Independent Projects
Please post your final projects here.
Name, title, project statement, bibliography/links, etc. High resolution images (8×10″, 150dpi)
—–
Liliana Matos
Artist statement and bibliography can be found on the site.
Alex Goree
A book that explores the various effects and techniques of altering images and text until we can no longer recognize or understand the content
Claire Niebergall
http://buildinternet.com/2009/01/how-to-make-a-smooth-animated-menu-with-jquery/
http://www.webstuffshare.com/2010/04/nice-menu-css-animation-jquery-animate/
http://www.dynamicwp.net/articles-and-tutorials/best-tutorials-jquery-sliding-door/
http://www.queness.com/post/256/vertical-scroll-menu-with-jquery-tutorial
Molly Johnson
Symbols of Identity:
This project is part of a great goal of mine: to demystify the secrets behind great logo design. Specifically I am interested in logos that represent the identity of individuals. In the image-saturated world today of logos, apps, and other icons, it has become increasingly important and crucial to stnad out in a cluttered job market. We are a part of “generation sell” in which everyone is trying to brand them selves in order to be “bought” (NYTimes) With this project I wanted to see how different professions and industries represented themselves with icons, namely logos. How do logos that represent personal identity differ from profession to profession in terms of color, shape, etc.
By creating an infographic website of my data I was able to not only compare the logos from different industries but the logos of individuals in those professions compared with major companies of the same industry.
http://mollymasonjohnson.com/logos/styles.html
Bibliography:
Websites/Books
Bibliography
Alex Goree
Molly Johnson
Liliana Matos
Claire Niebergall
Sarah Shults
2011 Independent Project Proposals:
Alex Goree:
For my independent project, I would like to focus on the formal aspects of design by investigating forms from everyday images or in real life and turning them into something new. For instance, I want to look at advertisements, maps, architecture, nature and other materials that draw me for its line, shape, and color. I have a fascination with contrasts, and for this project, I would like to incorporate the theme of ‘simple vs. complex.’ With the image I have found or created, I want to construct new shapes that do not exist in the original. I will cut it apart, rearrange the parts, and re-piece them together so that image becomes something entirely different, introducing different design elements from the way it started. I want to cut simple geometric shapes and turn them into visually complex patterns, similar to the visuals a kaleidoscope creates.
I intend to experiment with the composition of the cut out pieces with the goal of using simple shapes to make more complicated ideas, so that its initial appearance is completely unrecognizable. An artists that has used a similar technique is Louis Cameron, who creates geometric patterns from product labels, such as candy wrappers, and also does color studies using patterns with jigsaw puzzles. I may continue this investigation further by applying this technique to multiple images, creating a series. I may also alter an image that has already been cut and re-pieced, in order to investigate how the reconstructed materials turn more complex each time they are edited.
Advanced Design & Typography 2011 
I want my independent project to relate to my thesis project as a Visual Studies major. My thesis will be an exploration of the art of Chinese seal making/printing and their aesthetic/conceptual relationship to modern day logos.
Background info about seals:
Chinese painting is vastly different from its Western counterpart in that it is comprised of three distinct elements and skill sets: brushwork, calligraphy, and seal engraving. Most Chinese paintings include all three of these components because they communicate with each other to give a painting’s subject more depth and to give texture to its aesthetic appeal. Chinese seals are sculpted pieces of soft stone inked in vermillion pigment and impressed on a painting to reveal the name of the artist, studio, owner, emperor, or even a motto. Most paintings will have several scattered across them, added over time as the painting passes from one owner to the next. What are the visual and conceptual implications of having an exceptionally large seal? I am also curious as to the methods of seal placement. Who decides where a seal is placed? Is there a science to it or are their locations arbitrary? For my thesis I plan to make my own seals that represent names and mottos that are important to me, and include them in a handmade book.
