G raphic Design

Liyuan Zhang
俐源 章

Final Report

Graphic Design Final Report

Introduction 1. Composition Design
In the composition design assignment, we are supposed to use 3-6 black squares in a white
sheet to express the concepts of 'harmony', 'structure', 'chaos', and any other one concept. I
taste a bit of art as a real (fake) designer when doing all these works.
This brochure consists of two parts: In the Extension I, I wrote an essay to discuss The three reflections are casual as my notes or
how famous designers utilized national flags as diaries while the two extensions are formal, with
1. Reflections on previous assignments a component of their artworks, and what their the first one discussing the content of artworks,
2. Extensions of those assignments. intention was behind those designs, like whether and the second probing the format of designs. I
it was to express his political ideas or just for consider this layout as the best presentation or
For the first part, I chiefly presented my works fun. Jasper Johns ' national flag paintings were conclusion of what I’ve learnt in the Graphic
and reflections in three assignments: selected as an example. This topic was formed Design Study class.
1. composition, out of my work in the composition assignment,
2. color where I utilized Chinese national flag as the
3. text layout background to express the concept ‘Harmony’. Thinking of Chinese slogan "Build a harmonious
Then I’m curious about other designers' society', I lay the Chinese national flag as the
In the ‘composition’ part, I utilized black application of national flags. background, and then replaced the five stars on it
squares to express the concepts of ‘harmony’, with five squares. Actually many Chinese think China
‘structure’ and ‘chaos’, and then discussed In the Extension II, I designed four versions of is not a harmonious society at present because of
the cultural rationale behind them. In ‘color’, a song menu for the Strawberry Music Festival multiple social problems occurring. However, the
three color process charts are exhibited for 2014 in China. It is a final work that combines For me, chaos means the color of black, governmental is trying to utilize money or power
discussion of color contrast and variation. all the knowledge I learnt in class, such color, indicating that no one knows what is going to cover everything unharmonious to present a
Finally in ‘text layout’, I designed four text layout as well as composition. I described In the idea of 'structure', on behind this dark color. This design idea superficially 'harmonious' phenomena. Therefore,
layouts of one text and discussed Lupton’s the reason, process as well as reflections on this I adopted golden ratio to was formed before designing. Interestingly, in people can consider this design as irony , or simply ust
typographic principles briefly. designing experience. express my understanding. The the class, a classmate said that she randomly a reflection of current China. I'm very interested in the
proportions of black and white threw a bunch of squares to the white sheet as application of national flags in different designs, and
are all golden ratio. Sometimes, the design of 'chaos'. It was a very cool and will probe deeper in the section: Extension I
the external tool can help us fascinating idea to me. Design is not always
better voice ourselves. set beforehand. Randomness sometimes has
unexpeted but fabulous effect.

Graphic Design Final Report Graphic Design Final Report

 2. Color 3. Text Layout Typography is to literature as musical
In this assignment, we are supposed to design a layout of one certain paragraph. I performance is to composition.
In this assignment, we need to choose 2 process colors and 2 base colors from
experimented with different methods of "deparating lines, diverse grid system, text
CMYK(Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black) to make a color process chart. The
aligment, alternative punctuation, and text directions". Combing with the readings and
percentage of base colors will remain constantly while the percentages of process colors
my own reflection, I ddesigned these four versions below.
will vary from 0 - 100% vertically and horizontally. The grid wil be 11* 11, so we will have
111 degrees of each process color (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, ....., 100%)
In the process of designing, Lupton's typographic design
tactics inspired me a lot. He suggested us to "read text before
designing it". Therefore, I purposely designed the word 'character'
as 'RCHATACHE' to reflect the text saying "if something wrong
me occurs, the form of a 'character' is not identified". Aslo, I let the
d c o l o r: the sa words "is disorganized" not align with other texts to express
oun
backgr left one. the "disorganized" meaning. According to Lupton's second
op
as the t tactic "make the visible relationship between the text and other
elements", I placed a beautiful eye on the left side of the page to
make the connection with "seven eyes" in the text. Meanwhile,
back I paid much attention to legibility. As Lupton said, "One of the
gr
compl o u n d c o l principles of durable typography is always legibility."
ement o
top lef ary co r : t h e
t one lor of
white background example 1 the Among the four versions, I cannot say one is better than the other
because their advantage depends on the function. Some are more
I also applied different backgrounds to the color suitable for books, while others better for posters. I have my own
I adopted 45% cyan and 75% yellow as the Comparatively, when people adopt other chart to understand color contrast. Compare the
base colors and then varied the percentage of combination as the base colors, the graph shows preference, but it does not mean that’s the best design.
two above, you can see black is more bold and red
black and magenta from 0% to 100%. The final more varieties of colors (See the example 1). is more redish on the one with blue background.
graph is exhibited as the left one with white Therefore, I owe the reason less color variation Meanwhile, I found out that I preferred simple designs. During
It is interesting to recall that Professor Osborn the process, I usually added too many ideas into one page, which
background. You can see that the color process in my chart to the base color of black. This attributed the reason why leaves seemed more
chart I made renders very few kinds of colors, color process chart is very inspiring, and I will was interpreted as "redundancy" by Professor Osborn. I realized
green to their contrast with the relative dark that sometimes, design is a combination of numerous traditional
only green and red generally. use it as a crucial component of my design in background (cloudy sky). Therefore, color is not
Extension II. elements and a little bit astonishing innovation. One feature to
absolute. It is produced by light that could change impress the audience is enough.
occasionally. References: Ellen Lupton, 2004, Thinking with
Type, Princeton Architectural Press

