OUGD401 END OF MODULE EVALUATION

OUGD401 END OF MODULE SELF EVALUATION

Abbas Mushtaq/Level04/BAGD/22.05.12Submission

1. What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?

I've developed my listening and note taking skills, throughout the lectures and the seminars with Richard, I always tried to keep on top of the points being said and taking down important notes.

I think, in particular with the essay and the publication tasks, there was a wealth of information. 100+ years worth of information and history to get some form of a grip on and at first it was difficult but I think if I was tasked with the same briefs today, I wouldn't be as overwhelmed as I was when I was doing the briefs for the first time. I also think I've become better at picking out information that is important and taking an approach of quality over quantity. I think at the start of the year, if you look at my lecture notes they're very in depth. Almost word for word of what was being said, this isn't always a good thing. Nowadays I keep it short and simple, it shows analysis and understanding of the information.

I've also become better and turning theory into practice and applying fundamental principles and design aesthetics to a problem, I've become better at understanding and studying a certain visual style or movement. Such as constructivism and being able to create work that references the style, for example my essay front cover and back cover are inspired by constructivism.

2. What approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?

I've seen the importance of research and development before designing, especially for my turning theory into practice publication. I spent 75% of the brief length researching and outlining what would be in the publication and where. I made sure I knew how many pages there would be, what would be on the pages and where. After this, it was just a case of executing the plan. I think when it came to the designing, it made everything much more efficient and I felt like there was a plan in action and I didn't come upon as many hiccups as I normally do with normal briefs.

3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?

I really enjoyed making posters for the Hitchcock movies, I tried to reference iconic designers such as Saul Bass but still keep it temporary and have my own stamp on it. I think I've achieved that and it's probably one of, if not the strongest part of my final products.

In the publication I also had a lot of variety, I tried to manipulate the viewer/readers experience similar to how Hitchcock did through colours and layout. I also still like the idea of translating his techniques to my book with the 'randomly' places macguffins and cameos. I put thought into this and think it works well and creates a more interesting reading experience, instead of a linear from a to b book.

4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future?

I think my note taking in some points is too in-depth, although in the earlier parts of the year and I tried to act on and rectify this, it's still a weakness. Sometimes I make too many notes and it doesn't show an understanding and involvement with the lectures.

In my publication I think it couldn't be as easy to understand as it could be, I may have gone to too much lengths when it came to manipulating how the user reads the book, and didn't consider enough if at the end of it, it has a clear message and sequence.

I don't think I took my work as far as I could. I could have considered the context of the publication more; maybe it could have come packaged in some kind of case, or come as part of some kind of movie collection, Alfred Hitchcock anniversary collections? Some kind of movie fair? I could have got in touch with more art house places such as Hyde Park Picture House to propose a Hitchcock event and if they want any booklets getting made for the event.

5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?

I will consider the context of the product more, as I said I need to take things further and consider the context, purpose etc and push work that 10% extra to make it more understandable and have more of a real-world possibility.

Keep improving at note taking, I think in the past I've made too many notes and it doesn't show an understanding, also when reading back the notes it can seem too much information and not bitesize facts and points that are easy to understand and take forward.

Consider the product in the eyes of the viewer more, and make sure it's understandable and the effect and influence on the viewer is actually the intended effect or influence. I think this is something that will become with stronger reflection of work and better planning. This will allow my work to have an intended response and for variables to be more under control and for work to be more effective. At the end of the day, clients, customers and viewers would enjoy and use my work in the real-world. Whether it's completely to my own taste or not, isn't looking at the bigger picture.

I'm going to take products further, try and manage my time better so I have at least 2-3 days where I've finished the brief to a suitable standard for submission and so any work I do afterwards will allow me to consider the packaging, presentation etc and taking the work an extra bit further.

Next time I would also spend more time on design sheets, I still think my design sheets look too 'scribbly' and a nicely drawn and measured design sheet is an inviting piece of work to look at and analyse, whereas mine just look rough and more about getting ideas done. There's nothing wrong with that but I should also take it further and keep drawing and drawing the ideas and development till I have a solid and finished idea. It would help me to have a better idea of how my work will look at a finished, more digital stage and also help others evaluate my work and see how my work developed to the final product.

