Visual Workout : Creativity Workbook

by Landa, Robin; Gonnella, Rose

• ISBN13: 9780766813649
• ISBN10: 0766813649
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-07-18
• Publisher: Cengage Learning

Summary

This one-of-a-kind workbook for graphic designers, which may be used independently or in conjunction with Graphic Design Solutions, 3E by Robin Landa, will stimulate your imagination and enable you to flex your creative design muscles. The exercises in this workbook expand upon graphic design applications and each exercise presents a creative problem intended to stimulate visual thinking, encourage sketching and ideas, and, most importantly, prompt you to try new approaches.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xii
About the authors	xiii
Robin Landa	xiii
Rose Gonnella	xiii
PART ONE GET SET
Introduction
Why should you use a workbook?	2	(3)
Learn to tap into your creative potential	3	(2)
What do graphic designers do?	5	(2)
What constitutes a creative graphic design solution?	7	(3)
How and Why to Use This Book
Ideation	10	(1)
Sketching	10	(1)
Sketches	10	(1)
Roughs	10	(1)
Final Comps	10	(1)
Why Visual Workout is a great resource	11	(1)
The Nantucket Arts Alliance ``N''--a case study	11	(3)
The Project	11	(1)
The Objectives	11	(1)
Visualizing the Idea	12	(1)
The Final Image	12	(1)
Philosophy and Design	12	(2)
Critique Guide
How to critique your sketches for the exercises	14	(1)
Define the problem	14	(1)
How many sketches did you do?	14	(1)
Are your sketches clear enough for someone else to be able to ``read'' them?	14	(1)
Did you explore the possibilities?	14	(1)
Are your design sketches visually interesting?	14	(1)
Are your visual concepts fresh?	15	(1)
How to critique your comps for applications	15	(9)
During concept development	15	(1)
During the design stage	15	(1)
General points to review and evaluate	16	(8)
PART TWO THE WORKOUT
Expressive Typography
Exercises	24	(22)
Make a word grow	24	(2)
Stacked type	26	(2)
Figure ground reversal	28	(2)
Onomatopoeia	30	(2)
Design a 27th letter for the alphabet	32	(2)
Reinvent an ampersand or exclamation mark	34	(2)
Letter as a representational object	36	(2)
Replace one letter with an object	38	(2)
Create type figures	40	(2)
Creative ligature	42	(1)
Application	42	(4)
Mixed Up Media & Techniques
Drawing techniques in a variety of media	46	(1)
Collage techniques	46	(3)
Mixed up media and techniques	49	(1)
Exercises	50	(34)
Linear character	50	(2)
Straight lines only	52	(2)
Mark it up	54	(2)
Brushing the contour	56	(2)
Brush drawings and hand lettering	58	(2)
Revisit childhood	60	(2)
Full range	62	(2)
Limited range	64	(2)
High contrasts and hand writing	66	(2)
Draw with your fingers	68	(2)
Comparative grid	70	(2)
Homage to Alberto Giacometti	72	(2)
Stylized	74	(2)
Text type collage	76	(2)
Image collages	78	(2)
Found paper collages	80	(2)
Mixed up media	82	(1)
Application	82	(2)
Visual Surprises
What is a visual surprise?	84	(1)
How do you create a visual surprise?	84	(2)
How do you know what is worn-out?	86	(1)
What is fresh	87	(3)
Exercises	90	(1)
Unexpected Visuals	90	(6)
Create a visual metaphor or simile	90	(2)
Create variations of a visual or object	92	(2)
Take something opaque and make it appear transparent	94	(1)
Application	94	(2)
Contrasts and Combinations	96	(6)
Juxtapose newspaper imagery against original photographic prints	96	(2)
Combine two images or objects into a new whole image or object	98	(2)
Juxtapose images whose subject matter is opposite in emotion, texture, or some other quality	100	(1)
Application	100	(2)
Where have I seen that before?	102	(6)
Design untraditional wedding cake statuettes	102	(2)
Alter an existing well-known sign, logo or package	104	(2)
Using architectural motifs from a foreign country, choose lettering that complements the architectural style	106	(1)
Application	106	(2)
What a Great Idea!	108	(8)
Design rural and urban visuals	108	(2)
Design an individual package for a pineapple	110	(2)
Redesign a backpack to communicate the personality of a celebrity	112	(2)
Communicate your personality through a pattern on a necktie	114	(1)
Application	114	(2)
Points of Departure
What is a point of departure?	116	(1)
How do you know when to use a point of departure?	117	(1)
Themes	117	(1)
Found imagery	117	(1)
Exercises	118	(1)
Themes	118	(4)
Design water	118	(2)
Use near and far vision	120	(1)
Application	120	(2)
Found imagery	122	(6)
Create a cachet for a first day of issue stamp	122	(2)
Replace parts of a vintage post card	124	(2)
Draw with found objects	126	(1)
Application	126	(2)
Work It out
Why you need to work it out	128	(1)
Which skills are important to this workout?	128	(1)
Picture this	128	(1)
Environment: Where will it be seen?	129	(1)
Logos, pictograms, icons, symbols, and signs	130	(2)
Exercises	132	(1)
Picture this	132	(8)
Make a shoe anthropomorphic	132	(2)
Draw something in motion	134	(2)
Draw yourself by looking down at your body	136	(2)
Draw a musical sound	138	(1)
Application	138	(2)
Environment: Where will it be seen?	140	(6)
Water tower design	140	(2)
Party hat	142	(2)
Design a tattoo	144	(1)
Application	144	(2)
Logos, pictograms, icons, symbols, and signs	146	(10)
Take an image down to its most elemental	146	(2)
Draw objects in the same technique	148	(2)
Design a symbol that means equal but opposite	150	(2)
Design signs for weather, emotions, or household chores	152	(1)
Application	152	(4)
PART THREE SHOWCASE
DMA	156	(2)
Steven Brower Design	158	(3)
Tony Ciccolella	161	(3)
Donovan and Green	164	(4)
Jim Dryden Illustration	168	(3)
Ema Design, Inc.	171	(3)
Russell Hassell	174	(3)
Martin Holloway Graphic Design	177	(2)
Liska + Associates, Inc.	179	(2)
Tom Payne	181	(4)
point b incorporated	185	(4)
Jefferson Rall	189	(3)
Segura, Inc.	192	(5)
Mary Ann Smith Design and Illustration	197	(2)
Stuart Topper	199	(2)
Viva Dolan Communications & Design	201	(4)
Vrontikis Design Office	205	(2)
IdeaWorks	207