Wednesday, April 30, 2008
This movement uses asymmetrical organization that achieves a unity of design. Uses a grid constructed mathematically. The typography of the Swiss Design uses sans serif because it goes along with the mathematical grid that they use. Photography and visuals are objective that present the subject clearly. There is no commercial advertising. Taking New Typography to Switzerland from Germany.
Find an image that you find interesting
Where did the roots of this movement come from?
The roots of this movement came from Ernest Keller and in the curriculum at the School of Design in Basel.
Using ch 22 place one image that you find to be a successful corporate identity system.
(PICTURE IS IN MY EMIAL, HOWEVER I USED THE McDONALDS LOGO)
Using chapter 23, starting on page 402, define a psychedelic poster and place one that you find to be an interesting example of it.
The psychedelic posters have bright colors, curvy lines, and letters were curved to the point that they could not be read. The psychedelic style started during the 1960s, which was a time of social changes, war protests, civil rights movement etc. These posters were making statements the changes. The style poster goes along with the drug revolution that was hitting the country, they give off that “tripped out” feeling.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
The American Kitsch movement used bold geometric shapes and forms. It is what is now thought of as the designs in the 1950's. It was a movement that moved away from any movements that came before.
What was going on when the mondern art movement made it to America?
It did not become a major influence to American art until the 1930's. In 1913, mondern art was introduced to America in the Armory Show, however it was followed with public rejection because designers then were still focused on illustration. The modern art influence can be seen in American book design, business graphics and magazines (fashion and business editorials)
How was Tschichold's work see in America?
Tschichold's work was very different then what was there. It was met with both excitement and "turmoil".
What immigrants came to America?
Immigrants from France and Russia were coming to America during this time. Some were graphic designers that brought their own style. Designers include Alexander Liberman and Erte from Russia.
Describe how the posters looked in World War Two
Posters created during the second world war was designed to boost the morale of the American citizens, buying bonds and getting men to join the forces. This was done by the words and images they used and also bold colors, to get the public's attention.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Jan Tschichold, Laszio Moholy-Nagy & Typefaces
He wanted Germany to move away from the traditional textura and symmetry designs to an asymmetrical approach with a functional design by using the most efficiant way (using machines)
What was the importance of Laszio Moholy-Nagy with photography?
He used dynamic scales and combined illustration with typography. He played with different perspectives, for example, pictures from a bird eye's view. Moholy-Nagy also played with light and space.
What were the importances of typefaces Times New Roman, Futura and Universal Alphabet?
Times New Roman
-Legibility small
-seriffs and short ascenders and decender
-One of the most widely used typefaces
Futura
-includes 15 alphabets
-four italics
-geometrical sans seriff
Universal Alphabet
-paved the way to innovative typefaces following it
-geometrically constructed
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Art Deco through De Stijl
-Style:
-Geometric
-Machine like designs
-Infulences
-Art Nouveau
-Vienna Secession
-Bauhaus
SUPREMATISM
-started by Kasimir Malevich
-He focused on form and color
-Style
-nonobjective
-very abstract
-geometric
-not have scence that are usually found in nature
-Example: Malevich painted on a clean white background, a black square
CONSTRUCTIVISM
-Cut all traditional ties to the traditional art
-centered themselves, as artists, to industrial, visual communication design
-no longer creating paintings but focus on posters
-Example: Aleksei Garis' Konstruckivism (1922)
DE STIJL
-Started in the Neitherlands in 1917
-Driving forces in the movement:
Theo von Doesburg
Piet Mondrian
Bart Anthony Van der Leck
Vilmos Huszan
-Artists looked for "a universal laws of equilibrium and harmony for art"
-Influences and Styles:
-Van Gogh
-uses neutrals and primary colors
-Symbolic
-Uses nature
-geometric abstraction
Sunday, April 13, 2008
A.M Cassandre
Posters from World War One: Both Allie and Axis
www.google.com
To me, it looks like they are trying to make the country feel almost guilty for not enlisting. The mans face is very somber, to the point where you feel sorry for him. The poster shows him by himself holding the flag. Even though there is a sadness to his eyes, he is still proud to hold the flag. The boy is not old, he looks youthful, so I would assume that they want younger men to enlist.
Poster for the Axis Powers
www.google.com
The main objective to this poster is two things, to get men to enlist and also to make the country proud. This young man, has a confident, proud look on his face. And the Nazi sign is visable on his arm. I translated "Gerade Du" to help in elvaluating the poster, however, it was translated literaly as "straight one you". I don't quite understand why they would say that.
One commonality in both is the portrayal of a youthful man.
Defining Plakatstil
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Images of Cubism, Futerism, Dada, Surrealism and Expressionism
Cubism is a new concept in visual composition that challenges the artistic traditions for the past 400 years. This differs from any other artistics ideas of that time by the new ideas of expressing space, the human figure and using a new perspective in geometry in their art. Cubism also experimented with perspective in having more than one perspective of just one object in their compostion.
