The Movie Font

Since this week's reading is about typography/font, I thought I would share this gem with you all.

Blog-o-study: Imprint

I mentioned this in my first post, but I will be, huh, reviewing ... reporting on one specific blog this semester as well as incorporating finds from across the web, magazines and text books in this blog. This weekend, I have spent so time wandering around "my" website, Imprint.printmag. There is A LOT of stuff on there.

I enjoyed this little imagine:

After reading the few lines about the cartoon, I realize it is supposed to make a political statement. I am not sure I would have realized that if I had just seen it. What I read into it was that art sometimes happen by accident. That's not really a philosophy I live by when it comes to designing my own projects. However, when I am in the kitchen, it's a whole different story.

I have been doing some reading of the website as well. I was drawn to the story: His Name is Lucian, but Everyone Knows him as Bernhard because of the bright red image. I quickly learned that I am not the only one drawn to the red book. Lucian Bernhard's red Priester Match poster (shown below) was described in the article as a "watershed document of modern graphic design." That its stark colored captured the viewer's eye. I simply cannot disagree. It was interesting to read about his simplistic approach and how he change advertising because last week in my post I described the intricate hand drawing in books, such as the Canterbury Tales, and the ornate posters. Lucian's work is the exact opposite of pretty much everything that came before him. I appreciate trailblazers like that. As I continue to design, I strive to create my own. However, I often find myself in more of an homage state that a pioneering one. I also feel like I need to always be more detailed. When I was working on my Spring Preview section, I felt like my simple but clean design and not out-of-the-box idea was not as good as the more intricate images. But Lucian shows that you can have your own design style (and your own fonts!).

You can't miss

This weekend, I ran across an article about greeting cards inspired by Chinese architectures. So intricate and beautiful that I knew I had to share them with all of you for the "You can't miss." I'm not sure how strictly we have to stick to editorial design for this section. Any who, I love greeting cards. I think they are one of the ultimate expressions of love to another human being because they have to be purchased, signed (preferably with a note), stamped and mailed. I think they are especially worth-while when they are a "just because" sentiment. I own 8 different types of "just because" notes. It is quickly becoming a collection/obsession.

I think there is a lot of correlation between writers/designers and architects/engineers. Writers and architects create prose for the designers and engineers. They spend hours, days, weeks coming up with ideas, talking to others and finally creating a product that tells what is happening. The designers and engineers take that product (the prose) and give it a home to live in where others can enjoy. I like to think of myself as a magineer sometimes.

However, as designers, I think we are more fun than engineers because we get to be a wee bit more creative. I think we all remember hearing about this creative architecture/engineering disaster:

While I realize there has been a lot of editorial disasters, too. This one really stuck out in my mind.

I imagine I will reference Wallpaper a lot throughout the semester because it is one of my favorite design websites, so check it out!

Response: Judging

Last week, the Advanced Magazine Design class got to help with the preliminary judging of city magazines for a competition. It was a wonderful surprise. I love city/regional magazines because they are a celebration of hometowns. They create a sense of community and even a brand in many cases. I have worked with a city magazine before, and one of the first things that would be said at every meeting was "remember, this is a highlight of all the great things our county has to offer its residents and what those residents bring to the community." Basically, its goal was two-fold: to celebrate what the community brings through businesses and organizations and what how the individuals make up a good community through their work and hobbies. Whenever I am in a different city, I always pick up a city magazine. I still have my first copy of Inside Columbia from when I visited the university in 2010. It has a rooster on the cover.

Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to study each of the magazines that closely, but I know that each one of those is doing that same branding because I have read some of them before. As I have never been on the judging end of a magazine competition, like many of my classmates, I was surprised how limited our time was with each magazine before deciding on our favorites. (Note: We were just evaluating the design, and more professionals are going to be making the final picks.) I felt like I just had a couple of minutes to flip through each edition before being told to move to the next one. However, I did notice a few things. The first was that the covers of the magazines really influenced my overall impression of the magazine. My top-two picks had what I felt were both well-done and out-of-the-box covers. Of my top 3 choices, only one had OK covers. The next thing that jumped out at me was how heavily I weighed the design of the feature. I pretty much skimmed over the department pages, unless something really stood out, and headed right over to the feature. Design elements that made me more likely to choose a magazine were: content-driven design (based on skimming the article in about 30 seconds), creative from month-to-month, good use of "details," such as information boxes; and creative ways to present the information. One of the magazines, I just felt like I was in the city/state as I looked through its pages without it feeling cheesy. It didn't depend on "theme-y" fonts but rather had a good understanding of its audience.

