de-fine me

de- fine me

Rachel Elise

de- fine me

Fall 2012University of

TennesseeGraphic DesignProcess Book

ProducedWritten

PhotographedIllustrated &

Constructed by:

Rachel Elise MArch, Interior Architecture &

Product Design ‘09

you know that feeling when you pay a parking ticket?

...I get that same feeling when I’m

The goal here? Well...to de-”fine” and definebuying art supplies. Like you’re being fined...

Where we’ll end up? Nobody knows...

de- fine me

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Architectural Identity Logo Taxonomy

A1 Transmedia MFA Identity

004 - 041

044 - 047

052 - 000 094 - 125

Con- tents

ummmm...looks like you opened Pandora’s Freakin Box...

maybe...well? oh, what if you- ....nevermind...

where is that list?!?

first comps

dues wednesd

ay. K, guys?

have you taken the downtown greenway yet?

did they

steal t

he power

strip a

gain?!?

Do you have a dongle?

ya, good luck with that...

thaaaaaaaattts right...jenga master jedi!

WHAT AM I DOING!!!!!

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HOW’S THAT FOR A TWIST ON HISTORICAL RESTORATION?!?!

GET YOUR SWAGNEY AT MAGNEY...HA HA, JAKE!

BIOCLIMATIC...HUH?

THIS IS WAY MORE FUN THAN PLAYING THE CAD MONKEY ALL DAY.

funny...I leave architecture for graphics and the fist project is none other than architecture...

004

arch. id

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<< This project is a combination of architectural, ty-

pographical, and identity design as well as exploring

visual culture. You’ll see a progression in stages of

creativity and innovation that bridle a new identity

system to a selected building...which turned out to

the Magney House by Glen Murcutt.

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>> Figuring out the archi-

tects intent...this is

where I began to appreciate

my degree in Architecture

...thank you systems class.

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<< Needless to say this is

my technical and more prag-

matic side setting up the

foundation for

ideation...I love those wee

little sketchbooks...they

make me feel smart :-)

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>> Architecture knowledge

that came in handy...pretty

much all the environmental

stuff that people think is

boring. You know... wind

direction, stack or cross

ventilation, climate, site

position, etc. That kind

of “stuff”.

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<< Taking a look at the

systems Mercutt inte-

grated into the house were

instrumental in initial

ideation...simple shapes,

that’s where it’s at...

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<< For a more interesting

communication of the tech-

nical information...and to

add value to my place in

the class...visual aids

were necessary.

Just don’t expect

Fedex to perform a simple

job without error...aiaiai!

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>> Timeout for a few case

studies on identity systems

and their designers...form,

function, application, etc.

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STEP 2: Come up with ideas that you think are good, but are

not so good...some are fairly ugly..FUGLY...

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<< Lettering workshop

...creating type to

inspire ideation

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<< This is a good example of how jumping ships from an

initial, well founded, reasoning or concept can produce

shallow ineffective forms. Forms that fail to cele-

brate even the obvious. I did find a place of appreci-

ation for the fenestration of louvres in this here.

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<< Small group crits...

just a couple of wee doo-

dlations for their proj-

ects...as well as my own

critique notes

>> More notes

PRE-CRIT: I thought I had a decent handle on the repre-

sentational shapes creating a type for the Magney house

identity, but it wasn’t producing a gentle typeface,

rather a harsh one. After a few goes at it I quit push-

ing the issue and defected to a more obvious approach

that I wasn’t sure where it was to lead but the path felt

promising…or was it just a relief to look at something

new? At this point I was fooling around with overlaying

sketchup model images of the Magney House with illustra-

tions to see if it was possible to stumble upon a pro-

found Identity.

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STEP 3: NOw...Come up with ideas that are good...Then Execute them.

