Blog : Ashleigh Barron

Pixel Portrait

2011-11-28T00:10:00.002Z

Baptism by Fire

2011-11-27T21:24:00.000Z

Bad Trip

2011-11-06T22:37:00.002Z

"There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion."
— Francis Bacon

2011-06-05T20:17:00.002+01:00

Inspired by author Isaac Asimov's The Robots of Dawn, which is part of a series of short stories and novels that are set in the first age of positronic robotics and space exploration.

At Sea

2011-05-31T11:45:00.000+01:00

Computer Liebe

2011-04-10T23:06:00.001+01:00

I Am Lost

2011-03-27T10:48:00.008+01:00

Know Thyself

2011-03-20T11:51:00.006Z

Socrates is famous for arguing that to be wise is to "Know Thyself" and declaring that the unexamined life is one not worth living. It is often thought that Socrates' wisdom was that he knew that he didn't know about himself, about the reasons for the actions and behaviors of others; the foolishness of his fellow Athenians was that they didn't know that they didn't know.

The Lost Word

2011-02-19T20:44:00.006Z

TDR Loons

2011-02-15T19:58:00.009Z

The collabo crackers we created for the Japanese company Bodywild are now on sale. The design is based on TDR work created for the famous NYSushi club in Sheffield. Get 'em while they're hot.

Front

Back

Creative Review Feature

2010-08-30T21:26:00.004+01:00

CR's 'Graduate Special' has just come out that features profiles on seven young designers and creatives who left university this summer. Portraits and cover by Melvin Galapon ooh-err.

Thanks to Mark.

Thanks to the Hardstaff

2010-08-30T21:11:00.003+01:00

I would just like to thank Johnny Hardstaff for his feedback and support over the last few months of university - And more recently, for recommending me for Creative Review's Graduates Issue. I am now a linked friend on Johnny's website, which is rather nice. Easy tiger!

Greie Gut Fraktion Baustelle

2010-07-10T10:29:00.008+01:00

I contributed some of the collages in the inner booklet of Greie Gut Fraktion's 'Baustelle' CD while on placement at The Designers Republic. Just got a copy :)

First Class Honours

2010-06-27T10:40:00.002+01:00

2010-06-01T16:49:00.007+01:00

Degree show soon. A motivational poster with a Tyke twist :) Inspired by the typically characteristic Yorkshire outlook on life, including the distinctive regional dialect and colloquialisms, and how these can become part of our identity.

Baby Foot Records

2010-05-31T09:45:00.008+01:00

These are the final album covers and identity for the French record label Baby Foot, created while on placement at TDR. Put together they make the explosion from earlier. Fancy that.

In a Bind...

2010-05-27T11:30:00.006+01:00

In a tight or difficult situation; stuck on a problem. Just one week until all us studes finish university, then we'll be on the prowl for gainful employment!

DigitalArts Feature

2010-05-02T10:21:00.012+01:00

Three of my projects are featured in the May 2010 issue of DigitalArts Magazine, where up-and-coming creatives can show their work if tha wants a look. Thanks to the lovely Johann :p

French Rock Explosion!

2010-05-02T08:58:00.010+01:00

Made for The Designers Republic. Inspired by Mutant Disco's bright colours and low key aesthetic, but more pop-art... Don't worry, it's supposed to be garish ha ;)

Music for Real Airports

2010-04-26T20:13:00.008+01:00

I was invited by Nick Bax of Human Studio to see Music for Real Airports at the Millennium Galleries in Sheffield, which was a multimedia art project by musicians The Black Dog and the interactive artists 'Human' where I did a placement over summer. It is a response to the reality of occupying the semi-public space of an airport, and a contemporary reply to Brian Eno's work from the 70s.

Entitled 'Music For Real Airports', the album combines new music with segments from over 200 hours of field recordings from airports in an effort to explore the ideas and associations that people have with them today.

Composed in large degree of drones there is little in the way of beats until half way through – but rhythm is plentiful within the buzzing synthetic warmth. This record is not necessarily a comfortable listen. But it captures the spectrum of emotions stirred by airports. There is tension and disappointment. But there is also romance and excitement. All this on this record.

Nick said to "Expect noise. And graphics" and that's exactly what I got.

Pecha Kucha Night

2010-04-23T09:59:00.009+01:00

Last night I went along with the tDR boys to the launch of the first ever Pecha Kucha night in at The Chimney House in Sheffield – the 300th city to host these special events.

Pecha Kucha, meaning ‘chit chat’ in Japanese is an event phenomenon bringing creative worlds and talents together, an event was first started in Japan 2003.

Recognising that given the opportunity to present, most architects, designers and creative types cannot stick to a prescribed time, they developed their 20×20 format. Each presenter is given 20 seconds per slide and just 20 slides to present or showcase their work. They are not in control of their presentation so cannot go back and forth! This makes for a unique, dynamic presentation, guaranteeing entertainment and a less formal atmosphere.

