Something a little different this week. Watched Rude Tube on Channel 4 last night which featured a countdown of the top 50 viral adverts on the internet. A wow, there were a few corkers (including the number one which was an animation piece involving crude drawings on a toilet wall to promote safe sex which was fantastic as well as the Durex animals at it like...well animals in at number 15).
As most of them are a little rude to be posting on here (I'd recommend visiting the Rude Tube site at channel4.com to have a look), here's one of the cleaner ads which is still as impressive:
Designer of the Week 5: Flight of the Conchords
Well, in today's case it's going to be kind of a design of the week. I have spent ages searching for the artist's name and whether or not the pieces were done by an individual or various designers but anyway, today's showcase is on the art of Flight of the Conchords. In case you don't know Flight of the Conchords are a band from New Zealand, popular also for their HBO TV show. A little bit of a spoof/funny rock band, this is reflected very much so in the artwork for their series, albums and promotions. Recently, I've been falling back in love with the more hand-rendered look and the band certainly grab on to that style and run away with it.
There's nothing better than design that doesn't take itself too seriously and makes you laugh and crack a smile!
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| As you can see, the band is really colourful and mad. For their recent tour, the due created a tour poster individual to each date. This piece is much more extravagant than the one I got in Manchester! |
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| A little different from the hand rendered look, I love the simplicity of this piece in contrast to the previous image. No corporate image seems to be kept by the band, with the sporadic nature of the designs and fluctuation in style itself becoming their corporate image |
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| This piece, for FOTC's second album, once again uses sketches rather than pure digital artwork. Despite the sombre looks of the pair, you still can't help but laugh at the sight of a random duck on the artwork! |
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| Above is the TV series cover for the second series of the programme. The use of the oversized heads became a trait for the series, featuring on the posters, DVDs and show titles |
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| Their first official album on a major label once again plays around with the idea of chaotic imagery. Colours used are very vivid and I feel that everytime I look at this piece, I spot something new which I haven't seen before |
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| Poster to coincide with TV series. Love the copy beneath and the reference. The simple lines drawings upon the baby blue background work great |
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| Something all you designers out there will recognise, a brilliant parody of the infamous Milton Glaser piece. It's great how you can still recognise the pair even in this get-up! |
There's nothing better than design that doesn't take itself too seriously and makes you laugh and crack a smile!
Crit Tuesday 5
Ahh feedback. Didn't shake as much today! Anyway, got a bit of feedback for my few ideas. Pasta filled adshell went down the pan which is a shame but to be honest, it was only really a pie in the sky idea. As I explained to the group, I didn't really have a strong concept yet and they really picked up on that. This week they LIKED the name! Amazing how they changed their minds. So now they want real emphasis on the name in order to create a concept (Make an Impression, Only takes a few minutes to make an Impression etc). Hence this very short blog entry. I am currently brainstorming a few ideas and trying to think of something new. Something similar was mentioned in the crit today and I'm potentially working on the idea of how you dress to impress, incorporating the pasta shapes into certain items (eg. earrings, bow tie etc) with some sort of tagline that you don't need these items to make the best Impression. All very wish washy at the moment so I'm going to run off now and work on it.
(UPDATE: here's a quick mock up of the little idea, let me know what you reckon)
In other quick news, I've also been looking more into my options after university. As you all kind of know, I have been looking into the MA course in Advertising and Design at Leeds University but recently I've been wanting to look more into teaching and maybe art therapy. Shall keep you all updated on how this little research experiment goes. And actually, whilst I'm at it, I'd like to thank all the regular viewers of my blog, I've cranked up well over 1000 views in the month since I opened it and amazingly I've attracted a regular flow of viewers from America so hi guys!
(UPDATE: here's a quick mock up of the little idea, let me know what you reckon)
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| Does it look like an earring vaguely? Reminiscent of my packaging in terms of size and placement? More info and text to be added obviously |
In other quick news, I've also been looking more into my options after university. As you all kind of know, I have been looking into the MA course in Advertising and Design at Leeds University but recently I've been wanting to look more into teaching and maybe art therapy. Shall keep you all updated on how this little research experiment goes. And actually, whilst I'm at it, I'd like to thank all the regular viewers of my blog, I've cranked up well over 1000 views in the month since I opened it and amazingly I've attracted a regular flow of viewers from America so hi guys!
Am I the only person who seems to prefer PCs to Macs?
Probably because of how long I've used them for in comparison to Macs (well over a decade in comparison to just over a year) but I still can't get used to them. Spent half of my class today with my little finger searching for Ctrl. The class in which we got our workbook! Seems like my kind of thing, 23 illustrations what we've got to work up on, well, Illustrator. Didn't get far in class but I've been having a little go at them since I've been home, I can't believe we have three weeks to do them for half of our grade, seems rather nice of Leeds Uni! On another note, it's pasta crit time tomorrow...DUH DUH DUHHH!
