Brandon Boyd Art

The lead singer of Incubus, Brandon Boyd, is not only an established singer and song writer but somewhat of a prolific artist. I have previously posted about the man and his gallery shows, but I think it's important to once again mention his influence on me personally. I also believe that in order to fully comprehend his musical style I have to understand his creative approach. Below are a few examples of his work, they could perhaps come in useful when picking a visual style to go with for the six albums.

Incubus Discography

Fungus Amongus is the debut album produced by American rock band Incubus, released November 1, 1995 on Stopuglynailfungus Music On Chillum, Incubus' own independent label. 

It was later re-released under Epic/Immortal on November 7, 2000 after popular demand. Many of the names given under 'Personnel' are actually pseudonyms for the Incubus members. 'Fabio' is guitarist Mike Einziger. 'Dirk Lance' is bassist Alex Katunich, who later adopted 'Dirk Lance' as his stage name. 'Brandy Flower' is an actual Sony employee, and 'Happy Knappy' is vocalist Brandon Boyd. 'Brett' and 'Brett Spivery' refer to Brett Spivey, long time friend of the band, who went on to make their first two DVDs, and the videos for "I Miss You" and "Summer Romance (Anti-Gravity Love Song)". 

The album cover image is of an amanita muscaria mushroom, also known as a fly agaric mushroom. Stylistically, the album shows strong influences from funk-metal bands such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primus and Mr. Bungle, all of whom are mentioned in the liner notes of the album. Also the group present a quasi rap style which is avoided in later Incubus releases showing Brandon rapping on songs such as Psychopsilocybin, Trouble in 421, Speak Free, and Take Me to Your Leader. The lyrics vary from songs about life ("Medium", which usually mistaken for a food song), to science-fiction songs ("Trouble in 421", "Take Me to Your Leader"), to songs about drugs ("Psychopsilocybin"). The song "Hilikus" is commonly misinterpreted as "high-like-us", but it is actually a word meaning crazy.

S.C.I.E.N.C.E. is the second album by American rock band Incubus, released on September 9, 1997.

S.C.I.E.N.C.E. draws influence from diverse genres, including heavy metal, electro, funk, jazz, hip hop and techno. According to Rolling Stone writer Rob Kemp, S.C.I.E.N.C.E. "links funk metal to the rap metal". "Magic Medicine" incorporates elements of trip hop, sampling a recorded reading of a children's book. The song "Vitamin" appears in the film Final Destination 2. 


Critics praised the album's diversity of styles. Pitchfork Media wrote that Incubus "successfully combines all sorts of [music genres] without sounding like a mess". Allmusic reviewer David Thomas wrote that "The numerous styles on the album don't always blend perfectly, but they create a solid sound that defines the band. Incubus also manages to make their songs upbeat and danceable as well as tunes to headbang to. An admirable feat in a genre that tends to reward decibel levels instead of quality." Drop-D Magazine reviewer Darren Kerr praised the album for its originality. In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, Kemp gave the album two out of five stars. In The Great Rock Discography, Martin Charles Strong gave the album six out of ten stars.

Make Yourself is the third album by American rock band Incubus, released through Epic Records on October 26, 1999.

The album has been certified double platinum in the United States along with featuring three charting singles, "Pardon Me", "Stellar", and "Drive", all of which reached the top three of the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. There is also a tour edition for the album, with a second disc containing three acoustic tracks and one live track.


The album is the first to be recorded with new turntablist Chris Kilmore, who replaced DJ Lyfe. The song "Stellar" is featured in the video game Guitar Hero. It also was included as a part of a 3-song pack via Xbox Live for the Xbox 360 version of Guitar Hero II on April 11, 2007. The song is also again featured in Guitar Hero Smash Hits. The song "Drive" was released as downloadable content for Guitar Hero World Tour, as being released as a part of the Acoustic Pack.

Morning View is the fourth studio album by American rock band Incubus, released October 23, 2001 through Epic Records. With immensely popular singles like "Wish You Were Here" and "Nice to Know You," Morning View generally achieved critical praise and would go triple-platinum, making it the band's highest selling album.

