Design Boards - Animation

DISCLAIMER: 

I only managed to get after effects running properly on my laptop around a week before submission, as I had an ongoing issue with 'scratch disks being full' - meaning I was unable to preview any of the work I wanted to make whilst using the software. I recently figured out how to sort this problem out which is quite frustrating as had I had access to the program for the duration of this brief I would have pushed the process a lot more in my final outcomes. It is an element of my practice that I really wanted to explore more deeply in this project especially. I will just have to make peace with this and ensure I experiment with it more following submission. Have still managed to make this animation in the nick of time that showcases the publication and works as a tool to market it.

Back to business:

1: 
The idea I had in creating this short animation was to use it as a way to promote my publication in the digital environment. Even though there was not much time left to make this I thought that anything would be better than nothing, and was just desperate to get back into the software as I really enjoy using it and find the process very rewarding. After having such a great eureka moment with the invention of the planet disco ball towards the end of the cover spread design process, I decided it would be great if I could develop this concept further through the use of moving image. This slide evidences the photoshop file that I used as the foundation for the after effects file that I was to work on. I wanted to create a spinning planet disco ball for the end of the animation (following the presentation of the publication). This posed quite a challenge as after effects is not really made for 3D design/animation. However, I found out you could 'spherize' a flat layer to give it a three dimensional quality and I could therefor achieve the spinning effect. 

2: 
- This is what I did once I had transferred the layers over to after effects, I had to erase some of the disco ball other wise it looked very cut and pasted. Also the way it was included on the cover spread was nice and I wanted to achieve a similar kind of effect in this animation in order to ensure continuity between the two visual symbols. With the sphere effect added to that layer I was then able to add rotation keyframes which gave the effect of the planet being a disco ball and spinning around in space. 
- I didn't manage to capture enough process screenshots whilst developing this and once I had remembered to do so, yet again, the layers had all been flattened meaning I couldn't get any specific progress shots. But from that point I added more details to give the scene a look of being in space. Such as stars in the background, glimmers on the disco ball reflecting as it spins, text reading, 'Cosmic Disco' rotating around the planet and also another spherized layer travelling the opposite way around the planet to suggest light hitting it. 
- Blending modes where important in creating this animation too as I used them to give more structure to the image, particularly liking the effect of 'Pin Light'. 

- I also got quite playful with the transitions available in the effects panel, using digital ones that resembled scan lines and digital glitch effects. This turned out successfully and along with the aesthetic of disco planet gave quite a fun lo-fi appearance to it all. Obviously trying to create a 3D animation on after effects for a semi AE noob is not going to result in a life like animation, however I'm really pleased with the result and think that it represents the tone of the publication and all the research I have accumulated perfectly.
- Over the whole animation I included one of Baldelli's own songs, 'Isotropofunk', very groovy and summative of his taste. As well as this I included some sound effects towards the end, a static noise as the image starts to disintegrate and then a little twinkle sound for when a small start flashes at the end, wanted it to come across somewhat like a cheeky wink, as if to say, "Until next time...". 

3:
- Having mulled over the final animation for a day or so I have decided to edit it slightly. I spoke to a few people about it and showed them to get second opinions, mostly positive however the general consensus seemed to be that the planet should appear at the beginning of the video rather than the end. As a way to introduce the topic. I completely agreed with this and decided to swap it around. Because of this I decided to remove the tv switching off effect at the end also as well as the twinkling star sound toward the end, I thought this might have been a slight over kill. 
- The aim with the planet scene at the beginning of the video was to give the vibe of a retro film camera shot, through adding noise and bright neon colours I think that this was achieved and it definitely has an 80s, vintage feel to it. This is excelled with the digital aesthetic that I made come across quite lo-fi. 
- Another decision was to transition the disco planet into the cover to make it appear that the planet spun back and was the same one as the one seen in the cover design of the publication. This is a good touch as it helps to link the two scenes together making the whole video have a bit more of a constant story running through it. 
- Lav it.

4: 
The GIF here just shows a couple of process shots of an idea I had for another bit of moving image. Unfortunately I don't know what AE was playing at but it made this project genuinely impossible for me. I couldn't achieve a smooth rotation of either shape and so when played back they just seemed to stagger around each other and it looked really clumsy. Given the right resources (and some help from the dearly missed technicians) I think this could have worked great as a digital poster. Alas. 

Design Boards - Cover Spreads

1:

1. Research into posters that have advertised Baldelli's previous gigs was necessary as I was keen to try and capture elements of the visual style that he personally likes to associate with his music. Through my research I did end up finding quite a variety of styles and visual languages, meaning I could be quite open in how I wanted to interpret the design for the cover spread. 
2. "
3. "
4. I liked the idea of incorporating an image of him in some form or another over the cover pages. However, I didn't want to be too literal with the design and cop out. More wanting to take inspiration, maybe create an illustration of him myself to sit on the front. 
5. For a while I was wondering whether this photo should sit on the very front of the publication, using the space around it to create a really magazine inspired cover spread informed by my previous research into magazine covers from the 70s/80s era. This didn't seem quite right though, felt as though it would undermine the rest of the publication inside and not really do it justice. 
6. Here was a doodle I made whilst racking my mind for ideas, developed from the photo of Baldelli in image 4 this close up view of his face could be worked into quite an engaging and striking front cover design. Using a similar rendered process would mean I wouldn't be striving for a life like image of Baldelli, but rather a cosmic influenced interpretation of him. Decided to take it onto the computer and give it a whirl.

