Hyperreality: a simulation or representation of reality
The overarching concept for this project is the exploration into how people have gradually got more and more in tune with the digital environments that they occupy such as social media sites, pinterest, insagram, snap chat and tumblr among many others. The main themes of the publication will revolve around the concept of Hyperreality within art and design and how, gradually, mediums such as photography, illustration, editorial, advertising, posters have become digitalised. With scrolling page websites such as pinterest and tumblr helping in increase the rate at which art and design is consumed.
The word 'Hyperreal' itself is interesting as it doesn't necessarily make sense with out referring to something specific or within context. The aim is for the magazine cover to seem ambiguous and not give too much away about the content and therefore encouraging the potential audience to find out more about it.
Potential Display Typefaces
For the cover of the magazine it was important to present some of the themes of Hyperreality. One of the areas of Hyperreality is that it tricks consciousness into detaching from any real emotional engagement, instead opting for artificial simulation, and endless reproductions of fundamentally empty appearance. Some examples of this in type design and type choices in graphic design:
Blackletter digital fonts had been taken and re-appropiated from their original use and their practicality has been long outdated, meaning that it could be argued that they are now being used purely for an aesthetic purpose. It is a good example however of a simulation, a key theme of Hyperreality.
Existing Effective Magazine Covers
One of the key elements of these covers it the way the title is displayed. As this is the brand, it is the most important element of the design and is needed to be bold to stand out on a busy shelf or website.
The title will be a key design feature for Hyperreal magazine and act as a logotype for any future publications.
The typeface OCR can potentially work well as it has links to the early 'low-poly' basic stages of digital type design for type displayed on computers with a small amount of pixels.
Blankenburg blackletter would be appropriate because of the above mentioned. It is also one of the more simplistic and legible digital blackletter typefaces.
A more high impact typeface could also be effective such as Compacta (above) and Druk (below) as it would help grab the audiences attention as opposed to the other choices possibly being too detailed. It has to also be considered that there will be additional text on the cover so will need to stand out and be clear from that.
Logotype Design
The type will act as a banner across the publication and poster and stay the same across the series.
Visual Content
Hyperreality involves creating a symbol or set of signifiers which represent something that does not actually exist. There are many examples of this in the online space such as semiotics and skeuomorphism.
For the cover image the concept was to show societies gradual shift into the digital realm, specifically within art and design. Taking one of the most significant periods in arts history (The Renaissance) and distorting and digitalising it giving a sense of disruption and loss as it becomes digital.
Visual Research
Audatype - Marco Té
This project is an experiment into type manipulation and distortion based on overlaying it and mapping it onto sound files and distorting the letter. The results have then been captured and printed, which creates an interesting contrast/combination between digital and print processes.
Interesting images created through screen print onto fabric paper.
Renaissance Paintings
After searching through a number of possibilities Sassoferrato's 'The Virgin in Prayer' was chosen as it is one of the most iconic religious depictions and the composition would still be recognised when distorted.
The process of digitalising was to create a bitmap image and then displace it - which essentially leaving the program to randomly distort it and takes away the human element further.
The blue was chosen as a link to social media sites (Facebook, Twitter) and is a colour commonly associated with the internet (Explorer, Safari).
Here is the initial poster design for the Triptych part of the brief. The text on the front has been reduced to a minimum as to not overcrowd the design.
Character Styles
B5 format header and copy. The monospaced and condensed typeface compliment the 'Hyperreal' logotype without overruling it and keep the rest of the publication consistent and the hierarchy clear.
Back Cover
For the back the display typeface will be a preview of who and what is in the magazine so potential readers can get an idea of the content based on the subjects and people titled.
Details
Test print of the magazine cover to check the type is the appropriate size and legible enough in the detailed areas.
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