Amongst those will be the chosen speakers for the evening who were Alasdair from Article Magazine, Andy Mayer from Yoomee, Wilda Goyetche from Wildago and Ian Anderson from tDR.

^ That's us enjoying a tasty beverage!

For 'Pecha Kucha Sheffield 01', they decided on using The Chimney House, a unique building in Kelham Island, which meant the event having a very boutique and intimate feel.

Article Magazine

2010-04-17T19:07:00.005+01:00

I was recently invited to create 'glitchy' artwork for Article magazine's feature about psychics and mediums investigating buildings for paranormal activites. These will be two full consecutive left pages.

Article is a magazine circulated in Sheffield, a guide to the space that you’re in. Like an exhibition brochure, the magazine takes you through a series of wide ranging features, suggesting connections, revealing histories and creating speculations. They like to present the stories of what’s around people, from architectural analysis to personal tales of strange subcultures to interviews with people who make things. Above all, they're driven by the wish to make something fascinating and absorbing about the normal everyday.

Thanks to Alasdair.

Don't Panic TV

2010-04-17T09:22:00.000+01:00

The Don't Panic voting period has now ended, and I am pleased that my poster came 3rd out of 157 entries. I would therefore like to thank everyone who took the time to vote - much appreciated mates! This month's winning poster will now be chosen by Rob Brearley of design studio Golden.

5oup Feature

2010-04-14T15:53:00.000+01:00

I've just received a message from James over at 5oup with the news that my profile has been chosen for the fresh list and will be displayed on the front page for the next five days. Not bad eh!

My Website

2010-03-31T13:56:00.003+01:00

My shiny new website is finally up and currently under construction. Go and have a butchers if tha wants!

www.ashleighbarron.co.uk

Panic at Noiselab

2010-03-26T10:17:00.007Z

Over the month of April NOISELAB has opened up its 2nd floor to offer young creatives the chance to exhibit their work at this high profile city centre location.

The 'PANIC' exhibition is a showcase of final Design and Art Direction (BA Hons) students from The Manchester School of Art.

Each person on the Design and Art Direction course has created their own response to the theme of ‘Panic’, which they have explored through a variety of mediums including graphic design, illustration,photography and motion design.

The exhibition will be open Tuesday 30th to the 3rd April, with a special preview night on Tuesday 30th 6-8pm.

End of Analogue

2010-03-18T17:17:00.001Z

This is my entry for the Don't Panic 'TV' poster competition. If you would like to vote for me, you can do so here. Thanks!

We are living in a world where all media is becoming increasingly digitised due to an abundance technological advances. As art historian Christina Grammatikopoulou points out, ‘The things that used to colour up our personal space, resonating moments of the past and reflecting personality and taste, are now crammed onto the infinitesimal square millimetres of the hard disk.’ She refers, of course, to music as well as our treasured photographs and book collections, which are largely no longer the tangible objects that we could once sense by touch and even smell.

Now, it is television’s turn to get the full digital treatment. All analogue TV signals in the UK will be switched to digital between now and 2012. Stations will then transmit digital signals only. Televisions that receive analogue signals via the traditional rabbit ears or rooftop antenna and will no longer work, meaning you will either have to adapt or upgrade your television to keep viewing.

The government and the broadcasting industry want all UK households to benefit from a ‘digital future’. Digital signals allow for much more information, and will also assist the other changeover - to high definition. This means that the picture and audio quality of the signal is significantly clearer and sharper than analogue.

My piece therefore illustrates that the world is truly switched on to this digital age by representing the escalating streams of digital information generated around the globe.

Creative Review Feed

2010-02-12T21:22:00.003Z

My Faber and Faber book project is now live on the Creative Review website :)

2010-01-22T21:41:00.005Z

2010-01-20T18:30:00.003Z

Another couple of pieces for Resistance. Still exploring the idea of creating a glitch illustration stylie.

2010-01-02T21:38:00.005Z

Having a go at illustrating a glitch...

Holden Gallery Exhibition

2009-12-18T13:18:00.007Z

I and a number of others from Design and Art Direction, Fine Art and Photography now have our work on display in the new cafe/exhibition space in the Holden Gallery. I printed out an A1 copy of Resistance for the occasion. Noice.

More Experiments

2009-12-15T20:32:00.007Z

Trying a slightly different method to reach the final result.

There's a lot of trial and error with this technique of working, but occasionally you achieve something that works perfectly, like this one. Blinded and silenced.

The Thing on The Big Screen

2009-12-13T20:00:00.016Z

Ah yes. My favourite film of all time, something I want to rave about ... Back in September I went to see John Carpenter's The Thing at the cinema - a 1982 remake of the Howard Hawks 1951 horror film.

I haven't seen the original, maybe I will someday but Kurt Russell leads a strong cast in this remake as a group of scientists who are stuck in the Antarctic being attacked by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills. I love the special effects as the monster evolves and attacks... A group of paranoid men and not a single woman in sight to ruin it. Perfect. It was amazing to see such a classic on the big screen, hopefully the beginning of a trend.