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Final Essay: Content

­­Choosing a particular period from 1800 to the present, in what ways has art or design responded to the changing social and cultural forces of that period? (2 specific examples)

The particular period that will be discussed is the early 20^thcentury, and the changing social and cultural forces of that period having an effect on art, paying close attention to the changes in Germany and Russia. The end of the First World War, the Russian Revolution and modernism all had a distinct effect on art and society, including the Bauhaus and Constructivist movement. The origins and influence of these movements will be examined along with how they influenced each other.

The Russian Revolution is the collective term given to a series of Revolutions in Russia from around 1905 to 1917. The first notable revolution was The February Revolution, taking place in February of 1917 resulting in the fall of the Russian Empire and a Provisional Government being formed. At this point Russia was a capitalist country – basically meaning everyone’s money is his or hers. If you are rich you stay rich, and if you are poor you will stay poor. This meant there was noticeable gulf in class; you were either very rich or very poor.

While this was going on; the Bolshevik party who were led by Vladimir Lenin organized militias of workers into the “Red Party”. The Bolsheviks wanted to overthrow the government and create a ‘new and better’ Russia where everyone was equal. Money was to be shared and land was to be shared. Everyone would work to earn money and everyone would be content.

The October Revolution had a profound effect on Russia. The Bolshevik party led by Lenin overthrew the Provisional Government in St. Petersburg. Lenin and the Bolsheviks came into power. Civil war ensued between the Red (Bolshevik) and White (Anti-Bolshevik) army but communism was now taking spread in Russia. Around this time there was intense artistic experimentation taking place in Russia, especially in regards to art and design for post-revolution Soviet Russia.

‘Constructivism. A movement or ideology in abstract art that originated in Russia… and in the 1920s spread to the West, where it has subsequently been influential on a wide spectrum of artists. Constructivism is typically characterised by the use of industrial materials – such as glass, plastic and standardized metal parts – arranged in clear formal relationsips… some writers prefer to use the terms ‘Soviet Constructivism’ [CHILVERS, 2004]

The constructivist movement was in prominence around 1919 and was founded by Vladimir Tatlin in 1913. It was an ‘abstract movement which focused on art for the industrial age.’ [ART FORTUNE, 2011] “The constructivists, whose ideas represent the most sophisticated aspect of the Soviet avant-garde, viewed the artists as an “engineer” whose duty was to construct “useful objects”, much like a factory worker while actively participating in the building of a new society” [PETRIC, 1987; p5]

It was starting to become clear that art had a major role to play in society and politics in Russia - the most famous political example probably being El Lissitsky’s “Beat The Whites With The Red Wedge” from 1919 (fig. 1). The piece shows a red wedge piercing a white circular motif. Red became the symbol of revolution and of the Bolshevik, white was the symbol of anti-revolutionary forces.

‘When the revolution took place in Russia in 1917, it did not mean that the Soviet Union with its many components was immediately formed. A civil war erupted between the communists, the reds, and the royalists supporting the old regime, the whites. With that in mind, this becomes a stylized battle plan for the communist victory, rather than just some abstract geometric design.’ [Art In The Picture, 2012]

So art was influencing politics, politics was influencing art and both were developing and shaping Russia together.

Russia was becoming more forward thinking and industrialized but at the same time it kept Lenin’s views on equality, and creating the same product for all. ‘Treating workers' housing in the same way as they would bourgeois apartments’ [CAMPBELL; 1971]

New technology was something the constructivists were enthusiastic about; this is exemplified by Rodchenko’s self-portrait (fig. 2) using elements of new technology such as photography and negatives. Similarly Russian filmmaking was becoming more avant-garde and groundbreaking with “October: Ten Days That Shook The World” by Sergei Eisenstein. It ‘demonstrates his ground-breaking artistry utilizing “a kind of montage that helped him to construct epic works which promoted the twin-edged theme of the masses entering history and history entering the masses’ [ROSENSTONE, 2006]

The Eiffel Tower itself, built in 1889 is a cultural symbol of the mass urbanization and modernization, which was taking place in Europe at the time, stemming from the late 19^th century. It was this urbanization and idea of ‘constructing society’, which was noted by the constructivists who also wanted to be forward thinking and emulate, and maybe surpass those heights. An example of this is Tatlin’s “Monument to the Third International” in 1919 (fig. 3).

