COP - Study Task 1

Abstract Painting Number 439 - Gerhard Richter

Quite a few years ago my family and I visited the Tate Modern Gallery in London, where this painting is displayed. At the time I wasn't into art and design at all, but this painting influenced me enough to start drawing and painting. I soon discovered however that I was much better doing computer-based illustrations and designs than I was at had-drawn work. Ultimately this painting is probably the reason I'm here now studying Graphic Design at LCA. I've never really been able to explain why I love this painting so much, which I find odd, given how much influence it's had on my life.

What Separates Me From You Album Cover - A Day To Remember

I love the artwork on this album, the illustrations of the people are so detailed on a relatively small scale that from a distance they almost look like photographs. The way the image links in with the name of the title is really cool, the sense of isolation it makes me feel is really strong. I also feel that the simple typography works really well against such a busy background image.

Coffee Lovers - Marcelo Shultz

I came across this typography when doing some research for one of my AS Graphic Design projects two years ago on a website called Typography Served (http://www.typographyserved.com/). I love the 3 Dimensional effect, the colours, the curves, the lighting. This sort of typography is the sort of thing I aspire to have to skills and creativity to be able to do myself after finishing the course. 

Work and Influence of Cesar Manrique on the Canary Islands

Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands was home to an Architect, Artist, Designer, and all round Creative man named Cesar Manrique until he died in 1992. I have visited a number of the Canary Islands and noticed how the architecture and style of art was exactly the same across them all. Last year I visited Lanzarote, and found out about Cesar Manrique, the man who set the "guidelines" for pretty much all aspects of the aesthetics of the islands, ranging from how the buildings should look, to what sort of decoration should be on the roundabouts. I particularly like his style of metalwork sculptures which are often used as the identities for landmarks on various islands (particularly Lanzarote), but what I really admire about his work is the influence it had on the people of the islands. He said that buildings should be no more than 3 stories high and painted either white or cream, so when a massive glass hotel was being built in Tenerife, the largest and most commercialized of the islands, there were all sorts of complaints from the islands inhabitants, even going as far as bomb threats. Obviously I'm not condoning bomb threats, but I can't help but admire Manrique for having such a strong influence on the people of the Canary Islands purely through his words and his designs.

Star Wars Posters - Olly Moss

Star Wars is and always will be a huge franchise, and was a huge part of my childhood. However, the fact that it was before my time meant I missed out on the popularization of the brand including all the advertising. These posters by Olly Moss weren't from the original advertising series as is probably obvious by the modern style of the posters. But the clever use of shape in the posters is great, and combined with simple colour schemes, these posters are really effective.