Wish You Were Here

Best described as a Commercial Art, Graphic Design is fundamentally the communication via image and type which can be expressed through a variety of disciplines, usually to persuade, entertain, package, inform, or sell an idea or an object to an audience.

The different disciplines include:

• Typography

• Branding

• Advertising

• Illustration

• Packaging

• Motion graphics

• Infographics

Graphic Design….. so what is it…

Graphic Design…..soWhat skills do I need to develop? Over the two years you will explore;

Analogue Skills.• Drawing• Painting• Hand-rendered Illustration• Collage

Digital skills, use of;• Scanners, Printers, Copiers, Photoshop

Life Skills.• Planning• Patience• Perseverance• Concentration• Imagination• Organisation• Meeting Deadlines

Alicia Abbott

Amelia Pruchnicka

Evie Martinez

Kaitlyn Snee

Mia Cosquer

Will Clarke

I would like you to make observed drawings of fruit and/or vegetables, using EXPRESSIVE line, tone RECORDING the structure and texture in your drawing. There are films to watch on the approach you can take, and to get warmed up!

“Part 1 Film Expressive Drawing”

Take a couple of sheets of A3 cartridge paper and a sharp pencil and u se fruit and veg from your fridge, or, using alternatively images from the internet as visual references (see next slide for images).

TASK 1: Drawings

Left: Emma DibbenRight: Tom Hovey

Stylised drawing. The second task is to make a stylised response to one of the artists; Emma Dibben or Tom Hovey. Firstly Look at their food illustration specifically to support your drawing work, firstly select examples of the artists work and use the artist references and style. Making reference to your selected artist to create a stylised response, using watercolour, pens or pencil appropriate to the artist you have selected

TASK 2: Research

Artist Page Emma Dibben• Illustrator based in the UK.

• She graduated from Falmouth College of Arts in 2004.

• She spends her free time on her allotment growing, drawing, and eating fruit and vegetables of all kinds.

• Emma has exhibited both in the UK and Internationally, andwas featured in the book Making Great Illustration by DerekBrazell and Jo Davies, published by A&C Black.

• Clients include: Waitrose, Krug Champagne, Tracklements, Newman's Own, Baxters, The Waterside Inn, Waitrose Food Illustrated, Delicious, The Guardian, The English Garden, BBC Country File, Pretty Nostalgic, Homes &Gardens, Storey Publishing, Anova Books, Canongate, Penguin, Hodder & Stoughton, amongst many others.

Artist Page Tom Hovey• Illustrator based in South Wales

• His work focuses primarily on food and drink that utilises expressive line using and colourful, saturated palette.

• Majority of work use flat background to contrast with the drawing.

• Often uses a centred, symmetrical composition giving focus to the form.

• Some clients have included: The Great British Bake Off; Glastonbury; Channel 4; Red Bull

Stylised response to Illustrator Emma Dibben

Stylised pen response to Illustrator Tom Hovey and later development work in Photoshop

Task 3: Research Food Packaging brief “Roots and Shoots”

So, lets get started on the Introductory project. Please research and gather imagery from either from theInternet or first hand, by photographing food and drink illustration and packaging. You can gather actualexamples and/or use the Internet to collect great examples of packaging or illustrations of food anddrink. This ideally needs to be contemporary and well designed, perhaps combining hand‐made type with illustration, and/or photographs of products. Look for high end, innovative illustration. Gather a selection and then select your favourite.

You can then write a few notes, insights observations in response to the design, as to why you think it is effective. You can comment on the use of type, whether it is made by hand or digital. The imagery, how you think it is made, and the overall message, bearing in mind the actual product. A few lines is all that is required and your personal opinion on the packaging or illustration on the products you have selected. It can be written in bullet points or continuous prose.

Please see example slides

Research Contemporary Food Packaging

Food Packaging “Way Better” Snacks

To recapPractical TaskSlide 1. Artist Imagery Slide 2. Observed drawingsSlide 3. Stylised drawings/response in style of artist (e.g. Emma Dibben watercolour, and coloured pencil OR Tom Hovey, pen)

Research TaskSlide 4. Examples of Food and drink Illustration and packaging. Slide 5. One example and written commentary.

In total this can be five slides and should take approximately around four or five hours to complete. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch serena.wright@wyke.ac.uk and if you prefer to work with digital imagery then by all means also include a digital response. You can see the supporting films to help you with the drawing tasks and watercolour.

If you have no GCSE in a Art related subject please can you submit this work as your portfolio before the 14 July.

Otherwise please bring your work with you when you start in September, I very much look forward to

meeting you and working with you in the future. Best wishes,

Serena Wright

What can I go onto do with a A level Graphic Design.

Creative subject it is recognised as a gateway to many other visual/ creative studies.

University Graphic Design but also other disciplines.

Architecture, Animation, Concept Art, and Fashion, Fine Art, Teaching.

Apprenticeship with local Design Companies.

Design and digital skills working to a brief are perfectly suited to creative industries.

Some examples of Graphic Design

A level Graphic Design- Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the course for?- The course is for anyone with a vivid interest in creativity and design; so drawing, painting, digital Illustration, photography, textiles. Graphic design has a direct link with creative industries but is also excellent course for anyone wishingto pursue aspects of design in its broadest sense at a higher level.

A prior arts related GCSE/BTEC qualification is expected, but we will consider portfolio applications, send these through by 14th July.

What does the course Involve?- The first year provides an introduction to techniques and embraces traditional and digital media; from observed and stylised drawing to in depth use of digital media in Photoshop. You will work to a brief, and example would be Food & Drink, Ethical Graphics and Music which are currently explored in the introductorystages. In the second year a wider breadth of starting points are given to enable you to work to your interests and strengths.

How is the Course assessed?- the course is split into three parts, an exploratory coursework module aimed to develop and evolve your skill-set. An independent coursework project on one themes; this project is worth 60% of the overall given grade. In the spring of the second year you will receive a themed exam paper, requiring the construction ofa body of research and development culminating in a 15 hour exam. All work is assessed by your teachers and externally moderated.

How big are the average class sizes?- This varies- but presently class numbers range from 15-20.

What can I do after studying this course?- The Visual Arts department has an excellent track record of enabling students to progress to prestigious University institutions in a wide variety of art & design related areas, such as graphic design, illustration,architecture, painting, special effects for film and television, fashion design, animation, games and concept art, textile design and model-making.

The course is taught by practicing Fine Artists and Designers and all teaching materials are created in house.