Patterns

WEDNESDAY, 22 DECEMBER 2010

Patterns

I have found that during my recent study

patterns have increasingly influenced my

design thinking. It is mainly through the

environment, the little things like pavements

and lines on buildings. This sort of aesthetic

helps my thinking and generally the kind of

work I produce tends to reflect on my observations.

I do believe that this sort of observation does

allow my thinking to be revealed throughout

my creative work and helps me focus although

it is rather linear and does restrict my development

as a graphic designer. I do hope to improve this

aspect of my design attitude in the following semester.

Here are a few examples of my patterns.

Portfolio Visits

This has been an interesting journey for me

and one that I was not particularly looking

forward to as I feel a little embarrassed about

my age. During the three visits that I have had

I have found that as long as my work fits the

criteria then I really do not have too worry too

much about my age. This has been a welcome

relief although I am sure time will be the big

provider of the truth. I do need to introduce

more design work into my portfolio so I have

included my latest project here.

I think that this is a general concern with all

mature students which can only be natural. Having

a previous successful career in the printing

industry it is a worry of where do I go from here

but I cannot be too reflective at this moment in time.

The art of being nosey!

This probably is one of my more left field approaches

to information gathering, however it does pay to have

an inquisitive mind. Often the most interesting stuff

is just over the horizon and slightly out of sight.

During my studies I have always tried to take the trouble

to look a little further, you know cross the odd barrier

to get a different perspective. Here are some examples of

me crossing the odd barrier!

Alexandra Rodchenko (1891-1956)

This artist has had the largest influence on

my photographic thinking since I visited an

exhibition of his work in Barcelona in 2008.

He was an amazingly dynamic artist and his

ability to show a new vision and method was

revolutionary during the 1920's and 1930's.

He invented 'the death of painting' as he once

described.

Gone now forever were the mundane elite, repetitive

and some what mundane repetitions of

landscapes and people. A new dynamic angular

observation was now attained by the new influences

of Europe and America. A new aesthetic was born

one that would produce the new visual language

that until today is graphic design.

My interest even got me to purchase a book written

by his grandson that cost £120 every penny well spent.

I think is it obvious in the work I produce that his

work has had a pertinent influence on my thinking.

Here some examples of the photography I have taken

due to the great mans influence on my work.

Keep It Simple

This has been an interesting area of

my professional development. It became

apparent to me during the second year of my

studies that I needed to develop my design

in a way that I felt comfortable with and that

is not meant in a totally subjective way it's

just that I often find that my ideas get blocked

with confusion due to my thought direction.

Maybe this is just me finding a voice

and getting over that block I that often descends

on my brain. So I guess that I can say that during

the previous months of my final year I'm learning

to play to what I believe are my strengths and that

is keeping it simple.

Fears

Yes this area needs addressing!

During my studies on my degree I have always

had a fear of how limited my creative flare has

been due to my lack of ability to master the creative

software. It really has hindered me at times so I

do find I try and work around it. I have found it

hard when I panic that I do not have the computer

skills to do rather simple things and it is embarrassing

when I have to pester one of my colleagues to help me.

I must say that the more I work on the software the

better I perform and this has been especially true

for the recent project I have worked on 'the con artist'

where I have used a piece of software completely alien

to me Adobe Premier. What really helped me here

was the students in multi-media who bent over backwards

to help me and my understanding of the process became

much more aware of what I was doing. Really enjoyed the help

from Rick and the students in multi-media.

Pixies in the Cellar

Well I finally got around to my third portfolio visit that seemed a distant possibility two weeks previous! pixiesinthecellar is based in Stalybridgepredominately a graphic design company although Peter Farrel who is Pixies is also an artist and photographer. I worked with Peter several yearsago and we have kept in contact since.Basically we met for a coffee in Manchester and I took along my portfoliowhich he hasn't seen in my third year. I sent him my Bloomberg projectand he was very impressed and described it as being 'very Ant'.To be honest Peter is always very complimentary about my work buthe always says to me that I am an artist rather than purely being adesigner. Peter was interested about what the college does to encourageour path into industry. I explained about personal professional developmentto which he was interested in, relaxed and positive discussion.We discussed working on a photographic display together in the new yearand to possibly approach a gallery to show it something in the lineof social dis rest a subject we both have an interest in.