In this class, however, I would like to focus on the more digital side of logo making. Logos, like seals, indicate identity. The seals of royal and wealthy patrons increase the value of Chinese paintings, just like status indicating logos on the high-end products of today. Both logos and seals have been counterfeited and for the people of their times they were/are instantly recognizable. I would like to treat Chinese seals as their own type of designed logos by interpreting their characters and the arrangement of their characters as aesthetic decisions. As my independent project I will be designing a small booklet that deconstructs some of the world’s most famous logos, similar to our first project! If I can relate them back to seals for this project that would be great too because ultimately, with my senior thesis, I want to reveal that identity representation via icons is not a tradition that began with the advent of advertising.
Sources:
Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting. Professor Richard Barnhart, Yang Xin, Nie
Chongzheng, Professor James Cahill, Lang Shaojun, Hung Wu
Cambridge History of China. Patricia Ebrey.
Ten Thousand Things. Ledderose.
http://www.pentagram.com/work/#/all/all/newest/
For my independent project I would like to examine constraints and rules within graphic design. I think there are a lot of aesthetic rules designers are taught to help them determine what is good design and bad design. These rules apply to typography, business cards ect. I would like to make two posters or pamphlets that compile these different rules. One version would follow the rules strictly and the other would break as many of these “rules” as possible while trying to remain aesthetically pleasing.
Or I would like to create a personal website to showcase my portfolio.
I want my independent project to be a redesign/revamp of my existing website, http://www.claireniebergall.com
As it is now, this was the very first website I ever coded, and it’s very, very slow. And not easy to update at all. I’m still fond of the overall design and motif, but want to implement a few changes that make it work better and be more accessible to both my audience and to my own edits. Plus, now I feel more comfortable with typography, and want to have actual typographic elements as opposed to having everything be handwritten, which was the suggestion of my instructor— it’s not practical when people are searching for specific words within your profile, and not just your name.
Some basic ideas:
-implement a blog— this is essential for getting hired in the animation industry… people want to see your daily sketches, as well as just whatever you’re interested in outside of your work
-make it LOAD FASTER
-create a method for me to change and update my gallery more easily, but still keep the same general presentation… I’ve already gotten started on this, but I want to use this opportunity to finish it up
-implement actual searchable type
-make it a true one-page site… no individual pages
-improve clarity— direct link to resume, blog, etc.
-allow for comments
Some inspirations:
For using circles as organization, and simplification into symbols:
http://craigjamieson.com/
For texture/style inspiration:
http://www.giancarlo-fajardo.com/
Revision:
I want my independent project to relate to my thesis project as a Visual Studies major. My thesis will be an exploration of the art of Chinese seal making/printing and their aesthetic/conceptual relationship to modern day logos and logotypes.
Background info about seals:
Chinese painting is vastly different from its Western counterpart in that it is comprised of three distinct elements and skill sets: brushwork, calligraphy, and seal engraving. Most Chinese paintings include all three of these components because they communicate with each other to give a painting’s subject more depth and to give texture to its aesthetic appeal. Chinese seals are sculpted pieces of soft stone inked in vermillion pigment and impressed on a painting to reveal the name of the artist, studio, owner, emperor, or even a motto. Most paintings will have several scattered across them, added over time as the painting passes from one owner to the next. What are the visual and conceptual implications of having an exceptionally large seal? I am also curious as to the methods of seal placement. Who decides where a seal is placed? Is there a science to it or are their locations arbitrary?
Logos, like seals, indicate identity. The seals of royal and wealthy patrons increase the value of Chinese paintings, just like status indicating logos on the high-end products of today. Both logos and seals have been counterfeited and for the people of their times many of them were/are instantly recognizable. I would like to treat Chinese seals as their own type of designed logos by interpreting their characters and the arrangement of their characters as careful aesthetic decisions.
Ultimately, with my senior thesis, I want to reveal that identity representation via icons is not a tradition that began with the advent of advertising. I want to reveal the “tricks” of great logo design by analyzing logo creation from start to finish. What is the creative process (of great designers like Pentagram, Chermayeff & Geismar Inc.,etc.) for creating logos? What are the connections between ideas about the “brand” and intial mark making? I feel that this is where my comparison between seals and logos is most relevant. They all begin with a specific conception of an identity and end as a tangible, recognizable icon of symbolic meaning. I will start off this exploration of relationships (between identity and form, seal and logo) by documenting the creative processes behind creating each item and finding similarities and differences therein. I think a good way to get my brain moving will be to catalogue all of the logos I want to study and all of the seals in some sort of infographic display. I also plan to create logos out of seals’ identities (a digitally rendered logo for an emperor, painter, etc.) and seals out of logos’ identities (a seal for Coca-Cola, NBC, etc.)
