The Universe through art

Belloli, J. (2001). The Universe: A Convergence of Art, Music, and Science. Pasadena, California: Armory Center for the Arts.

(Belloli, 2001)

Reading up on the examples discussed in the book will give a better understanding of how the universe is represented though artistic means. The less removed the representation of the universe, the less the association is created about its complexity. Through the artistic interpretation, the universe is celebrated through its beauty than of its intricate explanations. 

The most significant taking from this book's reading is the frequent representation of the circle throughout history in depicting the cosmos both scientifically and artistically. 

As a symbol, the circle "transcends cultures, religions, and time. Over the ages the circle has appeared as a cosmic emblem in spiritual imagery, as well as a dominant geometric form in abstract art" (Deziel, 2001, p.57). This is important given the brief's requirement in designing a 'timeless' cover. 

Heavy Circles, 1927

Artistically, the Russian painter and art theorist, Kadinsky represented this connection between the geometric form and the cosmos in his painting Heavy Circles. "The circular forms in his abstract paintings of Wassily Kandinsky were also intended as symbolic links to the cosmos" (Deziel, 2001, p.57).

'Antennae with Red and Blue Dots' c.1953

The brightly coloured circles, in various sizes and hues, resembles that of a planetary rotation when set against a dark background. "The two largest and most central circles, suggestive of the sun and moon, form an eclipse, while the surrounding circles suggest planets"  (Deziel, 2001, p.58).

'Maelstrom with Blue', 1976

Even Calder was inspired by the cosmos, stating that, "the underlying sense of form in my work has been the system of the Universe, or part thereof" (Lipman, 1976). His lifelong interest manifested in his art through shapes representing the sun, moon, planets and stars in both his mobiles and gouaches. Calder's work represents 

Robert Irwin's circular disc 'paintings' of the 1960s, made of cast acrylic, seem to hover on the wall without any visible support. The direct lighting of the spotlight blurs the physical boundaries of the discs, "suggesting an infinite expanse of light and space" (Deziel, 2001, p.58). 

Sky Garden, 1969

Robert Rauschenberg's interpretation of space is more graphic than previous examples. But unlike Calder or Kandinsky, Rauschenberg uses images of mass culture to create his compositions. 

M13, Globular Cluster in Hercules, 1999

Weingart

Russell Crotty's ink drawings of the sky onto paper is reminiscent of Wolfgang Weingart's experiments in typography. This has the potential of becoming an idea for experimentation in the book covers design. 

From these observations, it became clear that because Hawking's book is aimed towards those who are a "non-specialist reader" with no prior knowledge on scientific theories, the  cover should not realistically depict scientific imagery. For it is in part this quality that has made science intimidating in the first place.

Therefore to depict this imagery would only discourage them from picking up the book. By illustrating the cosmos through more relatable and approachable themes, it will help cater the book to a new audience and widen its appeal. 

Deziel, M. (2001). Creation Constellations and the Cosmos. In: J. Belloli, ed., The Universe: A Universe of Art, Music, and Science. Pasadena, California: Armory Center for the Arts.

Lipman, J. (1976). Calder's Universe. New York: Viking Press; Whitney Museum of American Art, p.18.

Moodboards

Similar to working like Fashion designers, creating mood boards will help create a visual overview of space, the universe, the subjects discussed in the book and past cover designs. This will open up potential visual ideas for the books cover and typographic compositions.

Scientific view

Artistic view

Views of Space

Past covers

Visual ideas on book cover's composition through these mood boards

1. To create a design that illustrates a scientific topic discussed in the book. For example, a vertical gradient from blue to red demonstrating Entropy through typography.

2. A typographic visualisation of an image of space that uses a similar colour scheme. It does not cover the whole of the book but just a small framed area. This gives the impression that the composition is a snapshot of space, much like the images from the Hubble telescope. The white space around the frame focuses the composition on the page as opposed to having it be full bleed.

3. To reinterpret the scientific phenomenons through colour and abstract forms. This would help open up the books audience to those who are not scientifically inclined as it makes the book's content look less intimidating to understand. 

4. To create bespoke letterforms that illustrate the topics discussed in the book to spell out Stephen Hawking's name. 

5. To design a cover that works with small set type to break away from the typical large headline texts that dominate book covers of today to grab readers attention as well as to represent the one of the smallest things in the universe, the atom. 