I have also just found this nice illustrative poster for the film by Tyler Stout, much better than the original. I love silk screened posters. These are extremely limited, only 100 were made. Doesn't look like I'll be getting one then. It even has glow in the dark ink :(

Burlesque Design

2009-12-13T13:34:00.016Z

These are some examples from my plethora of favourite music posters for Arcade Fire by Burlesque of North America. They are a mob of graphic designers, illustrators, screenprinters, poster slingers, photographers, record collectors and pixel pushers. They never fail to make me drool with their gorgeous palette of rich colour, geometric designs and stunning typography.

You can actually see some of these posters at the Richard Goodall gallery if you're interested, the real prints look so much better. They've taken them off the wall now though.

Manchester Artists Book Fair

2009-12-10T13:52:00.024Z

I recently visited the fourth book fair in the Holden Gallery at the Manchester School of Art. There were about 40 stands and the MMU special collection of artists' books. It was a very inspiring and diverse collection that demonstrated not only the incredible scope of the craft, but the ingenuity and creativity of the people that produced them.

I bought a gorgeous little accordian book made from a nautical map, with an alphabetic journey through the related terminology. It fits in the palm of my hand, and is very delicate and beautifully made. I am really fond of carefully thought out and finely crafted artefacts that are truly unique and reflect the heart and mind of its creator through materials, media and production.

This fair went on to influence what I created for the 'Pointless' workshop. I'm still a bit disappointed that I wasn't able to join in the bookbinding workshop simply because it didn't work with my current project! Hopefully I'll get the chance soon...

While there, I spotted Libby Scarlett's rather splended selection of books that she talked about when she gave us our 3rd year pep talk. I love Mapping the Mundane...

My Long Lost Gift from Ian Anderson

2009-12-10T13:02:00.012Z

Ian sent me out a jolly nice book for participating in one of his workshops back in April. I have unfortunately only just got my hands on it as it's been buried in Hitch's office for too long without my knowing! It's pretty yummy huh? Aye.

After what he's just said to me, I'll give him a thumbs up ;)

^ Awesome.

Work Placement

2009-12-09T21:06:00.011Z

I have just set up a work placement at The Big Issue magazine, starting W/C 11th January, running alongside my personal project. Very much looking forward to it as it will be quite different to the four placements I have done to date which were all in creative agencies. I want to try something different in order to discover what I really want to do most. I reckon it will be good experience to work within restraints such as existing templates and house styles.

Coincidentally, I picked up the latest issue of Sheffield's good ol' Now Then magazine which actually features a short article about The Big Issue encouraging people to purchase it. Gowan!

Not only this, there should hopefully be some work coming my way from both Article and Gaze magazine. Watch this space. Oooh.

Resistance

2009-12-09T21:04:00.013Z

This is one of my responses for the Don't Panic poster competition based on the theme of resistance. The piece is reworked from earlier, now much more appropriate in black and white. Check out those bloody eye sockets for signs of resistance! This is definitely one of my more happy accidents that I believe fits the brief the most successfully. I therefore intend to select this piece for the final submission.

The plan next is to print it out A1. In this case, bigger is better! Huzzah.

Writing My Own Brief

2009-12-08T10:21:00.009Z

I would like to do a personal project based on magazine design, particularly the spreads. I want to try something more industry-based than what I have been exploring so far. Since doing a lot of experimentation recently, I think that the next step for me to be a better graphic designer would be to improve my skills with professional type and layout, and bringing things into a context.

I want to learn to love type and play around with it more, while using grid systems etc. I have neglected this side of design quite a bit, and perhaps need to develop it more in preparation for the big wide world! My chat with Cafeteria Design originally put the idea in my head a few months ago.

I am trying to find my niche, discovering what I want to do and what I am good at while eliminating what I don't enjoy. It is the opportunity to try a different type of work placement too, it's healthy to explore. A lot of my work to date has been out of a graphic design context and I would like that to change a little. I want to develop skills that will be most useful when working.

What the magazine is about will affect the visual style, so picking a good subject matter will be important as well as how much research I do, and in what area. How much I play around with the content will be key also. I haven't done any proper spreads before so will need to do a lot of research!

IdN DVD Titles

2009-11-09T14:04:00.009Z

A piece of illustration from one of my zines was used on the IdN DVD title sequences of the Self-Promo issue :) Works well I think. Yeah. Very nice.

Further Experimentation with Type

2009-11-04T10:24:00.008Z

I love destroying things. Especially type. It's been a while since I've last done any of this!

I particularly like playing with the colour separations, which gives a really nice layered effect like this.

2009-11-02T10:35:00.005Z

I am currently experimenting with vintage portraits. I was attracted to the juxtaposition between the old photography and the new technology silencing it. Using digital technology to destroy an analogue message, if you will.

Plus it works really well with faces. It seems to me there are a few different ways of arriving at a glitched image, some intentional and some not, some hardware and some software, etc. Mostly though, I find the bizzare emotional effect you get from these things very intersting.

