We’re living in a 3-D world
By Jill Murphy
The creative industries are moving away from the rigidity of digital design, back to an arts and crafts approach. Now many creatives are rejecting 2-dimensional visuals, type, images and illustrations, and embracing DIY instead. Here, Jill Murphy, Art Director from The Gate Worldwide, showcases some of the best 3-D work.
• using paper in a 3-dimensional form (eg origami), rather than just for printing
• creating typography out of a variety of objects, arranging them to create the letter forms
• adding character to objects by giving them a face through illustration to create installation art
Typography has been something which lends itself well to a 3-D transformation, my particular favourites being the YCN alphabet and Stefan Sagmeister’s Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far. Breaking it away from the traditional grid system and rules of typography has been refreshing to see and has introduced an element of fun to that is often considered to be a regimented area of design.
These images were created for a Beefeater Gin promotional magazine entitled WET.
WET by Beefeater Gin
2005
www.serialcut.com
www.serialcut.com/makingofwet.htm
The use of light and reflection of the black surface is particularly effective in bringing out the 3-D form of the imagery.
Studio NB created these posters for D&AD to advertise all the benefits of membership.
D&AD Membership Collateral
2006
www.nbstudio.co.uk
Rather than creating a heavy type-based approach to list what was on offer they chose to physically display them in a photograph, which I think makes a far more interesting visual.
Jennie Hancock created the publicity for the Central St Martins Degree Show in 2007. She wanted to represent the vibrant nature of the variety of graduate shows by being playful through use of colour and prop. Each of the creative courses which were exhibiting were represented by a relevent object with an assigned colour.
watch?v=pIISU0rnqVE
This 2007 Persil advert by Bartle Bogle and Hegarty is my favourite motion example of 3-D design.
The advert has an animated feel as the children make their way through the elements of the pop-up book, with the typogarphy being incorporated into this.
YCN Alphabet
August 2007
www.alexbec.com/ycnalphabet.php
http://www.ycnonline.com/blog/show/5
This alphabet was created for the YCN annual book 07/08. 26 different designers and illustrators were invited to create a letter, reflecting the wide variety of creative work within the publication.
Alex Bec, the book’s art director was given a very broad brief which asked for a typeface which could be used both as a 2D typeface and as 3D title page photographs.
Some of the contributions included a letter W made from wax, a perspex A, a chocolate marshmallow D and a pinata J.
Paper was used here to create this colourful environmental awareness poster by Brazilian designer Carlo Giovani. He specialises in using paper as s 3-D object in his designs.
In Nature Everything Turns Into More Nature
2007
www.carlogiovani.com
These Adidas Originals ads were created by 180 Amsterdam. Photographed by Viviane Sassen and Martine Stig.
Adidas Originals
Winter 2007
www.180amsterdam.com
I like how they have taken this standard scene within an airport and a new fantasy dimension to it - the way the information board is displayed and the twisty form of the conveyer belt.
The other advert is a good example of how 3-D installation art is featuring in graphic design and advertising.
German agency Pixel Garten seem to me to be one of the leaders in 3-D design and were the agency behing the editorial design of Tactile, a book which focuses on 3-D design or “high-touch visuals”.
Intro magazine cover
March 2008
www.pixelgarten.de
Tactile – http://www.pixelgarten.de/index.php?id=119
This is a magazine cover for German fashion and music magazine Intro.
6MP is a French magazine based in Toulouse.
6MP magazine spread
May 2008
www.pixelgarten.de
This is a good example of typography being created out of other objects. The type actually becomes the main element of the image.
I love how the number 6 has been created out of a roll of paper.
Sagmeister’s self-initiated type project displays the most valuable things he has learned througout his life.
Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far – 1
Published May 2008
www.sagmeister.com
www.thingsihavelearnedinmylife.com
He looked at various different approaches to creating the type, with this particular example being created out in Arizona’s desert.
He often used organic elements, such as the wood, leaves and cacti shown here.
Starting a purely personal project, he ended up being commisioned by various companies to use these elements for advertising.
Commisions have included
- New York’s School of Visual Arts
- a casino in Linz, Austria
- .copy magazine, an art, design and technology publication
- Esquire magazine in Japan
- the city of Paris
- Superbock, a Portuguese beer brand
Marque Creative (previously Third Eye Design) created these 3-D visuals for the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe programme.
I really like the colours they’ve chosen, but the hanging stars depicting the camera’s flash are my favourite element.
These last couple of examples move a bit away from 3-D graphic design to show howadding elements to everyday things can produce a new form of 3-D illustration.
Tel Aviv Roofs
2006
www.waynehorse.com
Wayne Horse, a Dutch designer, specialises in this form of imagery.
These two examples of his work show his Tel Aviv roof dogs and his discarded furniture family.
Lastly, if anyone fancies having a go themselves you should have some fun with these stickers which can be adhered to any objects to create a face.
These particluar ones have been nicked from my friend Ben’s Flickr site.
About the author
Jill Murphy is an art director at The Gate World Wide in Edinburgh. She previously worked in publishing at Discover Press and the Scottish Qualifications Authority.