NCEA Level 3 - Visual Arts 2009 Examples of Candidate Work 90517 Design 1
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Achieved The brief for this submission explores a serious social and health topic. In all artwork the candidate has conveyed the message and slogan Smoking Kills in order to encourage people not to smoke. The portfolio leads off with its own photographic shoot, which accounts for most of the imagery that has been used within the various formats. As a result, the candidate has not been held back by to existing material on this topic and has demonstrated a clear starting point to systematically develop ideas further. This submission demonstrates use of drawing to generate layouts that understand the particular restraints and conventions of their chosen formats. An example of this is the back of the bus signage where the candidate shows understanding that the bus is a moving object and graphically manages scale, layout, and choice of colour/black and white appropriately. Fundamental visual strategies such as reverse figure and field and grid structure are evidenced and explored in a very linear and systematic manner. This has enabled the submission to use the photographic images with text, to generate options that graphically communicate the message Smoking Kills. 6
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Achieved This submission uses drawing as a central means to generate ideas for its logo. The candidate shows understanding of the role of the letterhead and has created designs that function within the aesthetic of the corporate A variety of compositional studies have been explored through the imagery, using techniques which include cropping, change of opacity, change of scale, contrast between shape and line and framing devices. The portfolio shows an understanding of its brief, evident in the decisions made and the use of the visual motif - in the context of a corporate identity proposition. The brief sets a variety of problems and regenerates these confidently across the panels. The two works at the bottom of panel three confirm the candidate s knowledge of the characteristics and constraints of established practice and clarify the a/symmetric explorations that have been generated earlier in the portfolio. Some of the successful techniques used prevent visual repetition, such as the change in the colour fields, play with negative and positive and a good use of colour balance. Typography has been used appropriately and creatively to find a new visual symbol, such as the globe seen on panel two which has been continued through to panel three. The result of this is a cohesive and systematic campaign with a strong aesthetic and a limited colour range, appropriate to the brief and theme. 10
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Merit This submission aims to raise awareness of how humans and nature interrelate and affect one another. The candidate has engaged with these dual themes and purposefully used drawing strategies to generate a range of options in the development of ideas for an invitation, a poster and a website. Drawing strategies and processes have been employed to tease out ideas on board one and to challenge format, such as the user interactivity options in the fold out (concertina) invitation. Image and type relationships have been purposefully explored across all three boards. Layout decisions and integration of image and text have been informed by contemporary practice. It is evident that ideas have been evaluated and regenerated through the inclusion of new imagery and graphic treatments appropriate to each format. There are a number of options that have been considered within in each format requirement. The locating of each format into a situation, such as the poster in the bus stop, validates the function and success of each design. This submission imparts a real sense that the candidate has systematically searched for solutions that will clearly identify the specifications of their brief. They have also offered new ways to interpret information and provided pictorial explorations of human nature relationships. 15
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Merit The portfolio begins with a thorough and genuine proposal which is visually sympathetic to the work that follows. It is evident that the candidate holds a sound knowledge of the historical, cultural and scenic values of the town that he/she is promoting. From the outset, this portfolio places itself within the context of popular culture and kiwiana. The brief has enabled the candidate to work through different types of problems from logo through to promotional material such as poster, postcards and a map. The company that the candidate has created is promoting the small towns of New Zealand. The research presents a range of playful and witty logo ideas including iconic New Zealand brands, cultural symbols, consumables and landmarks. Panel two generates many varied options which reference to a substantial number of design models. To the candidate s credit, they have identified a successful and purposeful aesthetic from these options, through which to promote the town of Brightwater. Panels two and three explore different graphic options with appropriate and varied typefaces, referencing a number of stylistic genres. On the third panel the candidate has combined a number of graphic styles in each postcard to humorously promote small town New Zealand. Across all three panels the final solutions provide evidence of successful decisions appropriate to the type of problems engaged with. 19
Excellence 20
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Excellence The brief has been clearly articulated both in terms of statement on the portfolio and fulfilment of intention. This candidate has identified a proposition that is sustainable and expansive. For example, they are able to immediately locate their creative sensibility by determining that the band Fragments of a Story, are a Kiwi Indie Rock group, whose target audience are individualistic young adults. It is evident that the group s style is original, quirky, fresh and innovative whilst drawing inspiration from childhood endeavours and images from the past. A key innovation and strength in this portfolio is the employment of two and threedimensional drawing as the focal tool. It has been used to reinterpret motif, format, typography and conceptual thinking of the central proposition. This candidate fluently employs both drawing processes to invent typeface (display typefaces), create options and construct images and compositions that manipulate and synthesise from a range of patterns, photographs, fonts, images and narratives. Clever art direction, as it appears at the top of panel one, produces a photographic resource that is then integrated with type into a range of formats and artwork across the portfolio. Creative ideas, that have been explored in a two dimensional sense in the poster, double page spread and postcard format, have been reinterpreted into three dimensional concepts that build on the narrative using object, performance and time sequencing. Each project is underpinned by a fun attitude that is supported by the confidence and crafting of the visual language. This submission concludes strongly by employing photographic conventions, which build upon a range of drawing strategies to document time, performance and object, but which also effectively communicate pictorial compositions relevant to the argument. 24
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Excellence This submission promotes the marketing material for a new magazine ism, by the brand swagger, who intends to use the magazine to show their style, new clothing range and general articles about the street style of Japan. Early research provides a photographic resource appropriate to the brief s objectives. This graphic platform synthesises a range of typographic and image treatments to communicate the promotional message. This integration of image and type has been handled in a sophisticated manner and the subtle inclusion of a reduced colour palette (gold and black and white) across magazine covers, double page spreads and posters, reinforce a sound understanding of methods and contexts found in contemporary design practice. A range of typeface options have been generated and evaluated consistently across all three boards. The candidate has sought out elegant typefaces beyond the usual Mac or PC font operating system. These important decisions around type critically determine the creative attitude and aesthetic style that the candidate has engaged with. The submission intelligently establishes and builds on a range of visual language strategies, which are thoroughly examined and understood. This has resulted in a range of well executed formats and outcomes. Particular to the readability of this portfolio is the highly developed handling of figure field relationships, use of white space, positive/ negative and the articulation of shape and form as motif and image. The visual resolutions within each outcome demonstrate an in depth understanding of design composition and shows sensitivity to image and type relationships. On panel three, text starts to operate as image and has been modified to reaffirm the candidate s ownership and ability to reinvent and refine. 28