jhonprato-blog

[jhonprato-blog]

Typography poster

Tame Impala is an Australian psychedelic rock band founded in 2007.

I have chosen this band as an inspiration to create its typography poster aiming to generate a design with an appropriate mood and tone that correctly expresses the mood and tone of the music.

As a band that has heavily influences by the psychedelic genre of the late 60s and 70s, the principal idea was to create a different representation of how psychedelic is often shown in media, specifically in print and graphic design.

Based in the research of psychedelic movement, the visual expression for psychedelic art include curvilinear shapes, illegible types, and intense optical color vibration in order to represent the temper, however the goal in this project was to create also a representation of that temper based in very basic geometrical figures such as rectangles and lines, and by applying acid colors, contrast, alignment, and proximity transmit the sensation of movement and distortion.

First in order to create a harmony and smooth reading of the poster I made a hierarchy based in the principles of reading of the western civilizations, as to say, organize the legible elements in the design by adding size, color and position in order to create an specific reading of the poster, in this case you may read first the name of the band, then the quote, and then the date.

For the design of the poster I used a sans serif typography, even though the psychedelic design is very often show with illegible type, however, the intention here is create the feeling of hallucination, and distortion of perception by using the shapes and color rather than the type itself, the goal at the same time is to transmit to the audience what kind of music are they going to expect after realising the name of the band, there is no need to extra information to the audience.

About the colors, in order to keep the mood psyche of the design I used gradient by mixing vibrant color, following a pattern of movement to create a visual effect that connects lines and color, and by using alignment generate the fake distortion.

[jhonprato-blog]

Joy

In the following image my goal was to represent enjoyment by transcend the reality from the impulse of the imaginary and the irrational. I decided to make a representation of the artist Frida Kahlo, especially for how her life was and what she did for society, however, I applied few elements that help me to create an implicit signified in the process of interpretation of the image.

For instance, as in the original paintings by Frida, I got inspired by her explorations of gender, identity and class in society. Her paintings were basically self-portraits, and I have taken a portrait to keep the same idea of auto exploration of the self, therefore, I used elements such as the headphones and the beer in order to generate a surreal situation where the artist is in another time and space, and those elements implied at the main time the sense of pleasure, since music and drinks are an international symbol of delight, despite the life she could have had.

Another symbol implied to identified the geographical space is the beer, branding and marketing help me to create the interpretation of place, “Guinness = Ireland”. What I really like about this picture is the fact that the person looks like is coming out from a real painting, due to the manipulation of the background, which is green though, and this colour create a soothing and balanced effect. I have composed all this elements together with the aim of transmit a strong concept of joyfulness, using the colour green as a support, the surreal fact of the person-time-space, the explicit elements and the surreal composition, make this picture funny. “Funny = Joy”.

Whether you like it or not, you agree with the message or not, whatever you think about this composition, just say it.

[jhonprato-blog]

Anger

For this image I started to think what make me angry, what annoyed me the most, and there are plenty of situation where, not only me, but most people feel irritated when something happening due to clumsiness. The following Image it has a simple composition, however, the action behind the scene is what it matters. By using simple elements I decided to create a right and efficient form of expression, embellishing the literal concept to generate a necessary effect to persuade or create affection.

For instance, there is everydayness in this composition, a single person without shoes in her house preparing a sandwich, then the fact that a clumsy action just happened, however, that evoke irritation is the fact that the piece of bread fall with the jam to the floor. By understanding all the elements in the image separately, including the angle in which the photo has been taken, we can then make a rhetorical interpretation of anger.

You may also include the distinguished red colour, which is also associated with anger. The lightning was also put in order to make the shadows soft under the elements, and helps to create a sense of highness and with the angle of the image too. Another element that we have to study separately is the psychology of the person involve in the portrait, how people dress can mean a lot, in this case what I wanted to represent is a person who is not very organize in life and carefree.

[jhonprato-blog]

Safe

In order to contrast with the Image above, and by that I mean, no to be exposed to danger, I have composed the following image where you can see an ordinary scene of a person picking up a helmet. The image was composed by using principally two elements, the helmet and a cap, some people may say that the person is no picking the helmet up instead is leaving it on the table, the fact here is whether the person is putting it on the table or picking it up, the signified is the same, the person have chosen the helmet over the cap, and this action implies the sense of protection.

With the aim to generate harmony also in the image to connote safety, I have made the image bright, by using the natural light and exposition to create a warm environment, natural elements included also. Stabilization is signified of security thus I have composed an image well balanced by using the lines in the scenes, for instance elements such as the table, the window, and the bars in the balcony, all of then horizontally and vertically balanced, firmly.

The colour is very important in the composition of this image in order to symbolize safe, that is way I have chosen the colour blue in different elements, the jacket, the pots, and also by manipulating the natural light I made the scene itself a little blue. According to the psychology of the colour blue suggest that is not likely to cause harm or injury and also It does not involve danger or risk.

