PPP Session 1 & Task 1
Today we had an introduction to PPP and how these sessions will help inform me and how I am to keep my blog. The aims of this module are to support me in identifying areas of personal interest within various creative practices. These influences can come from varying sources of inspiration from principles, processes and resources.
To develop a critical and reflective approach to evaluating individual personal creative interests and practices.
To identify and develop areas of unique and individual creative interest through practical investigation like visiting galleries and shows to inform contextual research.
To develop individual communication skills through practical research (visits) and contextual research and development/presentation of elements.
My first set task requires me to evaluate a person I admire and outline the main attributes to who they are. Attributes are to be listed in a top to bottom format and I will be giving reason as to why these points are important to me and what I can draw from this into my creative practice.
Why did i chose them? What drew my attention to them and what do i believe makes them, them?
What plan would i draw up if I were to investigate into them deeper if I were given a 24 hour period, is this long enough? How could I contact them?
What would I say? What would I ask? WHY would I ask this?
How will this influence my practice?
Si Scott.
Si Scott.
The person I am choosing to review is, Si Scott. A UK based designer from Manchester who's illustrative examples of typography greatly inspire me to break out of common traits and make my working style stand out from the rest. His main attributes to me are the following:
His illustrative style yet it maintains a geometric mechanical accuracy.
His freehand approach to creating visually striking design outcomes.
The diversity in which his works can be applied too ranging from tattoo art to branding to interior design.
Instantly recognisable house style that many try emulate but don't really come close, has lots of originality in his style.
The main reason I chose to evaluate this designer/illustrator is as mentioned due to his completely unique style and diversity of productions he creates. What drew me too him was his extremely accurate style of freehand geometrical drawing a few years back on an Adidas rebranding campaign. The contrast off simple and complex emulated through the use of technical geometric hand drawn elements combined with a simple 2 colour scheme and minimal layout with only 2 main elements within the composition. This contrast of obvious technical drawings emulated in an extremely minimalist way is a very clever thing to do. Such technical drawings and use of complex swirls usual cause a composition to become crowded, busy and confusing. But Si Scott produces clear cut examples with crystal clear clarity in terms of composition and layout.
What distinguish's Si's style is definitely his geometric free hand drawing style that simulates computerised vectors and his continuous experimentation of media and materials he uses to present a range of messages.
If i were given 24 hours to investigate into Si further I think I would like to watch him in his practice as a fly on the wall so to speak. Watching his working styles, his technical craft skills, were he gets his inspiration from and who inspires him would prove very beneficial for me and my practice. I feel 24 hours wouldn't be long enough though because it would be interesting to see his hobbies and interest outside of the creative world as this to me provides equal inspiration to ones style and practice. For example my style is quite mechanical and deconstructive and accurate and feel this is distinguished from my OCD nature and my love of car mechanics. So it would be nice to see how or were this style originated from. But within the time frame I feel i could learn a lot in terms of what techniques he uses and materials and process's he goes through. This is what will form the basis of my contact message to him. How in which his style is influenced and his process he goes through. I am going to ask these questions to help inspire me into creating a more personal style.
Here is what I sent Si to his business email (method of contact) found on his studio website.
"Hello Si
Im a first year Graphic Design student studying on a degree programme at Leeds College of Art, and have followed your design practice for a while now. For part of a Person Professional Practice assignment we were required to contact a designer that inspires us.
Im just after a little bit of advice really, a few tips so to speak. I see your design practice and style very different to the current house styles of agencies and designs out now and this is something I want to emulate in my practice. Originality. It would be interesting to know where your influences come from (creative and non creative) and the processes you go through to create a piece of design and how you break up a client brief as I feel you create very distinct and well communicated messages that still carry your distinct visual style. I like how playful you are with typography and when designers describe "type as image" i feel your illustrative style fits this statement better than anyone else.
Thanks for the response and advice If you haver time to reply.
Johnathan Pell."
I feel if he answered this It would help me develop into my own unique style and language if i could base my decisions on processes, inspiration and such elements around my existing practice. It would be like an editing phase so to speak of my broad style at the moment as I would like to begin narrowing it down into a more distinct language that presents me better. Also I feel it would be an interesting way in discovering new things I didn't know was out there as there would be a possibility of been introduced to lots of new things that may interest me.
The Adidas campaign is what first drew my attention to him, I presented this to show how he can make a contemporary fashionable brand have a feeling of tradition and elegance in its branding. An interesting concept seen as the brand is sport based, this creates a nice contrast because when you think sport you think bold, garish styles but this design shows it can be presented with elegance and subtly.
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| Adidas campaign |
And the butterfly is an example of the delicate illustrative productions he can make using paper-craft. I chose these images to present the diversity in style outcomes and processes used that Si Scott undergoes to create finished outcome
