OUGD406 - Secret 7 - Concepts and Ideas Critique

After producing 30 thumbnail sketches bearing a range of distinct, differentiating concepts and ideas, my aim and objective to achieve in today's critique was to receive feedback concerning which 4 directions to explore within studio brief one for Secret 7.

After explaining the concepts/ideas of the 30 thumbnails and their contexts (see previous blog post), I asked each of the other five members of my critique group to tell me which 4 they felt had the most potential to bear the most effective, captivating resolutions, as well as which they considered the strongest and why.

The feedback received is below:

Critique 1:  concepts 4, 8, 9 10, 14

Strongest concept: 'I really like the blue marble idea. It would effectively show the lyric about 'perfect storms' because it would be aesthetically nice to look at because of the swirls and marble pattern, but is representative of clouds forming - as they do before a storm.' (14)

Critique 2: concepts 5, 7, 11, 15, 27

Strongest concept: 'I think one of the strongest concepts is the storm collage referencing the 'eye of the storm' saying. I think it could look really effective.' (7)

Critique 3: concepts  4, 7, 9, 11, 15

Strongest concept: 'I love the simplicity of number 4 with the two circles making the eye in the middle. I think it just works because of the simple use of shape and space.' (4)

Critique 4: concepts 1, 3, 11, 12, 18

Strongest concept: 'I think number 11 is a strong concept in communicating the song name ambiguously. Its a simple way of showing the title without it being obvious - other than the colour.'

Additional Comments:

• Explore the use of paint, maybe gauche.
• keep it minimalist.
• Use a range of processes/approaches.
• Make resolutions by printing - mono printing. 

After this critique I have selected and decided to explore the following concepts/ideas:

4. Two circles simply forming an eye within an ellipse shape. References album name, as well as lyrics 'Shaped by the clearest blue' via the use of circles. 

7. Playing on the lyrics 'You were the perfect storm,' this collage-style concept shows a cloud shaped ellipse surrounding an eye to communicate the expression 'eye of the storm.' Enhanced by a lightening strike and rain.

11. Overlapping translucent blue squares that build the intensity of blue into the centre square, which shows the strongest/most intense blue centrally within the resolution reflecting the song title.

14. Blue marbling signifying development of clouds before a storm, referencing the lyric 'you were the perfect storm.'