Of dreams and reality : chance on graphic design.

• Main Author: Chu, Tracey Shao Han.
• Other Authors: Yeo Puay Hwa Jesvin
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Visual arts and music::Drawing, design and illustration
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/15481
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This thesis focuses on challenging the universal role of graphic designers, putting on view the predicament of today’s graphic designers and addressing it with new answers. Chance on Graphic Design expressly uses Surrealist techniques to involve chance as new inspirations for designers towards making the mundane desirable. It demonstrates how to break a grid, along with the creation of new methodologies to provide ample opportunities for expression and creativity. Understanding today’s design trend plays a major role in the making of this project. Using the dilemmas faced by designers in present contemporary scene as the core problem, a solution was designed accordingly. An investigation on the topic of automatism and the unconscious was carried out with the aim of exploring how inner emotions, thoughts and chance can work for individuals as inspirations for their works. This topic was chosen because of the common mistake made by designers who relied too much on conventional grid systems, which often cause designs to be too rigid and controlled. To be able to work according to a system that temporarily ignores rationality can create a solution that counters controlled designs. Tests on Surrealist techniques were carried out. New systems and methodologies are designed to ensure a better workflow, provide the possibility of adequate analysis of the Surrealist works and to produce many possibilities in making designs outstanding. The final creative component is a designer’s guidebook, which will guide designers through different parts; from the execution of the Surrealist techniques to the final execution of creative designs.