To record the album, the band lived temporarily in Malibu, California, near a street called "Morning View Drive". Former bassist Alex Katunich (aka "Dirk Lance") noted that the band had previously "tried to do that for at least the writing portion of Make Yourself, but we didn't have enough clout at the time. When we were getting ready to write this one, we knew that we needed to get into a more creative place. The idea was to not feel as if you were driving [somewhere] to work on a record. You could just get up and it was a natural extension of your day." 


Morning View features a variety ambiance, aggression, and groove. It has an overall softer sound than previous albums, especially apparent on songs like "Echo" and "Are You In?"; however, Incubus's heavier side is still evident on tracks like "Have You Ever" and "Under My Umbrella." Songs such as "Just a Phase" display more original song structures compared to their previous work. Regarding the album's unique sound, guitarist Mike Einziger notes that it: "would've been really easy for us to try to replicate certain songs that did well on our last record, which we didn't do. We didn't do anything even remotely close to that. We put pressure on ourselves to make a good record because if none of us were happy with it, we'll all be miserable for the next two years while we're on tour."

A Crow Left of the Murder... is the fifth studio album by alternative rock band Incubus, released on February 3, 2004. 

The album marks the first appearance of bassist Ben Kenney, following the departure of founding member Alex Katunich. The singles from this album are "Megalomaniac" and "Talk Shows on Mute". "Agoraphobia" and "Sick Sad Little World" were also released as radio-only singles. The album debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling about 332,000 copies in its first week on the chart. It has since gone on to sell 1.9 million copies and has been certified platinum by the RIAA. This is one of the few Incubus albums to carry the Parental Advisory label.

Light Grenades is the sixth studio album by alternative rock band Incubus, released on November 28, 2006 on Epic Records. 

The album sold 359,000 copies during its first week of release worldwide, mostly in the United States. Light Grenades debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 165,000 copies in the U.S. in its first week; it is the band's first number one album. However, Light Grenades also holds the dubious honor of having the of the biggest drop from No. 1 in chart history, falling from No. 1 to No. 37 in its second week on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and breaking the record set by Marilyn Manson's The Golden Age of Grotesque, which fell from No. 1 to No. 21 in 2003.

The album has since gone gold in the US, selling 845,000 copies there. Light Grenades is the sixth studio album by alternative rock band Incubus, released on November 28, 2006 on Epic Records. The album sold 359,000 copies during its first week of release worldwide, mostly in the United States. Light Grenades debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 165,000 copies in the U.S. in its first week; it is the band's first number one album. However, Light Grenades also holds the dubious honor of having the of the biggest drop from No. 1 in chart history, falling from No. 1 to No. 37 in its second week on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and breaking the record set by Marilyn Manson's The Golden Age of Grotesque, which fell from No. 1 to No. 21 in 2003. The album has since gone gold in the US, selling 845,000 copies there.

Body Shop

Graphics: Packaging Design
Sponsor: The Body Shop
Brief: Design a contemporary range of packaging for The Body Shop that unites their brand values with the premium nature of the products.The Body Shop will offer one winning student a placement in their creative department.

National Student Survey

Big prizes and portfolio boosting national recognition – can you create an eye catching poster for the National Student Survey (NSS) that will be seen in every university in the country? 
This year’s NSS poster competition is your opportunity to showcase your creative skills and have your design included in its high profile national marketing campaign.

The winner will receive: 

• National recognition as the winning poster is used to advertise the NSS across every university in the country and is targeted at the over 300,000 students eligible to complete the survey. 
• A day working with the firm responsible for running the NSS, Ipsos MORI, to further develop and adapt the poster, getting it ready for use in the promotional campaign. 
• A one week expenses paid work placement with leading London design firm hat-trick (£200 plus travel and accommodation). 

Eligibility: The competition is open to all students on a current programme of study (as of May 2011) at a higher education or further education institution. Competition entrants may submit up to three different designs.

The Brief: The poster will be used to promote the National Student Survey 2012 in higher education and further education institutions. The design brief for this competition will give further guidance about the direction we are looking for.