Graphic Design Final Report Graphic Design Final Report

Extension I: Jasper Johns &
"I am concerned with a thing's not being what it was, with
US National Flag poster “became one of the most well known images of the Johns’ intentional or unintentional design attitude resonates
it becoming something other than what it is" Vietnam period” (Vallen, 2005), and John also signed a with what I’ve learnt in the composition design assignment.
- Jasper Johns special edition to raise fund for the protest. At first, I usually had my own ideas before designing
because I did not want to randomly create things that I
myself did not understand. For example, for the concept
Having used the Chinese national flag to express had grown into general paranoia. The nation was
‘harmony’, I put the Chinese national flag as background,
the concept ‘Harmony’, I’m curious how famous in a self-indulgent display, and flag-waving was a
or for ‘chaos’, I purposely made the background black
designers utilized national flags as a component “ubiquitous ritual” (Stich, 1987). During this time,
because I thought the part you could not see behind the thick
of their artworks, and what their intention behind Johns had created several ironic flags, which treated
black curtain was the most chaotic. However, in the class,
those works. After discussing with Prof. Osborn, the flag as the site of “subterfuge, concealment, and
I saw multiple fascinating designs were created randomly,
I chose Japer John’s national flag paintings to obfuscation, raising doubts about its integrity as a
such as Deepa’s interpretation of ‘chaos’: She just threw Jasper Johns,
discuss it. sanctified symbol” (Stich, 1987). For instance, in
black squares from high and let the randomly disseminated Untitled Flag &
the painting “Flag on orange field II”(see on the Vase, 2000
squares on the white sheet become the design of ‘chaos’.
Jasper Johns, regarded as one of the most left), the orange background stands for people’s
Jasper Johns, Flag, 1954-55 This actually reminded me of Guoqiang Cai, who handled
important Contemporary Artists, has been obsession with national flag. On the right side of
explosives to show the most coveted Chinese art since the
creating various types of American flag since it is Johns’ another painting named “Flag”. He
Qing dynasty.
1954. He created his first national flag oil utilized pencil to depict an obscure black national
painting in 1954 by chance (See ‘Flag’ at the Jasper Johns , Moratorium, 1969
flag, expressing his query of concealment and
Combining Johns' intentional and unintentional national
top left). As Jasper said, “One night I dreamed obfuscation in the government. Those flags became
Apart from specific social or political intentions, Johns flag designs, with my personal design experiences, I’m
that I painted a large American flag, and the the reflection of that unique sociopolitical climate,
sometimes just designed the national flag out of fun. As convinced that both random and planned designs are
next morning I got up and I went out and bought and Johns’ personal viewpoint towards it.
you can see from two 'Untitled' paintings on the right, extraordinary. Thinking and playing can go hand-in-hand
the materials to begin it.”(Johns, 2011) In this
he combined the normal vases with the flag, and applied with each other.
painting, he located the newspaper scraps visible In 1969, Johns created a green national flag, named References:
beneath the strips, and put forty-eight stars 'Moratorium' under the commission of The Leo different color of background to see the color contrast.
[1] Emma Brockes, 2004, Interview: Jasper Johns, Art and
as a specific historical icon. This accidental Castelli Gallery of Los Angeles for the National Actually, Johns' most natioal flag designs were not out
Jasper Johns, Design, The Guardian. [2] Joseph K. Levene, Jasper Johns
inspiration from a dream became one of his most Vietnam Moratorium, a nationwide coordinated of patriotism (Levene). Instead Johns just wanted to
Flag on orange Flags Making Headlines For Six Decades, The Fine Art Blog
famous national flag designs afterwards. protest against the war on Vietnam. Johns painted transform some normal things that “the mind already
field II, 1958 [3] MoMA, Jasper Johns Flag, 2011. http://www.moma.org/
a toxic flag, a national emblem poisoned by war. knows”, such as alphabets, numbers, maps and flags
collection/object.php?object_id=78805 [4] Mark Vallen. 2005. Jasper Johns,
Under national hysteria in the 1950s, Johns’ The strips in the flag were black and green, and (Levene). Actually, Johns does not particularly like talking
Jasper Johns, Flag, Vietnam! Vietnam! Artists & America’s Longest War, Art For Untitled, 1998
national ironic flag design was extraordinary. the orange area was filled with blackened stars. about his art. He's aware that by explaining what he
1954-55 a Change website [5] Sidra Stich, 1987, Made in U.S.A.: An
At that time, induced by Senator Joseph Noticeably, in the center of the flag, there was a means, he risks "limiting the meanings that can be derived
Americanization in Modern Art, the '50s & '60s. University of
McCarthy, patriotic expression was greatly an single white dot representing a bullet hole. This from it by others" (Brockes, 2004).
California Press, pp: 19
emotional issue, and fears about communism
Graphic Design Final Report Graphic Design Final Report
Extension II : Song Menu Design for the A famous graphic designer contended that he had the “intuition”
when he created the design he wanted. After countless adjustments,
