Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
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Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
1ST
Proof Page:102
102 The Fundamentals of Graphic Design The graphic design process
Why commission?
While the array of modern technology and services,
such as photo libraries, means that designers have
access to, or can produce, a vast range of images,
there are still many occasions when artwork will need
to be commissioned. While some designers also
write, illustrate and take photographs, it is unlikely
that they will be able to produce every element that a
design requires. There are many jobs that require
additional specialist input. Illustrators,
photographers, sign writers, typographers and
copywriters specialise in the production of specific
outputs in diverse ways. The commissioning of
artwork allows a designer to access the broad range
of creative styles and techniques that the
practitioners have, which can add different creative
elements into the design mix, therefore allowing a job
to have a more sophisticated and robust resolve.
Commissioning art
Artwork embraces various visual elements that
are not always created by the designer, such as
illustration and photography. Design is a collaborative
process involving many relationships, and
commissioning presents rich and varied opportunities
for designers to realise their creativity by harnessing
external skills as needed.
The commissioning process
Commissioning artwork is not necessarily an easy
or quick process, but neither is it difficult,
complicated or slow. Commissioning should not be
viewed as a chance to offload work, but as a creative
challenge in itself. The process can be broken down
into four stages: selection, commissioning,
development and completion.
Selection
The selection process involves researching who is
available to produce the required artwork, including
their styles and rates. While it is convenient to use
tried and tested contacts, it is important to be aware
of other professionals who are available and the type
of work they specialise in, just in case regular
contacts are unavailable or a job requires something
completely different. This first stage often involves
viewing websites, contacting photographic agents
and other contacts to help direct the search so that a
shortlist can be made. This is particularly true
when commissioning photography, illustration or
screen-printing.
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Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
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Prototyping < Commissioning art 103
Commissioning
Commissioning involves agreeing the job parameters
for the artwork, such as the brief, cost, delivery time,
the process to be used and what the deliverables
will be. For example, when commissioning
illustrations, it must be agreed whether items will be
produced in pencil, watercolour or India ink. It is
important to formalise the commission at this stage,
and the process will depend on the relationship you
have with the provider.
It is always advisable to note the relevant details
agreed on paper, particularly if artwork is
commissioned from a new source, so that there is a
document to refer to in case of disputes later on.
Where there is an established working relationship, a
commission may be as informal as an email
requesting a job to the same specifications as a
previous one. Some commissions may be agreed with
a handshake while others are established by a formal,
signed contract.
Development and completion
The development stage is marked by the beginning
of artwork production, such as preparatory sketches
or prototypes. Depending on the complexity and
budget of the job, it is not unusual to move from the
commissioning stage to completion through
intermediary stages that give both parties a chance
to make further decisions on the artwork before the
time and expense is taken to produce it.
Completion marks the end of the process where
the commissioned artwork is delivered to the client.
If this matches the expectations as specified in the
commissioning agreement – whether verbal or written
– the process ends and the producer invoices the
client. Work that is unsuitable or off-specification
may be so for a number of reasons: there may have
been insufficient dialogue during the development
stage; the brief established during the
commissioning stage was insufficient or inaccurate;
or perhaps an inappropriate candidate was picked at
the selection stage. As designers are usually in
charge of the commissioning process, they are
normally responsible for any shortcomings with the
final artwork.
Somerset House, London (left)
This fold-out poster created for
Somerset House in London features
illustrations by C’est Moi Ce Soir, which
offer a light-hearted guide to ice skating
in the courtyard of the building. Different
illustration styles are available to graphic
designers and it is important to select
one that is compatible with the project
and the message to be conveyed.
Research Studios interpreted the brief by
showing ice skating as a fun, sporting
pastime enjoyed by many children, and
this is reflected in the colourful,
rudimentary illustrations.
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Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
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072-107 01077_C2.qxd 9/5/08 1:31 PM Page 104
Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
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Proof Page:104
104 The Fundamentals of Graphic Design The graphic design process
Commissioning illustration
Illustration encompasses a broad spectrum of techniques and styles as
different illustrators work with different processes and use different media.
They can be figurative, abstract, collage-based, computer-generated, etc.
It may be necessary to obtain portfolios from several different practitioners
in order to get a sense of their style and find one that is suitable for the job
in hand.
Drugs – Facing Facts (left and below)
Webb & Webb’s design for the Royal
Society for the Encouragement of the
Arts, Manufacturers & Commerce (RSA)
features duotone illustrations by Chris
Brown that have a primitive, understated,
lino-cut feel that provides a plain and
balanced counterpoint to the importance
and severity of the subject matter.
Although beautifully typeset, the
publication would be dull without the
intervention of the graphic illustrations
that clearly enliven and define its
different areas.
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Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
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Made in Medway (above and left)
Steve Rowland’s Made in Medway title
features portraits of local artists taken
by photographer Rikard Österlund.
Subjects are shot facing the camera,
making the reader feel included in the
scene. The book was sponsored by
Medway Renaissance with support from
UCCA Rochester.
Prototyping < Commissioning art 105
Commissioning photography
Photography is a broad and diverse discipline where practitioners tend to
specialise in specific areas or fields such as fashion, advertising, sports and
reportage. As photographing a car requires a different skill set to a fashion
shoot, a designer will need to select someone who is familiar with the
requirements of the brief’s subject matter. Many photographers are represented
by agents who can provide a copy of their portfolio, and it is increasingly
common for photographers to have websites to showcase their style, subject
matter and technical expertise.
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Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
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Proof Page:106
WoWvx (below)
The following stills from a two-minute film produced by INTRO for Philips is used to
showcase its WoWvx 3D display that allowed viewers to enjoy 3D without the need for
special glasses. Featuring dancing showgirls, boxing and blockbuster action
sequences, the colourful, action-packed film was created using different film/3D
techniques to show viewers the excitement and power that 3D brings to the TV screen.
The display is comprised of a sheet of transparent lenses fixed on an LCD screen. Each
lens carries a slightly different offset of the same image. In the same way your two eyes
receive a slightly different angle of the same image, this offset is the ‘measurement’
system that our brains use as a way of judging depth and how we sense the three
dimensionality of space.
The image above shows how different
parts of the scene are masked off to
create a sense of movement in the
3D film.
106 The Fundamentals of Graphic Design The graphic design process
Commissioning moving image
Moving images often need to be outsourced as not all agencies have in-house
capabilities to provide or generate these. In spite of technological advances, it
is not always practical or cost-effective to have specialists in-house. However,
specialist firms can be commissioned to provide these services. By providing
services to many clients, these firms spread the cost of the equipment and
technology they require in addition to generating real expertise by working
exclusively in moving-image production.
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