Visual Thesis

For my third year thesis, I chose to focus on two of my favourite designers: Paul Rand and Michael Bierut. Their minimalist, direct style and ability to catch the viewer’s attention in a clean, refined way is a desire for my own design style to emulate and inspires me to focus on logo design and branding in my graphic design practice. This thesis allowed me to analyse logos and see them from a different perspective; this was a cultivating experience. As a visual response, I wanted to move away from digital formats and try something new. I was inspired by the 3D aspect of Bierut's signage work for The New York Times and realised that I could incorporate this design with Rand's IBM logo through the similarity of using stripes. Lenticulars are a design style that I haven’t used before so I chose to pursue this so that I could test my skills and push myself out of my comfort zone. Furthermore, I taught myself how to complete the technique by analysing a model and breaking down the steps which lead to creating a 3D model; printing it out on a 3D printer; and matching the strips of the two logos onto the stepped surfaces of the 3D model. This relied upon attention to detail and accuracy in order to succeed in the professional finish. The lenticular allows the logos to be realised visually by bringing them to life. It helps to see the similarities and differences between the two logo designs and visually communicates the different perspectives I have gained with regard to looking at logos. This work is also in honour of how Rand and Bierut have sculpted graphic design and what they have achieved.

The 3D lenticular model