David Fajardo: 2010-05-09

TRENDS AND DESIGNERS

Sketch/ Hand-drawn Design

Hand-drawn design is not exactly new on the horizon, but we all know that it is still on the fringes of graphic design. Despite design software gives the option of use the sketch as a tool, many designers admire the style but are afraid to create their own sketches because of the “I can’t really draw” attitude. The computer-based graphic design has replaced a lot of sketch design and old style techniques; however, we can look back and use those hand-based techniques to enhance our computer skills.When we look at hand-drawn websites, posters or cover magazines among others,we will notice that most of our fellow designers can’t draw. These designs are not exactly headed to an art museum, but they do convey a sense of whimsy, and blur the line between cold design and personal interaction. If we can doodle, we can sketch.

Ghost Patrol is a self-taught artist who has moved from the field of stencil art to exhibit his drawing-based creations worldwide. He works with whatever media he can find, including but not limited to spray cans, paper, pens, markers, wood clay and so on. His illustrations are mainly expressions of dreams, nightmares and sometimes look as children books.

Stuart Campell
An interactive designer and illustrator, Campbell is best known for his online futuristic comic book Nawlz; an inspired method of storytelling, encompassing animation, illustration, music and interactivity. His animations and overall illustrating capabilities are amazing. His imagination is endless and without boundaries. Even his outfit screamed artistic brilliance and often misunderstood genius. Campbell “breaks fresh ground with its inventive combination of text, illustration, music, animation and interactivity”(AGIdeas). Despite the technology he uses for the interactivity, the entire concept it’s based on the sketching and illustration style.

Retro

Retro is a culturally outdated or aged style, trend, mode, or fashion, from the overall postmodern past, but have since that time become functionally or superficially the norm once again. The use of "retro" style iconography and imagery interjected into post-modern art, advertising, mass media, etc. has occurred from around the time of the industrial revolution to present day.
Retro designs are here to stay. Although a lot of the design community admires retro design, it can be difficult to fully embrace this style without coming across “undone.” The key to retro designs is to be inspired by its tone and underlying playfulness. Retro design will be expanded as designers find new ways to honor vintage art.

Rico Lins

Brazilian designer and art director Rico Lins has forged a distinguished career creating work for print, film, new media and branding projects all around the world. Using techniques from old school to the latest graphic resources he highlights the importance of art and illustration. His posters perfectly fit in the 1960’s era as well as they look great in a postmodern museum.

Michael Mabry

From USA, “graphic designer and illustrator Michael Mabry has dedicated his career to creating visual images that challenge the mind and touch the heart” (AGIdeas). In his work we can find his particular interest in European advertising posters from the 1920’s through to the 1960’s. Again, the use of collage and hand drawing show his preference for old techniques, however, he combine perfectly the use of this retro style with the latest technology.

CONCEPT EVALUATION

Chico y Rita by Javier Mariscal

Javier Mariscal is a Spanish artist and designer whose work has spanned a wide range of mediums, ranging from painting and sculpture to interior design and landscaping. His current and latestproject is a full-length cartoon called Chico and Rita. Set in the late 1940s Cuba and New York jazz scene, follows a budding pianist and his young chanteuse lover. The concept behind the film was to show the musical atmosphere between New York and La Havana just before Fidel Castro’s revolution. To create the correct atmosphere of the 1940’s in La Havana and New York, Mariscal based his drawings using hundreds of old imagery from the 40’s and at the first stage was entirely hand drawn. For the character development real actors were used to act the scenes and to record the sound and voices.

The character features were exaggerated with the purpose of give to the film the cartoonish feel. Later on, 3D techniques were used to improve the movement and enhance the visual appealing.
In a world where 3D graphics and big animation studios rule the industry, Mariscal’s latest creation is a refreshing opportunity to see a complete different animated film in technique, story and sense of humor.