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CRIT: OK, off to a bad start here…I showed up to class

and when I went to pull up the work I’d done over the

weekend I realized it wasn’t there. Not on my new com-

puter that is. Amidst this project I had to replace my

computer (Go Speedracer!), purchase CS6 (Yippee!!), and

transfer the files I needed/was in process with to my new

computer (Not the fun part ). SO, I had to come up with

and engage plan B ASAP. In doing so I began sketching out

everything I had been tinkering with in the computer and

in my mind to the point that I realized I was caught up

in this sickness of divorcing myself from the original

approach I had begun. I was filling the page with only

shallowly founded designs that looked to the mere roof-

line or louvres to give the typeface and lettering form.

When I got up to present my work to the class (in sketch-

es blown up on xerox machine, no less) the class immedi-

ately did me the service of dashing the new venture and

reinstating their faith in the original work…se le vie!

From that point I realized I had let my stubbornness get

in the way of letting the work grow upon itself and take

its own shape. I’d denied the identity the grace of find-

ing itself with a guided hand.

Lesson learned.

POST-CRIT: Have a look at the images below, each a snap-

shot of what I discussed above and the furthering of the

original symbolic shapes venture. In this effort I may

need to tone down the variation of color for readability,

but all in all I am happier that I purged back to this

concept and found ways to soften the type using trans-

parency and rounding edges. In the juxtaposition of each

letter I strove to make each one seems as though it was

a system all its own…not unlike the multiple environmen-

tal systems found throughout the Magney House design. I

found a color palette that works well and will work with

varying aspects of the building in its environment. The

colors are representative of the following: EARTH, WIND,

VEGETATION, WILDLIFE, LIGHT, and OCEAN. On each board

you’ll see a number of notes, but more importantly a de-

velopment of the shapes concept. In terms of how I plan

to improve the building environment I plan to utilize a

rotating print on the louvres, possibly a lighted ver-

sion on the opposite side of the louvres as well as on

the roof to be seen from the air and sea at night. As far

as the interior is concerned color coding the circulation

patterns on the floor material coupled with super graph-

ics on certain walls would bring a simple but effective

element to the interior identity. We’ll see where it goes

from here…

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>> A color palette devised

to speak to the nature sur-

rounding the Magney House.

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>> From lettering to push-

ing those shapes into

a mark here are multiple

iterations of the mark

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STEP 3: NOw...Come up with ideas that are good...Then Execute them.

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[magney house]

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>> LED lighting on the

building louvres light up

the coast with information,

events, and of ocurse the

Magney identity.

>> The Magney Logo as a

vehicle decal to spread

awareness of the regional

cutural center

>> Men and Women’s apparel

to be sold in the Magney

House cultural center shop

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>> A Mobile application for

residents of the region

and visitors to the Magney

House Cultural Center

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>> All elements of the new

Magney House identity as an

Australian cultural center.

<< Regional promotional

poster for the Magney House

Cultural Center.

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STEP 4: Reflect on where to go from here...whats the next move?

Nothing is ever perfect to everyone...

now figure out how to make it better

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So going into Crits I elected to pursue an identity that

uses people as the primary vehicle for external expo-

sure. On the first poster you’ll see the final logo form

clipped with images of the Magney House, sans the grey

horizontal bar that was previously spanning the mark hor-

izontally. While departing from that aspect of the pre-

vious form I found that the shapes became more readable

and the outer vertical rectangles, with a filleted top,

mimicked the roofline and walls of the building itself.

All in all after looking at it for so long the new ver-

sion could breathe more than the old. The type below the

mark was shortened and changed to Rockwell…it just seemed

to emulate the essence of the building’s architectural

language. As for this promo poster the idea is that it

would be hung in local community venues, campus halls,

rec centers, schools, etc. I tried letting the logo and

type sit free of any borders, frames, etc. but in further

iterations it felt like there needed to be a grounding

plane and texture.

