2 Shell history

Shell Logo

The name 'Shell' came from a small business in London that originally dealt with antiques and oriental seashells. They started off by transporting kerosene to the far east and in 1897 Marcus Samuel formed The Shell transport and trading company, which used a mussel shell in1901 for the first logo which then changed to a scallop shell which gave a more of a visual element to the corporate and brand name.

 Each of the tankers carrying kerosene to the Far East was named after a different seashell.It is thought that the scallop shell, may have been taken from the family coat of arms of a business associate, Mr Graham, who's family adopted the St james's shell after a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Mr Graham imported Samuel's kerosene into India and soon became a director of The Shell transport and trading company. The trends in Graphic design have effected how the Shell emblem has changed gradually. It was designer Raymond Loewy who created the emblem that is still currently being used in 1971.

The reason the colour of the logo is red and yellow is because the Shell company of California wanted their first built service stations to stand out from the competition. In order to do this they used the bright colours red and yellow. These particular colours were chosen because they didn't want to offend the Californian's and because of the states strong spanish connections and they hoped that by displaying Spanish colours an emotional bond would be created. The colours have developed over the years particularly in 1955 when the logo changed to be more consumer friendly and to launch the companies new retail visual identity. Today the scallop shell remains one of the greatest brand symbols of the 21st century.

WEDNESDAY 1

In Design is a software application produced by Adobe Systems. It can be used to create works such as posters, flyers, brochures, magazines, newspapers and books. InDesign can also publish content suitable for tablet devices in conjunction with Adobe Digital Publishing Suite. Graphic designers and production artists are the principal users, creating and laying out periodical publications, posters, and print media. It also supports export to EPUB and SWF formats to create digital publications, and content suitable for consumption on tablet computer devices. Being first experience using InDesign, I have experimented with the layout, rotation and cropping images into certain sized boxes. 

Below is images of album covers I have experimented with using InDesign and random images and text.

illustrated initials - MT

I have developed the illustrated initials of Mario Testino further by using different images and experimenting with various ways of presenting his initials or name. I have chosen images of Kate Moss because Mario Testino has worked a lot with the model through out his career as has Kate Moss with him throughout her career. I have used the same technique of placing the image behind the text of his name and again with his initials. I do not think this is as successful as my first outcome, where I have used a different image each individual letter. I think this is because the first outcome illustrates a wide range of his work  and shows a variety of his photographs where as using one image is limited. Although I feel it is successful at illustrating his photographic relationship with Kate Moss. Mario Testino has released a book which features his work with Kate Moss, this is relevant as the front of the book cover features the same technique (placing images behind the text) that I have used to illustrate his name and initials. I would like to say this was my influence as to why I decided to use this technique, however, I found this publication after I had created my designs.

I have also decided to use a current image produced by Mario Testino of a current celebrity which is why I have chosen to use an image of Lady Gaga who is a currently a very popular singer and style icon. The image I have chosen is a great example of Mario Testino's use of bright colours and style of the subject, as I thought this particular photograph expressed her image really well with the mass of  platinum blonde hair, futuristic mask and over tanned skin tone which illustrates how her physical appearance always makes her stands out from others. I have used this image to illustrate his name by cutting out his name in white text and using it as negative space with in the image.  I feel this one is more successful than the image being clipped behind the initials as the view of the over all image is limited and not as interesting.

I have used various images that illustrate photographs focussed on makeup art. I feel the initials with image of Kate Moss's eyes are the most successful as the eyes are the main focus of the original image which take up a good area of the initials. I also think the M and sideways T featuring the main features of the face is successful as it is an unusual way of  presenting the initials, compared to the other ideas, which brings me to the image of Princess Diana that has also been presented in a slightly different way to ensure the best part of the image is presented. I have used Princess Diana in particular because she is one of the biggest icons who has been photographed by Mario Testino. 

Research

Paul Thurlby

Paul Thurlby is an example of an artist who has worked with illustrated lettering.  The image below is an example of his work, which is an illustrated alphabet, each letter representing a word beginning with that particular letter. 

"My alphabet needed to be different from the many versions around, so I decided to pursue the challenge of fusing the object of the word with the shape of the letter."

Paul Thurlby is originally from Nottingham and is now based in London. Thurlby has been a full time illustrator since September 2006. His work has been featured in editorials, advertising, publishing and T-shirt designs. The inspiration for his work comes from mid-century design design and illustration. His style has been described as being retro-modern. Backgrounds of his illustrations  are sometimes made up of old books, postcards and pieces of paper.

