OUGD406 (Studio Brief 2) Communication is a virus

Communication Is A Virus

Brief

Individually research the capabilities and opportunities of viral communication., including but not limited to; methods, approaches, media, examples, campaigns etc. You have been given a task/theme. As a group you are required to produce a graphic response that engages with a specific audience. Your response should consider the context and environment in which you aim for it to be delivered. You will need to identify this as part of your initial concept proposal. You should aim to identify, analyse and use existing means of distributions in order to select an appropriate method of communication.

Background / Considerations

What do you want to say? How do you intend to say it? What language would be appropriate? Will the content be communicated primarily through type or image? If it is both what is the relationship between the two? What are you aiming to achieve? Are you directing your audience to a website, encouraging them to attend an event? Will it be interactive or encouraging them to change their lifestyle? A limited colour pallet, two colours plus stock, will allow for reproduction of your designs across a range of media. Explore the capabilities of emerging and developing digital communication and social media platforms. A viral campaign relies heavily on the viewers/users ability to respond and to identify with, either consciously or sub consciously, the intended message and their ability/enthusiasm to communicate it to their peers. You should resolve this problem by the deadline stated below. However, if you have plans to extend the scope and ambition of your response beyond this deadline you should include these proposals in your presentation.

We were given this brief to complete as a group. We have been instructed to individually research he capabilities and opportunities of viral communication. We need to produce a graphic response that engages with the audience, we should consider what we want to say, how we want to say it and what language is appropriate to use.

Viral communication is a tool that you can use in order to spread the word about your name. Viral communication is the activity that generates favorable word of mouth communication for content that is useful, usable, enjoyable, funny, interesting. This is the power of Word of Mouth communication. When conducting my initial research on viral communication, I started to look at guerrilla marketing. 

Guerrilla marketing

• Guerrilla marketing is an advertising strategy in which low-cost unconventional means are used, (graffiti/street art, sticker bombing, and flash mobs) often in a localized fashion or large network of individual cells, to convey or promote a product or an idea.
• advertisement strategy that focus' on low cost unconventional marketing tactics for maximum results
• this is about taking the consumer by surprise 

Viral advertising is a method of advertising which relies on digital transmission, but doesn't necessarily require any first hand brand experience for it to be passed on. The reason viral advertising is important is because of the potentially massive exposure a successful viral can provide. Viral ads generally take the form of some impressive video footage or something 'chat-worthy' which is designed to be passed through the population via email or a similar tool. Many people tend to send viral ads to a large group of friends which is why virals can spread quickly and effectively across the world








http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/go/viralchart

http://planetgreenrecycle.com/blog/2014/02/diy-dinosaur-serving-dish/

http://www.blog.designsquish.com/index.php?/C41/

http://unnderbar.se/ubiqsolutions/smartrecycling.html

OUGD406 (Studio Brief 1) Research

When researching further into artists/designers that use embroidery within their work, I came across this designer Nike Schroeder on blog 'woman made.' These embroidered illustrations are a perfect combination of carefully and extremely detailed, yet rough and unfinished designs, this raw unfinished embroidery gives the illustrations a unique and interesting tactile quality. 

This is one of the most successful out of the selection I have chosen as the combination of subtle colours of the background and stitching contrast well with the bright elements. The artist creates a piece of work that is aesthetically pleasing, even though it is a digitised version, the textural qualities are still prominent within this piece of work. This has given me the inspiration to develop my drawings and create my one interpretations of Lordes track within this style, and the artist I previously looked at, Marloes Duyker. 

The contrast of line quality within this design is nice. The artist experiments with very fine lines, then builds these up to create a more dense line quality in certain areas. The artist depicts the more definable features with a blocked out colour, such as the lips, eyes and hair. 

This design is another of my preferences, by sticking to the monochrome colour theme the artists creates a more sophisticated atmosphere rather than the style of the other designs. The black embroidery works well against the neutral backing colour, the background includes texture which gives the design a nicer quality rather than sticking to plain white.