I was pleased that my top choice won out within our class voting.

Critiques: Spring Preview

Spring Preview has sprung - almost.

Last week, the assignment was another competition among my classmates, where we were supposed to design the cover, splash and a two-page spread for the upcoming spring preview edition of Vox. Although my cover was not picked, I felt pretty good about my final design because I made a few goals for myself this semester. The first one is to learn more about Illustrator and creating illustrations. This project was an opportunity to start working

on those skills. While I feel like my idea/design was simplistic, I also felt it was clean and executed well, and I added to its design value through some new techniques. For example, instead of just placing a colored box on the page, I gave it some texture and shine. I guess I will let you all judge for yourself about the quality of my front cover.

I thought quite a bit about what kind of design I was going to do for this cover; however, none of my ideas were particularly spring-ish. It was mentioned in class that we didn't have to go with a typical spring theme, so I steered away from the flowers and rainbows that tend to overpopulate the spring editions of magazines.

While I initially wanted to go with a marathon/running theme, there were some technical skills that I just wasn't ready for when it comes to illustrating people. Since Spring Preview is more of a collection of dates/upcoming events, my second idea was to create a cover that played off of the idea of a wedding save-the-date card. I have quite a collection since many of my friends have gotten married, and I used to write all the engagement and wedding announcements at a newspaper in Mississippi. I went through quite a few design ideas, but they all felt just too girly. I didn't want to isolate half of the readers of Vox, so that idea eventually evolved to creating a cover that played off the idea of "saving the date" and incorporated a modern calendar. I think the use of digital calendars has become ubiquitous.

Once I decided on my concept, I didn't want it to be just boxes on boxes. I wanted to take the design up a notch, so I customized the look. Since I was using a plain-colored calendar (black and white), I knew I needed the other colors to pop. I wanted them to be colors that would catch someone's eye from across the room, so I went with red and orange. For the "Spring View" event box, I added a texture in the background and used a slight glow to make the box feel less flat. I also chose to put a translucent box over the orange box to add depth and make the font easier to use.

My proudest part of the cover is the check mark that I made by hand (with the pen tool). I real

ize it is a basic skill, but it was my first time doing a free-hand drawing with the pen tool. I also liked the check mark because I felt it allowed the cover to play to the reader and make them feel like they were interacting with it by already having the check that they were attending the events. I also continued to struggle through choosing the appropriate font.

Making a splash:

I decided to change the theme slightly when I worked on the splash page, which introduces the Spring Preview section to a refrigerator door. Yet again, I was using inspiration from my own life because where do I put reminders about important upcoming events? On my refrigerator! I also wanted to keep with my illustration practice since this was an opportunity to work on my desired skill. (I think it is probably for the best that I didn't go into animation because even these basic designs took quite a bit of time).

The biggest challenge of the fridge was trying to create the metallic look. I could have gone with just a white fridge, but where would the fun have been in that? Plus, I wanted an upscale brushed stainless steel refrigerator. Way classer. So I watched an online tutorial. This was not the one I used, but it has similar steps (and isn't video, which may make it easier to follow. I had to watch the video one 3 times to figure out what I was doing). To learn how to create your own brushed metal box in Illustrator, click HERE.

When I was thinking about the fridge and how I wanted to tell people this was the opening to "Spring Preview," I couldn't get those alphabet letters out of my head. However, after reading a tutorial about how to create 3D letters, I couldn't get them to look right on the image. It had to do with them being at an angle, which you would not see on a fridge. I decided to change the letters and use a drop shadow. This was definitely not ideal and something I would change. Actually, I think I would change the whole thing if I was going to do this project all over again. It just didn't come out how I would have liked it too. To continue with the theme, I wanted little "magnets" to let readers know what the different types of events would be in the spring - music, visual arts, community and sports.

Moving on:

Ahh, the spread. When I printed out the final pages, the font looked HUGE. This is not normally and issue, so maybe I was just suffering from screen blindness - I am not joking, I think in less than a decade that could be a medical term. If so, I am calling it right here, right now that I came up with the term.

