#cvl

I then wanted to look at magazines from the 90s, more specifically music magazines to get a feel of what the aesthetic was like and kind of layouts and fonts they used. The magazines I found were: Smash hits, Vox, Raygun, Select, Urb and NME.

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Ray Gun was an American alternative rock-and-roll magazine, first published in 1992 in Santa Monica, California. Led by founding publisher Marvin Scott Jarrett, art director David Carson

Ray Gun explored experimental magazine typographic design and unique angles on the pop cultural currents of the 1990s. The editorial content was framed in a chaotic, abstract "grunge typography" style, not always readable.

I liked the use of the block shape of the body texts in the magazine. They've been made like it on purpose so the kerning between all the letters if different and looks 'wrong'. I think I'll use this in my process book.

posters and graphic arts became really popular during the art nouveau movement because of the new technologies like lithograph and colour printing.

the subject of the posters would very often feature women in a glamorous and modern way, but the design would be very 2d and stylised with minimal negative space, often being filled with flowers or patterns. 

Because the most common printing method was lithography, there was a limit to the colours which could be used.

there were also influences from the Japanese printers, like Hiroshige, seen in the flat images. 

It’s Nice That Inspiration 2

Matt Willey’s comic book-inspired titles for Extraordinary (Link)

HOW ELASTIC CREATED THE TITLE SEQUENCE FOR THE LAST OF US (Link)

In Singapore, Thaqif Nazri’s intricate typography and graphic design evolution catches our eye (Link)

Givenchy:

https://www.fashiongonerogue.com/givenchy-spring-2022-campaign-kendall-jenner/

kendal jenner used as influencer to promote the products being shown

product category: clothing

how they have promoted product: conformed to typical ideals- showasing someone who is known for being conventionally stunning, skinny, rich and topical. Feeds into Gen Z with the distressed use of paint + the ‘clutter-core’ visuals coming through.

FWRD:

https://footwearnews.com/gallery/kendall-jenner-fwrd-campaign-summer-2022-photos/kendall-7-2/

Also utilising topical model to target the same audience who glorify + idolise her

product category: clothing + fashion

how they have promoted product: utilising body standards + sexualisation to sell products, conventional beauty. Targets Gen Z with use of vibrant colour, abstract angles, and ‘dreamy’ glow effect.

Laneige: 

https://people.com/style/sydney-sweeney-on-her-skin-journey-and-second-laneige-campaign-interview/

use of influencer celebrity- who has been commended and casted for her visual appearance- small size, blonde hair, large chest + sex appeal.

product category: skincare

how they have promoted product: use of ‘dreamy’ visuals, pastel colours, airbrushed skin- showcasing ideals to sell you the idea that you can achieve this look.

Urban Outfitters:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRoiT5NYCK8&t=1s

drug references

dreamy visuals

flowers, sunsets, cool patterns

sci-fi typography

product category: clothing + fashion

how they have promoted product: includes a group of ‘cool’ and ‘edgy’ looking individuals, glorifies drug use, uses ‘trippy’ and ‘dreamy’ visuals, presents the idea of popularity being ideal.

Rare Beauty:

https://www.rarebeauty.com/

showcases a beautiful celebrity utilising product

again selling the idea that you could achieve the look of this celebrity

use of shiny, pastel + glowing products to sell this fantasy, dreamy look

use of floral imagery to promote feminity

TIKTOK Adverts

Zara:

neon + pastel colours

butterfly imagery

cloud imagery

‘dreamy’ feeling

bold use of typeface- all caps

use of 3d animation to sell the product + create cool visuals

texture + neon playing large roles in visuals - sparkly, feminine, pearls, water

Adidas:

bold use of experimental typography, utilising shapes within the text (heart shape)

3d renders

blue, lilac + pastel colour scheme

shiny visuals

Urban Outfitters:

vintage imagery + style direction- use of VHS, retro style colours and layering video

bold use of typography- sticking to elongated, retro style typefaces- either fully capitalised, or not capitalised at all

feels edgy and cool- buying into this idea that the ideal is to be trendy and youthful.

Overall, from looking at how some of the biggest Gen Z brands are selling their products, it was easy to detect themes amongst them. Although the marketing isn't as stereotypical as it was in the past, the ideals being presented have just been re-packaged to appear more ‘unique’ and ‘edgy’. Carrying the same messaging, the female Gen Z audience is still seeing these conventionally stunning standards through influencers and models. This ‘dreamy’ aesthetic of lilacs, blues, pastels and clouds is really current and popular, which i find plays into this idealistic notion. Alongside this, the use of vibrant colours, patterns and vintage visuals is also really popular amongst these campaigns. 