‘Designed to be higher than the other great steel icon of modernity, the Eiffel Tower in Paris… Tatlin’s tower quickly became a legend internationally, even though (or because) it was never built. It seemed to represent the ultimate daring fashion of abstract form, modern technology and revolutionary politics. It may have influenced Gropius’s Monument to the March Dead of 1920’ [KENNEDY, 2006; P254]

Gropius later founded the Bauhaus school, so developments in Constructivism were having an inspiring effect on one of the most pioneering architects of modern times and possibly the foundations of Bauhaus’ birth.

After Germanys defeat in the First World War, the German monarchy fell. A new more liberal Weimar Republic took over and came to power in 1919. Similar to how the Russian Revolution overthrew the previous monarchy and paved the way for new beginnings. Along with a changing Germany, the censorship of the past was abolished, allowing a period of intense artistic experimentation, something which was suppressed in previous years.

This idea of change and “function before form” was the basis of the birth of the Bauhaus school, along with probably being inspired by the developments in Russia and the constructivist movement. Bauhaus at the time literally stood for “house of construction” and was formed by Walter Gropius in Weimar. It has had a profound influence on architecture, graphic design, interior design and many other disciplines of art. Examples such as Bauhaus Journal 1 (1926) designed by Herbert Bayer illustrate the influence Bauhaus not only had on graphic design but architecture.  Showing ‘Gropius’ iconic buildings for the Dessau Bauhaus: a potent image’ [BARTRAM, 2004; P56] along with the grid system they incorporated to layout, which is a staple of contemporary graphic design. Bauhaus had the same ethos of the constructivist artists - an idea of shaping and constructing a new society.

The Bauhaus was one of the first schools of art and design to teach multi-disciplined artists in a modern manner. This makes it very similar to Vkhutemas, the Russian state art and technical school founded in 1920, as they both trained artists in a modern manner, lecturing them on what we nowadays regard as basic principles; such as colour theory, layout etc. Both schools were also born out of a political and cultural change in their respective countries, both had very well renowned artists lecturing at the schools, artists such as Walter Gropius, Hannes Meyer, El Lissitzky, Alexander Rodchenko and Varvara Stepanova. Both schools also flourished at the same period of time.

Interestingly, both schools also worked very closely together and were definitely in regular contact - the avant-garde post-revolution Russian art and design clearly influenced the birth of Bauhaus in the first place. El Lissitzky, a lecturer at Vkhutemas had work ‘shown in the 1922 First Russian Art Exhibition in Berlin. Subsequently he had contact with the Dadaists, De Stijl and Bauhaus artists’ [GRAY, 1962]

Bauhaus had a major influence on many different fronts but it was to be an abrupt end for the school.

‘By 1931 the Nazi party dominated the Dessau city council, and in 1932 cancelled all Bauhaus faculty contracts. Mies van der Rohe again moved the school to an empty factory in Berlin, but continued Nazi harassment made the continuance impossible. The Bauhaus closed on August 10, 1933.’ [ANNESERDESIGN, 1999]

Similarly, Vkhutemas and the Russian avant-garde movement were both also damaged significantly by the ultimate rejection from Stalin and his regime. The more kitsch style of socialist realism was in ascension and unfortunately the ground breaking artistic movements in both Germany and Russia were pretty much disbanded because of social and political changes. Just how both were pretty much born out of political and social changes.