Positive Posters 2011

THE BRIEF
Positive Posters provides a shared platform that encourages designers to be proactive in shaping important issues. We believe in the ability of design to inspire minds, change attitudes and spark revolutions.

The 2011 Positive Posters brief asks you to design a poster that highlights or exposes an issue specific to your own country, someone else’s or one that is international. It could be social, environmental or political; anything that you believe deserves a global audience and could be better seen or understood.

This is an opportunity for you to make a positive contribution towards an issue by presenting it to a global audience. We don’t want to tell you what’s important; we’d like you to tell us what’s important to you.

Case Study - Help Japan
On Friday March 11 2011 Japan was struck by one of the largest earthquakes in recorded history causing widespread devastation to the nation and it’s people. Canadian visual artist and designer James White wanted to help. He acted quickly and his self initiated project, driven by design made a big impact.

“When I woke up on the morning after the quake struck Japan I knew immediately that I wanted to do something to help. Being a designer who already runs a well-traveled blog, I decided early on that this would be the vehicle I would use in order to generate funds to donate. Using my abilities to help.

The design came together very quickly as I wanted something simple, striking and obvious as to what it represented. The Japanese rising sun symbol with a fracture symbolized what had happened, where it happened, and that they need our help.The title “Help Japan” says it all, and is non-specific so the poster could be used for a number of fundraising and charitable events.

The image itself took on a life of it’s own after going viral and has helped many other people with their own fundraising efforts. That’s exactly what I wanted the image to represent, a call for help. I received a staggering number of emails in the days after its release from high school kids, companies, charitable organizations, magazines, etc all wanting to use the image for their own initiatives. It traveled all over the world, to places I myself will never see.

A person in Toronto sent me a photo of a roughly printed version of the poster that ended up in a Korean grocery store. My “Help Japan” text was replaced and translated, urging people to donate. It was a beautiful example of my design being used to help, and crossed over to another language.”

James’ story is a perfect example of the kind of work we believe in and want to encourage. Use his story as inspiration when thinking of issues that matter to you.

A while back we asked 2010 winner Jesse Mallon what he thought made a good poster good. We kind of figured he would have a bit of an idea and he did, three of them in fact!

1. Be inspired by the theme, but don’t take it too literally
Last year’s theme, ‘A Glass Half Full’, was a great starting point to work from. There were a lot of great entries that presented the theme literally, but there was probably a fair few more that took a more lateral approach. Trying to represent the theme for what it is on an immediate level can limit your options when it comes to the design. Considering the wider message of the theme (in last year’s case, ‘Optimism’) should give you some more inspiration to work with.

2. Think about who will see the poster
As with any design brief, it’s vital that you think about who you’re communicating to. Even though at first your audience is the design community and the judges, in the end the winning poster has to communicate effectively to those who will see it after it’s pasted up. 

Most people aren’t going to spend much time interpreting a poster they see on the streets, so it’s important that it captures their interest and they can understand the message easily. That being said, the message doesn’t have to be spelt out typographically, but could simply be a feeling or an emotion (much like 2009’s winning poster, Peter Chmela’s ‘Smile’).

3. The poster needs to stand out from the pack
And by ‘the pack’ I mean both the other competition entries and everything that will be surrounding the winning poster when it’s pasted up. In 2010, the poster appeared on the busy streets of Melbourne, Sydney and Hong Kong. So it’s a good idea to keep in mind that it needs to stand out in a city landscape full of other posters and advertisements. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be brighter or louder than everything around it. Keeping it simple can be a good point of difference in contrast to advertisements that are often required to have a lot of content. 

Another thing to consider is whether or not your poster can work on more than one level. For example, Micah Scott’s entry from 2010, ‘3 Good Things’, directly interacted with the audience, asking them to write on the poster three things that are good in their lives. Of course, your design doesn’t have to be interactive, but it’s just an example of how you can help your poster stand out from the pack.

So, in short, don’t limit your inspiration, have a clear message and make sure your poster stands out from the other entries and the city landscape. Best of luck to everyone entering the competition this year and I look forward to what I’m sure will be another successful year for Positive Posters.