Illuminated Manuscript

An illuminated manuscript is a manuscript that has been decorated with illustrations or borders. Illuminated manuscript is also a form of illustrated initials. Usually the term Illuminated manuscript only refers to manuscripts decorated with gold or silver, but in both common usage and modern scholarship, the term is now used to refer to any decorated or illustrated manuscript from the Western traditions. Where as Far Eastern and Mesoamerican works are always described as painted. Islamic manuscripts are usually referred to as illuminated but can also be classified as painted.

The book of Kells is the most famous artifact in Celtic art which produced around 800 AD. It contains colourful lettering, decorations, ornamental borders, illuminations and illustrations. 

Illustrated initials

I have decided to base the Illustrated initials on Mario Testino, A fashion photographer. I have chosen a selection of his photographs and masked them so each letter of his name features a different one of his photographs. I have specifically chosen images that are full colour and that feature women. The reason for this is because the use of colour images is consistent and it illustrates the way he works as much of his work is based on iconic women. I have illustrated his full name rather than just his initials as it allows more of his work to feature.

Below I have illustrated only his initials in a slightly different way, using more than one of Mario Testino's images in each letter. I have created these initials using magazine covers Testino has photographed. To make each letter slightly different from the other I have built up the M using magazine covers that feature only women and the T using magazine covers that feature only men. l think this approach works just as well as the other as it creates a more collaged outcome where as the above initials has a more clean cut and professional appearance. However in the initials below the is a lot going on in each letter and it looks overcrowded unless the image is blown up and viewed in a larger format.

MARIO TESTINO

Mario Testino was born in 1954 and came to London in 1976 when he began his photography career. He is best known for photographing celebrities, his use of bright colours, strong advertising campaigns and styled photographs for the couture scene. He has photographed women such as Madonna, Kate Moss and Princess Diana's famous Vanity Fair cover in 1997. Mario Testino is very popular in the fashion industry as he has a great ability to beautifully photograph and sell fashion.

Introduction

The new module is focusing on; type, symbols/logo’s, colour, digital programs which will be Illustrator and In Design. Below are my initial ideas for the first 2 week project which is focusing on text and the meaning in different ways.

Illustrated initials

• Lichtenstein

A famous pop artist in the 1960's, best known for his comic strip paintings and bold use of colour. My idea would be to use his signature technique of creating images built up of coloured dots or his yellow and black brush stroke technique. 

• Mario Testino 

A Fashion photographer best known for photographing images for the covers of magazines such as Vouge, Vanity fair and V magazine. Also known for creating interesting photographs of famous icons and his strong use of colour. My idea would be to use illustrator to mask his initials over some of his photographs, magazine covers or advertisements. 

• Coco Chanel

A famous French Fashion designer who was a very important figure of the 20th century fashion. Chanel was the founder of one of the most famous fashion brands today, Chanel. To illustrate her initials I would decorate the lettering with a black lace effect and pearl beading as it illustrates her style.

• Katy Perry

A current American pop singer also well known for her marriage to Russel Brand and her quirky fashion which is often humorous, bright in color, and reminiscent of different decades, and she frequently uses fruit-shaped accessories, mainly watermelon, as part of her outfits. My idea would be to illustrate her initial by using fruit shapes or taking different elements of her outfits as the theme of her initials or the surrounding area of her initials.

• Kirt Geiger

My favourite designer shoe brand that has been around since 1963 and specializes in selling beautiful stiletto heels. I could create the initials KG by using a variety of different images of Kirt Geiger shoes. Another idea would be to take the same approach as the idea for Coco Chanel's initials which would be to decorate the initials but with diamantes. 

• Walt Disney

Is my favourite animator, he was also an American film producer, director,screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer and is now an international icon. Walt is well known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century and his Disney feature films that are still being made today. I would illustrate his initials with characters from the Disney films.

Occupational Fonts 


Different fonts are associated with different meanings. For example it would make sense for the word Graffiti would be designed in a graffiti style font rather than a scripted font.
I could illustrate occupational fonts such as 

• Window cleaner
• Army 
• Painter
• Florist
• Zoo keeper
• Ballarina

Onomatopoeia

Is a word that imitates or suggests the source of the sound that it describes. Onomatopoeia refers to the property of words, an example of where onomatopoeia is used is in comic books, to illustrate sounds. For this I will illustrate words such as:

• Crack
• Crunch
• Splat
• Roar
• Bark
• Boom
• Sparkle
• Clatter
• Bang
• Drip
• Hiss