WHY GCD
I have chosen Graphic design due to my excitement when looking at and designing minimal book cover designs. In my life I am constantly attracted to minimal shapes and colours in the objects around me- clothes, photographs, architecture and designs of books, posters or anything on paper- which are often grey or a dulled down colour. I like the concept of viewing an object simply and appreciating its form with less emotive connotations. All of this is where I can probably pin my fascination with the concrete art and swiss design movement down to. As seen below I have chosen Josef Müller-Brockmann. He shows the different aspects I enjoy exploring within a piece of work- photography, shape/illustration, colour, text and layout.
I enjoy exploring illustrator and creating shapes. This often forms part of my work as I am able to create a theme within my work with a specific style of simple lines or shapes. (Hence Patrick Caulfield). I also use photography often, as an outstanding piece of work or manipulated- often with overlaying colours, opaque or translucent. (Hence Mauren Brodbeck)I would like to carry on exploring this aspect of my work but also push myself to find new artists and approaches that can develop this style.
I have also surprisingly absorbed and engaged with the more conceptual aspects of the GCD foundation we have undertaken in the past 9 weeks. Looking into more conceptual artists and seeing how I can translate these methods and thoughts into my own work has been very interesting and I would definitely like to keep exploring this.
Josef Müller-Brockmann
Müller-Brockmann is able to use photography, shapes and text within a layout in a particular style which as a designer defines what I often aim for. He is one on of the many artists I could have chosen to represent the concrete art and swiss design movement however he seems to encapsulate most of the aspects I love about these styles. The use of sans serif text in the simple but unusual layout uncentered blocks of text very logically placed in almost column positions on the page. I also enjoy how he can use the text as either the main focus or just for function but either way it adds to the poster and makes it more refined. The use of photography and simple shapes particularly resinates with me as these are often the two forms I choose to represent an object or thought.
5. Frühjahrskonzert der Tonhalle-Gesellschaft (5th Spring concert of the Acoustic Society) 1953
Patrick Caulfield
When seeing patrick Caulfield shapes it triggers insane though of illustrating simple shapes, both of block colour and overlaying shapes with and without an outline. All of these factors are an aspect in my work to simplify a shape and objects which may become the subject of a layout.
Mauren Brodbeck - Urbanscapes
Maureen Brodbeck was where I first encountered how manipulating images - especially of buildings - can really enhance my work and work with the dim block colours I like to use to represent a shape and now to cut it out and focus an object