6. Using the scientific phenomenon in the books title, this idea illustrates a black hole on the cover to create an optical illusion, making it seem like the page is curving inwards. 

Client feedback

From a selection of shortlisted logo's that were shown to the client, the ones outlined are those that she prefers due to its 'graphic' qualities, i.e. they resembled more of symbols than of letterforms.

The unique aspect of this logo is that it shows the benefit of using the same typeface for both the logos copy and design. The proportions of the letterforms line up succinctly with the graphic forms creating a visually coherent and appropriate design. This makes the logo look 'professionally' designed and considered, which will help make audiences take the brand seriously. 

This can't be said however of the second design where the visual alignment isn't as clear. This does not necessarily have to be seen as a negative though. 

She also gave a list of the fashion logos she likes in the industry. This will give me a rough idea of the characteristics she deems favourable in a fashion logo. 

She provided a brief summary of her work's intentions, giving me a better idea of how to represent her through the logo's design. 

"I have a curiosity in contradictions and how their coexistence breeds a delicate perfection. I work with unusual materials and colour harmonies to create unique textures and visual feasts."

The exploration of duality therefore, plays a large role in her design. 

Ambiguity was a quality we agreed on that should be demonstrated through the logo. By keeping it ambiguous, the logo will be versatile enough to be placed on other possible aspects of her brand, such as jewelry or accessories. 

To move on from this feedback, further logo experimentation will be done to incorporate duality in the existing and possibly new logo designs as well as to refine and implement the already existing shortlisted logos onto content. 

Penguin Random House Student Brief

The following list outlines the book's content and the brief's intent.

Outlining this will provide context prior to specific research and idea generation. 

Chosen book

A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes 

By Stephen Hawking

Rationale

Stephens Hawking's scientific subject matter relates best for typographic interpretation in relation to my portfolio's overall aesthetic and design process. 

The designs surrounding my portfolio often deal with choices that are centred around its function and communicative qualities. As such, there is more of an emphasis towards objectivity in my designs as opposed to subjectivity. 

Most importantly, objectivity is a quality that is fundamental when dealing with science. It creates an unbiased opinion that is necessary when dealing with factual knowledge and researching. 

Furthermore, because the brief demands a 'timeless' interpretation, an objective approach to the book's themes will be more effective. This is demonstrated by the long lasting examples of design during the Modernist era as opposed to Post-Modernism which centres itself around subjectivity. 

Therefore choose Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time would demand an objective typographic interpretation of the chosen art direction.  

The book's themes

Time

Cosmology

Modern physics

Notable subjects discussed

The Big Bang

Black Holes

General relativity

Quantum mechanics

Unifying theory

Chapters 

1. Our Picture of the Universe
2. Space and Time
3. Expanding the Universe
4. Uncertainty Principles
5. Elementary Particles and Forces of Nature
6. Black Holes
7. Black Holes Ain't So Black
8. The Origin and the Fate of the Universe
9. The Arrow of Time
10. The Unification of Physics
11. Conclusion

Notable people

Aristotle 

Ptolemy

Galileo Galilei

Johannes Kepler

Isaac Newton

Edwin Hubble

Albert Einstein

Ole Christensen RoemerKip Thorne

Highlighted theories, laws and scientific terms

General theory of relativity

Quantum mechanics

Doppler Shift

Light interference

Quarks

Elementary particles

Singularity

Chandrasekhar limit

Second law of thermodynamics

Entropy

Many-worlds interpretation

String theory

The book's intended audience

Non-specialist reader with no prior knowledge of scientific theories

Worldwide

- it has been translated into more than 35 languages

Brief's aim

A design that 'breaks boundaries' 

A design that is timeless, confident and appeal to a whole new generation of readers

Final design for submission

This design has been chosen for submission because of the following reasons:

• Its effectiveness in combining two specific references to 702's background
• Their singing at The Caesars Palace prior to them being talent spotted
• The original record cover designs that are unlike their mainstream CDs

• The use of floral patterns and muted colours that creates 'softness' in the design that relates to the song's atmosphere and all female group.

• The use of Trajan with a stone and marble background which creates an entirely coherent design.

• Most importantly, unlike the Mosaic compositions, the final design is a better demonstration of typesetting and visual composition, the aspects I want to demonstrate as a designer and relate to my portfolio.

The following is the accompanying rationale to the piece. 