This design sticks to three colours, the background, a solid black and a vibrant pink/orange tone. The colours work perfectly for this design as the artist keeps it simple but highlights certain areas with a sample of colour.

(Studio Brief 1) Research

After the interim crit feedback, my idea of stitching into my own illustrations was a popular idea within my peers, therefore I have researched existing designers that use this technique within their work. 

With the theme of elegance, I started to look at more feminine artwork. The work of Eleanor Bowley has always inspired me, I think her intricate stitched illustrations work aesthetically.

From looking at Bowleys work, I wanted to research further into this style of illustration as it seemed to be a popular idea to pursue after the interim crit.

The idea of using embroidery within illustration works well. When researching different illustrators I came across the work of the artist Maroles Duyker, I found her work to be very exquisite and interesting. The way the artist combines subtle watercolour and free machine stitching compliment each other perfectly, as it creates an unusual final pice. The artist also has the ability to create perfectly crafted images on just a plain background and lets all the fine stitching be the main focus. 

This perfectly embroidered portrait above is minimal however it is still very intricate. The fine free stitching is perfectly defined as the plain background allows it to stand out. 

I like this piece of work as the stitching is very simple and clean, yet it creates the perfect silhouette figures. I could try stitching in this style with a simple line stitch to create my design.

I could try experimenting with this idea, for the interim crit I will produce some illustrations with the intention of embroidering them eventually, and see what feedback I receive. I could play around with watercolour and illustrations. In order for this to be successful, I would prefere that the illustration resembles Lorde. 

For the interim crit, I will not stitch my designs yet as it will be more helpful if I could receive the feedback necessary, which will enable me to make the further design decisions as I will have the opinions needed. 

OUGD406 (Studio Brief 1) Ideas

Taking these ideas, I will start to research further into existing artwork that fits this theme of dreaminess and more feminine elegant pieces of work. Immediately the idea of drawing, embroidery, floral patterns and pastel colours came to mind, I noted these down as they may be useful for further development when I start my design development.

When watching the video, it consisted of enchanting imagery, which could be an interesting theme to explore. Graffiti and visions of youth and teen ages are also present within the tracks video, which implies that lord's track is about growing up and learning new experiences. The serious tone within the lyrics suggests that physical perfection is valued over everything, which gives me the idea to research into things that are aesthetically pleasing but don't necessarily have a specific purpose.

OUGD406 (Studio Brief 1) Album Cover Research

While researching album artwork I came across the work of Leif Podhajsky. These abstract designs are very aesthetically pleasing. Cosmic landscapes have a relevance to nature, and conceptually, Podhajsky believes "the concepts I explore are universal to all humans and I believe we have lost touch with a lot of these in our modern lives. We're all secretly searching for answers to true happiness and contentment." These designs show a good balance of colour and image, there is hardly any type within these designs because the imagery is strong enough to stand alone. 

These two below are particularly inspiring as they capture energy and movement. There is a the theme of youth within these designs, I also like the colours and textures Podhajsky creates. The images below give me the idea to create something that relates to the theme of youth, as Lordes track strongly promotes this with her lyrics and style of video. 

OUGD406 (Studio Brief 1) Initial Research

To investigate further into my chosen track and the genre, I started to research the meanings and messages within Lorde's vocals and music video. The track is taken from her album, 'Pure Heroine' and is described as a bittersweet dreamy track. The tracks messages suggests that the young teenagers are in their own world, and they are lost within this world. This suggests that it could mean who are they, and we start to question their identity. 