2:

1. Vector shape base, ready for transfer into photoshop for development. 
2. Once I had started applying colour and tone I realised the image was very far from the original photo that had inspired this design. It began looking very alien like, which I guess is fitting, however I started wondering whether I could be designing this in a more intelligent way that is a bit more me. 
3. Incorporating a title into the previous design would not have been easy and so I decided to reduce the size of the design, giving some space around it where text could be places. Experimented with Lucky as the typeface for the title, but felt it didn't relate much to the futuristic style that the image has. Tried to create a sticker/label component for the cover in order to push the idea of it being an aged copy of a magazine. I don't think this one is working too well, it doesn't look very realistic which is what I would prefer -  the whole thing is looking pretty corny and not nice at the minute. 
4. Making the background black seemed to help a bit, gave more focus to the image and distinguished it from the rest of the cover. Added a new typeface for the title (Buster) and gave it a 3D metallic feel which does look quite cool but I don't think it's necessary here. Also seems to blend in with the art work too much causing the overall design to become quite sloppy and blended. 
5. White background? Hmmm.... Nope. 
6. To try and pull the back and front covers together a bit more, decided to pull the image over so that the spine ran through the centre of it. As an a3 spread this may look ok however, when I covered either side to see how it would look printed, I realised the space either side was too vast. Also made adding the text a bit difficult as it would have to be super condensed/small or on it's side - which might make it difficult to read. 
7. Right, so now things started to get interesting again. Found this beautiful typeface called 'Cosi Azure'. I thought it did great justice to Baldelli and the story he tells throughout the interview, it seemed cool and playful but at the same time sophisticated which I think are attributes that well describe Daniele himself. Funnily enough I also discovered this on the font description on the designers website: 

(So perfect! Very similar to the beautiful mediterranean 

views of Lake Garda that Baldelli had from his 

house whilst working at Cosmic.)

Not feeling this idea, so decided to leave it there and move on. Onwards and upwards! 

3:

1. Annoyingly I forgot to grab any screenshots of the initial process of this design idea. Was too excited about where it was going and ended up flattening and saving the file before I had remembered to do so... So I'll briefly explain, the space images that I found to use where from an old atlas that I found lying around at home. I'd had the images saved on my laptop for a while, wanting to use them but never finding the right moment - until now. There is quite a retro feel in the imagery that fits in nicely with the overall theme of the publication. It is quite a literal design considering the piece is about Cosmic Disco, however I actually think this works in quite a funny yet also attractive way thanks to the beauty of these images. Decided to maintain the box layout and contrast the planetary image within it with a outer space image that extends all the way across the cover spread, exhibiting stars and a galaxy on the back cover. The typeface also worked a lot better with this design, at times it does look quite 70s/80s to me. Through the little details such as the twist in the spine of the 'D' or the angular accents to the serifs, it achieves an unconventional appearance simultaneously. Big fan. This bit of text in the centre is the subheading that was used in the original online form of the interview. Having this on the front cover means that the viewer is able to get a bitesize understanding about what the publication is going to be about. It also is a feature that you could expect to see on a magazine, helping to propel that side of my intentions. The white line that travels from the end of 'Daniele' to the beginning of 'Baldelli' was a feature I decided to include in order to ensure that people who may not be familiar with him are aware that that is his name rather than two separate names. The typeface will help to communicate this too, but just wanted to make sure. 
2. Here you can see that I've used the shape of the main type to cut away sections of the planet imagery that sits behind the text. This makes his name and the image behind merge together slightly and also makes the name clearer to read. Blending an image of the galaxy back over its edited version on the back cover allowed me to achieve some more definition in it which was needed as it was slightly beginning to look like an accidental mark. Was now also ready to start adding details that could further enhance the magazine concept. Starting with a barcode which I used the brush over, again to give the design a sense of intrigue that prompted the reader to consider it existing in another time/place. 
3. Wanted to try adding a sticker, this time a bit more realistic than the previous attempt. To do this I actually used one from a scan of a CD case I had made a while ago. Just to get the shape and hopefully a bit of texture (got no texture...). I wanted to use this sticker to have 'Issue 1' situated. Suggesting that this piece is part of a series slotted in with the concept of it being a magazine again. Also once I have handed this in I could use it as an opportunity to create more similar publications. Changed the mark over the barcode to this pink blotch which looked a bit more like a highlighter that someone had quickly run over it. Maybe the owner of a shop who was reducing its price as it hadn't sold? Who knows. Used the space next to the barcode to include some more details that gave it more of a polished and realistic finish. At the bottom is the actual URL of the original interview, which gives credit to Electronic Beats. Then above are some little components that I found on a CD that I had scanned in. Just helps in tying the overall design together and making it look like something that as actually been bought (or is available for sale). 
4. Inverted the inner section of the front cover, nice colours but not as effective as the initial idea. 
5. Inverted the whole thing here, discussed with a friend whether should keep it like this and have the back cover black. As would relate to the b&w theme throughout the inside. Does work quite well. 
6. After a chat with my Dad about the final design I had come to for the cover, he suggested making one of the planets a disco ball. My first reaction to this was 'no', as I thought it would be way to literal. But, I gave it a go (couldn't help myself) and by applying it really subtly so that only a portion of it was visible, it actually looked great. Quite kitschy but effective and not instantly obvious either. Well done Dad. Another change that was made here was the sticker, which I made into a rounded rectangle and changed the type to a digital typeface. Wanted to do this to evoke a sense of the technology that Baldelli was using at the time. Also applied some crinkled texture which made it look more like a sticker. A final touch was to add a date in the top left corner. At first I didn't want to do this as I wanted to keep that aspect of it a mystery. But deciding to leave the year as '0000' meant I could still achieve this effect. 