2009-11-01T15:47:00.007Z

Having a go at messing with data and image files, works quite well at expressing how easily digital data becomes destroyed or that technology often corrupts (or can be used to corrupt and silence). It's also fun to get lots of unpredictable results.

Not only this, I could explore how all the formats aren't compatible with each other also destroying the messages.

Blackpool Expedition

2009-10-31T14:49:00.003Z

I went to see the Blackpool Illuminations today. Very tacky, just how it should be! I have a love for those hand painted seaside signs.

You F-F-F-FOUND Me

2009-10-31T08:07:00.006Z

Just been browsing FFFFOUND! and found my Volta zine cover is featured. Ha. All you lot should be getting on that site, it is brilliant for inspiration and unusual finds :)

Quick thought for Part II

2009-10-30T16:43:00.010Z

Thinking about stills or even a full a moving image rather than a fold out piece for silence, a little out of my comfort zone but probably the better suited option given the concept. An idea to be simmering anyway. It's good to have an end format in mind at least. I quite fancy the idea of playing around with white noise and all that...

2009-10-30T16:32:00.016Z

Systems fail. Errors happen. Computers don't know what's going on. Then we see interesting and unusual visuals artefacts and glitches. Couple more experiments...

I like the idea of perhaps using intriguing found imagery, sort of like recycling, turning corruption into art - inspired by the collage aesthetic I noticed. Alternatively I could be destroying messages using a mixture of digital and analogue technology. Messages lost, no longer communicating. Photography would be useful here.

The idea works particularly well with typography and imagery, although some of the patterns are effective too. I don't think it really matters *what* the content is, as long as it is no longer communicated.

2009-10-30T11:55:00.013Z

I think that these 'errors' have a beautiful artistic aesthetic to them, completely unpredictable, each one truly unique. I love the collage effect that they inevitably produce.

On a related note, I noticed there is soon to be a new exhibition at Urbis called Manchester, Television and the City: Ghosts of Winter Hill that will explore our relationship with television as we enter a nee phase with the digital switchover and looks at the way TV has fine-tuned its distinctive voice and identity. The exhibition also examines our changing viewing habits and considers what life after the Television era might hold. Must see :)

I like playing with photographs of analogue screens, white noise and distortion. Above is the latest example I have been experimenting with.

The Rape of Lucretia

2009-10-29T14:14:00.007Z

After submitting the poster, I was asked if I could turn the design into a flyer. And here is the final design. It was a doddle to do :) Hoping to receive the final print from Janet before my review on Tuesday!

I have really enjoyed this project, it has been so much fun. Plus I have made some great contacts that would like to use me for future projects. Result!

End of Analogue

2009-10-29T08:35:00.009Z

Not long now 'til the big switch-off... Here are a few of my recent experiments after the chat with Mack. I am going to continue to play with distortion and noise to express errors, and the freezing of the screen that often momentarily destroy the messages and images. Ultimately exploring the space between analogue and digital aesthetics.

This all links in very nicely with my interest in technology too and working digitally. There is the idea also that old technology gets left redundant, silent and unused - ultimately dead.

I am currently aiming for a low-quality, pixelated aesthetic to express the digital side of my concept. They are not supposed to be well crafted as obviously glitches aren't either! I think this concept will allow for lots of playful experimentation, which I definitely like the sound of!

The Rape of Lucretia

2009-10-28T19:04:00.007Z

Here is the final poster design sent over to Elemental Opera for print. After much trouble, I have now added more depth and tearing to increase the drama and impact. I have now included the details for the events and made the title stand out much more. Looking forward to seeing the finished print!

Solaris Poster

2009-10-28T19:00:00.004Z

This was my response to the film Solaris... Playing with watercolour and reflections all 'round.

Secrets

2009-10-28T17:46:00.008Z

During the silence brief I was particularly inspired by the quote 'Secrets are made to be found out with time' by Charles Sanford. Here is a piece I created in response. The type is lost, but becoming visible as the veil is being dissolved. The image is made up of tiny blocks, abstractly connoting censorship...

I am picturing a nice, simple animation in which these blocks are moving up, down and around the type, gradually disappearing to fully reveal any textual information below.

My Feature in IdN

2009-10-28T16:02:00.011Z

I have just received my complimentary copy of the latest issue of IdN magazine 'Self-Promotion' in which my work and thoughts are featured. Here is a link to the spread on the Creators section of their website. I am very happy with the result, and perhaps some good exposure to boot! (Just Creative Review and Grafik left on my list to conquer now ;)

I recommend this issue to fellow students as it is full of juicy stuff and is indeed something we should be thinking about for when we leave :)

Silence Brief

2009-09-30T17:22:00.003+01:00

Can silence be visual?
In the realms of visual language, what is silence?
What can silence evoke, convey or allow?

Brief Part One

Research the possible concepts and visual potential of ‘Silence’ and with lateral visual experimentation attempt to conceptually interpret silence in any media or form.

