Pioneers of Hip-Hop/ Jazz Music
I am a huge fan of Underground Hip-Hop and Jazz culture and they are one of the major influences on what I do. Hip-Hop has now become the most influential genre in pop culture and graphic design is at forefront of the industry to sell albums, promote tours and spread the word online for the artist. This piece displays four pioneers of the genre; J Dilla, Busta Rhymes, DMX and Madlib. I admire the lyricism and energy of rappers DMX and Busta Rhymes and the creativity and the innovation of music producers J Dilla and Madlib.
Business Card Logo
I wanted to design another business card as I felt it needed a change as well as a change of my information. Here are a couple examples of logos that I designed for my latest business card. I intend to use a silver and black colour combination.
Barbados Dolphin Fish Logo
I was asked by the Barbados Overseas Committee to design a Dolphin Fish logo for their ‘Annual Year of Independence’ dance. The original image can be found on the Barbados Coat of Arms. The Team Great Britain Athletics Lion Logo influenced the logo. The committee wanted a style similar. The colours that were used are taken from the Barbados national flag. I created various designs with this being the strongest.
MediaCom Infographics Survey
I was asked to produce a dynamic and engaging infographic for the MediaCom website to showcase the results from the RAR client satisfaction survey. The RAR (Recommended Agency Register) is an annual survey where clients have the opportunity to rate the services provided by their media agency. I could use any Adobe Creative program I wish as well as any fonts, colours or images. However, I was encouraged to look at www.mediacom.com to ensure my work would fit with the rest of the site.
MediaCom Print Ad
Using Adobe Indesign, I was asked to produce an 2-page spread print ad for MediaCom to appear in trade press. I had to refer to the supplied brand guidelines ‘The MediaCom Brand Book’ to inform the look and feel of my work. The ad had to contain the following, headline, body copy, at least one of images supplied and an appropriate MediaCom logo.
Barbados 50th Year of Independence Logo Design
This logo was entered into the B.G.I.S Media 50th Year of Independence celebration competition. The objective of the competition was to design an official logo that celebrates Barbados’ 50th year of independence under the theme ‘Pride and Industry – Celebrating Fifty’. My aim was to design a logo that displays togetherness and friendship within the community. The idea of using hands came to mind because the bonding of hands symbolizes the feeling of friendship and togetherness.
‘LOL Comedy Night’ Promo Poster
This is a promo poster I designed for the ’LOL Comedy Night’ held at UCL Mully’s Basement Bar, Camden Town, London. This show has a cultural spin, turning out some of the most hilarious up and coming urban stand up comics in Britain.
‘Take a Stand, don’t be a brand’ Poster Campaign (Spoof Ad)
This campaign was inspired by the homophobic violence happening in Russia, which received a lot of news in the media during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. The poster displays the bare back of a victim being branded with the gay derogatory term ‘Queer’. The idea was to have a series of posters all with different body parts being branded with gay slurs. The aim was to warn the gay community and others the risks and dangers of violence during these current times.
Known as ‘Hunting Season’, the gay people of Russia are being hunted, beaten and tortured by vigilante gangs. The campaign will view victims as if they were animals being preyed on. As this ad campaign was meant to be a spoof ad, I made the decision to use an RSPCA theme, as they are the UK’s leading animal welfare charity who specialise in preventing animal cruelty.
Amnesty International Poster – Article 19 (Right to freedom of speech)
The challenge was to create a series of posters (minimum of 3) that each visually articulate one of the thirty-one rights from the ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’. I read all of the thirty-one rights and tried to imagine what it would be like to be deprived of these most basic of human rights. I chose one article and used the text, together with the image I created in order to convey a strong social or political message. I have taken inspiration from ‘Another Poster For Peace’ posters Tomasz Walenta ‘Terrorism’ and Michael Mabry’s ‘War = Death’.
Amnesty International Poster – Article 15 (Right to a nationality)
The challenge was to create a series of posters (minimum of 3) that each visually articulate one of the thirty-one rights from the ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’. I read all of the thirty-one rights and tried to imagine what it is like to be deprived of these most basic of human rights. I chose one article and used the text, together with the image I created in order to convey a strong social or political message.
