“A picture is worth a thousand words”
Images
This phrase is known by many as it is something we are taught at a noticeably early age. A simple picture can display so much at one time without having any words on top. This makes images so important as this is a form of communication that everyone can understand and enjoy. Breaking down what images we can find, we split this into illustrative, diagrammatic, and photographic. These forms of images give us different feelings from the way they are created, and it is fun to look at the diverse types as well.
Illustrative
Illustrative are handmade images either through mouse or hand. These images display an original touch as it is completely made up by the artist and allow you to explore endless possibilities with these designs.
Diagrammatic
This takes the form of geometrical shapes and produces a more accurate but aesthetic outcome. These can be created by lines, circles and other sharp but clean forms.
Photographic
These are images that surround us all the time and photos are everywhere especially with the rise of social media. These are images that are captured through a camera Lenses of whatever is around them. Capturing that time.
When looking into these images, we can investigate the juxtaposition that comes when viewing these images when put beside one another. Juxtaposition is a creative way to approach the way you create your image as it highlights what you want to display and is good when trying to attract people to look at your image. This could be through colour, size difference, or two unrelated objects put together. It ends a level of intrigue to your image.
Data Visualization
This is a way that data is formed into a visual display meaning charts, infographics, and plots. This helps people understand the data’s relationship in a visual way which communicates better to many. Data visualization is a fantastic way to create a foundation for a project as it is a way of highlighting concerns and important points that can be developed later through the project’s progression. It can help you identify issues earlier in the process or can help you improve on existing ideas.
Master Apprentice
In the Reissuance period, art was taught in a specific way by artists such as Rembrandt and Michelangelo. Their approach was to instruct your students through imitation as they made their students copy their work to embed their techniques to their students. Using this technique has become used today by many students or people who want to learn these skills as not only does it give you the experience, but it lets you transfer these techniques into something of your own or help you develop more as you already have the basics. When looking into icons, I think this would be a great approach to take as icons are quite simple designs and there is only so much, we can do that lets people still identify what they are. Using a basic icon design then developing more can help me achieve a unique icon, like a signature of my work.
Brendon Dawes
Brendon Dawes is a UK based artist that creates interactive installations and data visualizations and much more. His approach to design is incredibly unique as his futuristic outcomes give such an impact due to its technographic shape. Dawes’s inspiration comes from popular culture and nature, but his focus seems to be to be the relationship between time, space and memory can have. Dawes challenges these ideas and questions what more we can find with objects that surround us. His designs have a scientific outcome but still have those bursts of colour on the plain backgrounds. It does give you the feel that you are watching something in movement or process as the space feel with his work is very transparent.
Jon Hicks
Looking at another UK based artist, Jon Hicks is a graphic designer that became interested in this type of design through his love of art. Art was something that validated Hicks and slowly transformed into a successful career as Hicks is best known for his brand and iconography. Looking at his Spotify project in 2014, his designs really showed his love for music as his designs are exciting and fun, what Spotify is all about. His idea of making the icons more specific to the genre of music shows that there is an interest here and shows Spotify users how much this platform cares about its design.
Task
Taking the Master apprentice approach, we must recreate the icons below into our own design while looking into ideas for a travel app.