Mock Ups:

1. When mocking up the cover, I found this great psd for a plastic sleeve that would house the publication. With a couple of stickers on the front I was able to achieve a finish that looked like a real magazine. Adding details such as a price tag and a slightly ripped sticker reading, 'Exclusive' where good final touches. The final design has maintained a good relevance to the inside of the publication and the concept that I have strived for in my ideas throughout this process. 

Design Boards - Inner Spreads

1:

1. This image evidences the very beginning of my design process for the actual publication. After deciding to change the direction (in terms of the visual aesthetic) I have come up with a darker, and more magazine-style/retro idea for how the interview should be presented along with the supporting art work. In this initial spread I had included quite heavy texture on the first page which I don't think worked too well, it distracted from the text and just didn't seem to help with bringing the page design together. Another problem I faced was finding an appropriate typeface for the beginning of the text. I had wanted to create a bit of a statement with the first word through a thought through application of typography. In order to capture the readers attention and thoroughly engage them with the writing from the get go. 
2. On this next step I decided to move the text into a more central position on the page. The text on the left hand side didn't seem to work too well, I think it became less of a 'first page' as the space left between the type and the image on the right felt lacking and disconnected. The typeface of 'Few' was changed from Druk Wide to Lucky Regular. The initial typeface felt too modern whereas Lucky provided a more vintage feel which made more sense considering the time period being explored in the interview. Also I do just find it a really intriguing design, I love the abstracted shapes used in it. It's initially a bit hard to read so I wouldn't use it with any longer titles/sentences, however for this purpose I think it is well suited. 
3. Dropped the main text body down from 'Few' to try and give off a bit more of a statement with the initial paragraph. Also transformed 'Few' from a solid to outlines, as in white it is a bit too bold and distracting - need to find a more subtle way of including it. 
4. With 'Few' being separate from the main body of text it became a bit confusing and put too much emphasis on the first word. Collating it back with the main body in the position it would have sat normally, whilst maintaining its size and difference in typeface works nicely. Also centring all the text has helped in achieving that 'first page' feeling. 
5. This is where the design really started to feel as though it was coming together. Decided to add a bit of flare to the first word through incorporating some colour using the brush tool. I extracted the colour from the image of Baldelli to the right, in order to maintain visual consistency. The addition of this brush fill works well alongside the print as both have a hand crafted sentimentality to them. I have not yet spoken about the image of Baldelli, I found this image originally as a photograph in my earlier research. To give it a bit more of a dated and relic-like quality I converted it into CMYK halftone layers and applied texture to make it appear like a screen print. Overlaying the colour layers at different points meant that certain colours would pop out at different points. This is where I started to experiment with a footer, this is a component that I wanted to include in order to give the page a sense of structure and formality that one would usually associate with a publication like a magazine. I think this current idea leaves a lot to be desired but will press on.
6. Decided to remove the coloured type from the footer as I think it was too distracting and would have caused problems down the line when applied with pages with multiple images with different colour palettes. So I decided to keep it to a black and white theme which I think is the theme I plan to keep the publication to. Because the artwork that I plan to include is of such a range in terms of the colours, a b&w theme would ensure that there is no clashing or overwhelming design. Also this theme idea relates strongly to Cosmic Disco, with the black having connotations of the night and the white the stars - very simple but nice touch me thinks. The text that I've placed on the footer reads 'Danielle Baldelli' on the left and 'Issue 1' on the right. Both key bits of information that will be consistent throughout. To create a degree of separation between these bits of text and that used in the main article I highlighted the 'B' of Baldelli and the '1' of Issue 1 using alternative characters that gave an outer fill and silhouetted effect on them. Page numbers have also been included here, I am in two minds whether to keep the 2 on the right page, whether it should just be the image. 
7. Game changer... have scrapped the image of Baldelli here and moved the first page of text over to the right hand side. This meant that a page with an intro could be included on the inner left hand page. To allow for some distinction between the introductory text on this page and the beginning of the interview on the next page, I used the Athene typeface. Some thing I worried about with this is that it looks a little too formal. However, it communicates a respect to Baldelli and the story he is about to tell, really getting across the sincerity of him as a pioneer with his practice and the contribution he has made to music. Below I put a 'Designed by part' to give myself credit for the publication, just unsure if that sits well on the very first page. I might move to the back of the book. 
8. Positioning 'Daniele Baldelli' in a more centred position here helps to give it a bit more of a statement, whist also utilising the space more effectively. 
9. Have decided to use italics here to emphasise his name and further contribute to the statement that I want to draw to his name. To really help the reader engage with the fact that he is at the core of this publication and all of the ensuing design. 
10. Taken away the 'Designed by...' part as I don't think it was necessary to position at the beginning of the publication. The focus should be on Baldelli solely as that is the only necessary information required for the reader at this point. 
11. Here the image of Baldelli has been brought back into the design. I felt that the inner page was a bit sparse and so added this image back in to break up this short section of text. Decided to remove the colour from it whilst keeping the screen printed qualities as this aides the communication of it being a vintage item from a previous time. Also decided here to begin the counting of pages on the right rather than giving every single page a number. This was in order to highlight exactly where the interview lies within the publication, as I also plan to include advert like pages in places in the publication. 