When looking at the second poster it’s essent-

ially the outline of the identity components:

Logo, LED Louvre Signage, Vehicle Decal, Mobile Applica-

tion, and Apparel

In terms of where I go from here? Well, I am happy to see

a lot of improvements in my work across the board. BUT,

grasping the idea that, unlike architecture, graphics

often flow from form to function is more trying than I

ever would’ve thought. While drinking out of a proverbi-

al fire hose this semester the other tool in my shop that

needs considerable work is typography. I’m a far cry from

what atrocious things I produced less than a year ago

this semester undertaking typography while implementing

it in everything feels like I’m running the 3ooM hurdles…

the hell race. It’s rough going though I’ve got a lot of

training, but I’ll be so glad when the race ends and I

can begin the warm down…if you prefer another metaphor–

it’s like learning a new language.

-Onward I go…

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Sports...I want to ride mountains again!!!photographyFOOD...YUM

Human Equality

Awareness & aid

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Logo Taxo- nomy

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LOGO TAXONO“ME” RACHEL ELISE 09 05 2012

PHOTOGRAPHY FOOD

AWARENESS & AID

SPORTS

HUMAN EQUALITY

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PHOTOGRAPHY FOOD

AWARENESS & AID

SPORTS

HUMAN EQUALITY LOGO TAXONO“ME” RACHEL ELISE 09 05 2012

PHOTOGRAPHY FOOD

AWARENESS & AID

SPORTS

HUMAN EQUALITY


PHOTOGRAPHY FOOD

AWARENESS & AID

SPORTS

HUMAN EQUALITY


PHOTOGRAPHY FOOD

AWARENESS & AID

SPORTS

HUMAN EQUALITY

<< In this exercise the

instruction was to collect

no less than 30 logos that

we have recently been ex-

posed to and break down the

lot of then into a taxonomy

of categories. Here’s what

I’ve been looking at…well,

since summer.

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PHOTOGRAPHY FOOD

AWARENESS & AID

SPORTS

HUMAN EQUALITY


PHOTOGRAPHY FOOD

AWARENESS & AID

SPORTS

HUMAN EQUALITY

Nothing matters at all but the craft... ...and maybe a paycheck.Studio 451 //

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Nothing matters at all but the craft... ...and maybe a paycheck.

“Okay, so life right now is best described as:

I am drinking out of a firehose…

wtf was I thinking?!?!?

Maybe it’s a bit melodramatic, but the innate first born

child desires to please others rather than myself have

overtaken…prioritization is my number one project and the

shark of time is thrashing me from one side to anoth-

er. It’s currently 2am on Monday morning, mind you this

is meant to be after what some people thought would be

called fall break…more like fall [it will] break [you].

The trial of taking so many studios has certainly put

my midwest work ethic to the test, and here the rivers

have merged. While I’m meant to be writing a book on what

brings people together [yep, no where near enough re-

search done for the rough draft to be written for wednes-

day], completing the never ending yet infamous type ex-

ercises [finished that 2 hours ago...seriously], and of

course the fun project…this A1 project [the one I really

wanted to be working on].

So….I am fully aware of every due date and each assign-

ment but given my circumstance for returning to Uni,

let’s raise our glasses to doing it for yourself, NOT for

the grade or the due date. YES, pens will diagram, copy

will be written, illustrator will illustrate, work will

be done and not for the utopian idea of how most people

think design gets done [by pulling it out of our rears].

The quasi-OCD side of me will be tempered once more as I

reluctantly remind myself to to what is humanly possi-

ble in the given 24hrs in a day, all while ignoring the

incessant urging of my roomies [the parents] to go to bed

because everyone needs rest. With that said, here’s to

just one more all nighter I’ll have pulled for design,

and please excuse the sparseness of this page while real

life is going on behind the screen…Cheers [thanks for

your patience]”

<< Blog post after Fall Break

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...slight freak out moment induced

by sleep depravity

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adventurous

resilient

equipped

relise

REALLY? A WOLF...I...I JUST THINK THEY ARE SCARY AND MEAN. BUT I DON’T SEE YOU THAT WAY...

