NCEA Level 3 - Visual Arts 2008

1. NCEA Level 3 - Visual Arts 2008 Examples of Candidate Work - Design

2. Achieved

6. Achieved The brief for this submission promotes ‘Etoile’ a new fragrance for the perfume company Olfactif. The candidate has identified a range of promotional requirements and developed a brand slogan ‘cast a spell’. ‘Etoile’ translates from French meaning ‘star’ and the chosen theme is fairytales and all things magic, which informs the graphic sensibility across the folio. Board one demonstrates the use of drawing to develop a logo that tests out text and image options. These ideas respond to the various shapes and sizes of a perfume bottle and by restricting the colour to black and white a number of options are generated, analysed and clarified until a simple and appropriate solution is realised. The design of the scent card builds upon research and creates an appropriate aesthetic as a starting point. This is developed more fully on boards two and three. The candidate utilizes photography, pattern and type to produce layout options and is beginning to understand how a logo should brand a product and establish its’ identity in this situation. The final magazine layout is selected from a number of thumbnails and despite a change of font and aesthetic there is a genuine attempt to relate ideas and methods in the process.

10. Achieved BattleSoup is an Internet-based comedy group producing short films and skits for release on YouTube. The brief in itself is an interesting proposition that has enabled the candidate to explore film noir references while developing promotional material. At the outset of the folio the candidate has clarified colour and typeface choices. These decisions have successfully linked image and text across all three boards. Pictorial strategies are developed systematically to clarify placement and scale of text and image in layouts. This shows knowledge of the conventions being used. The thumbnails explore different visual treatments such as overlaying images, photographic images and use of a silhouette. The use of a grid with diagonal and circular structures has enabled the candidate to design clear graphic outcomes. The use of white type reversed out of the red and/or grey provides strength and clarity to the visual communication.

11. Merit

15. Merit The brief for this submission promotes Art n Sole, a new retail shoe outlet in a central location focusing on hand crafted one-off shoe designs. The candidate’s initial photo shoot is playful and documents a series of shoes that have later been creatively explored with the collage of fabric, buttons and lollies. This starting point immediately generates a number of ideas for the candidate to analyse and clarify in the logo development. One of the many strengths of this folio is the complex but cohesive colour choice. Each option playfully considers pattern, colour, and composition in order to arrive at outcomes for the logo, packaging concepts, stationery and poster formats. The candidate understands grid structures and chooses simple structures appropriate to their purpose. The graphic solutions capitalise on text and image relationships and the designs clearly communicate their message.

19. Merit In this submission the candidate is designing a promotional CD package and poster for Rouser Roar, a New Zealand rock band. From the very start drawing is central to the development of the logo and a number of ideas are tested. The candidate also explores a number of options to be used in the imagery for the CD and poster. There is a real attempt to refine the graphic imagery and to attend to the more formal qualities of design such as placement of type and logo and the play of positive and negative space. The candidate purposefully regenerates graphic options and applies an appropriate aesthetic sensibility. All of the formats examined are intrinsic to the brief and enable the candidate to construct a series of outcomes that relate and respond to one another cohesively. These outcomes demonstrate a confident understanding of combining and selecting typefaces and of image construction.

20. Excellence

24. Excellence This submission promotes the motion picture Moonlight and very quickly the candidate selects a contemporary approach to an established film noir. At the beginning the candidate directed a highly choreographed photo shoot and sourced the textures and filters to be used. In doing so the candidate established rich starting points full of atmosphere. An ongoing ability to reflect and clarify is evident as later photo shoots cast the figure in new poses. The candidate constructs and manipulates images that build the narrative in both time-based and still solutions. An inventive approach is demonstrated through the digital assemblage of material using overlay and transparencies. Type and image manipulation is handled with fluency and purpose and the juxtaposition of dark and light, figure and field, evokes a graphic sensibility that is completely owned by the candidate. This reflects an in-depth understanding of film noir and shows an editorial restraint whereby key image and text relationships are synthesised to ensure confident and sophisticated outcomes.

28. Excellence The brief for this submission directly responds to the growth of smuggling illegal foods, plants and animal products into New Zealand. The Checkout campaign raises awareness of the rules, regulations and dangers to society caused by these illegal imports. The clear strength of this submission is how confidently and creatively it communicates ideas. It also takes risks and demonstrates intelligent and playful decision-making. From board one the candidate has been able to draw upon images and formats that we associate with travel. In developing a campaign identity the candidate gives us several starting points and then successfully explores the play of positive and negative space. Later formats like the security card, baggage tag, poster, brochure and double page spread are intrinsic parts of this brief. The candidate has responded to each of these formats with purpose, always developing innovative ideas that add value to the project. For example, the brochure reflects the characteristics of a travel bag and the cover mimics the format of a suitcase. In the posters the candidate has playfully explored an x-ray aesthetic. The double page spread goes further and reveals a pop-out collection bin, providing yet another option to reinforce and sustain the ideas. The clear and confident handling of text in the publication demonstrates a sound understanding of formal grid and layout issues. Throughout the folio research has informed the decisions being made and the candidate clearly understands the pictorial strategies that have been used. At the same time there is clear evidence of innovative and creative regeneration of ideas.