2:

1. To give off the feel of it being a magazine I decided to work the interview text into the page using a column layout. Through looking at magazines for research it seemed this is a very common layout for them. This is not the way that I plan to incorporate all of the text however, I want to be more playful in places - especially when illustrations are involved. Having the text and imagery work symbiotically on the page is important to me, I want it to be playful and engaging for the reader. 
2. Added an advert full page on the right here. This is from an old advert that I found in a small antique shop a few years ago. I've had it stuck on my wall ever since. It probably originally existed in an old magazine so it is very fitting in this context. I didn't want to just slap it in to this exactly how it was originally, so I decided to slightly repurpose it to fit more appropriately within this publication. First thing I did to achieve this was to play around with the woman's face. I used the liquify tool to exaggerate her facial features and then recoloured her eyes, making her seem somewhat supernatural, or...cosmic. 
3. As well as editing her facial features, I used a pencil brush and the wacom pad to doodle over the ad. This was inspired through a point made by Pat during a review of my work where he said "really like the biro scribble on the bar code - a nice touch that hints at this artwork existing in the past somewhere". I thought this was a really great point and it's become something that I am really striving to communicate throughout this booklet. It adds another layer to the story Baldelli is communicating, suggesting that the publication itself have lived a life. This in turn hints the reader to ponder who may have made those doodle and thus their association with Baldelli and Cosmic Disco in general. Maybe the doodles where made by a child who'd gotten hold of their elder siblings magazine, or by a pensive cosmic disco fan dreaming up their entry into the world of cosmic? On the right hand page I didn't want it to be too text heavy and so have been trying to come up with a way to fill that centre space. 
4. To fill up this space I decided to focus on a section of the text that I felt was quite key and representative of him. Used this quote as it makes quite clear that this is the beginning of his career and shows the fascination that he had, the seed from which his passion grew. The typeface used her was Cooper Std, not 100% sure of this. Find it a bit too bold and bouncy which doesn't sit so well with the type of the main text. Adding some colour into the background of this quote as well helps in highlighting it. I think it's nice that this will be the first thing on the page that the reader turns too. Giving them a summary of what to expect on this first page, therefor enticing them to read on. 
5. Decided to change the colours behind the quotation to a lighter, more vibrant colour palette. This feels more fun and kind of innocent/naive which corresponds with the quote. It also seems to fit alongside the colours in the advert a bit better. 
6. Here is the final design for this spread, decided to invert the layout colours to white with black text instead. Considering the first piece of heavy text on the previous page was on a black background I think that this makes sense. It also helps the image behind the quotation to mesh into the page better. 

3:

1. On this spread I was really keen to utilise the 'In Zaire' typographic screen prints that I had done prior to uni closing. As I was no longer planning to use the CMYK prints that I didn't have the time to develop enough, so being able to include these at least was good. I developed the scans of the prints further on photoshop, experimenting with blending modes and different colours. Having some actual printed content in there gives a nice tactility to it that I was worried I wasn't going to be able to achieve. On the right page I toying with the idea of filling the background space with a halftone '1975' which is a date mentioned in the text surrounding. However, wasn't finding that this worked very well and it kind of distracted from the 'In Zaire' section on the previous page. 
2. Enlarging the '1975' and converting it into a more simple light grey still didn't seem to work very well. Perhaps because the imagery on the previous page is also typographic, maybe they clash with each other. 
3. On this page is where Baldelli talks about two of his fellow DJ's at the time, Bob & Tom. The art work included is a personal understanding of these two characters. I felt this would be a really appropriate page to include this image and wanted to get a bit more creative here with the way that the text worked alongside these images. This layout was not very effective at all as the spacing between some of the words was way too sparse and quite uncomfortable to look at. It really interrupts the flow that the reader should have. In the image itself I wanted to maintain an abstracted approach to the look of Bob & Tom, as I couldn't find any photos of them anywhere and also felt it would be more fun to portray them in a more unconventional way. From my understanding of them through research and reading the text, they are a pretty nutty pair; and so I wanted to use just a small section of their facial expressions to communicate this - leaving the rest up to the imagination of the reader. 
4. Here tried a different layout to the previous, going back to columns which is more appropriate considering the square shape of the image. I wanted to include a quotation again and think this will be a common aspect of the design throughout the publication, not on every spread but a fair few. 
5. Right so, went back to the drawing board a bit with the image of Bob & Tom here. Was finding that the original version of it looked a bit too polished and executed, this didn't look right alongside the more tangible, 'In Zaire' on the previous page. So I pushed it further on photoshop, being really experimental with blending modes and cropping, enlarging etc. Joining the two images works a lot better as well. I like how their expressions aren't immediately apparent, and through further investigation it becomes clearer what the image is. The quotation which has moved to the empty space on the upper right helps to communicate the meaning of the image, which might have been a bit lost otherwise. 
6. Was umming and aahing about how to set the text in the columns. Initially I had the column on the left aligned to the left, the centre to the centre and the right to the right. This just didn't seem to look right though, and I looked through loads of different magazines and articles that use columns to see how it was done in other places - this was not it.
7. So I aligned all of the columns to the left hand side which improved the overall consistency, and I think made it look more professional.
8. This is the final design idea for this spread. Took away the bits of the 'In Zaire' imagery that sat right alongside the text. Because I used a black background behind the text to ensure it was visible, this meant a border like effect was created which I found quite boxy and distracting. 
9. Here shows the development of the image of Bob & Tom. 

