Simplex Minds is a creative coalition run by creatives, for creatives. Established in 2021, the blog runs features of various creatives, analyzing their work and their artistic processes. I was lucky enough to be invited by their founder, Troy Tintiangco, to become a staff writer. For their first season, I wrote 5 pieces and created my own social media advertisements for each post. These were designed in square format for Instagram, including a motion graphic that was posted on the feed and the story.
What I enjoyed the most about this project was finding ways to do some storytelling via graphics in order to pique the interests of potential readers. I understood it was important to reflect the tone of the writing in the graphic, so I had to make intentional design choices that also reflected the artist(s) I talked about.
These write-ups can be read at: simplexminds.com
What TikTok and Teens Taught Me: This design was inspired by the high school aesthetic of Times New Roman and highlighters. I also wanted to convey this feeling that everything you do is being being watched very carefully. I added a graphic from Olivia Rodrigo's music video and manipulated it to look pasted on, reflecting the DIY tastes of Gen Z.
Instagram Moodboards and Chaz B.: Since this write-up focused on Chaz (Toro y Moi) Bear's eclectic instagram account, I wanted to communicate to the audience how I felt about his artwork. On the static image on the left I collaged his artwork with some images found in his instagram which I believe give him inspiration to the forms and colors he paints. I laid out these images like how catalogs would lay out their products and labeled it similar to science books, hoping the viewer could make their own connections about the work.
The motion graphic I created utilizes the imagery of scrolling through his instagram behind a blown up portrait of himself, and selected music from his discography. When clicking on the image, it momentarily serves as a background image, reflecting a thought he is thinking.
Rachel Nguyen Befriends the Internet: During the time of this write-up, the loneliness created by the pandemic was still palpable, but I felt like Rachel Nguyen was one of those creators that still managed to create an intimate connection with her viewers with her authenticity and self-reflection. For these set of images I stitched together a photo I took, and a cut out of Rachel on her phone in the foreground. I added the Instagram new follower notification icon to reflect how she is can be anyone's one friend on the internet.
The World Through the Lens of Deana Lawson: To me the world of Deana Lawson relies heavily on her subjects, and in turn, herself. I liked the idea of heads replacing the "o" in "world" for this graphic so I used the concept both with her portrait and a portrait she's taken. I also added Photoshop-esque effects to give the feel of editing photos in post-production.
The Recipe of Bretman Rock: For these I knew Bretman had to be the main point of the image. I needed to keep his sass, confidence, and swagger in plain view. To keep it simple, I created the first graphic with text that went around him and his fluid pose. For the other two posts, I also kept things simple focusing on his eyes and the content of the blog post.
(All photos of artists are not mine, and have been manipulated by myself. All copy on these graphics are written by me, unless stated otherwise.)