These visual ideas and experiments will be utilized for the realization of the project in PART TWO of the brief – which will be introduced later.

Collect and collate historic contextual imagery and reference it in your staff and peer tutorials.

Format What is required ?

1. Reflect on what Silence could mean and begin a A BODY OF Visual experiments that visualise your ideas and visual studies , this can be Digital Photography – found imagery, drawing, scanning and software experiments – an amalgam of these or just one approach – it is open to your interpretation.

2. Collect and show 5 examples of ‘Silence’ at your first tutorial seminar – found or made images – any format, but the meaning or effect of the image is key to your dialogue

Deadline Jan 2010

Why am I doing this? I am investigating silence a key semiotic conduit and vehicle for the communication of emotion, atmosphere and metaphor e.g. the silent pause, the empty space , the open space for the audience to ‘reflect’ and project into. I am analysing the psychology of persuasion.

100 Smackers Coming My Way!

2009-09-09T17:11:00.003+01:00

I am pleased to hear that my design has been picked for The Rape of Lucretia and will be used to promote all the dates. I am very excited about this as it is my first 'proper' job :)

It is also good that all the applicants' pieces will be displayed at the events, establishing a good relationship with us at MMU.

First Draft

2009-09-08T17:05:00.003+01:00

This is the idea I sent over to Brian.

I aimed for something minimal and impactful. The image itself abstractly represents the sashes Brian mentioned as key, the red and green violently entwining and becoming very destructive. It is like a whirlwind of lust, death, passion, violence and jealousy.

The white light at the top-left represents Lucretia and purity, and as the sashes begin to come together the white dulls and becomes grey as if corrupted, or the innocence being lost. Ultimately the light fades away in the end...

It also works well for the piece as the image is able to remain beautiful and feminine whilst evoking a sense of violence, intensity, sadness and tragedy.

As they didn’t want a ‘traditional’ image, I thought it best to steer clear of clichéd and literal imagery, to give it a contemporary feel. The image can thus be interpreted in many ways, encouraging thought and interaction from the viewer. I brought the Roman theme back in subtly with a quiet Roman serif typeface.

I am pleased to hear that they love the design... They would just like more atmosphere and depth. I see what they mean actually. Along with more tearing!

Client Meeting

2009-09-07T13:59:00.003+01:00

So there is a competition of sorts, a live brief from Elemental Opera to create a flyer and poster design for The Rape of Lucretia... I was very excited when I saw the brief as I love designing around music and had previously enjoyed a classical music brief a few years ago.

I would saw this was my first 'proper' client meeting, which was quite fun. It was a great opportunity to really discuss the project, and understand each other more efficiently that through email.

Brian was very nice and had clear aspects he wants incorporating into the design. He wants it to be 'visceral' and 'edgy' more than anything, with a sense of drama and violence. The design must be minimal and use only red, green and white representing the sashes worn in the piece.

Ha, I actually got to hand out a business card too, how novel.

Oooh, must get started, only got a few days to do it!

Note from Nick Bax

2009-07-10T17:00:00.003+01:00

A thank you note from Nick Bax. Really enjoyed my placement there, especially the pies :)

You Are One Cut Above

2009-07-01T20:32:00.000+01:00

This is a piece of typography I have recently being playing with. It started when I began experimenting, trying to give the illusion of cut up and lettering, bending and folding. It could do with being a lot less uniform, but I now know how to do it whenever I need.

I am very much into space and the stars, so this was inspired by that :) I would love to do a project on the cosmos - Let's get on it!

Logo

2009-06-21T22:31:00.008+01:00

This is a logo proposal for a friend :) She wanted something that reflected her chaotic lifestyle as well as the kind work she creates so there we go! I made some quick, handmade lettering that would then be applied to a whole range of business cards that feature samples of her lovely collage work.

Nele Azevedo

2009-06-21T21:34:00.017+01:00

I just found a lovely series of art installations by Brazilian artist Nele Azevedo called Melting Men. These beautiful frozen men bring the Arctic ice melt to the equator, metaphorically speaking. Showcasing a multitude of thought-provoking figures carefully sculpted out of ice, these men seem to sit in contemplation as the midday heat slowly erodes their bodies.

Although originally intended as a critic of the role of monuments in cities, environmentalists around the world are adopting her work as climate change art. I like how these can in effect raise awareness in a new, conceptual way.

I have had an increased interest in monumentalisation since my essay, and find the installation intriguing as it loses its static condition to gain fluidity demonstrate a change of state in the water. It concentrates on small sculptures of small men, the common men.

Maze Type

2009-06-21T15:10:00.009+01:00

To me, maze art has always been visually quite attractive, so I thought I would have a bash at making a typography maze. It's about escaping the troubles, dead-ends and complexities of the city and everday life and enjoying the great outdoors :P

I then applied the design to a t-shirt to upload onto Howies TeePay website for voting. I am quite pleased with the result. View full size! Verrry time-consuming!