Theory of the 5 Elements

Usually translated as "Five Phases" or "Five Agents," Wuxing (Chinese: 五行; Pinyin: wǔxíng; Japanese: gogyō (五行); Korean: ohaeng (오행); Vietnamese: ngũ hành (五行))is a five-part conceptual framework that many traditional Chinese fields used to explain a variety of phenomena, from cosmic cycles to the interaction between internal organs, and from the succession of political regimes to the properties of medicinal drugs. The Chinese characters for the "Five Phases" are Fire (火; huǒ), Water (水; shuǐ), Wood (木; mù), Metal or Gold (金; jīn), and Earth or Soil (土; tǔ). The "Days of the Week" sequence is the name of the presentational order. They are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water in the order of "mutual generation"  (相生; xiāngshēng). They are Wood, Earth, Water, Fire, and Metal in the order of "mutual overcoming" (相克; xiāngkè).

The five-phase approach was employed to explain interactions and connections between various events. This tool was used in many branches of early Chinese thought after it reached its peak in the second or first century BCE during the Han dynasty, including seemingly unrelated fields like Yi jing divination, alchemy, feng shui, astrology, traditional Chinese medicine, music, military strategy, and martial arts. Contrary to the Classical components of the ancient Mediterranean civilisation, sometimes translated as the "Five Elements," the Wǔxíng was primarily thought of as cosmic agents of change rather than a way to explain natural objects.

Interactions between the five elements 

Generating interactions 

The five components' producing interactions resemble a mother and child's conception, gestation, birth, and nurturing connection. Such closely related elemental pairings suggest prosperity and good fortune.

Fueling, forming, confining, transporting, and feeding are the five generating interactions:

Wood fuel fire 

Fire forms Earth (volcanoes, ash, etc.)

Earth contains metal

Metal carries water (buckets, pipes, etc)

Water feeds wood (trees, plants, etc)

Overcoming interactions

The five components' overcoming interactions resemble the hostile acts committed by opposing parties in a conflict.

Melting, penetrating, separating, absorbing, and quenching are the five overcoming interactions.

Fire melts metal 

Metal penetrates wood( chopping, sawing, drilling, nailing, screwing)

Wood separates earth (tree roots breaking up soil/ rock)

Water quenches fire 

Depending on the birth year, each person is assigned one of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs and a 12-year cycle. Each of the Chinese zodiac signs and 12-year cycles is related to one of the five elements.

According to Chinese astrology, life energy (or qi) is defined by the time and day of birth, while zodiac sign (or element) and 12-year cycle elements influence personality and luck. To determine your Chinese zodiac sign and element, use the calculator.

How to make good luck using the five elements theory

The most crucial aspect of Fengshui Theory is the Five Elements Theory. Good Fengshui, following traditional Chinese philosophy, will bring good fortune. One of the five elements is considered to govern the qi energy of each direction. Aligning one's life with the qi should thus remove all obstructions and provide good fortune.

The fixed element (lucky element) for your sign should be identified first. Then, using the Feng Shui Associations table above, determine the direction of your element's energy. Then, to increase your luck, employ the energy direction and the colour of your fortunate element.

For example, 

Since the tiger is your zodiac sign, wood is your fortunate element. Because wood energy is in the east, it might be advantageous to face east. Your money, health, and lifespan may all be improved. Green is the colour connected with the Wood element, thus you may adorn your home's east side in green or place a green plant there to bring luck to yourself.

Dear Long Hair

Photography inspo

‘I search for them everywhere. I travel to small towns in the mountains, distribute leaflets, organise long hair competitions until I find them. Why do women in Argentina wear their hair longer than in most Western countries? A hybrid culture with Indigenous traditions, where cutting hair represents cutting one's thoughts, or even falling into disgrace or near death. For this series, I approach anonymous women and asked them to pose with their backs to the camera in their natural environments.‘

This series of photographs highlights the cultural significance of hair to indigenous traditions - ‘cutting hair represents cutting one's thoughts’. Although these are said to be set in their natural environments, the photos are clearly staged. In this case, the way the girls are arranged shows how impressive their hair length and thickness is.

The style of photography is of high contrast and saturation. The bright, colourful scenery relates well to the youthfulness of the girls as well.