This is the last issue of The Bonefolder, a publication specialising only in book arts, as the success and growth of its readership meant it was no longer manageable for the small and dedicated team of editors.

For this, I am honoured to feature in this farewell edition.

I would like to thank Funmi for helping me right up to the submission date!

My article can be found on page 17, happy reading!

Link: http://www.philobiblon.com/bonefolder/vol8contents.htm

Filed under: Books Tagged: Book Arts, The Bonefolder ]]> http://graphicalresearcher.wordpress.com/2012/01/13/my-published-article-in-the-bonefolder/feed/ 0 The Graphical Researcher The Bonefolder Vol 8 2012 Front Cover http://graphicalresearcher.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/microsofts-future-vision-on-productivity-video/ http://graphicalresearcher.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/microsofts-future-vision-on-productivity-video/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:25:51 +0000 The Graphical Researcher http://graphicalresearcher.wordpress.com/?p=410 ]]> I can barely work out how to use an iPhone, these people have gone one step further.

It’s like Apple meets the Minority Report in Japan.

This video clip by Microsoft makes us realise just how far technology has come. The fact that such ideals seem almost feasible, merging virtual interfaces with business and personal life for a more efficient lifestyle.

Will there ever be too much of a reliance on technology? What will happen to those who prefers a simple note-pad and pen? Or if the battery life runs out…

To the aspiring creatives, nothing seems unreachable.

Link: http://youtu.be/a6cNdhOKwi0

One piece in particular that has divided the critics is Howard Hodgkin’s Swimming poster. Some applaud how he has captured the fluidity and movement of water and “the sensation of swimming”, others remark that it’s just ‘a blue splodge and a squiggle’. I feel it is very emphatic; the boldness of his brushstrokes links with the heightened adrenaline of the swimmer, power exudes from the deepness of the blue, motion aplenty shown by the differential tones and mark making (what lovely “squiggles”). If this is merely a reminder of a pre-schooler smudging paint on sugar paper then let your 5-year old nephew have a go.

Fiona Banner’s Superhuman Nude poster uses verbal descriptions to define her subject, in this case a Paralympic cyclist. Yes she uses not-so-family friendly words within her prose poem but her application of typographical treatment gives Banner’s description intensity and impact. Without using imagery, Banner is able to cast the naked form of the athlete into the viewer’s mind, to truly appreciate the strength and also fragility of the competitor waiting for that starting pistol to sound.

Then there’s Tracy Emin’s poster, Birds 2012. Surprisingly unprovocative, Emin adopts a more delicate and compassionate approach in her homage to inspiring Paralympic athletes. The scrawly nature of her illustration, in particular her handwritten message, coupled with the two small birds kissing on a fine branch brings a tenderness to the piece. Emin also incorporates the Paralympic logo within the poster, almost disguising the agitos as gently falling feathers or leaves. Thankfully one idea that Emin scrapped was titled ”I might not always come first but I do enjoy sex”.

What is most striking however is how abstract all the posters are as if they could have been for any Olympics. Apart from Sarah Morris’s Big Ben poster (even this well known landmark is hardly distinguishable), they don’t directly relate to the host city or country. With the Beijing Olympics, they pushed the idea of heritage and cultural traditions, and with the Sydney Games there were boomerangs and aboriginal influences. Whether this was a statement to suggest timeless art, inclusion of the world to the London Olympics, or the egotistical nature of British artists, be ready to see these posters everywhere.

You can find more image on the side link under Pages > Degree Project – Narration

Or click the link below:
http://graphicalresearcher.wordpress.com/degree-project-narration/

Enjoy!

Currently we are setting up our exhibition, ready for the shows in Bournemouth and at D&AD New Blood.

Laser cut A1 poster

Foil blocked and laser cut invites with hand crafted envelopes

It’s fantastic to see everyone’s work coming together, acting as a reminder to how far we have all come as designers and as individuals.

Taken from the website:

Disperse is a metaphor for our class as a collective. Like the particles of our logo we will fly apart, our various career paths leading in every direction.

There is also a subtle implied metaphor in the way the particles return to create the logo once again just as the strong community created on the course draws many alumni back.

We made it!

I wish everyone the best, here’s to a fantastic show and a successful career!

Link to the website and my work: www.disperse2011.co.uk

I was recently reminded of this effectively simple advert which tugs at the heartstrings of car drivers.

This advert still has the same emotive impact on me since I saw it in February 2010. Instead of portraying the misery and tragic nature of road accidents it plays on the otherwise suffering relations of the would-be victim.

Written/Directed by Daniel Cox and produced by Sarah Alexander, the advert was commissioned by Sussex Safer Roads Partnership. Intended as a viral campaign, the 1m 29sec clip has notched up an impressive 13+ million viewers where its lack of dialogue meant it can be understood all over the world:

A key element to bringing the global audience into the road safety conversation was to create the film without using dialogue and use visual storytelling techniques combined with a haunting and beautiful score.

Daniel Cox, http://www.metro.co.uk/tv/832059-low-budget-uk-ad-embrace-life-named-world-s-best

Cleverly Cox involves standby watchers to play a role in the safety of loved ones. The scene could have easily had the mother and daughter witness their dad crashing before their eyes creating a harrowing vision for them and the internet audience, but this way shares the responsibility of ‘embracing life’ with the family.