Back in Sheffield

2009-06-15T18:09:00.004+01:00

So... Uni has officially finished for the year and I've moved out of Manchester and back into the 'murky picture' so to speak. Very grey and drab, inspired a bit of type it did :P

Rainy Days

2009-05-25T20:07:00.009+01:00

It has been raining for days now, boo! A type experiment devoted to the moist.

A First!

2009-05-25T15:51:00.011+01:00

I have just received my grade for my Holocaust Memorialisation essay, and I got a first :)

My intention was to critically explore the value and shortcomings related to the traditional forms of Holocaust memorialisation that are most commonly implemented, while highlighting the advantages of viewing works of art inspired by the event instead. Could these tragically beautiful artworks simply be the most sincere and memory-evoking form of memorialisation?

After expressing an avid curiosity in the rise of the Nazis and particularly the Holocaust for many years, I recently had the opportunity to visit the notorious Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, Germany. My experience at the monument lead me to think in more depth about remembrance of the Holocaust, with particular reference to museums and memorials. And this Fuelled my essay.

D&AD Competition: Faber Film Book Template

2009-05-25T01:47:00.026+01:00

The brief was to use typography to create a template cover design for Faber Film’s range of books that reflects Faber and Faber’s long history of typographic excellence. The series covers a variety of genres including screenplays, technique guides and film history books.

Due to the nature of publishing, it is obviously impossible to keep the whole backlist in print. The books are therefore print on demand, which means they are only printed when a customer orders them. The series covers a variety of genres including screenplays, technique guides and film history books. A template was therefore required that could be used for any title and genre without compromising the design.

After experimenting with lots of different avenues, I was eventually inspired by the tag clouds that I noticed on the Faber website, as well as the keywords used on the well-known Internet Movie Database, which was therefore an additional link to movies. The design therefore consists of a randomly generated list of key words from each book, with the most popular being heavy and the least being light. This means that each cover is a unique design, as well as the generation of a personal copy number.

The beauty of these covers is that each one relates completely with what is inside the book. I believe the keywords on the cover also makes the book intruiging, giving little tastes of what is inside. It’s quite like a blurb but much less explicit!

What makes this idea even more effective is that the covers could easily be adapted for use online and in poster form. Each genre of books has a different colour which makes them easily distinguishable from each other.

Say What You Want

2009-05-24T20:12:00.010+01:00

Playing with type as per. Experimenting with a mixture of hand and digital rendering. My favourite combination. Had some good feedback from people about this one :)

My Business Card

2009-05-24T16:16:00.015+01:00

Front and back view of my current personal business card. The card is intended to be professional, fresh, clean and minimal, suitably showcasing my identity logo which connotes an infinity symbol using my initials.

The concept behind my logo is that there are never-ending possibilities in the world of visual communication, it is a constantly evolving and organic subject, and I too am part of that as a creative designer.

Collaboration

2009-05-15T23:43:00.009+01:00

After seeing my feature in Computer Arts, a design student named Migle who is from Lithuania sent me a nice email asking if I would like to participate in a little project. As part of a graduation project, the aim is to "recycle" old unused vector drawings, which were made but weren't used at the time.

I was sent 47 vector linear drawings and I was to create a piece of work using at least 3 of them. Finally, in the magazine would be the primary unmodified drawings and the newly born images.

This was the image I created, which Migle really likes. I am now looking forward to receiving the PDF version of the whole final project with all the images :)

Volta Cover Design

2009-05-15T14:48:00.007+01:00

Another experiment for Volta, it's bit of an excuse to play really and explore my style. I have recently noticed that I am developing a love for playing with layering up and building complex pieces. I enjoy the unpredictable results in such techniques.

Chop Chop Chop

2009-05-14T15:22:00.007+01:00

Inspired by a leaflet I picked up for a theatre while on my trip.I scanned, cut, rearranged and further altered the design until it is completely unrecognisable from the original and now has my own twist.

Postcards

2009-05-14T14:53:00.009+01:00

A couple of postcard-esque designs. The typography is inspired by lettering found on the side of a building that was worn and falling apart. The scene was a reflection of the heavy rain I experienced while there!

Idee

2009-05-13T15:16:00.009+01:00

These were inspired by a stunning light feature on the side of the KaDeWe centre in Berlin.

Plexus Typeface

2009-05-10T20:00:00.003+01:00

I have just found an old typeface I created in college. It is named Plexus and was based on networks. The idea was that the letters could link together and form a structure.

Falling Flakes

2009-05-10T18:04:00.004+01:00

Just playing around with textures and focus, inspired by snowflakes beautifully falling from the sky hehe :)

Interview Request From IdN Magazine

2009-05-08T23:54:00.009+01:00

I have just received a message from Alva at IdN who is working on their coming issues feature article which is going to be built around the theme of self-promotion. Every piece of self-promotional work contain great value of creativity, it works not only as the creators identity but it also has the power to impress the receiver.

They came across my 'Grow Your Own Designer' piece and found it very inspiring, and therefore said it would be a great honour if they could feature me in their feature article.