Spent the past week just coming up with some ideas for campaigns and the media which I could use to portray the campaigns etc. Had a few ideas but seem to have stuck on one, rather simple idea (which I am hoping is approved tomorrow as it would make my life lovely). Running with the unique windows of my brand as the selling point, using them across the potential campaign to create a strong recognition of the packaging and design when seen in store. Literally thinking black background, gold/pasta filled windows on. Potential tagline of 'What's your Impression?' or something along those lines (trying to include the audience and asking them which shape of the range is their favourite; I'm thinking this line is gunna need a lot of work). Very minimal, much like my lil' cylinders and I'm scared the tutors may think 'oh, what a cop out' but simple sells right? In terms of media, the simplicity of the design makes it easy for my to create adshells, billboard, an animation (for tv or web), website, promotional carrier bags and a magazine campaign. We're only meant to be doing two media but I may end up doing more to make up for the simple look. Maybe. Anyway, one of the ideas was to create a structure within an adshell which could actually hold pasta, recreating the packaging itself and creating that bit more interest. May be hard to create this across other areas of the campaign though. Anyway, here are a few sketches and pages from my sketchbook with my other ideas too (none seem quite as strong/desirable as my main idea so fingers crossed for me tomorrow guys):
Bold and effective? Or a bit too simple? Let me know what you think, remember, it's got to reflect my brand and its values!
Spent the past week just coming up with some ideas for campaigns and the media which I could use to portray the campaigns etc. Had a few ideas but seem to have stuck on one, rather simple idea (which I am hoping is approved tomorrow as it would make my life lovely). Running with the unique windows of my brand as the selling point, using them across the potential campaign to create a strong recognition of the packaging and design when seen in store. Literally thinking black background, gold/pasta filled windows on. Potential tagline of 'What's your Impression?' or something along those lines (trying to include the audience and asking them which shape of the range is their favourite; I'm thinking this line is gunna need a lot of work). Very minimal, much like my lil' cylinders and I'm scared the tutors may think 'oh, what a cop out' but simple sells right? In terms of media, the simplicity of the design makes it easy for my to create adshells, billboard, an animation (for tv or web), website, promotional carrier bags and a magazine campaign. We're only meant to be doing two media but I may end up doing more to make up for the simple look. Maybe. Anyway, one of the ideas was to create a structure within an adshell which could actually hold pasta, recreating the packaging itself and creating that bit more interest. May be hard to create this across other areas of the campaign though. Anyway, here are a few sketches and pages from my sketchbook with my other ideas too (none seem quite as strong/desirable as my main idea so fingers crossed for me tomorrow guys):
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| Initial brainstorm |
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| One of my messy sketch pages |
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| Another messy page of my brain exploding |
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| Neater ideas |
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| Few more ideas including a concept of people not impressing as they haven't used Impression. Not the strongest of ideas... |
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| You can kinda see what I mean with the bold and simple thing. Few ideas for outcomes |
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| Few more media ideas |
Bold and effective? Or a bit too simple? Let me know what you think, remember, it's got to reflect my brand and its values!
So it's Sunday 5...
Wow, been rather stressed out recently, feel like I have tonnes to do and very little time! Enjoyed a loooong weekend at home in the lovely Sheffield and now have that Sunday night Syndrome. Kinda looking forward to tomorrow, we're getting a new workbook to work through for our online promotions. Apparently it's just lots of sketches for us to trace in Illustrator, something quite up my street hopefully as I did tonnes of that over summer. Hopefully, it will be nice and lovely. Marketing is getting rather stressful, there are pieces missing from some members and it's sending me loopy! O well. In terms of pasta, I've had a kinda ok campaign idea but I'm a little scared of the tutors thinking it's too simple and boring. But simplicity works in the world of advertising doesn't it?!
Anyway, enough of me wittling, I'm keeping tonight rather short and sweet as Take That are performing as a five-piece for the first time in ages. Yeah, I'm a sucker for the X Factor haha! Keep an eye out for my blog entry tomorrow as I'm hoping to upload a few sketches and ideas for you guys to crit before my Tuesday session!
Anyway, enough of me wittling, I'm keeping tonight rather short and sweet as Take That are performing as a five-piece for the first time in ages. Yeah, I'm a sucker for the X Factor haha! Keep an eye out for my blog entry tomorrow as I'm hoping to upload a few sketches and ideas for you guys to crit before my Tuesday session!
Friendly Friday 4
Like I said last week guys, not many people have their blogs and sites set up for me to recommend you to so for this week, I'll leave you with something amazingly uplifting and just pure lovely to start your weekends. Just wow at today's technology:
Advert of the Week 4: T-Mobile
I didn't think it'd work again when I heard T-Mobile were doing another mass performance. I was wrong. Some fantastic singers feature in this advert and it takes it to another dimension where dancing couldn't. Anyone who doesn't crack a smile at this can't have watched it right. So many great songs in there, I'd forgot about half of them, definitely a tune in there for everyone. It has stuck in my head all week and is such a great example of advertising a product/service via methods which seem to have absolutely no relevance until the final message; Life is for Sharing. It's great how everyone who aren't in on the act get into it and start singing along!
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