The second of the series focuses on Motorbike Safety, again approaching the issue in a similar novel fashion:

Just released on the 26th May 2011, the clip has received 28,000 viewers in the four days it has been on YouTube.

The message isn’t as dramatic as its predecessor but continues the parent/child relationship tactic to encourage safety on roads. Although the communication wasn’t the clearest, Alexander makes a touching connection with childhood fantasies and how daddy is the hero in every son’s eyes.

Only time will tell if “Stay a hero” advert will receive the high accolades and achievements as “Embrace Life”.

Link: http://www.alexandercommercials.co.uk/

Starting from the first channel, BBC1, in 1922, the timeline aims to show the progression of television broadcasting and the ever-growing competition terrestrial channels face of current times.

Below is an extract from my dissertation:

Since the introduction of digital television in 1991 with the proliferation of new channels, there has been more of a need for broadcasting companies to keep the original terrestrial television channels, those that are freely available to the public without a subscription, being lost in the sea of the newer digital television channels. With statistics from BARB (2011), the Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board, showing that the audience share of terrestrial channels is decreasing year on year in Britain (see Fig. 2), it is ‘paramount’ that these channels stand out (Merritt, 1987, p.19).

Channel identities have always played a part in the success of a television channel. Those that are memorable, iconic, that connects with the audience, it all comes down to the design of the ident. Something as seemingly simple requires a lot of research and thought behind the shifting viewing habits of Britain. Next time you are watching your favourite channel, notice how the channel brand matches your viewing taste, this is anything but a coincidence!

Link: http://www.mediauk.com/tv/launchdates/by-year

Have actually started seeing them around, this one was at the AUCB’s Arts Bar, probably chilling, a bit like those statue guard dogs you find outside of people’s houses. Also found one tucked away at Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) at their temporary ice skate rink, no idea why it was there, it was hidden with the machine used to re-smooth the ice…

The kids that I’m a teacher’s assistant for have shared their stories about appearing lions at their primary school.

It’s great that the community are really getting involved, of all ages and backgrounds.

Working an event tomorrow about this project so will be able to see how it is developing.

Fingers crossed they will be as much of a success as other towns.

Additionally they are asking us assisting the evening to wear safari glam clothes…

This was the second year that I organised the Chinese New Year celebrations at the Arts University College at Bournemouth, last year went surprisingly well and the uni had a chance to experience a different culture overtaking the campus. We had lion dancers and chinese food served, as well as local businesses donating decorations to fill the Arts Bar and canteen with colour. Also we were giving out lucky red envelopes and prizes for who could say “Gong Xie Fat Chai” to us!

After the pilot year I wanted to include more culture into the celebrations, I wanted it to be bigger and better!

My whole of January was devoted to the organising of the event trying to sort out the entertainment as well as the extra little activities going around on the day (with my dissertation feeling slightly neglected…).

It was quite an ambitious task: I wanted to have chinese food served again, but this year it took the form of a “buffet” style, and as well as decorating the Uni I wanted to have chinese calligraphers to teach people how to write their chinese zodiac with traditional brush, paper and ink. Also I wished to have chinese teas that people could try for free as well as red bracelets to tie onto people around the campus to protect them from evil spirits. Additionally there was celebratory music being blasted out across the campus and sky lanterns that people could write their hopes and dreams to be released later that evening.

And of course the entertainment which was in the form of a martial arts demonstration and lion dancers!

In comparison to the six volunteers helping last year, I was overwhelmed by the fifty that were required for this event, I am so very grateful to all the people who helped with the various roles on the day to make it special for everyone.

We booked Yi Quin Lion Dance club this year and they were absolutely amazing! They brought colour and vibrancy to every part of the Uni including the library with their energetic movements and cheeky characterisation of the lion couple. We were lucky enough to have three martial arts demonstrations too.

In the evening we had the sky lanterns launch. Ten lanterns bearing the wishes of the Uni to face typical windy British conditions, what could go wrong…

The ideal of releasing all lanterns simultaneously in a circle formation quickly dissipated, it became an elegant battle of determination and group encouragement to get the lanterns floating to the skies. Most lanterns flew more horizontally than upwards, nevertheless we managed to will on nine lanterns on their paths to heaven, with every lantern urged with anticipation and gusto!

Thank you to everyone who helped out, the Student Union and International Office for their support and everyone who participated and was able to share what millions of us celebrate every year.

Photography by Nauman Abdul-Hafeez.

Link: http://www.yiquinlion.co.uk/

Was welcomed today at uni by this peculiar sighting:

At first it seemed as if the space vacant from the removal of the Christmas tree needed filler, and what random and bizarre choice as a replacement.

It was an instant reminder of those pigs that featured in Bath, the colourful, decorated ones by numerous designers. That or Anthony Gormley’s surveillance statue pieces dotted around London some time ago.

This was a plain, life size-eque lion model, just waiting to be given a personality!

Upon investigation I discovered that this in fact is a new project Bournemouth is holding which is doing a similar thing to Bath and asking locals to give the lion’s life, to which the lions will be placed around Bournemouth town in a ‘trail’.

AUCB has been invited to submit some designs, and as it’s an art university there will definitely be some barmy designs.

Set to be staged throughout the summer 2011 tourists and visitors are definitely in for a treat when they come visit the seaside this year.