A-Z summer project // MONO TONE [inspiration]

mon·o·tone  (mn-tn)

n.

1. A succession of sounds or words uttered in a single tone of voice.

2. Music

a. A single tone repeated with different words or time values, especially in a rendering of a liturgical text.

b. A chant in a single tone.

3. Sameness or dull repetition in sound, style, manner, or color.

adj.

1. Characterized by or uttered in a monotone: a monotone recitation of names.

2. Of or having a single color: 
    a spaniel with a monotone coat.

While I was idling through a random book i discovered the beutiful illustrtive work in what i would call the chinese answer to manga


but a damn sight better in my opinion.


the quality of light and dark and tones achieved with just black is, to me, completely brilliant and inspiring

i kept my eye out for these illustrations and they can be found here and there. I found loads of these beutiful little books in an antique market. i nearly bought the lot. -but i got a few where i think the line drawing and tone, where the single use of colour is used to an incredible effect and really makes me think of how to excecute an image.

this artist is my favourite. reminds me of some of Frank Millers work, 

look at the way the closer grass is light not dark. brilliant style

i fucking love this!! wish i had this kind of penmanship

old chinese comics: brutal.
none of this beano and dandy fairy rubbish

A-Z summer project // DUO TONE [inspiration]

DUO TONE

duotone [ˈdjuːəˌtəʊn]

n Printing

1. (Communication Arts / Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) a process for producing halftone illustrations using two shades of a single colour or black and a colour

2. (Communication Arts / Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) a picture produced by this process

- looking at propaganda and what was done with just two colours

I am fascinated by the old propaganda posters. the art style, the visual impact and the almost printmaking like qualities to them.

I visited a propaganda poster museum in China [i know im still catching up with my blog] and amoungst everything on display-all fantasticly fascinating each in their own way- i found these almost simpler two coloured prints the best. At a guess i would say these are all using screenprint or wood cut techniques. I have focused on these as research for DUO TONE. i feel this is most valid, and importantly is most inspiring for me to refer back to.

-i chose not to include some images due to their content-lots of anti american stuff and overly pro communist stuff, considering where I am North Korea is only a stones throw away best not to add some i thought [lol ill add it when i get home!] anyway pretty picture time..

I this this image is so savage! furious communist with an axe hammer!

its interesting seeing these old images, but kind of scary in a way seeing these windows into a past i could never hope to understand

all of these image just scream at me

notice how in a lot of these posters the main character is holding a book? ....

i want to write about the art style, i hope i dont say anything dodgy, but i think the art style and quality of line is just fantastic. this is a beuty of a wood cut.

look! another book!

for anyone wondering what these propaganda books are all about this is the one i was given when i arrived at the  china airport

aah not really! i managed to sneak a cheeky peek at and photo one of them when the guy wasnt looking, 

this whole thing was insane and this was just one of the things i took as a massive inspiration from the things i saw and did in this fascinating country if any of you got to read the yellow paper given out for a small donation at the D+AD student awards one of the 12 important lessons of graphic design was to stop designing and 'watch the tv' as the writer mentioned-what he was saying was to look outside of the design world, to absorb as much as possible, and we will constantly chew on an idea even in our subconcious when not thinking about it, but also important to draw inspiration from outside sources, even things such as tv or football. and i this trip gave me oceans of that

 i thank god i got to go to china

anyone interested can go for FREE!!FOR FREE!! you need to research the study china program

i applied and failed and just went anyway. i strongly strongly recommend anyone to travel

the next study program is over the easter holidays, for that reason you stand a better chance of being accepted because everyone wants to go in summer. and they have included more places, 

you now have a 1 in 4 chance

DO IT!

http://servalan.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/studychina/

also if anyone is keen on South Korea the government is doing a big tourist drive and there are massive incentives such as free chauffeur from the airport, free travel accross the country, discounts on hotels etc etc...

http://english.visitkoreayear.com/english/vkcinfo/vkcinfo_04_01_01.asp

DO IT