I went with a simple, clean design for the inside pages, where one event would be highlighted with a longer story and a big picture for each month and the other events would just be the basic calendar listing. I used large numbers again. This is not the first time. I used numbers in my last design. The numbers this time were to tell what day of the month the event was going to be hold, but they also provided a graphic design that helped lead the idea through the page and break up constant text. I also thought it would be good to add a picture here and there within the columns to make the page more colorful. I definitely would change my "month" font because the rounded edges just felt cheesy/childish on this page.

The first time

Response: DIY Smokes

A. Getting back into the swing of things, my brain was as smoky as I imagine the location for our first assignment. This week, the advanced magazine design class was responsible for designing the cover and feature story for Vox magazine, a University of Missouri publication, about a Columbia-based roll your own tobacco shop.

The cover:

While we were given the title "Roll On," I made the executive decision to go with the more popular saying, "On a roll." It wasn't just that it is a well-known expression that attracted me to it but also because I felt it gave off a more positive image. "Roll on" implies that something is just existing in the same continuous state, b

ut I think "on a roll" gives a feeling of momentum, something getting stronger, which is what all businesses want. The one quote used in the story was, essentially, plan to be open tomorrow, which gives that hopefully feeling that I associate more with the latter expression.

Looking at the d

esign, I really like people on the cover because I think it grabs a reader or potential reader's attention. I am not the only one considering since McCall's started the trend many (if not most) of the popular magazine titles followed suit. However, I also choose this photo from among the other options because I liked its composition. I wanted the hand-rolled cigarette (although I learned from the story that the word cigarette implications big-tobacco industry, who knew?) to be prominently displayed. I also l

iked the element of the hands since the "smokes" are hand-rolled.

Typograp

hy is something I think I will complain about in most of my designs. I have a really hard time picking fonts. I am just never quite sure how to get the type and images to gel with a design concept. I think this is also hindering my ability to learn to design my own type. I tried to do something "fun" with the type on both the front and inside by using cigarettes to make the font. (Note: the title of my inside pages were DIY Smokes)

It just didn't feel right since this was a photo essay, so I dropped the idea. What did I end up with?

DIY Smokes: Feature pages

From the first moment I saw the photos and heard the concept of RYO, I couldn't help but think of a "how-to"/DIY articl

e. I love "Do It Yourself" and Pinterest and crafts, in general!

I also felt like my design decision was ins

pired by the directions of the IKEA chair I had put together recently. It turned out pretty well, and I feel like my design did as well. I chose pictures that went in a sequencal order for how you would participate in the RYO smokes activity at "Roll On." Although the photos were supposed to shine because this is a photo essay, I did

want to add slight graphic element by using a step-by-step design to lead the eye and tell the story before reading the text. Based on the in-class mini-critque Tuesday that might have been a "mistake." However, I am happy with the clean look and the extra elements.

B. This week, I will be working on the spring preview pages. I have been playing around with a few ideas - the one I have gotten the furthest on deals with running a race where the person pictured will be tearing through a finish line tape that says spring preview .... maybe. I just see the spring semester as this finish line to the school year. Update: I have changed my idea!

Response: Graphic Style

I'm a sucker for books, especially graphic design ones because of all the pictures. I also like to start at the beginning of books. Call me a traditionalist. I will admit that I cheated a little bit and did some high-quality magazine flipping when I first got the book in the mail. Then I settled down for a little bit of reading (really little bit - if you haven't looked at the book is it about 10 percent words). So, I will be taking you all through this book during this semester.

The first chapter focuses on early design - think hand-drawn Bible. Don't worry, I'm not going to be summerizing the chapter, I just wanted to set up the scene for all of you.

The opening images looks something like this:

That is a page from the Canterbury Tales. This type of literary art is classified as arts and crafts, which I think is a terrible down-grade to its beauty because, despite the re-emergence of the fun of "homemade," I think A&C has a negative connotation to it. Based on the page above, designing and creating this work of art was no small feat. In fact, I read an article last year about the "new" St. John's Bible, which is hand-drawn. To describe it as a project of Biblical proportions is not an understatement. It took 11 years to complete. It was commissioned by the Benedictine monks at St. John Abbey and St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn.