4:

1. This spread has been taken up mainly by an image. The image was created from a painting by Amedeo Modigliani, an Italian painter from the late 19th and early 20th century. Similar to the way I was repurposing renaissance art work in the screen prints I had created earlier in the project, I wanted to involve the same kind of process with this image. I like the repurposing of old Italian art as it links strongly with the approach that Baldelli had to mixing his records. He was interested in such an eclectic, wide range of music from which he drew inspiration, so I wanted to involve a similar route of inspiration for some of the artwork I created in response to his interview. Rather that creating images in direct response to the words. Deciding how much of the footer to include on this spread, as am wondering whether it should continue over the woman's body. As she definitely deserves pride of place in this spread. 
2. Decided to remove the line component of the footer as it did take away from the impact of the full bleed image. A problem here, which was actually mentioned to me in a feedback session with one of my peers, was that the spacing between the words in the question on the bottom left was too wide. This made it lack consideration and would look better if the letters where fitted more compactly. 
3. This was rectified for the final design and decided nothing more needed to be done with this spread. I think that the use of this repurposed painting by Modigliani on this page is really appropriate as in the text Baldelli is discussing his sources of inspiration and how 'everything that's not Italian is the best'. This kind of contradicts what he is saying here however at the same time the intention is for it to celebrate Italian culture in a new and exciting way, much the same as cosmic disco has done. 

5:

1. For this section of the interview I had wanted to include a drawing that I'd made towards the beginning of the project. I had constantly had it in the back of my mind, trying to think where it could be situated, this spread seemed most appropriate. Here Baldelli discusses the effect that the rising drug culture has had on the club, Baia and the Italian nightlife scene in general. This image communicates this problematic period in the scene in a way that somewhat glamorises the problem whilst still upholding connotations of the negative impact it has had for both Baldelli and Giancarlo. I wanted to portray this in a slightly seductive fashion which I achieved through the elegant hand and long painted nails, whilst at the same time the cool colours and ethereal glow help to suggest the alien nature of this in comparison to what their hopes where for the club. At first I was thinking, should the image be laid over the text, manipulating the opacity to reveal the text beneath? However I decided against this as would make it hard to read. 
2. Used the pen tool to create a path around the image which I could then fit the text into. Having the text work around the image like this unifies the page as a whole and takes the reader on more of a journey through the page. The bit that's bugging me is how the text on the right finishes before the bottom of the page... Think it would look nicer if that space was at the top of the page rather than the bottom so it needs a bit more of a wiggle around.
3. Having dropped the text further down the page, there is just a slight issue with the spacing again toward the top. It also seems in places it is a bit too close to the actual art work. On the next page I wanted to include another visual component other than the text and so had designed this shape based pattern which was more to act as a compliment to the text rather than exploring any specific themes discussed. Positioning it in the middle with two columns of text either side might look cool.
4. Having now included the other column on the right hand side, I am starting to doubt the effectiveness of this pattern. It looks as though it's just been plonked in there for the sake of it which isn't very appealing. I tried to work it into the page a bit more by adding some blur either end and stretching it to fit full bleed into the page. However, it still doesn't look right and nor does it work well with the text. 
5. Tried again to give it a lil squeeze around and see if it could be forced into working, however it just got worse... Speaking with a peer my suspicions where confirmed as she also said it takes away from the design on the previous page. Going to have to scrap it. 
6. So, decided to trawl back through some of the more recent stuff I had made in response to sections of the interview. And I remembered I had created some reinterpreted album covers for Donna Summers, "I Feel Love". The issue I was having with including this was that the style I had created them in wasn't airbrushed/as similar to the rest of the imagery I had planned to include in the publication. But I figured that if the colours where compliant with each other then it could work quite well, whilst also having contextual relevance. Looking better already. On the first page I also changed the spacing of the text at the top on the right hand side, making it slightly more condensed to reduce the overly wide spacing. 
7. The design for this spread has now come together and looks good. Having changed the pattern design to the Donna Summer cover was a good shout and improves the overall unity of the spread. Here I have evidenced the colour similarity between these two images, something I purposefully aimed for in order to ensure the two images sat well alongside each other. 

6:

1. The text on this spread talks for the first time about the club most associated with the genre, Cosmic. For this reason I thought it would be appropriate to use art work that related to both Cosmic and also the birth of it. This was where the idea to make this globe type image came from, somewhat resembling a planet but also a cell, ready to divide and multiply - as was the style of music at the time. 
2. This also provided a good opportunity to mould the text around it which meant the page would be filled fully and have a strong structure. 
3. I think here I may have tried to push the image further than necessary, became a bit chaotic and loud which wasn't what the page was meant to be saying. Undo, undo, undo...
4. Here decided to blend some portraits of faces into either side of the sphere. The images used created a striking effect whilst also maintaining a subtlety through the use of colour in them. There's a relevance of it in relation to Enzo and Baldelli working as a sort of tag team together in order to make Cosmic happen. 
5. Added the text on the other side, it doesn't finish quite where I'd like and I'm not keen on adding a question at the bottom of the page when the answer will have to start on the next page - not good for continuity. Going to have to think about this. This section shows how the faces have been blurred slightly in order to fit them in with the rest of the sphere better. 
6. Dropped the text down on the left hand side to try and make the layout as a whole look a bit more refined. Think it looks better now as the text start and finish at the same point on each page. 
7. Decided to include a quotation at the top of the paragraph on the left hand page. This quote, "I was crazy about mixing" was a section of the text that really stuck out to me when I first read it. So thought it would be nice, personally, to highlight it to the reader. Baldelli's intense passion for what he does is incredibly inspiring and thought that it would be worthwhile to highlight this as much as possible throughout the publication. 