It’s also clear that the social changes in Russia and the artistic Constructivist movements in Russia had a clear influence on the birth of Bauhaus and the teachings there. Both were strikingly alike. A number of Constructivists even taught at Bauhaus and translated Vkhutemas teachings to the Bauhaus. ‘The Vkhutemas Art School was as experimental and innovative as the Bauhaus.’ [BARTRAM, 2004; P47] It’s hard to be on an art course and not hear about Bauhaus but rather unfairly very few would say they’re aware of Vkhutemas and in lesser terms, constructivism, especially so in the Western world.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

WOODFIN, R &ZARATE, O (2009) ‘MARXISM A GRAPHIC GUIDE’, LONDON, ICON BOOKS

KENNEDY, A (2006) ‘BAUHAUS’, LONDON, FLAME TREE PUBLISHING

PETRIC, V (1993) ‘CONSTRUCTIVISM IN FILM: THE MAN WITH THE MOVIE CAMERA: A CINEMATIC ANALYSIS’, CAMBRIDGE, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS

GRAY, C (1962) ‘THE GREAT EXPERIMENT: RUSSIAN ART’ LONDON, THAMES & HUDSON

BARTRAM, A (2004) ‘BAUHAUS, MODERNISM AND THE ILLUSTRATED BOOK’ LONDON, THE BRITISH LIBRARY

ANON. (2012) ‘CONSTRUCTIVISM’ [INTERNET], ARIZONA, ART OF FORTUNE, AVAILABLE FROM  <http://www.artfortune.com/constructivism> [DATE ACCESSED] 4/1/12

RAIZMAN, D (2004) ‘HISTORY OF MODERN DESIGN: GRAPHICS AND PRODUCTS SINCE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION’, london, laurence king publishing

Campbell, e (1971) ‘art and revolution’, london, hayward gallery

ayers, d (2004) Modernism: a short introduction’, cornwall, blackwell publishing

Kentgens-craig, m (2001) ‘the bauhaus and america: first contacts, 1919-1936’, usa, mit press

anon. (2009) ‘rodchenko and popova: defining constructivism’ [internet], london, tate publishing, available from <http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/rodchenkopopova/roomguide/room10.shtm>[date accessed] 8/1/12

ROSENSTONE, R (2006) ‘History on Film/Film on History (History: Concepts, Theories and PracticE’, LONDON, LONGMAN

ANON. (1999) ‘HISTORY/BAUHAUS’ [INTERNET], USA, ANNESER DESIGN, AVAILABLE FROM  <http://anneserdesign.com/Bauhaus.html> [DATE ACCESSED] 4/1/12

MATHIC, O. & BOWLT, E. J. (1999) ‘LABORATORY OF DREAMS: RUSSIAN AVANT-GARDE AND CULTURAL EXPERIMENT’, CALIFORNIA, STANFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, NEW EDITION

HOCHMAN, S. E. (1997) ‘BAUHAUS: CRUCIBLE OF MODERNISM’, USA, FROMM INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING CORP U.S.

CHILVERS, I (2004) ‘THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF ART’, UK, OUP OXFORD, 3 EDITION

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Photos of essay booklet

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Finished Essay

I'm going to present my essay as a sort of booklet, I think it will look smarter than some sheets stapled together in the corner. In keeping with the constructivism and political theme throughout the essay, I've designed a front and back cover which is suitable to the content. It was actually quite enjoyable and definitely a style I enjoy working with.

Open publication - Free publishing - More abbas mushtaq

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Alfred Hitchcock! - Final Crit + Thoughts

Here are my initial thoughts and responses (in red) to the feedback from the final crit (18/5/12) on the publication.

1What is the publication trying to communicate?

Hitchcock's style and techniques. Background info on life, influencing films today.

This is interesting. I wanted my underlying inspirational message to be quite subtle, so people in all walks of life can enjoy it. An inspiring quote can be taken towards someones design practice, workplace or just overall approach to life. It's a little broad but as a fan of Hitchcock, I wanted to create a publication for film fans too. It could although, have been a little stronger if the inspirational message was a little clearer, especially on the intro first page. Definitely aair point which I'll take away from the crit.

Strengths

Saul Bass style looks good. Relevant to the era. 

Visually pretty crazy, lots to see.