These two initial activities of cataloging “data” and “role reversals” will be a good start to this exploratory research assignment. I am not so sure where it will lead me but I am so excited by the topic that I know I can take this project really far.
Sources:
1) Hillman Curtis Artist Series Videos about Pentagram
-AIGA website
2) Outside research on drawing letterforms, mark-making and typography
3) Print magazine puts out the yearly best logo designs and have produced books on logo designs.
4) Rockport publishers have put out several books on logo design.
5)Typography Sketchbooks by Steven Heller and Lita Talarico.
6) Chermayeff & Geismar Inc (book is called TM Trademarks designed by Chermayeff & Geismas by Ivan Chermayeff, Tom Geismar)
7) http://www.processedidentity.com/study/creative-process-study-20-edenspiekermann/
8) Per Mollerup’s Marks of Excellence, The History and Taxonomy of Symbols.
http://designhistory.org/symbols.html
9) Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting. Professor Richard Barnhart, Yang Xin, Nie
10) Chongzheng, Professor James Cahill, Lang Shaojun, Hung Wu
11) Cambridge History of China. Patricia Ebrey.
12) Ten Thousand Things. Ledderose.
13) Pentagram’s website: http://www.pentagram.com/work/#/all/all/newest/
My Revision:
I want my independent project to relate to my thesis project as a Visual Studies major. My thesis will be an exploration of the art of Chinese seal making/printing and their aesthetic/conceptual relationship to modern day logos and logotypes.
Background info about seals:
Chinese painting is vastly different from its Western counterpart in that it is comprised of three distinct elements and skill sets: brushwork, calligraphy, and seal engraving. Most Chinese paintings include all three of these components because they communicate with each other to give a painting’s subject more depth and to give texture to its aesthetic appeal. Chinese seals are sculpted pieces of soft stone inked in vermillion pigment and impressed on a painting to reveal the name of the artist, studio, owner, emperor, or even a motto. Most paintings will have several scattered across them, added over time as the painting passes from one owner to the next. What are the visual and conceptual implications of having an exceptionally large seal? I am also curious as to the methods of seal placement. Who decides where a seal is placed? Is there a science to it or are their locations arbitrary?
Logos, like seals, indicate identity. The seals of royal and wealthy patrons increase the value of Chinese paintings, just like status indicating logos on the high-end products of today. Both logos and seals have been counterfeited and for the people of their times many of them were/are instantly recognizable. I would like to treat Chinese seals as their own type of designed logos by interpreting their characters and the arrangement of their characters as careful aesthetic decisions.
Ultimately, with my senior thesis, I want to reveal that identity representation via icons is not a tradition that began with the advent of advertising. I want to reveal the “tricks” of great logo design by analyzing logo creation from start to finish. What is the creative process (of great designers like Pentagram, Chermayeff & Geismar Inc.,etc.) for creating logos? What are the connections between ideas about the “brand” and intial mark making? I feel that this is where my comparison between seals and logos is most relevant. They all begin with a specific conception of an identity and end as a tangible, recognizable icon of symbolic meaning. I will start off this exploration of relationships (between identity and form, seal and logo) by documenting the creative processes behind creating each item and finding similarities and differences therein. I think a good way to get my brain moving will be to catalogue all of the logos I want to study and all of the seals in some sort of infographic display. I also plan to create logos out of seals’ identities (a digitally rendered logo for an emperor, painter, etc.) and seals out of logos’ identities (a seal for Coca-Cola, NBC, etc.)
These two initial activities of cataloging “data” and “role reversals” will be a good start to this exploratory research assignment. I am not so sure where it will lead me but I am so excited by the topic that I know I can take this project really far.