Lyrics

"Team"

Wait 'til you’re announced

We’ve not yet lost all our graces

The hounds will stay in chains

Look upon your greatness

That you’ll send the call out

(Send the call out [15x])

Call all the ladies out

They’re in their finery

A hundred jewels on throats

A hundred jewels between teeth

Now bring my boys in

Their skin in craters like the moon

The moon we love like a brother, while he glows through the room

Dancin' around the lies we tell

Dancin' around big eyes as well

Even the comatose they don’t dance and tell

[Chorus]

We live in cities you'll never see on screen

Not very pretty, but we sure know how to run things

Living in ruins of the palace within my dreams

And you know, we're on each other's team

I'm kind of over getting told to throw my hands up in the air, so there

So all the cups got broke shards beneath our feet but it wasn’t my fault

And everyone’s competing for a love they won't receive

'Cause what this palace wants is release

[Chorus]

We live in cities you'll never see on screen

Not very pretty, but we sure know how to run things

Living in ruins of the palace within my dreams

And you know, we're on each other's team

I’m kind of over getting told to throw my hands up in the air

So there

I’m kinda older than I was when I revelled without a care

So there

[Chorus]

We live in cities you'll never see on screen

Not very pretty, but we sure know how to run things

Living in ruins of the palace within my dreams

And you know, we're on each other's team

We're on each other's team

And you know, we're on each other's team

We're on each other's team

And you know, and you know, and you know

From analysing certain lyrics, and the vide for the track, I have learnt that the track suggests many meanings. It tells the story of the youth living in their own world, and dreams up a different world. 

Lorde says: 

"This video was born from a dream I had a few months ago about teenagers in their own world, a world with hierarchies and initiations, where the boy who was second in command had acne on his face, and so did the girl who was Queen," Lorde said about the video on her Facebook page. "I dreamt about this world being so different to anything anyone had ever seen, a dark world full of tropical plants and ruins and sweat. And of this world, I dreamt about tests that didn't need to be passed in order to be allowed in: sometimes the person who loses is stronger."

From this track, I have learned that Lorde is expressing the life of youth, and growing up to realise when we care about things with a greater passion there is more at stake when you take a stand. 

The set for this video reminds me of a fantasy land, as it is all about youth. Graffiti is also seen within this video which further suggests the youth and younger generations. The set designs for this track include dark tropical scenery, which emphasises the fantasy behind this track. 

I started to brainstorm initial ideas and thoughts from this initial research.

These notes shown, are a small selection from my note book. I have highlighted the initial ideas and key elements which I should consider when developing my ideas for this brief. Taking the ideas of dreams and fantasy, other words sparked off, such as; imagination, privacy, illusion, mirage, and trance.

From this my initial thought was to create something that suggested the theme of fantasy, and something dreamy. This immediately relates to something quite girly, and elegant, but also youth is a key element within this track so it would be good to imitate this youth within my work.

OUGD406 (Studio Brief 1) Secret 7

Design is About Doing

Brief

LIVE BRIEF: SECRET 7” http://secret-7.com/ Design a 7" record sleeve for one of the following 7 singles: Black Sabbath - Age of Reason Grounds for Divorce - Elbow Strange Creatures - Jake Bugg Team - Lorde Karmacoma - Massive Atttack Virginia Plain - Roxy Music Get It On - T-Rex

Background / Considerations

You need people to see your work and the essence of graphic design is communication. There is no value producing work for it to be placed in a draw. Often the best work or best ideas are the one that people have seen. You must get use to distributing your work at the any available opportunity. Remember design is about doing. This is an opportunity to visually and conceptually exploit every possible angle of your ideas. We are expecting a visual feast of ideas before you even consider resolving the problem.

We have been given the brief to design a record sleeve for our chosen single, we need to think about this visually and conceptually. We will need to interpret the track in our own style within this design. For this brief, I have chosen to produce my designs for the track Team by Lorde. From research into this track, I have concluded that the messages being are portrayed about about the young teenage generation, in a dream world that is almost like fantasy. Within my designs I want to communicate the meaning and emotions she suggests within the song, I will research into existing album artwork that would fit into the same genre as Lorde's track, so I can get a feel of what the target audience would prefer.