[jhonprato-blog]

Danger

When I asked my friend what they think when they hear the word danger, the answer were right but also extreme, for example crossing the streets when the lights were green, jumping to the open sea from a cliff or even laying down on the train tracks and wait to the train pass over you. That gave me an association of danger with death, the fact that you are so close to death in any situation make instantly the circumstances dangerous. However, according to the definition of danger, this is just the possibility of suffering harm or injury, then I though, it doesn’t have to be extreme because there is danger everywhere.

I wanted to represent then the sense of danger in everydayness, then I though how I make this global in order not to make the appreciation of the feeling contextual or cultural, I want everyone to understand the fact that something is about to happen and is going to be harmful.

I decide to put danger in cooking, the Idea of what we have in the scene represented is the process of making a meal. There are some elements in the composition of the image that implies the sense of danger, for instant, the big knife, a tool directly associated with danger in the kitchen, the fingers, the way is handling the process of chopping the onion represent inexperience or distraction and this is a signified of danger in the process of making things. Also de nails and the colour of the nails, red, associated with danger and blood, and blood means injures, and injures come from dangerous situations. Other aspects in the composition are the exposure and lightning focus on the action, the blur in order not to distract the attention to the action, and the background with a blur and soft tone of blue, blur is the colour of safe, however, is blur and is in the background which means safe is no taking part in what is about to happen. Attention also to shadows to make the scene darker and help in the composition the possibility of something unwelcome or unpleasant is happening.

[jhonprato-blog]

Triangles

A very powerful shape with a lot of symbolism. There is not another geometric figure in this design, and that was my intention of doing it

I have created this abstract design based on the idea of using only one shape, and by adding colors and different tones, intend to transmit a clear concept of what the actual image is

I propose a colorful background in order to contrast the element in fact and transmit at the same time the sensation of excitement, some kind of psychedelic emotion, something that can go behind the main purpose but adding an unconscious tone that matches with the representation of the concept

I hope you like the representation made of triangles and if you have any comment, it will be appreciated.

If you have a title in mind, Spit It Out

[jhonprato-blog]

autor: Ligon, Glenn

Untitled (I Am a Man) 1988

oil and enamel on canvas

A masterpiece that really inspired me. Why? because of its simplicity. a lot is happening here, in my opinion, the context is very important, but the design of everything has an intention and with this piece of work, the aim was to represent in an abstract form a real situation.

Think about this, the image is black and white with a phrase "I AM A MAN", the phrase is what's in black and the word AM is underline.

Now think about people, yes, people, people black and white, phrase black, AM with a clear emphasis.

Powerful, isn't it? Now look the image again, check out the texture of it, and think about it again. then comment.

What would it be if the color had been inverted? Utopia?

Untitled (I Am a Man) is just such a representation—a signifier—of the actual signs carried by 1,300 striking African American sanitation workers in Memphis, made famous in Ernest Withers' 1968 photographs. Prompted by the wrongful deaths of two coworkers from faulty equipment, the strikers marched to protest low wages and unsafe working conditions. They took up the slogan "I Am a Man" as a variant on the first line of Ralph Ellison's prologue to Invisible Man, "I am an invisible man." By deleting the word "invisible," the Memphis strikers asserted their presence, making themselves visible in standing up for their rights. Martin Luther King Jr. traveled to Memphis to address the striking workers; the next day, he was assassinated. (National Gallery of Art, U.S.A, overview)

[jhonprato-blog]

Contrast example

By using singles shapes such a rectangle and circle, and by adding neutral color, I have decided to create this single image. Using the element of contrast, I can represent a concept, and I hope you can identify or interpret the image, and comment. In this case, the state of the shapes being differents from themselves, what I meant to say was, the shapes are being juxtaposed in a close association. That is how I could design this image

I hope you like this, and I looking forward to reading all your thoughts about it.

Give it a title!!

[jhonprato-blog]

I have created these images as part of the worksheet for the visual diary project, as well as the first post, (Where is the Bathroom?).

As you can see I have chosen a single shape and by adding some texture and color I could create this representation of a lonely afternoon at the beach, and I hope you like.

The second image I used the circle shape and by contrasting color and texture I created this image, hoping that you can tell me what you can perceive of it.

[jhonprato-blog]

Where is the bathroom?

I have created this design inspired by the principles of perspective, by using a single form (rectangle) in different sizes and working on the aspects of harmony.

My intention is to make that the spectator perceives the deepness with ease, but at the same time, make their eyes tired after a while, I tryed to get this effect by using a sort of asymmetry.

Another aspect I would like to say about this design is the kind of contrast that I tried to applied, you might or might not say that is the blue rectangle, however, and I hope is right, the contrast is generated by the small black rectangle.

Is it right? comment and give me your opinion, please.