creative project (ART)

Cal State San Marcos / School of Arts VSAR 120

S. Wascher Fall 2016

Creative Art Project C

Appropriation Magazine Cover

Total Points: 30 maximum Due Thursday, November 17th

Appropriation is a known practice in Postmodern Art. In appropriation, artists will consciously borrow from pre-existing sources whether in

style, composition or medium and create a new original work of art, while paying respect and tribute to great artists of the past. In

Postmodern thought, appropriation is felt to challenge traditional ideas about authenticity and individuality. It can also be about the

meaning within a work of art and copyright issues involving intellectual property. Appropriation is not dishonest or unethical. It can be a

special way or attempt to transform existing art into a fresh and original statement. Graphic design utilizes computers to manipulate

images and have revolutionized image-making.

Assignment:

1. Select from the list on the website of well-known 20th C or 21st C artists and design an appropriated magazine cover in a style which

reflects your chosen artist’s ideas, themes or style. Your design will be in a collage form using pieces of color paper, images or text

from magazines or the Internet. This assignment will further your understanding of the visual elements and principles of design which

become inherent in works of art. (See study guide 1 or chapters 4 & 5).

2. You may also use Photoshop or Illustrator, yet this is not a cut & paste of original works of art. (See website under student examples

of this assignment which are not acceptable appropriations - visualartnotes.com).

3. A viewer should be able recognize your selected artist by their style, themes or ideas, yet be your original message.

4. Your cover should be about the context of your magazine’s title. The name of your magazine will begin with the letter “V”. You can not

use an existing name of any printed material or advertising, such as Vette, Veranda, Variety, Victorian Homes, Vacations, Vanidades,

Vegetarian Times, V-twin, Volleyball, Vermont Life, Virginia Wildlife or Videomaker, to name a few. The title name can be more than one

word, but the first word must start with the letter “V”. It also can be in a foreign language or a play on words.

5. Magazine cover should be at least 8½ ”W X 11”L. The collage should cover the entire surface. Choose a font style for your title and

article leads/captions. Look at magazine covers in a periodical room in a library, on the Internet or retail stores which carries magazines

for ideas of layout, fonts, leads to articles, etc. View past student examples on the website - visualartnotes.com

6. Suggestions for the title and leads: Use clear labels to print on and cut away the excess or cut around letters. Clear labels are not

absolutely clear, but rather frosty and don’t work well on dark background colors with medium to dark lettering. Medium color lettering,

such as orange doesn’t show up easily either. Think about choosing colors which would have good contrast against a background before

gluing and having unexpected problems. Another way to add lettering could be to scan your collage and use Photoshop.

7. You will also include a written analysis with your magazine cover, which should include the following:

 Brief, yet pertinent information about your chosen artist.

 Add some interesting information about the particular artistic movement your artist was in association.

 Explain your appropriated idea or message of your magazine cover, the content of your magazine and the meaning

of your selected title.

 Describe why your design makes a great visual cover, such as which visual elements and/or principles of design were

utilized in your composition. (see study guide 1 or chapters 4 & 5)

 Also, include with the written analysis at least 2 visual examples of your selected artist’s works of art which

influenced your cover.

- over -

For the written paper - Font size should not be larger than Times New Roman 12, if you are using a different font style.

Margins are standard - 1” top, bottom & sides. Don’t aim to make larger margins and less text. Better to have smaller

margins and more text. Paper should be approximately 2-3 pages.

Grading Criteria - 30 points maximum

Magazine Cover and written paper will be graded on the following criteria:

 Designing an interesting message/idea for a magazine cover appropriating a specific 20th C or 21st C artist’s

style, theme or ideas. (10pts)

 Creating an intriguing title with leads for articles within the magazine. (5pts)

 The technical execution and clarity of your collage. (6pts)

 A written analysis which includes the above referenced items. (6pts)

 Following directions. (3pts)