I have taken inspiration from semioitics (Male & Female Toilet Sign) and the polish propaganda posters of Taduez Trepowski ‘Nie’ and Karol Sliwka ‘Polish Peoples Republic’. The beauty of these symbols is the pure simplicity. It doesn’t matter what language you speak you will be able to understand them.
Disability Legacy Project Logo
This logo was designed for the Entyce Design Awards 2013. Entyce Design Awards wanted to initiate the involvement of disability sports to be at the centre of most future sporting activities. My intention was to design a logo that symbolizes sporting victory and achievement. The logo I have designed captures the ribbon being broken at the finishing line on an athletics track.
Crop Shelter – Sustainable Energy For All Poster
The poster I created was influenced by minimalist design. I understand that the best designs are the ones that convey optimum message through minimum design elements. This is because most viewers may have limited power of understanding the information revealed to them i.e young children, the elderly or people who cannot speak the language in this case, English.
The task of saying more with less proves the creativity and ability of a graphic designer. I have chosen crop shelter as it is a form of farming productivity. I have used an umbrella image because everyone easily interprest the umbrella as a form of shelter and protection. I have also used the images of grain, fruit and vegetables are all types of crop.
Drip Irrigation – Sustainable Energy For All Poster
The poster I created was also influenced by minimalist design. I have chose Drip Irrigation as it is a form of farming productivity. This poster is a continuation of the first but made to be more abstract. I’ve used the same umbrella to keep a congruent (matching) theme.
Bolton Festival of The arts Logo
My aim was to design a logo that displays togetherness and friendship in the community. The idea of using hands came to mind because the bonding of hands displays the feeling of friendship and togetherness. A festival is an event where people in the community put in time and effort and work together in order for it to happen. There is also a feeling of unity amongst each other involved so I believe a logo which displays hands connecting in a creative way is an ideal approach to follow.
I have been influenced by different elements from the key sponsors of the event. I chose to use circular logo similar to the Bolton Octagon logo, multiple stripe colours found within the Bolton Council logo. I decided to use these particular colours because they are represented in the Bolton College logo. I have also used Baskerville type because it compliments the subtlety of the logo.
Edith Piaf Octagon Theatre Poster
The poster was designed for Pam Gems play ‘Piaf’ at Octagon Theatre, Bolton. This poster was influenced by the nickname given to Edith Piaf. As I read through the script for Pam Gems ‘Piaf’, I learned Edith Piaf was given the name ‘The Little Sparrow’ By Louie Leplee, a French nightclub owner who discovered the French singer on a Paris street corner because of her small frame and large voice. I chose to design a poster which displays a sparrow in flight in some form and an image of Piaf so I combined both in creative fashion. I designed the poster to give it a feel of a poster created from the 1940’s using the colours I have selected. The design is simplistic yet easy to grasp and interpret.
Illegal Money Lending Poster
The England Illegal Money Lending Team launched a competition to create eye-catching designs to encourage men to steer clear of loan sharks and report the crime if they become a victim. The intention was to create a poster campaign using family portrait photographs with the victims of loan sharks missing represented through shark bite marks cutting them out of the photograph.. I have created the idea of bite marks from a surfboard and applied it to family photographs in the attempt to warn viewers the risk and dangers of illegal money lending and what it is capable of causing; in this case, the loss of a loved one or family member.
Family photographs are personal and can mean a lot to families especially when they decide to bring their photo albums out at a family gathering for everyone to observe and reminisce. I believe it adds drama and tragedy to the concept. I also believe that by using family photographs, they convey optimum message. My design was awarded 3rd place in the competition amongst more than 30 entries.
UCLU Grappling/ Jiu Jitsu Logo
I was given the opportunity to design a logo for University College London Union Grappling Club (UCLU Grappling). UCLU grappling trains in No-Gi grappling (without the traditional kimono) and utilises Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with coaches from the world famous Gracie Barra gym. I was given full creative control in this brief. Being a fan of martial arts this was an opportunity that I needed for my development in the graphic design world.
I was influenced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship logo and made the decision to design something in a similar fashion. I wanted to create a brand which displays 2 figures crouched down in grappling position ready for combat. The red colour in the logo symbolizes passion, determination and courage, whereas the silver colour depicts integrity and reliability.
PRINTSET Stationary Set
Marc Leacock 