El Piano Research

Moroccan Imagery

El Piano has moroccan cuisine and the decor is influenced by Moroccan, Spanish and Arab culture. I have started to investigate into colours, patters, materials and shapes used to allow my designs to stay authentic.

Walls Colors

One would wonder how to paint the walls to give them a Moroccan style look. Don’t hold back from using energizing colors, such as different shades of blue blended with aquamarine or turquoise, very warm colors like red and orange, earthly colors and the ones describing spices like cinnamon, paprika, saffron, curry, burnt sienna. If you intend to use monochromatic color schemes for this style, reconsider you choice, as the lack of vibration can ruin the whole outcome.

Moroccan style walls are enriched by the layering of textures. You will have to be creative and think out of the box, as formal and average don’t fit this style. You can always improvise, either by mixing sand with your paint, re-plastering your walls with a textured finish or trying a suede-effect paint or a faux-finish effect paint.

Floors

When it comes to floors, tiles are a key feature for this style. The handmade ones represent Moorish cultural assets and have decorative uses. Their various cold colors that are mostly shades of blue, green or turquoise are appropriate for decorating the floors, walls or furniture elements, such as  tabletops.

Accessories 

Like every interior space, the Moroccan room also needs to be individualized with accessories: plant pots (beautifully decorated with geometric shapes in different color combinations), wall lamps, iron ornaments, rustic pottery and decorative wall art.

Statements on my practice

A . . . . . . . . . investigation of . . . . . . . . . . . with a focus on . . . . . . . . .

Themes: Fashion/ Music/ Cosmetics/ Food/ Cultural Retail

Product: Packaging, POS, Store Graphics, Events, Lookbooks Zines.

Discipline: Type & Image, Print, Conceptually driven!!!

Getting it right.

A brand investigation into store graphics for retail with a focus on packaging and pos.

Considering Retail brand personalities, an investigation into store graphics and packaging with a focus on . . . . . . 

Investigation of promotional retail design focusing on packaging, pos and store graphics.

An investigation into brand personalities of high st and boutique retailers with a focus on promotion and packaging.

I realised I am more conceptually driven and choose a discipline that would be best for each brief separately, I like them to fully function over a range of promotional media outlets such as packaging, pos, events, look books, web etc.... 

A concept driven practice for retail brand personalities with a focus on packaging and store graphics that can be extended through to events and publications.

Concept Driven ----> Fully functionable throughout all promotional material -----> Fashion Retailers

Restaurants to use for brief

The hardest thing for me is to choose a restaurant name, cuisine and theme. I find it difficult to work without a rigid brief set by a client. I am going to look at using an existing restaurant to re-brand so I can work with existing information and create a fresh new look for it.

'Fuji Hiro' in Leeds. 
FH is a family run and homely Japanese cafe that Manchester so lacks. We seem to be stuck in the post-industial food factories like 'Wagamma' or sets from a Kurosawa historical drama, 'Fuji Hiro' is small, ergonomic and cosy providing bowls of ramen, plates of rice and a sweet plum wine that I need to find.

El Piano was founded in 1998 by the Chavez Millett Jackson Blake Sikking family and was directly influenced by their life in 1990s Granada.
La Cura Bar in Calle Cruz at that time was a virtual ruin with a splendid STEINWAY at its centre, its broken legs propped up on stacks of chipped tiles.  
La Guitarra restaurant in Cumbres Verdes, traditional and well priced, to this day has an enviable view over the vega. 
Each so different, yet both infused with Moorish hospitality and generosity, material and spiritual.
When the family washed up in York in 1997 all they wanted to do was recreate something that felt like home.  The result was EL PIANO, with its unholy mix of Arab and Spanish influences and a cuisine designed for almost anyone to be able to share and enjoy.


http://www.el-piano.com/

Rationale Writing

Open publication - Free publishing - More dc

D&AD Brief

Open publication - Free publishing - More competition

Book Cover initial research

Open publication - Free publishing - More book covers

EVENTS

WCP is a project by Supremebeing to experiment with the surroundings and environment as a ready-made and often ignored canvas, as well as being the header for all their future artist collaborations.
Supremebeing will be creating events and paint jams around the globe with artists and like minds, each time releasing limited edition runs of prints on their favourite canvas; the humble white t-shirt. These special collections of t-shirts and prints will feature artwork exclusively created for or inspired by each event.
For the first installment of the WCP Supremebeing wanted to work with a selection of their most treasured artists and comrades. Artists whom they have worked with in the past, and have become friends with over the years though a mutual passion; artists they truly respect.
For a few sunny days in July some of the UK’s most respected and influential street artists came together to help launch the WCP. A Cambridge barn not far from the head office was transformed into a street art Mecca, with salvaged objects such as rusty 60’s advertising signs, car parts, authentic wartime helmets, ammo boxes and retro furniture all upcycled by top street artists David Walker, Mr Jago, She One, Will Barras and Bue the Warrior. Lets just say it was not exactly your average week in sleepy Cambridge and enough to make any street art fan loose their mind. To find out what exactly happened watch the teaser and check out the WCP website for the full video. The site will also be the hub of all on-goings, information and releases surrounding this unique project.
The WCP will be an on going project, continuing to explore the different areas that art exists in and offer platforms for new projects and events to happen. With different artists and locations coming into play, each event will have a different style and vibe, all with the same goal of bringing creatives together.
With the WCP now underway expect to see some exciting events afoot, with the release of the first exclusive t-shirt collection limited to 20 pieces each celebrating the work of the first 5 Artists, followed by a London exhibition of their work held mid October alongside a further drop of t-shirts created in the Cambridge jam.
From the street art collections that don the office walls to the doodle jams that took place in Suprembeing’s old skate shop that spawned the brand we have today, Supremebeing have always had an affinity with street art and the culture in which it exists.
This is just the beginning!