7:

1. This image didn't seem to look right at a small size, there's quite a lot of detail in it and so think it would work better blown up on this spread.
2. Tried having it completely full bleed which does look very cool and certainly catches the eye. However, it didn't work too well with the text to the left, leaving it a bit crammed in. 
3. Reducing the size so that it fit in with the guide lay out I had set for the text worked better. Also meant I could stretch the footer over the whole of the bottom this time, which was a decision I made due to the fact the base colour is black for both pages here. Whereas if it where white it would have bene left two disconnected black and white lines. 
4. Still need to find a way to fit the text in a bit better, doesn't seem to relate much to the previous layouts. 
5. Since the space is rigid and boxed, thought it would be most appropriate to include the text in the form of columns again. Breaking the text up like this made it look less heavy and it aligns better with the image. 

8:

1. Initial vector shape layer to transfer over to photoshop for rendering. 
2. Duplicated to see how that would look - think very effective. Excited for how the text could work around these two blokes. 
3. I do really like the image at this stage, having just one layer of tone on top of the flat image has a really, really nice quality to it. Have saved this separately as for this spread I am definitely wanting to push it further. 
4. To achieve this almost fluorescent-like glow, I layered multiple versions of the design on top of one another and then changed the blending modes. This is such an exciting process as it seems there's an infinite number of outcomes that can be achieved. 
5. So here the characters are finished off. Kept the fluorescent glow going but slights increased the lightness just to bring down the colours a teeny bit. Also applied some paper texture/noise to provide a bit of tactility. Similar the the page with the hand image, used the path tool to create text boxes that worked around the imagery. 
6. Again, need to sort out the overly wide spacing in some areas. Really interrupts the flow of reading otherwise and might lead to confusion.  
7. This is the final page design - love it. Really proud of this one, definitely took a risk however with the application of the text. Worried that people wouldn't realise to follow it across, past the figures. However, I checked this over with a few peers and family members to see how they would read it - all fine! Hoping they are a good representation of the majority of readers..!

9:

1.  Too much. Way too much text going on here. I don't know what possessed me to even think about covering two whole pages in pure words, probably screen induced craziness. 
2. So filled up a bit of space with a kind of random pattern image and a quotation on the other side. This still didn't seem to cut it, the spread before is so exciting and engaging and then to be suddenly confronted with such a congested piece of text is alarming and disengaging. 
3. To sort this all out, I decided to scrap the text on the right hand page (for now) and incorporate some art. Using a drawing that I had in my sketchbook recently and not yet developed further. The resulting image came out really beautifully, I want to make more work like this - such a mystical, spacey vibe to it that fits perfectly within this subject. Was debating whether to leave the rest of the space on this page empty and really showcase this design, however decided against this as could still showcase it whilst including maybe a small portion of text. There was also the issue of an empty space on the left hand page after removing the other image (didn't sit alongside the pretty splodge thing).
4. The text slotted in great alongside the splodge image. Just fitting it in with the question seems to be posing a bit of a hurdle. 
5. To fill the empty space on the left hand page, I took a part of the image on the right and slightly manipulated its shape and rotation. This looks much better and brings the whole spread together. 
6. Bringing the text down on the right hand side more makes it fit better into the page.
7. Also had to get the question over to the right hand side as it was looking weird in the left corner, felt separated from the answer. Also having some space to the left of the image allows it to breath a bit more rather than it being over crowded with information. 

10:

1. Getting towards the end of the publication I thought this would be a good section to include another advert page - as it seems adequately distanced from the other one. Fortunately the one I had mentioned before (that I've had stuck on my wall) had another beautiful advert on the other side! So I utilised this, editing it a fair bit to ensure it fit, visually, in with the rest of the art work. First step was playing around with the hue, kind of liking the purple vibe but not 100% sold. 
2. This colour scheme works better, using the darker background frames the imagery and makes it pop off the page. 
3. Since there was not going to be any actual art work on this spread, I decided to go with columns for the text lay out again. Alongside the magazine I think this really gives off the impression of a magazine, I can imagine flicking through it. The gaping hole toward the bottom of the text was a bit of a cause for concern however.
4. Fixed it through finding another quote from the text to highlight in the top left corner. Also applied the same kind of scribbles and doodles over the advert on this one. Including a reminder, a scribbled phone number and a mark that looks like somebody trying to get a pen working. These subtle touches will hopefully make the reader consider the history of this subject a bit more and maybe the fans and followers that have devoted a lot of their time to Cosmic Disco. 
5. Final design, positioned the quotation more centrally in that empty space rather than aligning it with the bottom of the paragraph the left. Looks good and balanced. 