Sources:
1) Hillman Curtis Artist Series Videos about Pentagram
-AIGA website
2) Outside research on drawing letterforms, mark-making and typography
3) Print magazine puts out the yearly best logo designs and have produced books on logo designs.
4) Rockport publishers have put out several books on logo design.
5)Typography Sketchbooks by Steven Heller and Lita Talarico.
6) Chermayeff & Geismar Inc (book is called TM Trademarks designed by Chermayeff & Geismas by Ivan Chermayeff, Tom Geismar)
7) http://www.processedidentity.com/study/creative-process-study-20-edenspiekermann/
8) Per Mollerup’s Marks of Excellence, The History and Taxonomy of Symbols.
http://designhistory.org/symbols.html
9) Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting. Professor Richard Barnhart, Yang Xin, Nie
10) Chongzheng, Professor James Cahill, Lang Shaojun, Hung Wu
11) Cambridge History of China. Patricia Ebrey.
12) Ten Thousand Things. Ledderose.
13) Pentagram’s website: http://www.pentagram.com/work/#/all/all/newest/
Revision!
My independent project will focus on different styles of website navigation— menu bars, dropdown sections, ease of use, and overall organization of information. Which forms of navigation are most practical? Which kinds are considered intriguing or fascinating? Which form of navigation works best for certain contexts— business website, portfolio, online store, news source, etc? This project will investigate many different forms of organizing website content and making it accessible to users, both conventional and unconventional. Other elements will be taken into account: placement on the page, size, shape, color, whether or not there is an obvious hierarchy. I will familiarize myself with the industry terminology behind website navigation (primary navigation, secondary navigation, utility navigation, etc) to gain a better understanding of established conventions. This project will explore the variety of options available for navigation and examine the effectiveness and creativity of each.
Sources:
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/06/06/planning-and-implementing-website-navigation/
http://www.antharia.com/resources/details.php?id=86
http://www.fiftyfoureleven.com/weblog/widgets-that-work/effective-complex-navigation
http://webdesignledger.com/inspiration/30-website-navigations-that-make-you-wanna-click-it
Alex Goree (revision):
For my independent project, I would like to focus on the formal aspects of design by investigating forms from everyday images or in real life and turning them into something new. For instance, I want to look at advertisements, maps, architecture, nature and other materials that draw me for its line, shape, and color. I have a fascination with contrasts, and for this project, I would like to incorporate the theme of ‘simple vs. complex.’ With the image I have found or created, I want to construct new shapes that do not exist in the original. I will cut it apart, rearrange the parts, and re-piece them together so that image becomes something entirely different, introducing different design elements from the way it started. I want to cut simple geometric shapes and turn them into visually complex patterns, similar to the visuals a kaleidoscope creates.
I intend to experiment with the composition of the cut out pieces with the goal of using simple shapes to make more complicated ideas, so that its initial appearance is completely unrecognizable. I may continue this investigation further by applying this technique to multiple images, creating a series. I may also alter an image that has already been cut and re-pieced, in order to investigate how the reconstructed materials turn more complex each time they are edited.
Depending on the outcome of this first step, I would like to explore whether the deconstruction of these shapes add new meaning or tone to the piece. What does complicating/simplifying the image do to the piece? Do the rearranging of the parts produce a different idea from its original form?
I would like to begin the research by collecting items to scan and then digitally edit. I will also go back to the band-aid box from Project 1, in which I broke down images and text into shapes that resembled architecture. I hope to eventually narrow down my focus of items to a single theme that interests me. For instance, I may decide to focus my research on brand name product labels, pop culture posters, informative materials, etc.
An artist that has used a similar technique is Louis Cameron, who creates geometric patterns from product labels, such as candy wrappers, and also does color studies using patterns with jigsaw puzzles. Rosalie Gascoigne reconstructed road signs and other found materials.
Sources:
http://www.louiscameron.com/main.html
http://www.roslynoxley9.com.au/artists/15/Rosalie_Gascoigne/547/40076/