Although this isn't the best image of the St. John's Bible, I think you will be able to see what I saw, which is that the images are reminiscent/pay homage to 19th century book art but there is definitely a modern spin. I look at that modernization one of two ways. The first is that I wonder if it is impossible with today's technology (even when working by hand) to not be influenced by current art trends even when creating something as historical as a Bible. Or, second, I wonder if the choice of how to illustrate the pages was simply an artist's design to flex his, um, paintbrush. I think the biggest different I saw between the two is the lack of detail to the typography (as well as the rest of the page). But the typography does seems very secondary, which is often how I feel - shamefully.

The book does break the arts and crafts section into designs by cultures, British and American, and the American typography even then wasn't quite as flowery with the exception of the Altar Book. Why is this? Are Americans less flowery people? Something to ponder on.

You can't miss: Adhemas Batista

A. I love anecdotes, so here is the first of what I am sure will be many. Growing up, my dad took me to school and picked me up each day. In the morning, he would practice my weekly spelling words, but in the afternoon, we would get to chat. His favorite question was always, "what did you do in school today." He wouldn't except the answer stuff, so I had to come up with something. This is a conversation we continue to this day, and even when I worked full time. But I will never forget the day an advertising representative from Absolut Vodka came to my Advertising 250 class at the University of Tennessee. It was one of the first times, I purposely so he would ask me that question.

Although I wasn't sure what I would do with my life at that point, I did feel my first creative twinge when the guest lecturer began flipping through slides of the Absolut campaigns. I was in awe of the colorful creations, learning how they took pictures of a clear bottle and the rigorous planning it took to create and finalize the different concepts. I think I talked about the designs for about an hour.

So over the years, I have kept an eye on their advertisements. When I turned 21 (a few months after-the-fact because I was out of the country for a while), I couldn't wait to buy my first bottle just because of their advertising. Powerful stuff, those designers create. I mean, using the bottom of the bottle wasn't just a great idea it showed the recognition that Absolut had in its market.

I was excited when I came across this site, which featured Adhemas Batista's work on an Absolut campaign. I was not familiar with Batista's work before, but, if you are cool with Absolut, than you are cool with me! What I find most interesting about all the Absolut ads is that they are a strong enough brand that they allow the artist to infuse his or her style into the campaign. After looking through some of Batista's other work that is even more clear. I think his use of color is very whimsical and even when he is not using color, he is able to bring his illustrations to life.

Whew, this post is getting long. OK, last portion!

B. This semester, I will be looking at www.imprint.printmag.com. I am still just exploring the expansive site, so I am keeping it basic this week. So, fun with signage.

So, this really isn't design-y pre-say, however, it is a good reminder that bad design can create a really negative effect.

Welcome to (h)All About Design!

Hello classmates and those who stumbled across my blog because they also love design (and also my two biggest fans, my mom and dad - hello)!

I am Andrea Hall (get it - (h)All About Design), and I am a graduate student at the University of Missouri's School of Journalism. While I am studying magazine design for my master's program, I am more interested in doing research about design/trends, particularly as it relates to new media, than working professionally as a designer. I am currently researching the use of digital magazines by baby boomers and plan to turn it into my master's thesis. However, I find it important to learn as much about all areas of design as possible, so here you will be seeing my own design work as well as my critics of designs from across the web.

A little about me: I fell into both journalism and design by accident, in my opinion, but some might call it destiny. While I have never been on the pre-destination theological boat (religion-wise), I can't help but think there is an over-arching plan. I decided to major journalism while I was a student at the University of Tennessee because I wanted to graduate in four years after trying both business and advertising. Mind you, I was switching a little late - my junior year. I had two options: communication studies (which sounded lame) and journalism. It turned out OK. And I got a job as a lifestyles editor, which was the best job, ever - except the pay.

I became a designer out of necessity because of that job. The lifestyles editor was a one-woman-show, so she has to do all of her writing, photography and 11 pages of layout each week. While I had basic knowledge of Quark - like I had used it twice, maybe - I ended up falling in love with it, too! It was one of my favorite parts of the job. Since it was all self-taught, I decided to come back to school and am on my journey to learn more technical skills, how to analyze others' designs and study design trends within the industry. This semester, I will be looking most closely at Imprint's website as well as other designs/designers that catch my eye.