We all know terrible websites where you can not find the information you need. In this blog entry I'm happy to show 2 good examples of webdesign with different content. The site http://www.thebestdesigns.com/ posts a lot of good designed websites. The site below http://off.foxbone.fi/ is about an independent filmfestival. It gives filmmakers a chance to show their work. The target group are mostly people who study film or have an interest in independent films.
The style of the menu bar is an eyecatcher and combines a mix between old and new. Looking at the visual herachy, the first thing that catches my eye is the menu bar which is in the "Retrostyle". First it seemed to be chaotic but through the different colours it gets clear. On the left you see the Logo of the Filmfestival, followed by News, Apply, Programm and so on. The Layout is not overloaded and gives a young impression through it's style.
October Filmfest Website
Another good example is a site which sells baby items, http://www.mummade.co.nz/. The tone of voice is very soft. The pastel colours and the typeface fits perfectly to the content. The advertiser shows right away that his products are handmade. Take a look at the Logo which has a handwritten "... with love" added to it. It shows straight to the point, these products are different to massproduction. The customers are parents who appreciate good service and quality. Whereas the products are made by mothers, the confidence base of the customer rises. To sum up, this website is clear and the design is suitable to the content.
Illustrators need to surround themselves with things they inspire. That was one of the phrases which got stuck in my mind from the 2. ITAP lecture. Everyone needs some kind of inspiration before they start their research. To me music, film and traveling creates my muse.
I started to develope an interest in Silent Films and the era of the Roaring Twenties. I‘m fascinated by the excessive gestures of the actress/actors and the fashion, make up and hair. It is interesting how the light was set and how emotions were shown without any talk. Nowadays Silent Films seem so rough compared to all the new techniques of filmaking.
Also Stop-Motion Films such as Coraline caught my eye. The fact that most of it is handmade is so unique. Of course a film like Coraline is mixed with newest techniques, but the fact that most of it was made by hand is amazing. The love for the details and the passion for the figures is overwhelming. In an age where everything can be done with the help of computers, a film like that stands out. Watch a part of the "Making of Coraline" and you will see what I mean.
I came to the point to create my own Stop-Motion film and mix it with the style of Silent Films. To design a character I looked at actresses of the Twenties and Louise Brooks style was so perfectly clear, that it seemed obvious to choose her as a model. She was an outstanding actress who was ahead of the time she lived in. Brooks was different from the others and her uncompromising style and acting brought up an icon.
I found one of her films on youtube called "Diary of a Lost Girl". Here is the first part of it.
My first Stop-Motion Film turned out to be an experiment with different materials. The story came while crafting the figure and the room she lives in. All the sudden I started searching for things in my environment which i could use in another context. A thimble turned into a showerhead, cotton wool turned into foam, clingfilm into water and a yoghurt pot became an armchair.
The characters extremeties were seperate and the room was made of styrofoam, so that I was able to pin the figure into the scenery. To change her facial expression, I put on snippets with removable glue.
Another character is Oscar, who was inspired by Oscar Wildes"Dandy-look". Brooks and Wilde had similarities because of being ahead of their time.
To me it was clear that the main character Louise should be coloured. The story is about a woman who's different from the others. She is the only one of her kind in a cold blue world where everyone's the same. When the only person who used to accept her just the way she is left, it was time for her to move on.
I hope you enjoy the film and thank you for reading my blog.
Gustav Klimt who was an Austrian Symbolist painter was one of the most important artists of Art Nouveau. In his days his work was like a decleration of war to the classic ideal. Though most of his work was called pornographic, he was celebrated of the Viennese society. Klimt joined the
"Wiener Sezession", which was a contigent of artist who protested the classic ideal and theory, willing to bring the best international artwork to Vienna. At this time the rebellion against censorship of artwork was not only an important advancement for the art scene, it also showed an openness to sexuality and thematised the aspiration and fear of his time. The age of Industrialisation had an impact on economy and society and new Issues appeared. A new era began, so Klimt symbolized the questions, desire and fear.
Though the leitmotif of Klimt's work was mainly about sexuality and the female body, another important fact is that beauty and vitality of his paintings were in contradistinction to death. You can see below one of his paintings:"The Tree of Life". As it's name says, it stands for Life itself; reaching for Heaven and linking to "Mothers Erath". The tree stands for life, death and resurrection. It is a symbol found in many cultures.
The Tree of Life
Gustav Klimt
Who inspired Klimt? He was intensely interested in Viennas elegant prints and found organic forms through nature. His artwork was influenced by the Byzantine mosaics of the St. Vitale church in Ravenna which he visited. As shown in the example below, "The Tree of Life" ornaments and the use of gold reminds of the Peacock mosaic. The Peacock stands for paradise and resurraction, which a similarity to "The Tree of Life" painting. Inspired by the Byzantine images, Klimt addapted their style contempory in his time.
Byzantine Mosaics
Also other cultures inspired Klimt, like the egyptian culture. The "horus eye" which stands for eternity. It can be found in the branches of the Tree.
How does Gustav Klimt's work takes influence nowadays? The interwine of a classic and modern style, meaning the combination of realistic faces surrounded by two dimensionality, is timeless. A spanish photographer called Moises González reproduced Klimt's golden phase for the magazine "Ae". The image structure, elements and the context stays the same. Moises González takes the Art Nouveau into modern times.
Above: Danae by Gustav Klimt
Above: Moises González‘ version of Danae
Above left: Judith 1 by Gustav Klimt and right; Moises González‘ version