This artwork celebrates the music of Orish Grinstead during her time in the female R&B group 702. Steelo was their hit debut song on their debut 1996 album, No Doubt.

The Roman aesthetic, demonstrated by the stone and marble background, floral mosaic tiling and use of Trajan, takes inspiration from Orish and her two sisters, Irish and LeMisha Grinstead's, occasional singing at The Caesars Palace lobby in Las Vegas prior to being talent spotted. 

Set in a traditional vinyl design format, of which they have released their music on, sets itself apart from the groups mainstream releases on CD. 

Shortlisted designs

Out of all the mosaic compositions, this was shortlisted as it is the most aesthetically pleasing and best references the groups all female cast. 

These two were shortlisted as they combine the aesthetic of traditional vinyl cover designs with the emotions and visuals of songs music video. As mentioned in the mosaic compositions, having steelo in Mistral evokes someone writing the word in lipstick.  

This composition was shortlisted because of its effectiveness in combining the Roman aesthetic and traditional vinyl designs. By combining the two, the covers references to 702 and subsequently Orish Grinstead are more obscure and personal and as a result better in answering the brief.  

Vinyl sleeve designs

The combination of circular and square mosaics in the Caesars Palace idea reminded me of old vinyl designs, seen below. 

This led to searching whether 702 had any records on vinyl.

Being able to find past examples of their vinyl covers sparks the idea to design Steelo as a traditional vinyl cover rather than for CD. 

By typesetting the copy in 12pt with wide tracking, the individual letterforms are emphasised, adding visual texture to the white space. The restrained colour scheme produces a sterile look that is far removed from the emotions in the song. Together with the typesetting, the cover becomes ambiguous to the viewer.

The content on 702's original cover is used in these compositions as they provide content for the cover as well as making seem as though it is an actual record design. 

This composition attempts to add more personality to the cover. As much as ambiguity can generate curiosity, it can also be uninspiring. Using the characteristic Mistral for steelo sets itself as the focal point on the cover design. The rough outlines and joined letterforms evoke someone writing out the word, giving the cover a 'personal' quality. 

However the compositions so far have lacked the boldness to grab the readers attention. In this composition, the typographic elements are visually stronger and the new additions of colour are more aligned to the emotions of the song, with the inside gradient being a reference to the scenes in the official music video of Steelo. 

This is an alternative colour combination of the previous composition. The layering of the grey type on the yellow to red gradient produces an almost metallic quality.  

This final composition is a combination of the two ideas, the Roman aesthetic and the vinyl record. The colours of the cover are replicated through the materials the Romans used in their sculptures, stone and marble. The mosaic flowers in each corner softens the look and adds femininity to the cover, representative of the all female group. The use of Trajan maintains the Roman aesthetic whilst its wide tracking, slows down the reading, giving the cover an element of elegance. Furthermore the stone and marble were the materials of which the Romans would have carved their Trajan typeface into, making the design's elements entirely coherent.  

Caesars Palace

A popular idea to develop further was the one to represent Orish through her and her sister's singing at the Caesars Palace prior to the groups formation. It was the most obscure and personal to the group's members idea out of the list. 

The angular, geometric type along with the hotel's logo and name is a clear reference to the Ancient Romans. One immediate association of this is their recognisable tiled mosaics. 

Contact sheets made up of various tiling styles that can be used for inspiration on the cover design. 

Breaking down the mosaics to its key elements provide a way to create new designs through collage, similarly to how one would make a zine, a popular medium for music promotion in the 90s. 

Composition 1

The use of Mistral typeface in this composition is meant to evoke one of the artists writing the song title with lipstick. Having it in red highlights the song's name against the complicated tiling designs around it. The benefit of layering these tiling patters one after the other creates an intricate and detailed cover design that will hopefully set it apart amongst the competition. 

The large circular tiling and palm tree in the centre of the cover is a reference to the hot climate in Las Vegas. 

Composition 2

Trajan is used in this composition as its the most appropriate typeface in representing the Ancient Romans. Its design has been influenced by the letterforms of 'capitalis monumentalis' or Roman square capitals, which was used on the inscription at the base of Trajan's Column. The Romans did not use lower-case letters and as such is represented on the cover.  

To further add to the Roman aesthetic, the group's name is spelled in Roman numerals. Although this may ruin the mystery of who the cover is remembering, it isn't an obvious giveaway. 

