Patrick Hughes / Reverse Perspective / Think Project Inspiration

Patrick Hughes is an English contemporary artist. I had seen his work when I visited the flowers gallery and I was memorised by the illusive design, that came to life. He creates a world that is solidified into perspective, by precisely sculpturing wooden lumps of space that come out towards you and brings his work to life as you move around the design. The whole idea behind his work is inspired by the optics and perspective. I could relate this to the Think road safety campaign brief and communicate how our optics and perspective are inhibited, with factors such as alcohol, mobile phones, drugs, road or weather conditions, that affect our concentration and reaction when driving.


I could incorporate this technique into a visual display of a road and create processes and scenarios to engage the audience and demonstrate the consequences of using a phone, alcohol and drugs while driving. This effect could be transferred into a poster, social media interactions, a video and a physical display to interact with in real world.

I could create the template with cardboard. The cardboard would have to be of good quality, otherwise the design outcome will have a tacky template to work with and ruining the overall impact. I have found some examples to show how It can be done to communicate my creation process. I would place digital prints over the pyramid template that have been precisely measured and coordinated into perspective to match the dimensions of the pyramid template. However, I will be on the lookout for objects or other things in shops that are in the shape of a pyramid and have the capacity to work with for my Think Road safety project.

After Effects / Sarah Nasteruk / Process and Production 2 / Rotoscoping

Rotoscoping was the learning theme of today. We initially paired up with friends and recorded videos of us moving, creating what ever action we wanted to work with in After Effects. I walked into the room and pointed, as a bit of fun. I though this would work well to enter a scene in my video.

After we was satisfied with our footage, we exported it into After Effects and began to mask over our moving figures with the pen tool. We created a composition 1 second long and worked with 1 second of action footage we liked the most. For every frame of the 1 second footage we traced and used the time-frame key to follow a trace path until the footage tracing was complete. Once we had completed the mask we created a new composition and placed our masked 1 second moving action into it to see the effect we had just done. This was an amazing new technique that I wanted to learn, I have seen this done before and wanted to know how to do it my self. I can create a lot of cool things with this technique in the future.

Once we had our masked layer in the new composition we learnt how you can extend, shorten, loop, freeze and more with our masked footage, by using the time remapping tool. Using this tool it helped me extend the length of my footage, during my pointing action. It is fairly simple to get used to, it is like everything else in after effects and knowing how the effect works with the time-frame keys to create a programmed path.

Rotoscoping / After Effects / Practice from Charlie Hamnett on Vimeo.

For my first rotoscoped motion graphic, I wanted to create the effect of an explosion as I entered the room as a funny clip. This was inspired by 'how I met your mother' and how Barney had explosions all over his video resume. I created a movement path of two rectangles to create the impression of doors opening, to reveal me entering the room and pointing. The explosion I created with filter tools from a video sample from YouTube. This created a funny effect as if I own the place when I enter it.

Rotoscoping / After Effects (extra) from Charlie Hamnett on Vimeo.

Moving forward, I used this effect with a bit of a build up before the big reveal. I created more traced masks from my original footage. I traced my pointing hand and feet to create more scenes for my graphic, again using the pen tool frame by frame with the application of the time-frame key to create a motion path for the trace to follow. As my hand looks like it is clicking, when by itself, I created a pop effect to illustrate the indication of a click. To create this pop effect I used the pen tool to draw a line, trace path tool and applied an easy easy smooth motion to the pop. I used many patterned backgrounds to create an energetic environment to go with the up beat soundtrack I used for the graphic. Also, I created effects to these new motion mask. With my pattern images and solid layers I used the alpha matte filter to filter the colour or pattern into my traced subjects, creating an appealing display of colours in motion.


Rotoscoping / After Effects from Charlie Hamnett on Vimeo.

Finally, I have created a motion graphic without using the explosion. The explosion can look a little cheesy if I was going to show the video to people who I didn't know so well. With this in mind, I created a more graphic effect to Illustrate an impact as I enter the room. I used more easy ease motion paths with the pen tool and trace path to create energetic lines. Plus, I pulsated shapes in time to the music, using audio frames and linking the shape layers scale key to the audio and using a little code to scale the pulsations to a desired range, to create a 'boom' impression. I also added a few transitions, such as the radial scale transition and the grid transition seen in the video. This helped to communicate the heavy impact as I walk through the doors.

To conclude, I had a great time creating this video, once again learning a hell of a lot of new techniques. I enjoy after effects the more and more I get to know about it and will defiantly create more graphics like this in the future with the skills I have learnt in this process and production.