Cut out circle (Rear Window page)

Improvements

Press the book, flatten it with a weight

Make sure some current design styles are backed up with why you've used them

I'm happy with the fact that the viewers that the visuals are pretty crazy, this is pretty much the way I wanted the book to look. On the topic of backing up current styles with reasons, it would have been cool to maybe look more into the graphic designers of each period more. Such as Saul Bass, he must have had graphic designers collaborating with him for his early movies and later movies when Hitchcock and Saul were not collaborating. I didn't research into this and didn't include this into the book which is a shame. If I was to do this again or revisit the content, I would definitely look into this. I also didn't touch upon Bernard Herrman, the music composer who was instrumental in Hitchcock's work, especially the Psycho scene. 

2. How is the format of the publication relevant to the content?

Strengths

Book - clearly laid out. Shows a direct visual journey.

Appropriate layout

Interactive - good visuals

Good use of type on front cover - simple. Manageable size publication

Improvements

Could have been a contents page - bit mixed up

I deliberately had certain aspects of the book mixed up such as the macguffins and cameos appearing randomly but a contents page definitely wouldn't have done any harm, just to give a heads up to the viewer of what to expect throughout the book and set the tone for the book straightaway. If I revisited the content I would look into a contents page. Could even make it a look like a film intro somehow, like intro film credits maybe.

3. Comment on the practical, conceptual and/or symbolic considerations of colour?

Strengths

- There is a link between the colours used and the films which helps section off the publications

It also makes it visually interesting and engaging, exciting almost.

Improvements

Sometimes when the text is smaller (especially the green on the read) it's hard to focus and read. Perhaps consider how the text relates to the background colour more.

The Alfred Hitchcock rope page is distracting with the yellow text behind it. Not legible (is it meant to be?)

I like that some readers thought it was interesting and engaging. This is good! It was my aim. The comment on the red and green being hard to read was kind of intentional. I was experimenting with juxtaposing sombre content (frequently cast actors) with colours that make you work when you wouldn't expect it to. I was trying to make easy reading, a bit difficult. I went into this deeper in the earlier post on colour.

Although the yellow text on the Rope page is a good point. It's not nice on the eyes and it doesn't really justify itself being there, It would probably not lose anything if it wasn't there, so if I was to design it again I would just get rid of the yellow overlaid text or adjust the positioning of it at the very least.

4. Who is the target audience?

I think the target audience would be film/Hitchcock fans as well as people who enjoy design.

4. Assuming the role of audience, what is your reaction to the publication?

The film posters are really strong. The Saul Bass influence shows through the work. The book visually is strong. The read window page is interactive and goes with the content.

I don't think the book is as strong as the posters. The binding needs improving. Too many typefaces. Layouts get slightly repetitive. Investigate films with more depth. The plot doesn't seem enough research.

I think the research into the plot wasn't needed that much, I knew a decent amount about the films but I felt too much text into the books wasn't needed and the book wasn't designed to be too text heavy from the research, I think the amount of text at the moment is still pretty heavy for what I was after, but it's still a fair point and it's noted. 

The layout is a good point, looking back on it I had a fairly regimented plan for the book. Visualised scene > poster > info on the facing page.

It can get quite repetitive, for a normal book it would be ideal to have a common layout but for a book which I designed to be quite unpredictable and 'un-gridlike' it's still pretty regimented and linear in this sense. Looking back on it I could make it more unpredictable, but try and find a healthy balance with communication and it being understandable and readable.

5. Do you think this is the intended response? Explain your answer

The intended response is spot on when it comes to the posters. You instantly know the posters are based upon a Hitchcock film. The colours in the book used go with the films/posters.

The book has too many mixtures of typefaces/styles.

I keep sounding like I'm defending myself or trying to justify the criticism here but I think the worrying issue for me is that some of the feedback sees things I meant to do on purpose - as criticism. It's a red flag because for example I wanted the varying styles and typefaces to suit the content in question, for example 20s styles for 20s movies. If it wasn't noticed then it's my fault not the readers and I need to go over it again and redesign. 

Although overdoing the typefaces is a fair point. I was finding it difficult to nail the visuals in the black and white movies stage and was having difficult choosing typefaces.