Composition 3

This composition follows a more floral motif that softens the overall look and is more aligned with 702 being an all female group. The centre circular wreath draws much of the covers attention whilst the heart designs in each of the corners are a reference to the songs love themes. A lighter shade of red is used for Steelo which doesn't contrast heavily against the colour scheme of the tiling mosaics. 

Composition 4

Composition 5

These two compositions build upon the circular motif in Composition 3 and offer an alternative look to the idea. Interestingly the combination of circular and square mosaics makes the design reminiscent of vinyl sleeves which help communicate the covers association to music.  

ECM Sleeves of desire

Looking through the book ECM: Sleeves of Desire will provide a completely different perspective on album art design from those seen in the RnB genre of the 90s and 00s.

What makes ECM (Edition of Contemporary Music) unique is the label's ability in exhibiting "the finest characteristics of the European Modernist tradition: minimalist sans serif typography fused with dream like black and white photography" - Adrian Shaughnessy in EYE magazine. 

In reading Peter Kemper's essay Along the Margins of Murmuring, Kemper goes on to discuss the reality of how we are being overwhelmed with the constant stream of information and distractions nowadays, that "we are informing ourselves to death". 

This saturation of information for ECM represents the "superficiality of the referential world" and what Manfred Eicher and his designers, Babara Wojirsch and Dieter Rehm, aim to achieve is to "listen and attend to the resonance of reality". 

Barbara Wojirsch's methodology on type provides an interesting approach to album artwork design. Worjirsch devotes meticulous attention to the arrangement of lettering on her cover designs and with her background in painting, Worjirsch is able to convey "purity of relations through her minimalist typography". 
Following this idea would create an unusual response when considering its representation of an RnB artist. 

Dieter Rehm's photographic style is heavily based on emotion. His pictures are characterised from his use of "depth, the almost mystical expanses, the sense of volume, the imminent reference, through framing, to an image as part of a greater context" that create an almost cinematic experience for the viewer. 

Representing the emotions or atmosphere of a particular song by 702 would help the cover form a better representation. 

702 - Steelo

For 702, their hit debut song was Steelo for their debut album No Doubt (1996) featuring Missy Elliot. 

Given the nature of the brief and the artist chosen, Steelo is an appropriate word to explore.

Steelo is slang for Style.
Style is a key aspect that helps RnB artists distinguish themselves and create their own personality. 

'Style' in design is a contested quality that depends on the viewpoint of modernism or postmodernism. Modernism views style as a superfluous quality that hinders the effectiveness of design, whereas in postmodernism, style is encouraged and can be used to reflect the designer and the cultural period.

Therefore the cover art's design will be based on style, given the context of the albums release. 

Song Statistics

2nd song on the album.

4:16 minutes long

Released - 27/8/1996
Recorded - 5/1996

It reached #32 on Billboard Hot 100 chart and by February 1997, it was certified gold after exceeding 500,000 copies sold. 

3 singers

Emotions of the song

Laid back
Lust
Love
Longing
Honesty
Curiosity
Excitement
Confidence  

702 - The 27 Club

The nature of the 27 club brief provides an opportunity to practice design in a less 'formal' setting, allowing its form to be valued higher than its function. 

Going through the list of members, there is only one that stands out, that being Orish Grinstead of the female RnB group 702, who died in 2008. This holds significance to me personally as it was my mum who brought influence to the genre. 

Background

Orish Grinstead died from kidney failure on 20 April 2008.  

702 originally started as a quartet with Orish, Irish and LeMeisha Grinstead and Amelia Cruz, but Orish left the band soon after releasing vocals on No Doubt. Amelia left prior to its release to be replaced by Kameelah Williams. 

702 is the area code of the groups hometown in Nevada, Las Vegas.

Recorded 3 albums in their career, No Doubt in 1996, 702 in 1999 and Star in 2003. 
Reaching Gold, Platinum and Platinum in album sales respectively.

Female RnB group

Their official album artwork was reflective of the art style that was prominent with RnB albums of the 90s and early 00s. Photo of the artist on the front with an expressive use of type.

"Sweeta than suga" was the name of the group (Orish, Irish and LeMisha) prior to 702.

Initial Ideas

Base the cover design on a songs title and emotion

Have the cover represent a songs/album's statistics

Base the design around Nevada, Las Vegas

The fading away of a word/phrase on the cover to signify Orish Grinstead's passing. 


A Roman inspired cover that references the Caesars Palace where they were found by Sinbad