Extra Rotoscoped Work
(Skills learnt and applied To My Hyper-reality Project)

Wall Graffiti / Animated Character / Rotoscoping / Me from Charlie Hamnett on Vimeo.

Rotoscoped Funny Football Video from Charlie Hamnett on Vimeo.

Polina Zioga / Essay Introduction / 18th Nov

In this seminar I was introduced to the second year essay and visual appendix. I am required to write a 2500 word essay that addresses a set of histories, theories or technologies which informs my own practice and my course specific research question.

I learnt how I should structure my essay. First of all, include my title to clearly outline and focus the essay topic. Then below, place 5 key words that communicate and depict what the essay is about in a very short manner. Leading to the 150 word abstract that clearly summarises the essays arguments and position. Moving on to the body of the essay, we start with an introduction. The introduction needs to outline the main arguments and materials presented and establishes the structure of the essay. The essay body should communicate a logical and well supported argument, supported by a litterateur review to reinforce the message intended. To end the essay argument, create a conclusion which reaffirms the main argument and identifies further questions, plus plans for related future work.

In addition, it was also explained to me what is expected for the visual appendix. I need to create an A2 poster that communicates the argument of my essay. The poster needs to include my name and course, the title of my essay and my 150 word visual appendix to address the audience about my research poster. This will be part of my research focused exhibition at the end of term two. It is concerned with representing a visual summary of my essay at a glance.

At the end of term two, I will need a 750 word start to the essay to show and submit. I will get feedback upon this to see if I am hitting the correct criteria and to push me in the right direction to get a better grade. This process is a good way of learning and helps prepare me for future essays and generates a greater understanding of what is expected as research.

Process and Production / Nick Deakin / typography posters

In this process and production workshop, I was given a series of typographic alphabets in different fonts that I had to cut out and rearrange to spell three of five sentences provided.  This was to develop my typographic poster skills by arranging the type loosely to find unique compositions that express language differently and then finalising the outcome by sticking the loose, cut out, type in a composition that satisfies and communicates the message in the best way.

I took a photograph of the whole of my groups playful typography posters, showing an array of ideology and the idea behind what we was learning from this process and production session. A lot of the phrases was based around the recent election of Donald Trump as president.

For my first typographic poster I chose the phrase 'Trump elected president'. I arranged the type in a form that was deterioration to express the beliefs of a large sum of the American public in their trust in Trump to run their country. The type starts off level and in formation, however in the next word below the type begins to deteriorate and fall our of formation, communicating a crumbling nation over time under the hands of Trump.

My second poster is another phrase that reflects the election of Donald Trump, quoting 'make America great again'. I arranged type in this message in a clever way to link each word together, almost like a game of scrabble. The idea behind this is to create a message with the level words that communicates trump will make america great gain and not as a nation towards other nations, so not again, only for personal benefit as a nation.

The third and final poster that I constructed with the type provided, I constructed the phrase Brexit plus plus plus'. I cut out the type and arranged in a normal fashion, however I rotated the x in the word Brexit and cut out two other more of the letter x to create the impression of 'plus plus plus', like so '+ + +', arranged horizontally. This created a nice and simple composition the the poster. Now, I have three finished posters I will scan these into Photoshop and illustrator to manipulate and take further and have fun with it.

Think / Audience Case Study / Young generation 17-25

In order to focus my design, I conducted a piece of audience research to inform my campaign idea. I used the reliable GOV.UK as a source to feed my research content. In this research I have compiled statistics of car crashes and the relation between ages, intoxication's, road types and other conditions.

From the graphs above it shows that there has been a 7% decrease in all road casualties caused by car drivers, from 2010 -15. However, each year it is a common occurrence that the younger generation are the most frequently involved with driving seventies. 16-25 year old drivers and passengers sit far above all other ages in terms of casualties rates. Is this because we are indulged into the world of technology, as we have grown up alongside the vast development of technological devices?

Shockingly, more than a quarter of all car crashes in America are caused by cell phone use, a study by the Nation Safety Council has shown. The National Safety Council states 21 percent of crashes or 1.2 million crashes in 2013 involve communicating through handheld or hands-free mobile phones. They say an additional 6% of crashes in 2013 involve text messaging. Creating a total of around 27% of crashes involve drivers talking and texting on cell phones. This can be related to the younger generation, having been brought up alongside these technologies. (Business Insider UK)

Here I have compiled data to show the link between the younger generation and crashes related to drunk driving. The most cases of crashes and failed drug tests are the age band of 20-24 year olds, however not as many cases with 17-19 year olds. But, the data also shows, when testes as a percentage involved in car incidents, 17-19 year olds sit the highest and shortly followed by 20-24 age band at 60%. Both on top in this department. This states there is a greater aspect of danger when the younger generation drink and drive, due to the significant amount of incidents. Especially, compared to the older generation, where there seems to be fewer incidents. 