7. What context(s) would the publication be appropriate for? Explain your answer

Suitable content - library bookshop, colleges/university

Could come as a supplement in a film magazine/journal

8. Would it be appropriate for this publication to be viewed worldwide? Explain your answer.

Yes. Everyone knows of Hitchcock

Colour appeals to all age groups

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OVERALL CONCLUSION & EVALUATION

Overall I'm pretty happy with the feedback although there's definitely area for improvement. It's the first book I've ever made and probably the biggest project I've done to date, in terms of content and time spent on the visuals. Although with the quantity of content, the quality of the content is not as consistent as it could be.

I also could have handled the type better, for me the black and white stage is a bit dodgy visually, I wasn't as comfortable with the 20s style as I could have, and probably should have been. Once it turned to colour, I could allow my own personal Saul Bass influences show through a little more and I started to have fun with it more. I'm happy with my posters, which are also shrunk down into my book. I'm glad that I made something out of my own comfort zone and went for it, and didn't limit myself. 

The content could maybe be a bit clearer, people didn't seem to pick up on the macguffins/cameos and transitions to colour and visual styles etc. Although this may be noticed if the viewer reads through the book page by page and lets it soak in. A contents page, and a clearer sense of trying to inspire is needed.

In the end the only thing I didn't achieve, that I wanted to, was a more sleek method of binding. I was aiming to perfect bind but for someone who hasn't done it before and had nothing to test it on first, time was also not on my side so I went for the safer option.

Overall I'm quite happy with the book, although it could do with some improvements on the whole I think I've merged Hitchcocks visual styles and techniques, with his design practice and an inspirational message. I wanted to translate his aura and effect on the viewer, with macguffins, cameos etc and they're in the book. Some scenes could have been visualised better, I think the 'knife' and 'dusting crops' scenes are the strongest although the 'knife' type could do with some refining. I'm happy with how it's turned out generally and I hope people enjoy it and its inviting to read, as that's what I wanted to achieve.


It is by no means perfect. Some risks probably didn't quite pay off, but I'm glad I tried them.

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Colour.

Throughout the book, especially when I tranfer to the colour period in Hitchcock's career, some of the colours are purposefully pretty vivid, in some terms I'm breaking 'design' rules, for example combining red and green is often seen as 'bad'. Red and green are opposites of the colour spectrum and clash, making your eyes feel funny.

I thought it would be a interesting experiment to use colour to, again, manipulate the viewer experience like Hitchcock did, but in this case a book. I tried to juxtapose colour with the content.

Here, I had a red and green colour pallette where the content in question is simply sharing frequently cast actors and actresses in Hitchcock's career. By contrast to the rest of the books content, it's fairly sombre and isn't regarding any particular suspense scene or so on. But i've tried to juxtapose the content with the colour, colours which make you feel a little uneasy and it's not as easy to read as it could be, definitely.

Even though the content should be pretty pleasant reading, I'm still trying to make the reader work.

I think I was inspired to do this by scenes such as Scottie's hallucination scene in Vertigo. Use of colour is clearly very important and the scene appears at a moment you don't expect it to.

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Inspiring quotes/soundbites throughout the book.

The underlying aim of the book is to inspire. In this case, the book's mostly been viewed by fellow graphic designers at LCA. In the final crit, it's unlikely they read through the book word for word but if they did, they would they would hopefully pick up on the short and (hopefully) articulate sentences that wrap up topics I cover.

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Hitchcock cameos in the book

Hitchcock did many cameos in his movies, it became a trademark of his. Like personally signing his work. I had Hitchcock popping up throughout my book too, having cameos in my book to further reinforce the idea of cameos and to also randomly appear when you least expect him to - again, like in the movies.

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Macguffins in my publication...

Throughout the book, I've placed 'macguffins' in random contexts to throw off the reader and give them a device that sucks them in but is ultimately meaningless and secondary to the overall aim. A macguffin described by Hitchcock is a plot device that the hero/heroine will do anything to achieve, but ultimately is never explained why. Or why it's indeed so important. I tried to translate this to the book.

A lot of the book is about how the reader feels when reading it. Hitchcock was heavily interested in psychoanalysis and manipulating the viewers when watching his movies, I tried to have glimpses of this in the book.

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