Adelaide Fringe

This is yet another brief that deals directly with poster design. At first I was slightly apprehensive about the context of the poster, after all I have never been to an 'art and performance festival', and therefore have no idea what sort of design would be required. However, after reading the brief thoroughly and making a few notes, not to mention discovering some previous winners, I feel that this is something I could really respond to. I like the branding aspect of it, and how you are initially designing a poster, but then this singular poster design could then be applied to many different mediums. I also like the what seems to be a fun and playful tone of voice. Obviously the first thing that came to my mind when reading this is 'colour'. This poster could be so bold and bright, visually engaging and appealing to the audience. It's also surprising that even though the guidelines are pretty vast and left open for interpretation I already have a very clear idea of what I would design in my minds eye. If the deadline where not so soon I would consider producing something for this. Perhaps I could take certain parts of the brief and apply them to one of my negotiated briefs.

Design us a poster around the theme - Tour of the Unexpected

If you win, you not only get the kudos of having your artwork seen nationally and internationally, but you will also receive a travel voucher to the value of $1,000.

The Tour of The Unexpected

Attending or participating in the Adelaide Fringe is a unique and thrilling adventure like no other, where anything can happen and you will experience things you have never experienced before. It‘s a time to let your hair down, party for 24 days and nights an immerse yourself in art and performance in venues all over Adelaide. We want everyone to get on this ultimate tour of the unexpected and enjoy the ride of their lives. We are after a poster that conjures up images of the ultimate tour where you get to expand your mind, be entertained and be changed forever.

Who can enter?

Anyone and everyone! Individuals, students, design studios and professionals - we want you all.

What do I submit?

Your design must be suitable for reproduction in both colour and black & white in a variety of formats – from very large street posters and vinyl banners down to very small logos and advertisements. It also needs to demonstrate flexibility so that it can be used, in full or in part, in a variety of creative applications (i.e. merchandise, such as figurines, stubbie holders and t-shirts; website; and on a range of printed material, such as program booklets, signage and box office materials). It could be digital, graphic, a painting, a drawing, sculptural or even photographic - as long as it fits the theme Tour of the Unexpected and is able to be submitted online. 

How do I enter?

All design submissions must be made using our online Entry Form in PDF or jpg format only (max 10 MB). Entries must be received by 5pm, Thursday 1 September.

Some Previous Winners:

Clowning Around

I found this live brief online and thought it was perfect in regards to the style of brief I would love to undertake. There are aspects that make it the ideal live brief for me to sink my teeth into, however there are other aspects that do not appeal to me. For example it is a poster design competition which I feel is a strength of mine, however the target audience and therefore the tone of voice does not seem to appeal to me. The film seems to be quite dark, perhaps a black comedy, whereas I usually prefer to design for light hearted and humorous briefs. I also don't like how it is implied that photography should be used. If I was able to turn the images provided into illustrations and really play with colour then the brief could would appeal to me a lot more. Nevertheless, it's definitely a starting point and proves that there are briefs out there that apply to the niche corner of design I wish to explore further.

POSTER DESIGN COMPETITION
We are currently in pre-production for our next short film “Clowning Around” which is being funded via IndieGoGo (www.indiegogo.com/clowningaroundfilm) and to show investors and sponsors the ambitious and visual nature of the film, we shot some amazing stills in Tower Bridge Studios which feature across the campaign and on our website. From the 1,500 stills we took, we have chosen 75 we like most which feature a mixture of our ensemble cast together and individually, which we would like to use for the main poster and other artwork to promote the film. Rather than get a specific graphic designer, we would like to invite people from the online filmmaking and creative community to design the poster, which will be seen far and wide by the Indie filmmaking community, not only in the lead-up to production, but also during our festival exhibition and any published art we have for the distribution of the final film. To participate, you need to email leilani@clowningaroundfilm.com and you will be sent a link to download the images you would like, all in JPeg format (or RAW CR2 upon request) and have until 12th September to design a poster that will be seen by a team of design and film industry judges led by Total Film magazine’s Matthew Leyland (www.totalfilm.com) The winner will then be announced as part and be publicized in a various blogs and online and print media.