I have sent a few other pieces along with it, so we'll see what gets published! The magazine is due out in September.

Feature on Typo-Grafika

2009-04-27T15:46:00.005+01:00

I have just had four pieces of my work featured on my favourite typography blog Typo-Grafika. It really is a brilliant blog for inspiration, yay!

Feature on The Magenta Links

2009-04-23T15:09:00.007+01:00

I have just had four pieces posted on The Magenta Links inspirational blog :)

"When Joy Division, and everyday life inspires a Graphic Designer, the above projects are the result."

Gift for Ian Anderson

2009-04-16T20:22:00.017+01:00

I was set a brief by Ian Anderson from TDR which simply said 'send me something I would want to keep forever', and he would then pick 10 students to do a workshop with. I was greatly interested in this opportunity as I have a lot of respect for Ian and felt that the sessions would help me to develop. In the end, to my delight, I was indeed picked for the workshop and gainenlightenment from a different perspective.

I decided on the statement that ‘a bloomin’ good designer is worth keeping’. With the idea that with his help I could be a better designer.

My aim was to then somehow link this into the mentoring and workshop sessions. I pondered what the sessions are for and what I would achieve and concluded that they would be in effect ‘nurturing’ us and helping us grow and develop as designers. Eventually, after all the growing and nurturing puns I had in my head, I was lead to think about plants and budding designers etc.

Everything needed to grow the plant is inside the pot, which is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. It's therefore great for personal promotion also.

My name is lasered onto the seed and when it grows, my name remains on the plant and is visible when it shoots from the soil. The idea being that Ian would want to plant the seed and look after it - thus keeping it.

I am very pleased with the final outcome of this brief. It was interesting to work with packaging design for the first time and found it a welcome challenge to design in a new format, further developing and broadening my skills. However, drawing the net out accurately was a real pain as it utilised really unusual angles and was hard to work out. It involved a lot of trial and error! A plus was that it was a chance to improve my handy craft. I wanted to create something with more depth than mere eye-candy and I am satisfied with my concept.

Greetings From IdN

2009-04-15T21:22:00.008+01:00

Just recieved a nice email from Jovan over at IdN who is impressed with my portfolio and will be keeping me on radar ready for when a suitable theme or topic comes up. He hopes I could kindly participate and contribute. Thanks Jovan :)

Feature on CMYKern

2009-04-15T15:04:00.008+01:00

I have just had three pieces featured on the inspirational blog CMYKern.

"Ashleigh Barron is a second year student at Manchester Metropolitan. Her work is visually striking and has a very playful streak. All this is held together with a strong typographic sensibility. I love her rather colourful poster for Volta."

Joining Behance

2009-04-04T22:11:00.005+01:00

I have recently been invited to the Behance Network for creative professionals, please click the below link to view my profile :)

Digital

2009-04-02T17:53:00.023+01:00

This piece of typography was inspired by 'Digital', the last song ever performed by Joy Division, just before the suicide of the band's singer Ian Curtis.

I aimed to reflect the feelings and subject matter of the track and particularly the lyrics. The type is literally closing in with the feeling of claustrophobia, and forming a confusing, dizzying pattern.

Transmission

2009-04-01T11:35:00.008+01:00

This is a piece inspired by the film 'Control' about the life of Ian Curtis, which really moved me. It is a dark and sombre story showing of how Ian gradually came undone, broke apart and unravelled so to speak, and I felt the quote was spot-on.

I also gave a nod in the direction of the Unknown Pleasures album art, which is my all-time favourite cover. My design is like a tapestry falling apart.

RGB

2009-03-16T20:19:00.005Z

Abstract typography created using photography. Tasty bit of RGB, that is.

Gaze

2009-03-15T19:26:00.010Z

An initial idea for the cover of the magazine. As the magazine encompasses a very wide array of mediums and styles, I intended to connote a merging of imagery into one single whole.

This has been seen and displayed on the inspirational blog Condense.

Volta

2009-03-15T14:43:00.010Z

Had some thoughts for Volta, currently a raw and playful idea so I'm looking forward to getting underway with that. I have been given lots of new inspiration from the workshops I have been attending lately. Updates coming soon!

The cover was inspired by a visit to the Berlin Zoo :P There was a crazy tiger making human-like sounds! Creepy.

2009-03-14T19:59:00.008Z

I was feeling quite vibrant and playful today, so I created a piece with shapes, textures and colours. I've got a bit of a thing for shapes lately!

Busy Times!

2009-03-13T22:51:00.009Z

A piece about how I feel at the moment! Very busy, lots of projects and workshops going on! Really enjoying it though, got some exciting things coming up.

Eroded Humanity

2009-03-13T21:43:00.023Z

After reading lots of books about dystopias, I was inspired to create this quick little nugget of typography showing the slipping, distortion and erosion of humanity into something unrecognisable and incomplete. It has been almost completely worn away.

This is an idea along the same lines, when I likened the concept of losing humanity in Sheffield, with the regeneration. The words of the proposal for the city are disintegrating and falling apart.

