Monkey Business

New week long brief!

Project One.

 For this we have been given a brief to independently promote visual communication to prospective AUCB  students using our own specialist interests. Our solution is to make an A3 poster that communicates our message without further explanation.

  I have decided to base my poster on my own illustration skills, Showing prospective students that there is the option to do this on the course. Hopefully, my own illustration will embody what I'm trying to say about the course which is that you can do illustration and your own style.

 When it comes to the poster and not quite sure what information is needed. I can't see what else more I can do on the poster except draw my own illustration. There is nothing really else to explain as I do not do things in a graphic or typographic manner, so if I did it would be out of my specialism. My specialist area is all about the ButButnarrative and getting what you can from one single image. So my challenge to embody what I think into one image on this poster.

 I have found it hard to decide on what's It is I want on this poster as I figured that I could draw mostly any thing, as long as it had a basic meaning toward design. To start my planning I decided to firstly decide on what I wanted to use which was illustration in ink and watercolour edited on photo shop. Then I sketched down some ideas that I had for the visual on my poster, none of them jumped out at me.

 So I started to think, what could possibly influence me in this project? something I had done recently and was passionate about….

Then I remembered that I went to Monkey World recently, whilst there I observed the monkeys, it was strange I could see their individual personalities and even some of them reminded me of people I knew. That gave me the idea to involve monkeys on my poster, not to say everyone on visual communication is a monkey but that every animal has their own distinctive personality. And whilst looking at the apes it really hit me how my how similar they are to us.

 When I got back to work I started working on this idea, I was at first unsure how I would involve a monkey in my poster. I realised that my specialist style is illustration and I always do it in a humorous way, so I thought that this didn't really have to be so uptight and overcrowded with information.

 I started to research monkeys, and different ways they were being depicted.

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 I had a look at the way that the band gorillaz animation characters looked. There style of drawing a monkey. I like how this cartoon version has very strong expressions, looks like a monkey and also has still strong references to a human body and characteristics. The colours and bold outlines really make it for me, I want to be influenced by the colour palette.

 This is a scene from the first film of Planet Of The Apes,  released in 1986.  I have chosen to involve this image because it really shows the relationship between human an ape.  This film plays on the alternative reality that humans and apes switch roles making the apes the overpowering species. I find this idea very interesting and strangely plausible, maybe in future happenings. This image really shows the relationship and how similar we can be, in feelings, recognition, mannerisms and personality. I want to take from this image the idea that monkeys aren't that different from us.

 Evolution. The process when a species improves over time, changing things to suit their environment, all in the name of survival.  I'm showing you this image to show the relationship between humans and apes and the scientific link between us being related. We could say that we are the improved version of an ape, but who's to say that maybe we could go back to basics, a simple outlook and more fresh.  I don't know about you but I love the thought of an ape being able to communicate with us,  and having human qualities. I want my poster to show an ape having a human quality.

The evil monkey from Family Guy. This humorous animation character makes me laugh every time, it doesn't even have to say anything just one expression with one action says all. This character embodies something that a child probably would be very scared of, the creature in there closet. I am a fan of humorous illustrations that make you think, and I feel that this one character is genius. This monkey is simply drawn and in one communicates a message that is very quick and obvious, Which is anger at the person that he is pointing at.  

What will I take away from this image? I think I just want to reflect on how iconic this one character has been in the programme. When referenced to the right person, recognition of the characteristics of the pointing finger and angry clenched teeth. The direct link can be made which shows a strong successful design.

 The three wise monkey's.  I thought I'd involve image because I had one idea that could involve the speak no evil, see no evil, hear no evil in my poster. I had thought in my head showing one monkey with his hands over his eyes and the other with his hands over his mouth and the last monkey holding up a sign. The thought behind this was linking the visual aspect of my course with the seeing and the communication aspect with the speaking. the last monkey I was planning his arms to be straight above his head covering his ears still holding sign arms length.  I'm not too sure if I want to carry on this idea as I think it may give the wrong message. As the signals In this image do indicate that they are being stopped from doing something that is not right/evil. This poster is supposed to be inviting and inspiring. I have decided to draw it out but I do not think I will carry it on.

 The terrifying but entertainingly strange Clapping Monkey. When wondering how to depict my monkey I did dabble in maybe using the clapping monkey as my main character. As he is a very old symbol of monkey toy design, I thought it could be quite quirky to use him.  As I was about to draw him I realised that I couldn't bring myself to draw his face as it was not very welcoming for a poster, so I drew him from behind. At this point I realised I shouldn't really use this image, because to me personally the clapping monkey looks quite insane! Giving off the wrong message...

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