THE ART OF IMPERFECTION

RESEARCH & ANALYSIS // WRITING // REPORT // GRAPHICS & LAYOUT // CREATIVE DIRECTION // FILM & POST-PRODUCTION

WHAT?

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A visual report produced in my final year of university for my self-devised brief. The report includes the development and completion of my research, key insights and opportunities which inform a chosen implementation strategy and creative final outcomes. I was also required to execute and deliver the appropriate chosen creative outcomes in addition to my report.

Scroll to the bottom of the page for final creative outcomes.

THE REPORT

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Example 1. Introduction (double-page spread)

I chose to base my report on 'The Art of Imperfection', where I investigated and researched perfectionism throughout history, through different cultures and the consequences it has caused.

'The Art of Imperfection' was created in 2018 yet is still a serious issue to this day in 2021. I recognized at the time the issues of perfectionism and how the use of social media magnified it, creating a bigger issue. However, when I was doing the research, I was shocked to see how far back this issue went. Perfectionism has been instilled into society and within Western Culture long before Instagram was created. It goes far beyond just our looks and is a serious contributor to mental health issues in men but particularly women.

Below I have included screenshots of the report document that summarises the findings in response to my research questions.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Is there a cultural mind-set that makes people prone to perfectionism?

Does perfection always relate to appearance?

What effect does gender stereotyping have on us growing up?

How have beauty ideals changed over time?

For many years only men were allowed to work and have power. Has years of the male being seen as superior to women meant that they have determined female ideals and stereotypes through photography and film?

Is there a lack of acceptance of different body shapes and sizes in today’s society? Too 'thin', Too ‘fat’.

Is this an influence of the male gaze?

Is our internal mainly affected by our external?

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Example 2- a time-line I created showing how ideal's have changed over time

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Example 3 - Headlines evidencing the issue

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CREATIVE CONCEPT

For the creative concept of the film, I began to build stories and experiment with different visuals through collage. Below are examples of the creative process, from both my sketchbook and ones I created digitally with Photoshop.

Colour was a key factor for setting the mood and maintaining aesthetic throughout.
The use of lighting filters can enable the film to highlight something serious without appearing too negative
Range of high key to low key lighting to enhance features and help create more stylised shots and more contrast, make it stand out more
Inspired by photographers like Ashley Armitage and Petra Collins, also looked at scene shots from the new Blade Runner.
Raw, authentic shots yet still playful and conceptual
Visualising inner imperfections rather than just physical, but not ignoring physical as from my research there is a link between the two

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final moodboards

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The creative design of the visual document was one of the most enjoyable aspects for me. I wanted it to be clean and clear, spacious and uncluttered, with some playful typography and graphics.

For the layout, I took inspiration from my favorite zines and graphic design books. I utilized the space of the double-page spreads, extending images from one side to the other. The change of scale from one page to the next allowed the visuals to be loud and bold, as well as giving a strong aesthetic for the physical printed document.

I sourced a print shop in Nottingham and worked closely with them to have the physical copy exactly how I wanted. The feel of the document was a particularly important aspect that I wanted to coincide with the ASMR elements of my film. It is a hard case, with a printed front cover with a soft matte finish. The document had a pink thermal binding that along with the colors on the front cover, introduced the color palette of the whole document. The pages on the inside were semi-gloss crisp white with just enough density to make it feel top quality.