COMPETITION RULES & REQUIREMENTS

• Only one poster submission per entrant
• The competition will run from 12th August to 12th September 2011
• To enter you must email leilani@clowningaroundfilm.com and you will be sent a link to a gallery of high resolution jpegs. If you would prefer to work with RAW CR2 files then please let us know
• All images are copyright Summit from Nuthin Productions 2011
• Posters must include the website address www.clowningaroundfilm.com and the following credits at the bottom

Women on the Verge: DVD Artwork

The Church of London

THE ALMODOVAR COLLECTION
Optimum Releasing commissioned TCOLondon to produce original artwork for the re-release of eight Pedro Almodóvar classics.

Little White Lies, No. 7

I remember vaguely seeing this issue of Little White Lies promoted online when it was first released, and knowing that I must purchase it. The issue itself is beautifully laid out and I have always appreciated the approach of this unique little film magazine. However it wasn't until now that I would also very much appreciate a feature in the magazine. I lifted a quote from page 42 that will benefit my dissertation greatly:

'The promotional posters used by Pedro Almodovar are as bold and timeless as the films to which they are attached. No dull drop off spot for the jubilant quotes of the critics, they are an extension of the films, offering insight into their content, style and tone. Their influences range from Lichtenstein to Warhol to Picasso to Braque. The approach to the designs evolved from the heavy handed caricatures and bright colours of the early '80's to the robust, angular style of the '90's. As the years roll by, the images become more austere, more focused and more iconic.'


Jenkins, D., 2006. 'Colour Me Sexy'. Little White Lies; The Volver Issue, no. 7. pp 42-49.

Little White Lies, No. 36

Info
In a summer of widespread mediocrity, LWLies 36 cuts through the fat and gets up close and personal with Pedro Almodóvar’s macabre melodrama The Skin I Live In.

We’ve quite literally gone the extra mile to bring you our latest issue, flying to Almodóvar’s Madrid-based offices for an exclusive chat with the man himself about faith, fear and genetic mutation.

Elsewhere we retrace film history to provide a definitive guide to alternative Spanish cinema; question whether the age of the surgically enhanced movie star is coming to an end; dissect the latest cell-splicing breakthrough to shake up science; and prepare ourselves for the dawn of the post-human age with controversial futurist Ray Kurzweil.

Suzi Wong Evaluation

After having spent two weeks with Suzi Wong Creations I feel that I have learnt more than I could ever have imagined. At the beginning of the time period I was very much within my comfort zone redesigning the company's essentials, like business cards, compliment slips, letterheads and more. I felt as though I was putting all the skills I developed during my typography elective with Graham to good use. It was the first time that I had really worked to strict visual guidelines that were not to my own personal taste to ensure the company ethos was represented. In the end I was proud of my resolutions and hope that Suzi Wong felt the same way.

At the end of the first week I was presented with much more of a challenge; designing a graphic visual that would eventually be used as an item of clothing. In my two years of the course, I have never considered the apparel route. In the past I have proposed very early ideas that perhaps incorporate t-shirt designs, but never have I followed these ideas through. However with this, that was not an option. I had to see the challenge through to the end, and come up with an idea that would be suitable for both practical and theoretical purposes. For the former I was designing to strict dimensions and a pre-approved template that could be printed and assembled to form a pair of shorts. With the latter, I had to design a visual aesthetic that would appeal to a very specific target market; macho, tough, masculine and most importantly a winner. I was proud of my choice to design a destroyed/grungey Union Jack as it incorporated all the previously mentioned attributes of a typical customer, but also added the bonus feature of patriotism. The task was certainly a tough one that involved a lot of trial and error to ensure the right outcome, but I am confident that it was all worth it and I created a resolution that I was proud of. Below is a PDF that shows my design within the final proposed collection of new MMA shorts for Moko Clothing.

