed my CV out a few times but they kept going wrong and the yellow colour kept coming out differently! However in order for me to solve this problem of getting restless and agitated I made sure I had many breaks and some fresh air, it can get quite stuffy in there so it is always a good idea to keep going but not for too long at a time! 

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Printing Problem solving: When it comes to printing out work that I have spent a lot of time looking at on the screen sometimes it comes out completely different to what I hoped it would come out! I stand by what Tony said at the 360 lecture and ever since I have been doing much more test printing and using this as not just a final piece practice print but a way to develop and move forward in my design process. 

It is so much more helpful printing things out and looking at them as it gives you much more of an idea of what it will eventually look like. The top image is of 2 pages from my portfolio, printing both out gave me the insight as to which size of the title suited the size of the paper. I eventually went for the smaller size as it looked much more in proportion to the main body of the text! I also learnt from this was the massive difference between all the different printers I have access to, one at Uni, print shop down the road, printer at home etc.. Even though it is the same document, my prints still come out totally different from each other! What I learnt from this was to make sure I go for the better quality option otherwise I come out with weird colours like the sepia looking black and white!