11:

1. The final spread of text, here Baldelli talks about the introduction of alcohol and drugs to the clubs he was working in and the way that it changed the scene. For this reason I wanted to try and capture that within the accompanying artwork. In my initial sketches I came up with the idea of having a nicely rendered image of some liquid (alcohol) pouring down from the top centre of the page onto a tongue stretching out of a mouth in the centre of the page. I took this through to illustrator and created a vector shape version of the design to develop further in photoshop. 
2. Using the bevel & emboss feature in the 'Layer Styles' window I was able to create this interesting liquidy effect that was really enhanced by a subtle glow. Using blending modes again allowed me to push the liquid texture more. Although I think it was looking quite fun, I think the lips where lacking somewhat. There was something slightly too rendered about them and the image as a whole - lacking character or something, not sure how to put my finger on it. 
3. To try and diverge from this overly rendered problem I was encountering, I just started playing more and wanted to bring the mouth and the alcohol together rather than them contrasting so much. I think that this has started looking better but maybe the colours are a bit too loud. 
4. Converting it to a b&w image made the overall image look a lot more abstract. I asked people what they thought it was and no one seemed to be able to get it. I don't necessarily see this as an issue though. Considering the starting point of this image and the original intentions behind it I think it's quite nice for it to be subjective in terms of what it's depicting. Providing a sense of intrigue for the reader. 
5. Placing this large right in the centre of the page would make real impact, which is important as this is the end of the interview, nice to end with a bang. Only, the text didn't seem to cooperate very well. There isn't really enough of it to fit around the image in this way meaning there is a lot of empty space causing the overall spread to look like something is missing. 
6. Changed this up completely by shifting the whole spread over into one page. This would in turn also allow for the following (final) page to be used as an end paper. Which links up nicely with the beginning of the publication as well with the introductory page. To fill up some of the space on the text page, I created a pattern image which is purely abstract but feels very spacey. 
7. On this design I was toying with the layout and seeing how the page would look if the tongue and mouth where removed and replaced by that pattern. It does work well however, think the b&w image is quite strong and deserves to stick around. Also, without it there are still problems with empty space that makes it look slightly unfinished. 
8. Decided to revert back to the previous idea of keeping both images on the left hand page. I also brought the last question up slightly, just to give the impression that it fit a bit more snuggly in with the tongue image. 
9. So initially on the inner page at the very beginning I was going to include 'Publication Designed by....' but decided to take it away. Now that this page is empty I thought it would go well here and allow me to celebrate myself a bit as well for breaking my back designing this thing :). I also decided to try experimenting with Baldelli's photo on this end page but it didn't seem right as was disconnected and kind of felt like it was a photo of me rather than him. 
10. In the end the simpler idea seemed better. Increasing the font size of the name of the designer just to add some extra emphasis and attention. I wanted to maintain a professionalism throughout the publication so that it could be a good thing to send out to agencies/art directors/potenital clients etc in the near future. 

Airbrush Process

I wanted to show a few process GIFs of my recent work just to give an ideas as to how I've been working. I have usually been starting with sketched out drawings which I will first produce 2D on Illustrator, then will copy the shapes over to Photoshop. From this point I will separate all of the different components of the image and add them into individual groups which makes the process of rendering a lot easier - need to be organised! I generally tend to use my Wacom pad to create the tone layers. I also occasionally use fills and gaussian blurs which can work pretty nicely, I guess it just depends on the look I'm going for in the specific image. Once I have reached a good place with the rendering I tend to experiment with layer masks as I find this gives another element to the image which is often unpredictable and exciting. This can also be pushed further if I bevel & emboss the mask layer giving a real sense of shape and texture to the image.  

Typography Decisions

These are the two typefaces that I have decided to use throughout the publication. The first one being, Hiragino Kaku Gothic which can be applied in both the 'W3' or 'W6' bodies. I find this to be a suitable choice of typeface as it is fairly universal in its appearance whilst I think still being quite original and attractive. I like the idea of distinguishing between the questions and answers in the interview simply through the weights of the type. This type is apt considering the inspiration I'm taking from old magazines, which would also use simple easy to read, serif typefaces. This is to ensure that the text is accessible to as many as possible and easily understandable. 

Throughout the publication I aim to draw attention to certain sections of text from Baldelli. To do this I will use Athene Regular in a larger type size, probably around 20-25pt. Doing this will help me to break up the text occasionally and bring focus to some of the key sections of the story that is being told by Baldelli. I intend to use this font because it sits nicely amongst the Hiragino Kaku Gothic whilst providing a contrast to it at the same time which I think will bring a nice focus onto the bits of text that I decide to highlight. Personally I think that it shares some of the visual qualities of 'Bodoni' which is a very prolific Italian typeface.

I decided against using Bodoni as I find it a bit too smart and formal for this kind of a publication. Whereas Athene has notes of it whilst still maintaining a semi playful feel. The Italian influence also is obviously a great touch and aligns perfectly with the publications content. 

hmm...

Here's an example of some work that I really don't like... the initial idea excited me so much but in reality my vision come together quite like I had imagined. Wanted to use these two dudes for a double page spread, having them as Bob & Tom. I don't really know how it ended up getting so weird but I have a feeling it was maybe the shapes chosen, with them having so much empty space which I could only fill with tone. And the way that I chose to render it was with a smallish brush. This ended up giving it the appearance of some of that shit (but also sometimes fabulous) airbrush art plastered all over fun fair rides. But in this case deffo not fabulous. Decided to move on from this one and leave it in the past as it was just zapping my energy away with no reward. 