HA, HA, HAAA...DID YOU SEE JARED’S??? GOT MY MIND ON MY MONEY!

AND MY MONEY ON MY MIND!

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REALLY? A WOLF...I...I JUST THINK THEY ARE SCARY AND MEAN. BUT I DON’T SEE YOU THAT WAY...

HA, HA, HAAA...DID YOU SEE JARED’S??? GOT MY MIND ON MY MONEY!

a1

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PHASE 1: interview and ideate...

just remember the reason we push is to make

a mediocre thing better...

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...just don’t let your ego get in the way

...or do>>

...ps- this is level 1...hit the checkpoints!

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>> This project was designed to develop an identity for

the alter-ego within, and to experiment with implementing

that identity in a number of ways that escalate in scale.

Beginning with A5 and progressing to A1 paper size...

My alter ego: RELISE [pronounced release, or realize]

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<< A5 Interview with

Emily Gilles conducted via

Facebook messaging...

>> A5 Interviw >> A5 Grid >> A3 Self Portrait

>> A4 Mark

>> This is the breakdown of

how various aspects of the

project relate to

one another.

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>> A2 Tourguide

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PHASE 2: MAKE A MARk...and make it a4...ps- this is level 2...don’t fail...

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>> Mind mapping the possi-

bilities of an Alter Ego

named Relise.

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>> Taking the mind mapping

a step further to establish

related visuals...

>> experimenting with hand

drawn images that the visu-

als mind map generated...

3 Words the mark for RELISE

must represent and embody

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>> ADVENTUROUS

>> EQUIPPED

>> RESILIENT

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>> Post mid-crit review:

Don’t do anything with a

wolf, coyote, etc. Ap-

parently in this region

of the country they have

bad connotiations and the

tree tends to be overdone.

Re-visit a different ani-

mal and possibly succulents

that embody the 3 words.

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<< The high contrast rep-

resents the duality of the

namre relise while the wood

grain symbolizes skills as

a woodworker.

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>> The final mark... the

hand drawn quality, though

cleaned up in the computer,

alludes to the many tech-

nical and fine art skills

relise comes equipped with.

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PHASE 3: Create a Self Portrait...and make it a3...ps- this is level 3...Who are you...

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>> The self portrait be-

gan as a literal expression

using another skill I’ve

become equipped with...

oil painting.

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>> Though the self portrait

began as an oil painting,

I reintroduced the hand

drawing into the final

iteration of the image...

in the hair I incorporated

elements that were part of

the the process of

this project.

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PHASE 4: MAKE A Tourguide...and make it a2...ps- this is level 4...don’t get lost...

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>> The Tour guide is es-

sentially a snapshot of my

workplace...CAFE 4...

I work a locations that are

local and offer great food,

espresso, and energy....

JAVA JAVA JAVA JAVA JAVA!!!

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>> The final tour guide...

reduced and refined.

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PHASE 5: Put it all together...and make it a1...ps- this is level 5...Mission nearly complete...

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>> A few open iterations

that really didn’t feel

right ...so naturally I

tried again...

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>> And another version that

didn’t work...

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>> and again...

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>> and again...

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>> Final Critiques for the

A1 poster

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>> and again...but it

worked this time...

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What is FLUX?

We don’t exactly know how this os going to work

Centripetal Force

Geeze this is so what I’ve had to learn on my owndo an experiment...

does it work?

put it in a box and there you go...

take a stab at it...but it might need some help

what about application???

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transmedia id

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<< The University of Ten-

nessee is Endeavoring to

combine it’s 2D, 3D, and 4D

Master of Fine Arts Pro-

grams into a single cur-

riculum that is diverse

across the mediums...it is

called Transmedia design...

and this is my proposal for

the Transmedia identity and

application.

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<< Here we are taking the

idea of Flux and defining

it in a number of ways and

experiments gave context to

the possibilities of the

flexible identity that the

Transmedia design program

will employ

>> More Experiments...

and fun

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Mission 1: Take the experiments and create

visuals

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>> CENTRIPETAL FORCE...

say that 5x fast...