Supremebeing 3D kite boarding

depthcharge from beboii on Vimeo.

'Alpine Soundtrack' collection Supreme Being

Supreme Being Brief

Welcome to Supremebeing Autumn/Winter 2011

Supremebeing’s Autumn Winter 2011 collection is a bold step forward in design and product mix; a progressive direction that introduces a look of authenticity to the range. Subversion of detail is key, resulting in wearable garments with fresh colour palette, considered cuts, bespoke fabrics, innovative and durable design combined with the recognisable Supremebeing style. 

Alpine soundtrack represents subject matter that is at the grassroots of the Supremebeing team’s extra-curricular activities. Music and mountain culture are intrinsic to the team & are therefore fundamental to the brand. This theme creates a unique atmosphere that informs (the wearer) through fabrication, silhouette, attention to detail, colour palette, graphics and branding - giving a distinctive look to the entire collection.

For the AW11 season we have split the collections and defined a new category. In addition to Mens and Womenswear collections we have introduced the Primary range. The main collections consist of our newest, most directional and design led product; it reflects the themes of the season and represents the forefront of the brand. The Primary collection comprises our staple product; the bestsellers that have stood the test of time and continue to perform, with new 'Sport and Street' product allowing development alongside the Mainline.

We feel this has resulted in a high quality collection with a clear and easily understood direction. We hope you enjoy the collection as much as we did creating it...

Welcome to Autumn/Winter 2011! A new collection also brings a new Design Competition.

The theme for this seasons collection is Alpine Soundtrack, which represents subject matter that is at the grassroots of the Supremebeing™ team's extra-curricular activities. Music and mountain culture are intrinsic to the team & therefore fundamental to the brand. We wanted to reflect this in the latest Design Competition. So we are asking you to illustrate the theme 'Alpine Sountrack' to us, it can be in any format, from digital design to photography, from a sketch to a painting it's completely up to you!

The Winner will receive a £250 voucher for the e-shop to spend on the new range

Two Runners Up will receive a £50 voucher for the e-shop to spend on the new range

Please see our example images for inspiration & keep an eye on Facebook & Twitter for regular inspiration tips from us. Good luck everyone!

Closing date for this months entries: 07/10/2011 File size: No more than 4mb, preferably 300 dpi and must be a jpg. Blurb: Entrants must provide a maximum of 150 words describing their image.

Remember: Participants may submit up to 2 entries each month.

RULES & REGULATIONS

• Every few weeks / months we will present a new competition. Competitors are challenged to interpret it however they see fit through the use of imagery.
• Entries can be either photographs, illustrations, digital art or paintings. Any media is acceptable so long as the submitted piece is a product of your own labour and results in a static image. The entries will be judged each month by a panel of designers, photographers and artists, all supremebeing™ employees.
• The competition is free to enter and each month one winning contestant will receive that months advertised prize.
• The winning contestant will have their artwork displayed on the Supremebeing™ website, at the gallery below.
• Every 12 months all the winning contestants from that year will be asked to participate in a 'grand finale' against each other for a bonus prize which will be advertised once the winners have been informed of their given challenge!
• The application deadline will always be displayed on this web page & the winner will be announced within 3 working days of this date.
• All images will be vetted and we reserve the right to chose what is shown on the site.
• All discount voucher prizes are valid for a single transaction only. 

Supremebeing’s Autumn Winter 2011 collection is a bold step forward in design and product mix; a progressive direction that introduces a look of authenticity to the range. Subversion of detail is key, resulting in wearable garments with fresh colour palette, considered cuts, bespoke fabrics, innovative and durable design combined with the recognisable Supremebeing style. 

Alpine soundtrack represents subject matter that is at the grassroots of the Supremebeing team’s extra-curricular activities. Music and mountain culture are intrinsic to the team & are therefore fundamental to the brand. This theme creates a unique atmosphere that informs (the wearer) through fabrication, silhouette, attention to detail, colour palette, graphics and branding - giving a distinctive look to the entire collection.

For the AW11 season we have split the collections and defined a new category. In addition to Mens and Womenswear collections we have introduced the Primary range. The main collections consist of our newest, most directional and design led product; it reflects the themes of the season and represents the forefront of the brand. The Primary collection comprises our staple product; the bestsellers that have stood the test of time and continue to perform, with new 'Sport and Street' product allowing development alongside the Mainline.

We feel this has resulted in a high quality collection with a clear and easily understood direction. We hope you enjoy the collection as much as we did creating it...

http://www.supremebeing.com/aw11-alpine-soundtrack/

Re-written as a brief for OUGD301... first draft, needs more info on direction in which I will follow.

Fashion Label- Live Brief

A brief I would definately like to do in OUGD301 is to create an identity for a fashion label along with designing clothes labels, bags, in-store graphics and a website. This would be according to what the client wanted. I am currently compiling an email to send out to the 3rd yr fashion students as well as graduates as I think these are the students that would be in need of branding. If the project goes well and they are happy with the work then I may get more from other students and also the possibility of expanding the brief to a look book or collection booklet and have my work shown at their end of year show as part of their collection.

'Quick Fixe' by Luke Harris

Luke and Zach Go Boating present: Quick Fixe, Jan. 15 from Luke Harris on Vimeo.


I'd really like to work with some stop motion video animation, I think it looks really quirky and creative and its surprising what you can create by hand. I might look at creating a short music video for a local band.