at a certain moment would he realize that “Oh, that’s it”.
Strawberry Music Festival 2014 During the process, I applied different colors of the background to process, one sentence once said by a web designer kept rotating in my
make the most contrast between squares and the background. As you brain: "You would be addicted to changing the design". Truly, every bit
can see from the three versions of song menus on the left, I utilized of color variation or position adjustment would make a big difference
After various trials and day-to-day serious thinking, I finally come up yellow, white and black. Personally I think black is the optimal choice in my perspective (maybe not in others). Also, I remembered that in the
with a way to combine what I’ve learnt about composition, color and because the contrast is the most obvious between the plate and text book “How to think as a designer” (Chinese edition), when answered
text layout together as a final conclusion of this brochure as well as as well as pictures (volume). Also color black possesses the best the question “what will you feel when one design is done, that doesn’t
my class this semester. connotation of rock spirit. Pure yellow here seems to make this song need further adjustment”, a famous graphic designer contended that
menu cute, which is more suitable for children, other than rockers. he had the “intuition” when he created the design he wanted. After
I plan to make a design myself. Also, white background here lacks obvious hierarchy to attract countless adjustments, at a certain moment would he realize that
people’s attention. I then made two versions with black background: “Oh, that’s it”. I came across the same feeling when I applied black
Inspired by the Gnovis’ poster that utilized color process chart as one with volume boxes at the bottom while one at the top. background.
decoration, I planned to use my color process chart to design a song
menu for the Strawbery Music Festival 2014 in China. This inspiration Highly saturated red was adopted for the title of the song menu to As you can see, this design process resonated with what I’ve read
comes from "playing" with the color process chart. At first, I opened provide a focal point. The typeface of it is ‘Giqi’. Actually I might before and my great experience talking to that web designer. Maybe
the Indesign and made various changes of the chart, including spend half an hour to select a proper font that both fitted the whole design process itself has the magic to recall previous experiences
compressing it or stretching it. It would be nice to be a bookmark, or color palette as well as theme of a rock music festival. The typeface or people once appeared in life. They seemed not important at that
some frame decorations around the paper. But personally, I hope the ‘Giqi’ is causal as if it’s saying “whatever” all the time. That fulfill the moment, but actually exerted more profound influence that you ever
color process chart can be meaningful. It’s not purposely decorating two requirements I previously referred to. thought. I remember that in my undergraduate thesis, I interviewed
somewhere that could be replaced by anything else, but embellishing about the self-identity transformation of mainland students after they
a certain design out of its unique characteristics. For the text layout, I aligned the singers’ name in the left column to studied in Taiwan for half a year. Some students said that they had not
right while in the right column left. This broke the traditional layout, felt huge change right away, but they sensed something inexplicable had
During the process of "playing", I suddenly found that those small and might lead the readers to focus on singers’ names first. Also the transformed in their characters, and those subtle changes might turn up
squares resembled the symbols of the volume, especially in the video- title ‘Strawberry Music Festival 2014” is aligned with the texts below, apparently one day in the future. The books we read or people we met
editing applications. Then I thought of the Strawberry Music Festival which endows the poster with unity. To prevent “redundancy”, I did before might finally make a difference at some points in life.
recently, which was one of China’s biggest rock festivals. Finding the not make many changes of layouts. One change to impress audience
connection between the two, I then decided to use elements from this may be enough in the design. In all, it is interesting to employ the knowledge about color,
color process chart to design song menus for the Strawberry Music composition, layout, typpography as well as typeface to real design. I'm
Festival. The reason of designing song menus other than posters is To be honest, it is my first time designing a poster. I tried to use also happy to know that some small experiences I thought not important
because people have already created multiple versions of posters, but Photoshop to make more advanced changes but finally did not achieve in the past, became significant in my designing process.
no song menus till now. It would be more interesting for me to do so. that because it was hard to start as a beginner. During the whole

Graphic Design Final Report Graphic Design Final Report

Thank you for reading.

Thank you for Professor 0sborn's patient guidance

It was a nice designing and analyzing experience

:)

Texture discription:

1. cover and bottom page: Frosted PVC

2. other pages: a little thicker than the
normal papers for printing

Graphic Design Final Report