In addition, this has been a repeated theme since 2010. The actual amount of drink drive incidents has slightly decreased over this time period, but the age band of 20-24 plummet above the rest. Their the highest percentage of drink drive incidents per 1000 licence holders and narrowly behind 17-19 year olds in terms of drink drive incidents per billion miles driven. This could also represent an inexperience in the capacity to drive and handle their alcohol, making them the most dangerous of the road under intoxication.

Moreover driving under intoxication, 16-24 year old people plummet above all other ages in terms of driving under the influence of drugs. This data is collected through self reporting of taking drugs and driving in the last 12 months. This has similar effects to drink driving and has all of the similar dangers to what you get with alcohol. The data would prove no different if we had the capacity to compare them, in terms of casualties and incidents.

Finally, we look at data comparing car crashes and types of roads. The data shows that there are much more crashes in built up areas compared to non built up areas. Plus, there are much more crashes in daylight than night time in most weather conditions and road surfaces in built up roads compared to non built up roads. This is because during the day the environment is much busier in general and much greater reactions to the ever changing environment are required to drive safely.

However, it was interesting to discover there are much more deaths when driving at the maximum speed limit on non built up country roads, than driving at the maximum speed limit of the roads of a built up road environment. Especially, in poor weather conditions. Non built up areas are not the main priority to maintain, when it comes to poor weather and this has a negative effect on the amount of deaths. Creating a need to drive more carefully under these circumstances.

To conclude, now I have collated all of my research and have reinforced my understanding that the younger generation are a huge factor in road casualties and need communicative methods to inform them the potential danger they can create behind the wheel. 

Live brief Ideas \ YCN & RSA

Cornetto Idea / Mood Board

Cornetto seeks to indulge into the nature of love struck teens and encourages them to share this desire through the simple offering of a Cornetto. Dating apps are currently huge in the world of teenagers, I feel linking this notion to the purchase of a Cornetto will target their desires and encourage their willingness to buy and share a Cornetto.

After the purchase of a Cornetto, a code is revealed inside the wrapper. This code will be dependant of the flavour and will give you an online token to use in the app. The token will give you 20 swipes on the dating app, to all other people who also purchased the same flavour. In the app their are groups of different flavours, you can only get access to a flavour group if you buy a Cornetto of that flavour and enter in the code. In addition, the perimeters of finding a match is up to the app user. He or she has a choice of what distance they are willing to travel to meet their Cornetto match.


Think Idea / Mood Board

Think, want a conceptualised design to raise awareness for young men, communicating the dangers of drink driving, drug driving, using a mobile phone while driving and dangerous driving on country roads. I have the Idea to crate a physical design that will demonstrate an awareness message in real world and the capacity to transition into posters and social media channels, such as, short videos and interactive on screen applications. These will appear and intrigue when scrolling down news feeds.

In the style of Patrick Hughes I could create a reverse perspective illusion to create a scene that will move as you move around it. So, for example, I will create the scene of a road in reverse perspective to create a real world application for the viewer to interact with, as if they are in the drivers seat. I will create different scenarios for each reverse perspective illusion. For one, I could place a phone above the reverse perspective scene of a street and when you move above the scene the road will disappear. This will demonstrate the restricted vision of the road when using your phone, giving the viewer an indication of the danger.



Learning of Life / Mood Board (RSA)

This brief wants a design that encourages people to continue to learn throughout their lives if they are to seize and prepare for these new emerging jobs. Technology is ever improving creating new jobs and automating older jobs, people need to be educationally prepared for the modern movement of jobs. I need to create an A3 poster to communicate this notion.

I intend to create a 2D poster with a 3D aspect. This will relate to the notion that the world is no longer 2D. I will use the reverse perspective technique of Patrick Hughes to create this 3D aspect and will protrude through one of three classic research icons, a magnifying glass, binoculars or reading glasses. In the reverse perspective technique, I will include modern technological icons exuding forward from some form of expression of a technological world. Demonstrating in an illusive way that the world has a whole new scope.

Live Briefs / YCN & RSA / Interests and Initial Ideas

Cornetto (YCN)

Think (YCN)

Learning of Life (RSA)

These are the three briefs that interest me the most. For me, I think these briefs offer the opportunity to have the most fun and play with the designs. I will resarch each brief to pull it apart to and figure out what I could do to develop the company image and communicate their brief effectively.