Cubism artist, Paul Cezanne (1839-1906) refered to this new idea as, "treat nature in terms of cylinders, and the sphere and the cone" (Meggs 248). This movement was made famous by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). The Spanish painter used incient African and Iberian art into his human form. Using also African geometric planes and colors and patterns in fabrics in his art. Picasso worked with George Braque in developing Cubism, their work was later identified as Analytical Cubism.
PICASSO, Pablo
The Guitar Player
Cadaques, summer 1910
Oil on canvas
100 x 73 cm
www.google.com
FUTURISM
The Futurism movement tested all realities of society at that time. It started with the publication of Manifest of Futurism in Le Figaro (a Paris newspaper)by Filippo Marinetti. His poetry shocked society, with exitement for the machines and war. Marinetti experimented with a wide variety of ink colors and typefaces. In one of his works, he would use multiple colors and over twenty different fonts. He challenged the "normal" structure of writing by not just having his words horizontal or vertical. He expressed different emotions or sounds by the typefaces he choose, for example, he used Bold-face for exuting violence. He motivated other poets to follow in his manner and challenge what is the norm. Futuristic works involve two concepts of that time, which include, speed and noise.
DAVID BURLIUK
www.google.com
DADA
The Dada movement is the movement to absolute freedom; repelling against everything at that time. Dada artists seperated and rejected the violence (World War One) porgression in the Industrial revolution, high society elegance and faith in religions. Moving towards deconstructive and producing a negative feel with the art. Overall the artists wanted to shock their audience with their works.
Dada movement began in Switzerland in 1917 as literary works by Hugo Ball (1886-1927). The first painter in Dada was Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) Duchamp was influenced by both Cubism (objects as geometric planes) and Futurism (ideas with motion and time). He is arguably most famous for painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa, which created a lot of controversy.
Marcel Duchamp, L.H.O.O.Q., 1919
www.google.com
SURREALISM
The Surrealism ("super reality") movement started in Paris in 1924, inspired by dreams and worlds outside of this one. Surrealism is way of thought in that there are no techniques to it but a way of feeling. It was outside the normal reality that society knows. Surrealism differs from Dada, Dada had a negative tone while this is more about faith in the human spirit. A poet by the name of Andre Breton, was the founder of Surrealism and using dreams and the subconscious. Breton wrote about his ideas in Manifesto Du Surrealisme.
Rene Magritte
La Magie Noire
www.yahoo.com
EXPRESSIONISM
Expressionism started in Germany in the early 1900's. Expressionism was about emotions and response more than it was about depicting actual objects in reality. These artists were heavily influenced by social events, for example, World War One. Die Bruke and Der Blaue Reiter were two expressionist groups formed in 1905 and 1911 respectively.
The technical style of Expressionism included
-pronouncing of color, intense contrast
-pronouncing of lines, loose brush strokes and thick paints
-used posters, woodcuts and lithographs
Wassily Kandinsky www.yahoo.com
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Response to Class Discussion on 4/2
One question I had was how the Art Nouveau was recieved by America, did society like this new style?
Also, are the ideas of the Vienna Secession still around today?
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Genesis of the 20th Century Design
- Frank Lloyd Wright is today known for his accomplishments in architecture. However, he also designed furniture, stained glass windows, wallpapers and fabrics that would best be put in the Art Nouveau style. Wright (1867-1959) believed that there was more to architecture than just what was seen on the outside, he believed that the art of architecture continued into the inside of the house. He used this theory along with his theory of "organic architecture". Influenced from architecture of Japan, he saw the core of his design was in space, creating harmonous space and proportions in his buildings.
Describe the work of the Glasgow school or "the four":
- "The Four", Margaret Macdonald, Frances Macdonald, J. Herbert McNair and Charles Rennie Mackintosh colaberated their artistic skills to create their own form of symbolic imagery. McNair and Mackintosh's architecture skills and the Macdonald sister's mystical and religous beliefs were combined to create a style described as "feminine, a fairyland fantasy, and a melancholy disquietude." Their posters had flat color and a bold black outline. "The four" made contributions to interior design that were extremely different interior designs of that time with white walls.
Describe the Vienna Secessionist work:
- The Vienna Secessionist is the counteract from the traditional ideas, to the new ideas. This emerged in England, Germany and France, in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The Secessionist differs with the style of simple clean lettering with Sans Serif, clean geometric design and the use of symbolism. For example, Gustav Klimt's poster for the first Vienna Secession exhibition in 1898. The poster grew inspiration from Greek Mythology, also with an interesting take with space, leaving a large gap in space on the poster.
