This year, The Visual Agency has finally returned to OFFF Barcelona, an annual event that is essential for members of our team! This event is an international festival dedicated entirely to art and design, featuring renowned professionals such as Will MacNeil from The Mill, Stefan Sagmeister and Jessica Hische. Three intense days of total immersion that filled us with inspiration and dreams.
The Monotype Workshop
We attended the Calligraphy to Concept workshop led by Tom Foley and Phil Garnham, both Executive Creative Directors at Monotype.
The 4-hour workshop was divided into 3 parts after a brief introduction to the theme:
- Calligraphy Writing
- Lettering Design
- Digitalizing Typeface
The class began by practicing calligraphy with the Pilot Parallel Pen provided by Monotype, focusing on drawing the alphabet letters correctly. Subsequently, with pencils in hand, we re-drew them by hand on a larger scale with appropriate optical corrections and digitized them through a series of processes taught to us. It was a very interesting experience, made possible by the availability of Tom Foley and Phil Garnham, who guided us throughout the process.
Adobe Keynote and Stands
In addition to the keynote presentations on the Main Stage, Adobe provided an incredible array of stands dedicated to various masterclasses for each of its programs. Attendees had the opportunity to delve into Generative AI through Photoshop and Illustrator using Adobe Firefly's new models, learn new workflow processes on After Effects and Substance 3D, and master more efficient video editing on Premiere Pro with guidance from industry professionals.
Founded 40 years ago, Adobe is a leader in its field with over 20 applications used by enthusiasts, artists, and professionals alike. They celebrated in grand style by offering a variety of highly creative gadgets!
Houdini Talk - Will MacNeil, The Mill
Highly anticipated were the talks dedicated to Houdini and 3D Software, which boasted lengthy queues and limited seating in the dedicated rooms. Notable industry professionals were present, with particular attention given to Will MacNeil, Creative Director of The Mill.
Among the various presentations, this year Will MacNeil showcased the project What does Art do to your brain? where brain impulses were utilized to create visualizations through EEG Headsets. Using Houdini, it was possible to generate and customize the visualizations for the final output.
«Inspiring the world with feminine energy bringing happiness through beauty.»
Veronica Fuerte, Creative designer e fondatrice di Hey Studio
Jessica Hische, a Lettering Icon
Happy birthday Jessica Hische! On the day of her presentation, April 4th, 2024 at OFFF Barcelona, we had the pleasure of listening to Jessica Hische on stage, a renowned lettering artist, illustrator, author, and type designer. With her characteristic good vibes, she shared her journey as an artist, the challenges we all may encounter along the way, and the importance of not constantly comparing ourselves to others. We also want to thank her for the beautiful illustration on the reusable cups at the OFFF Barcelona Festival, created by her.
Not Too Late from Cookie Studio on Vimeo.
Cookie Studio - Short film
We also want to mention Cookie Studio, especially for their significant animated short film Not Too Late, originally produced for OFFF Bogota 2020 but canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, which addresses the theme of marine pollution.
More to Explore!
During our exploration in the Roots area of OFFF Barcelona, there was SOOT, a portal that allowed us to group and explore a lot of images generated by AI. Speaking of AI, in the Talk to NOA hall, there was a human-like interface based on ChatGPT with which you could converse.
Conclusion: ManvsMachine, creators of the OFFF Barcelona 2024 campaign
Men vs. Machines, Seriousness vs. Fun, Stupidity vs. Intelligence, the authors of this year's visual campaign, ManvsMachine, called LIFFFE/FFFORMS have explored the dichotomy between the contrasting elements in the life of every designer, incorporating them into the graphics that accompanied the visual identity of OFFF Barcelona 2024. As one might imagine, there is no winner in these conceptual clashes, but it is the right balance of elements that creates the perfect habitat for creativity and excellence. The hypnotic dance of these small 3D creatures, created by studio members, gave us a feeling both alien and familiar at the same time, truly wonderful.