Volta Zine

2009-03-13T18:17:00.021Z

Here is an idea I am trying out for my new zine about my Berlin experience. The name is Volta because I stayed on Voltastrasse, and the shapes are inspired by pieces of design I saw there on the streets and at the Bauhaus Archiv, all that featured geometric shapes.

I also liked the concept of pointing arrows to represent my travels.

This poster here for IAMX was a particular inspiration, it's my favourite musical artist from Berlin. I feel the poster is simple, bold and really eye-catching.

2009-03-13T14:48:00.015Z

I have been given the opportunity to design the cover for issue two of the new art and design magazine Gaze: Diverse Visions. My Current thought is something simple and classic along the lines of my favourite magazine, Grafik. More on that later!

2009-03-12T20:28:00.010Z

Just received a nice email from an Instanbul-based design company regarding my feature in Computer Arts. Nice to meet you, Oygar!

"Hello Ashleigh!
Just saw 2 of your works on CA. Smashing ideas, and great implementation!
Loved the work you're showcasing on redbubble as well, the classic music sheet piece is very exciting :)
Amongst the visual noise day-in and out, it's great to see output such as yours, and I will look forward to seeing more.
And if you ever travel around to Istanbul, please drop by to our studio for a cup of coffee! Who knows, we might end up doing a project together :D
Best wishes on your progress, and thanks a lot!"

Greater Manchester Police

2009-03-12T20:10:00.015Z

This was part of a live brief opportunity for GMP. The brief was to create a series of new posters to promote student awareness of theft.

After looking at the successes and failures with copious amounts of previous and current student awareness campaigns, I realised I never actually pay attention to any of them at all. They are usually very unimginative, stereotypical, obvious, unwitty and fade into the background due to a lack of personal connection. They are often overloaded with information, also.

My proposal was that the campaign should be focussed on something students can largely relate to, while avoiding the cliches such as us being stereotypically lazy and eating nothing but beans. I looked into what is popular with students at the moment and finally decided that computer games and technology are the most popular common ground with students and a good direction to take my concept.

After creating various visuals relating directly to the specific games, I came up with a more fresh, original idea. I noticed that pixel art is very big at the moment, with artists such as eBoy becoming mainstream. So referencing those 8-bit pixel illustrations and retro games, I created a set of shifty looking characters with the warning that you ‘shouldn’t play games with thieves’ because you will lose.

My final idea was to set out the poster like a series of mugshots, which I think worked out very well. This way there is a link to both the students’ interests as well as the police. Obviously the colour scheme was chosen to signify a warning and make the posters visually striking and eye catching.

The below poster follows a similar concept but is a direct reference to Space Invaders. My initial thought was that thieves are literally invaders of your space, so the concept seemed to fit well. The age range for people who have a soft spot for these old games is very wide (as required in the brief) and the large majority of people have come into contact with them at some point in their lives. I felt that attention could more likely be grabbed if the posters don’t look like a police campaign at all, but enticed attention another way.

Futureshock Books

2009-03-11T20:28:00.006Z

This project was about book covers and producing suitable designs that are sensitive and complimentary to the content. Additionally though, it was more specifically about branding a series of books so that their similar content becomes an identifiable set. The brief is also designed to get me thinking about the expectations of a target audience and how to avoid a cliche.

I wanted the covers to be at least a little computer-made because they are futuristic books which makes us all think of technology and progression etc. I therefore thought things like conventional cut and paste collage wouldn’t be completely suitable or appropriate. However, I did use the computer roughly so that they weren’t too polished for the subject matter.

The project is all about appropriateness, so I therefore thought it best to strip it back to something more simple and ‘hands-on’, pardon the pun. I chose to use hands as the recurring theme because to me they are the ultimate sign of humanity, and I noticed that that is what each of the books questioned.

I was able to create atmosphere sympathetic with each story just by using the hands gesturally, which was effective when combined with the surrealistic composition. I felt that this was suitable for the science fiction genre. I intended to bring out a feel of dystopias by using grungy photocopy textures and dust, and filth or blood actually on the hands themselves as indication of the content. I particularly like how ambiguous they are, which is effective in a book cover.

I had been obsessed with the idea of using basic geometric shapes right from the off and I am glad I managed to get it out of my system. They work well as a way of distinguishing between the covers, and are perfectly suitable for the genre. As I like to have a reason for all my design choices, I researched into shape psychology so that each one related to the content of the book.

Feature on I Love Monsters

2009-03-11T19:46:00.009Z

Two pieces of my work have been featured on I Love Monsters, the inspirational blog of a student at University of the Arts London. Always nice to hear that people have been inspired by my typography work! Cheers Monster.

Illegible Type

2009-03-10T22:40:00.004Z

Experiment

2009-03-10T21:21:00.009Z

A cover idea for one of my favourite books 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?'. I wanted something gritty and raw to convey the tone and subject matter of the book. There is an eye hidden in the landscape texture to add some tension!