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>> CEN = 3 year program

>> TRI = 10 Disciplines

>> PETAL = Forward motion &

organic growth

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<< variations of the ap-

plication of this flexible

identity...Version 1

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>> Experimentation with

personalization...Version 2

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>> From the experiment

these are the resulting

individual marks that each

person made for themself

using the flexible identity

I created...

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Mission 2: Refine the system and make the

identity work

...in real life that is...not just in your head

trans-mediadesignLevel of capability within the respective discipline

industrial

exhibition

business

research

print

Digital

2D3D

4D

environmental

self designed student logo or TMD text

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>> This version...Version 3

is a reduction and refine-

ment of the experiments

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As we were aiming to define what Transmedia means, how

it works, and the way UT’s new program would function I

found that my own path would be a significant source to

draw on. One way or another the purpose of endeavoring

in a Masters degree program is to enrich the foundation

upon which a student has built to this point, whether it

be an academic or commercial motivation. This idea that

Transmedia design is meant to incorporate a fluid way of

thinking and moving among multiple mediums is best facil-

itated by pushing experimentation in a number of courses

and environments not specific to one field or medium,

and in a way that by the end of study student has learned

to function successfully across the fields in an adapt-

able way. Nothing is ever perfect, and while beauty is in

the eye of the beholder it’s important to understand

that “pretty” does not fix problems. Form and Function

are not often finite and it’s the genius of the designer

that produces a methodology, system, or solution to

address any number of issues resolved by design.

Commercial needs for designers are changing constantly

as of late, and the ability to work as a “Jack/Jane of

All Trades” is becoming increasingly requested and sought

out by employers. For those seeking to remain in academia

beyond their study in Transmedia design it is critical

they are able to guide a future generation of designers

who can tackle thinking in a number of dimension, field,

and have the technical skill to support the granduer of

highly conceptual ideas. Design is essentially

problem solving.

In terms of my own path I have spent the last eight years

in design; six in architecture; four in product/indus-

trial design; and approaching one year in graphic de-

sign. Muddled between those classes in my undergraduate

study were a number of business, marketing, and economics

courses...just a few hours short of a minor. In may of

2009 I completed a Masters Degree in Interior Architec-

ture & Product Design with a focus in Furniture Design.

With such an intense six year study in learning how to

design virtually the whole 3D environment from large to

small scale I assumed I would immediately find employment

and begin a 8-5 job. Now I’m grateful that didn’t happen.

I came to realize through a series of layoffs, sales po-

sitions, and freelance work, that to be successful (not

necessarily financially) Iad to change my mindset from

designing as a part of work to designing and problem

solving as a way of life. So many experimental failures,

exposures new crafts and mediums, extensive traveling, as

well as the useful business principles I’d learned forced

me outside of my comfort zone and enriched my proverbi-

al toolbox. It created a paradigm that made the fear of

trying/learning new things fall to the background because

the return on my investments would benefit me in some

future project or endeavor. More recently that 3D form

of thinking has been flipped on its head with the expo-

sure to Graphic design...mostly because you can ride the

conceptual train far longer. The point is focusing on one

medium tends to pidgeon hole designers, but challenging

them to take the skills and principles of problem solv-

ing and apply those to a new problem or medium constantly

teaches the designer’s mind to be a dynamic, adaptable,

teachable, and an ever expanding toolbox...in any medium.

Below is how I would imagine exposure to the Transmedia

way of thinking to be facilitated...surely this could be

improved upon in a number of ways: A Final Solution is in

the works...To be continued...

<< Curriculum Proposal

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Mission 3: Produce a refined Final Solutio

n

...although what is ever final since nothing is perfect?

TO BE CONTIINUED...

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>> Just keep going...

just make something...

trust yourself...

just do it...

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de-fine me

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