Cornetto / YCN

Cornetto want a fresh, innovative idea to bring to life their brand purpose and idea. Their creative intention is to create a design to express a powerful act of sharing and to leverage Cornettos product essentials. This can be starting with a real world application and then further amplifying it into digital channels. The main objective is to get people to share Cornetto's in a creative and innovative way.

The primary target audience is love struck teens, however the majority of the consumers are 18-35 year olds, who are young at heart. The aim is to encourage more and more people to share love through the simple yet powerful act of sharing a Cornetto, reflecting the brand’s inclusive social purpose. An example is the 'scoop, snap, share' idea. Snap the chocolate tip, scoop some of the ice cream on top and share it with someone special. A design that will be shared and generate passionate conversations, is a strategic application Cornetto want to the design to develop.

What they want to see as a final outcome:

• Where possible, include visual illustrations of how the product could be used for the purposes of the campaign.

• Feel free to express your interpretation in your own unique creative style.

• In case videos are developed, they should not exceed 60 seconds. 

• If social posts are proposed, these could be static images, gifs or any type of digitally-friendly assets, respecting each social channel’s creative restrictions. 

• The proposals must demonstrate a fit with the brand’s personality and any illustrations must be aligned with Cornetto’s visual identity. More details can be found in the Cornetto Brand Book – this can be found in the Project Pack 

• The creamy and crunchy snacking credentials of the product should be clearly demonstrated in the activation to create a strong appetite appeal.

(Cornetto Brief. YCN. 2016-17)

Think / YCN

"Conceptualise, design and deliver a THINK! road safety campaign to encourage young men to drive more safely" (YCN. Think 2016-17)

This brief wants a conceptualised design to raise awareness for young men, communicating the dangers of drink driving, drug driving, using a mobile phone while driving and dangerous driving on country roads. I must conduct a piece of audience research to inform my idea, such as a focus group, survey or both. The target audience are 17-25 year olds. This age group are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured compared with car drivers aged 25 or over. A campaign is needed to raise awareness and encourage them to drive safe.

I need to develop a communications plan to show how the campaign would be rolled out across England and Wales. They would like to see how the campaign would work on at least two media channels, this could be, social media, TV, cinema, events, radio or PR. But, particularly Intrigued in ideas that will transfer well on to social media, as part of an always on strategy.


Learning of Life / RSA

"Design an exciting new way to support, encourage or stimulate learning throughout people’s lives in the future." (RSA. Learling of Life 2016-17)

This Brief states how improvements in technology, health, demographics and lifestyles create new opportunities for work in the future. People now live for longer and more and more new jobs emerge, with new technologies making many menial jobs automated, it in-turn creates new jobs. The brief wants a design that encourages people to continue to learn throughout their lives if they are to seize and prepare for these new emerging jobs. This has to be communicated by the channel of an A3 poster and a body of A3 pages to communicate the idea about the design.

It also asks me, consider the socioeconomic changes and when creating the design. How and where will they learn. Technologies now allow a whole new spectrum for learning, as you can now easily access learning schemes online. Life long learning is increasingly becoming the norm and the design needs to illustrate this to encourage the people stuck in the block method of, learning, work and retire to evolve into the modern age.

I have to chose from one of five possible scenarios to respond to:

•  In 2020, there will be over 5 billion internet users, with over half of them accessing the internet over handheld tablet devices. We don’t want people just to consume digital technology but accomplish more with it. How can we encourage those with good digital skills to become digitally innovative and creative? 

• By 2050 a third of people in the UK will be over 60. Since 2000, there has been a 140% increase in over 65s running their own businesses. How can we increase digital and/or entrepreneurial skills for over 60s so they can work in – or create their own – digital jobs? 

• Of the 6.4 million people in the UK who had not used the Internet in 2014, 5.6 million of those were aged 55 and above. How can we increase and maintain skills as we enter the later parts of our lives? 

• 35% of UK jobs are at high risk of being automated but technology can also create new opportunities. How can we support people who have been working in the same job – but whose roles are now changing – to re-train and stay in the same industry or do something else entirely? 

• Some people may have been doing similar roles for some time, but are not fulfilling their potential. New jobs are always emerging: app developers, data scientists and even Zumba instructors are popular jobs that have emerged in the last 10 years. How can we change the expectation for retraining and reskilling at various points throughout their life courses so people can move into new roles? 

(RSA. Learling of Life 2016-17)