After Effects GIF Practice

Really fell off of the bandwagon last week or so, which I semi allowed myself to do considering the madness of this world we are now inhabiting. I lost my creative drive and decided to pick up something I haven't in a while to get back into my groove. I enjoy making gifs and moving images in general so decided to get back onto After Effects are a long hiatus from the software. It gives a lot more flexibility and opportunity when designing moving images so I looked forward to getting back into it. I just worked on a piece I had created recently as cba right now to conjure up a whole new poster. 

Anyways here's what I made, didn't spend too long on it as just experimenting really and getting myself back to grips with the programme. I want to merge physical posters into the digital realm and create something that is seemingly still and flat until you notice small bits of motion and change in effect. With social media being such a big platform for culture and basically everything I am remembering to take this into account with my outcomes. 

I am now thinking that maybe instead of mocking up 10 posters that would have been printed if it weren't for Covid-19, maybe I will make an animation of a this series of posters. This can accompany the publication that I create. 

Recent Work

Photoshop Experiments

Using some of the scans I made the other day I have been mucking around on photoshop just trying to experiment and figure out new and exciting ways I can work. I wanted to create a chrome/metallic effect on some type which I managed to do quite well I think the end result looks really cool. I think playing with type or the design in general like this would be a good way of conveying the attitude of cosmic. Recently I have been quite attracted to the aesthetics of acid graphics, striking digital design with a lot of warped typography and bold, neon colours. Here's some examples: 

There's something really beautiful about these images, both definitely in your face, which I like. It seems as if the design ethos of this style wants to go against the grain of simplicity which challenges more traditional notions of graphic design. Much similar to the ethos of cosmic disco which certainly challenged the traditional dance/club scene of Italy. I want to try and take more active inspiration from some of these works, especially in terms of layout which is something I feel I often play safe with. I want to start incorporating some more depth into my posters through a more complex layout system. Visual research will help with this!

Sketchbook Scans

Had another sketchbook worth of images that is stuck in Leeds in my uni house... big bummer as I had some exciting ideas coming together in there. Will just have to try and remember them as best I can. 

Scaaaaans

Since getting back into the flow of working but this time minus the university and it's facilities, I've just been scanning in a whole lot of stuff to use towards my project. At home I managed to find a couple books that explore Italian and Italian Renaissance art which have all provided great content. Some of the images I scanned in where of these black and white drawings that have a really nice quality to them.

The slide above shows all of the recent scans I have made. I think the ones on the first slide could be useful as well in providing some inspiration for layouts that I could use. There's a very harmonious structure in the floor plan like drawings. 

I'm getting to a point in this project now where a lot of work I'm creating is based on photography or scans rather that hand drawn and developed imagery. I think (hope) that this is ok considering I am studying illustration but will try check with a tutor at some point. I also do intend to incorporate hand drawn elements into my designs as well. The other imagery that I've been finding is sort of cosmic and disco related. Have this huge old atlas book which has beautiful hand rendered maps of the solar system and planets. Then I have also found gig and club night flyers that I have collected over the years which have quite relevant imagery as well. I think from here I am just going to play around with this stock and see where I can develop it to. 

CMYK Prints

Been busy in the print room again this time recreating the 'Assumption of the Virgin' as a CYMK screen print. The prints are reaally fun! Even better when they're played around with a bit. Whilst I was printing I kept a playful attitude to the process and reprinted on some of them at different orientations which provided some kaleidoscope looking images. Also just using the squeegee on a certain section of the screen when printing causing only a section to be printed. The unpredictability of this process suits the kind of process used in Daniele Baldelli's mixing style that he discusses in the interview. I thought it would be good to try and incorporate his mixing process some how into the process of creating the art to sit alongside the interview. Need to do more of this!

Repurposing Italian Renaissance Art

Both Pat and Ben have suggested using Renaissance art in my work and I've now decided that I'm going to take that advice on board and create some screen prints using artwork from this era. It fits well with my project as the whole Renaissance period itself was considered a rebirth of ancient Greek and Roman worlds; this relates to Cosmic Disco in the sense that this style of music also gave rise to a new era in Italian club culture through eclectic mixing and experiments with preexisting sounds. It was also considered the point in time that Italy crossed over from the middle ages into the modern era, which can also be related to the birth of cosmic disco! Before to Daniele Baldelli and other DJ's contributed to this new lease of life in Italian club culture, the clubs would simply play single tracks one by one rather than mixing. The scene in general was a lot more conservative, the polar opposite of what it became just a few years later. 

Also most of these paintings have quite a religious narrative being communicated within them. There is a relationship between this and music which I think will be good to try and communicate with my imagery. As music, just like religion, is often associated with being a means for transcending human existence in some way, almost supernatural. There's a divinity in music that cannot easily be explained or communicated and so I think using these works in conjunction with the interview with Baldelli will provide a really interesting perspective on it. 

Above are just a few examples of the kinds of paintings I could use. I am going to start with doing a CMYK screen print of one of these and just be really playful with the process to see how far I can push the art work so that it becomes something new whilst still holding a resemblance of the original image. I was also looking at the layouts on a lot of the wood panels that where painted and displayed in churches, incorporating these at a later point into the project, maybe with the layout of the publication could work nicely.