Name one thing Peter Behrens designed:
- Some of the products Peter Behrens designed for are teapots and streetlamps and volt meters
Volt Meter designed by Behrens
Reflection After Class
- What I found to be one of the most interesting facts I learned was about Art Nouveau. I really liked seeing just how much influence from different movements went into Art Nouveau. Inspiration from the Arts & Crafts, Asian and going back to natural, ornate lines. New art movements are always in some way or another, influenced by previous art movements. I can relate this to my art and art today, artists are constantly influenced from others, and as we continue to learn more about Art Nouveau, Arts & Crafts, Victorian etc., I can take different aspects and use it to further my own art.
What questions remain in your mind after today's discussion about either Victorian or Art Nouveau?
- Toulouse-Lautrec capturing the nightlife in Paris, seemed to me that that would be "risky" and "inappropriate". Were his works looked down at by the upper society because it was of courtisans? What did society think of what he was drawing?
Monday, March 31, 2008
Art Nouveau
- Asian influence
- Large animated figures
- Unity of images, words and space
I enjoyed the works of Jules Chrett and Eugene Grasset. Chrett is known as the "father of modern poster" for his works, and I believe that name fits. I enjoyed to look at Orphee Aux Enfers (1879, fig 11-8) There is alot going on in this poster, it keeps my eyes busy, however it is not too much. The first thing I see is the person on the left and then my eye follows through the rest of the poster. Grassets work of the chapter title page and text page from Histoire Des Quatre Fils Aymon (1883, fig 11-13) interested me as well. I like how he made the image seperate the text, it is a new take on something that has been done. It also shows a different take on Art Nouveau, in my opinion.
Example of Art Nouveau
(outside the book)
Poster for "Paris Dances" at the Joyous Moulin Rouge, Paris
Giclee Print
Victorian Era
- Theme of religious beliefs
- optimisim
- Gothic
- Prints of children, maidens, puppies, and flowers
- Nostalgia
- Traditional values
Impetus for this Design Movement
- The Victorian designers wanted to find a way to show their "epoch" through design. A new consciousness during the Industrial Revolution portrays the traditional family values of that time.
Example of Victorian
(Not from the book)
ca. 1890 --- Trade Card of a Terrier Photographer --- Artist unknown
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Responce to 3/26 Class Discussion
Arts & Crafts Movement
- Legibility
- Brings back the Gothic style
- Symbols were printed with bright colors using wood blocks
- Intricate
- Disgards mass production
- Hand made
Impetus for Design Movement
- Because of the Industrial Revolution the quality production and design were replaced by mass production. William Morris saw the problem with "tastlessness" of the mass produced and wanted to bring back the craftsmenship and combine once again the craft and art.
2 Important Designers
- William Pickering- The Element of Euclid (1847) This was important to geometry with his use of color coding.
- Arthur H Mackmurds- Wren's City Churches (1833) High quality in design
Example of the Arts & Crafts Movement
(Outside the book)
Friday, March 28, 2008
Industrial Revolution
- The Industrail Revolution (1760-1840), starting in England, was a time of "radical" process of social and economic change. This revolution started with the perfection of the steam engine, by James Watt. Steam power was replacing engery perviously done by using human and animal power. As materials such as iron and steel, factories became more machine driven. Cities were expanding and as a result more people were looking for factory jobs. Costs were lowered by mass production and the demand rose as a result. People now wanted material goods made in factories and the want for handicrafts disappeared.
- 2 Typographical innovations during the Industrail Revolution were, the innovation of the "fat face" and the Sans-seriff. The "fat face" was introduced by Robert Throne and Thomas Cotterell. The innovation was in the contrast in the weight, it was changed in the thickness of each stroke. Sans-seriff was the second innovation. This later became important to graphic design in the 20th century.
- Most types were made from metal, which was not practical. Darius Wells started to make the types from a wood cut, which is now known as Wood Type Poster. These were less expensive, easier to move and just as strudy as the types made from metal. The public could create their own font, give it to the printer since new fonts could easlity be done with the wood cut type. However, posters that were created with the wood type had mixed fonts because they had a limited amount of letters in the font.
- Applegath and Cowper were one of the first printing presses to use a steam press. Newspapers and magazines began using the steam powered press because it was more efficiant than a hand press. The steam powered press could make 32 prints for every 1 done by a hand press. The cost of printing was lowered and speeds increased.
- Joseph Niepce was the first to produce a photographic image. He was looking for a way of putting drawings onto a printing plate. Niepce coated a pewter sheet with bitumen of Judea and placed it in the back of his camera obscura and pointed it towards nature. He left it exposed all day and then washed the pewter sheet with lavender oil, which showed a captured picture, which was blurry or hazy. The first photograph was in 1826, it was a picture of Niepce's house.
- At the end of reading this chapter I thought that image 9-34 was the most intreiguing. It is the picture taken by Julia Margaret Cameron, "Sir John Herschel" (1867). The detail of his face is amazing considering that photography was still in its infant stage. Looking at this picture, the viewer can see all the wrinkles and small hairs on his face.
- This picture, taken by Peter Bower, shows good quality. The foreground is in excellent focus, while the sunsetting in the background is as well.