During my time at Suzi Wong Creations I have not only learnt a wealth of knowledge in regards to practical skills and dealing with clients, but I have also observed the amount of effort and commitment running a self sustaining, family business requires. Whilst sitting in the office or standing on the production floor, the dedication and enthusiasm is obvious. To succeed in the world of design it is clear to me now that you need both practical and social skills. Dealing with customers isn't always easy and sometimes it's hard to envision working for such demanding clients, but if the payoff is worth it then you have to put your personal feelings aside and adopt a much more professional conscience. I am definitely taking a lot away from my two weeks at Suzi Wong Creations; ranging from the drive to get out there and make a name for myself, to newly established connections in the design world that I can use to my advantage in the future. It was a great experience and certainly an eye opener for the future.

Suzi Wong: Finished Shorts

Today I walked into Suzi Wong to find that the two pieces of material I had previously printed the day before had been assembled into a complete pair of shorts. I had been told that this would be the case, as they needed to see what the fully finished outcome looked like to determine the success of the design. However I was still shocked at how fast the production was. I have to admit I was pretty blown away by the outcome. Of course the quality of the prints weren't great, and the colours weren't crisp and vibrant, but it was so easy to see past those things. I was looking at an item of clothing that I had designed from scratch, and I could not have been more proud. There is something to be said for producing a product that has real potential. I was told by John that I could keep the prototype as a souvenir to remember my time at Suzi Wong. Not only that but John insisted he liked the design and implied that he may send the visual to an external printer to be professionally printed onto fabric. He mentioned something about a provisional run of about a dozen pairs to see how they sell in the market. To me, just being given the brief and the opportunity to make a prototype was more than enough, but to think that someone may pay to wear a pair of shorts I designed is mind blowing. Below are a few images of the prototype shorts.

Suzi Wong: Prototype Preparation

Today was the day that I was told I would be actually printing my proposed designs onto fabric in preparation for a pair of prototype shorts. I began by splitting my computer design up into A4 sections and flipping my designs, therefore making it possible to print. These sections where then individually printed onto a special kind of paper that could be transferred onto fabric with the help of a heat press. It was a long process that involved a lot of trial and error to make sure the visuals came out in the best quality they could. Eventually it was determined that I had to cut around all the separate sheets and hold them together with a special cellotape to ensure the right results. An image of this can be found below in the second picture down.

Once I had assembled the full design I then used the heat press to get the print onto the template for the left short leg. It became obvious that the print was not quite big enough and there was quite a bit of white left visible in the exteriors. Therefore I had to print off more black onto the special paper and heat press it into position.

Of course once I had completed one leg it was then I had to think about the other. What with the left leg being such a large and busy pattern, it was pretty obvious that the other leg should remain quite simple and understated. So I decided to use the business' logo as the main feature and positioned it vertically along the side of the right leg. Again this process involved more cutting and sticking together. The image below shows the finished left leg fabric, and the proposed right leg just before using the heat press. 

A close up shot of the detail below.

Making a few adjustments to ensure the best visual outcome.

Another close up visual shot.

This last image shows the two finished legs next to each other, with all traces of the white fabric underneath either printed over or filled in with a marker. I have been told that if there is time then the two legs will be sewn together by tomoro and I can see what the fully assembled outcome will look like. Fingers crossed!

Suzi Wong: Expanding MMA Design

Today I was told to think about other uses for my Union Jack visual and after seeing the other items produced at Suzi Wong's I realised that they make and distribute a lot of t-shirts. So I thought about the design possibilities for a combination of both my Union Jack and a t-shirt template. Below are just a few ideas I came up with, with varying degrees of success.

Suzi Wong: MMA Designs

After carrying out the rebranding for the company in the previous week I was set with another challenge for the second one. Only this one was very different. The work set to me in the first week was very professional and mostly involved adjusting tiny details, but the next week would be more about fun and freer creativity. Suzi Wong Creations are a very established company that make personalised boxing shorts for both  professionals and amateurs. However they are looking to expand into MMA Apparel. MMA is a new sport that requires more movement and therefore a different type of short. I was set the task of designing a visual that resembles something similar to the image below. I decided to go with a grungey Union Jack and the screengrabs below shows my development.