Design Report – Evaluation
Words and Images in the Advertisement
Anyone can create a great image. Some have even become symbols in their own right. The same word can vary depending on the context and the meaning to the viewer. Taking this into account I have come to understand how both used together enhance the effect they have separately. It’s just like a ‘parking’ road sign that is accompanied by a arrow pointer. The word is a signifier that there is parking and the arrow is the sign for what direction there is parking.
In the final design, I have incorporated both words and images to create and communicate the concept of Britishness.The words in my work are signifier of Maritime history, the images are signs representing the subject. The narrative of the design combines complex associative words – people, places, events, facts, expressions – with the obvious and simplistic design of a ship at sea.
There is a great deal of contrast between the words and images. The words are complex in meaning and will vary depending on the viewers interpretation. There is more to observe, but the simple image of a ship is direct and purposeful in its meaning. Therefore the image is the first thing you see and are drawn in to read the words. Some of which may be humorous or reflective, stirring a deeper, more emotional turbulence, which strengthens the whole design.
How do they succeed in conveying Britishness?
The design has been my take on what Britishness means to me.I t succeeds in conveying Britishness not only with applicable words and images but also by the use of geometric shapes to represent and symbolise the Union Jack in a novel and unique way. This flag colour that links with Britishness and the photograph of the M Shed. It enhances the visual quality of the whole design.
Asides the aesthetics, the function is achieved by connecting words with images and use them effectively within the design. The way I have interpreted the exhibition is to link words with the images to create a clear, meaningful, intelligible expression of what Britishness is.
Technique’s and My Design
The techniques I have used to express Britishness are diverse. I began by sketching initial ideas and making mind maps. These were developed further until I felt like I had reached a good enough idea that I could further design my sketches digitally, using vector software.
Once my sketches were vectorised, I proceeded to layer the different elements to creatively expand the depth and meaning of my work whilst keeping the clarity of the narrative.
The way I’ve etched in the words into the ship reveals the words as a richly coloured pattern. This is visually more interesting than pure white text and complements the colour palette of the overall design.
The textural complexity involves placing a background image over the geometric shapes that make up a Union Jack. Then the words and image of a ship are on top of that with the exhibition information and headline design beneath it all. Without the background image, the design would look naive and unfinished, I feel.
Evaluating the Outcome
Something I haven’t done in stage two is to include existing symbols such as have been used in stage one. By this I mean nautical and naval symbols. But I must stress, the ship design and the triangle shapes both represent symbolic gesture’s of Britishness and Maritime subject. This is where I have compensated for the lack of symbolic gesture. I believe that if I were to include anything extra it would over-complicate the design and may even become confusing.
Different solutions I came up with in response to the pitfalls I encountered during stage one of my development, were answered with reflection on my research. I looked deeper into typographic art, which inspired stage two of my development. I took what I didn’t achieve in stage one with using words and made sure I developed another idea that incorporated excellent use of words with images.
If I were to expand on the work I have already completed, it would be to see how the layout of the design fits different format. For example, how it would look in portrait dimensions, or extra wide for billboards.
Conclusion
The fact that the overall design is, in essence, simple means it is effective. But there is enough information and design elements that it is creative and interesting enough to engage with the viewer.
I believe the words and images are used brilliantly together. Rather than juxtaposing one another as in stage one, they are both integrated in the same design. This richly improves the impact the design has. It enhances the contextual meaning of the message that is being communicated.
Therefore I firmly feel that the advertisement meets the brief. The final design successfully conveys the concept of Britishness from the perspective of British maritime history. In my research, it is shown how diverse the ways are of using words and images together can be greater than they are used a part. I have taken ideas from my research and explored many different concepts in my drawings and development juxtaposing images and words and then combining them into one design.
The development of my final design coherently expresses the concept of Britishness, outlined in the brief, and is presented in a clear and creative way. The work has wholly been done by my own hand and explore original concepts and develops existing ideas, innovating them to adapt them to meet the needs of the brief.
Unit 41 