Bread and Butterflies

Time to resume...

2010-06-30T23:56:00.003+01:00

It has been forever since I blogged just for fun. My life has been taken up with finishing my design degree and making sure that I balanced that with eating and occasionally seeing the light of day. My degree is over now, the end of year show went really well as did the D&AD New Blood exhibition in London. One of our course members won a Best in Show award, which was thoroughly deserved, you can check out Deans here letsmakestuff.com.

Since New Blood finished I have been back to Leeds to spend a busy 24 hours cleaning the house and moving the remainder of my stuff out. You'd think moving already packed up boxes to be a simple task, but living on the 4th floor of a building means a lot of stairs, and on one of the hottest days of the year it really takes it out of you. Anyway, I'm now back in Harpenden with a colossal amount of stuff to sort out, not to mention finding a job of some sort. I'll write about how that is going another time, I feel I deserve a good nights sleep.

Botanical Bakery

2010-01-21T21:27:00.002Z

I found this lovely packaging on a blog. It caught my eye because of the bright and cheerful colours, and the hand-drawn/cut type. It is nice to see packaging for this type of product moving toward a more hand made and low-fi style of design.

The overall feeling is that these products are very friendly, maybe even good for you! The personal feel is a great link to the consumer, and will keep a customer returning again and again.

Botanical Bakery

Colour Mixer...

2010-01-16T21:25:00.004Z

I came across this really helpful website via the Lovely Package Blog.
It creates colour schemes from a wheel and will find similar colours, and then those that contrast, compliment etc. It generates the codes for each colours, and allows you to adjust the contrast you want between the colours generated. This kind of application will come in really handy when creating suitable and well balanced colour schemes

Colour Scheme Designer 3

ABC...

2010-01-13T18:21:00.004Z

This is a gorgeous piece; an ABC of brand logos...very smart, simple (practically already done for you!) and I wish I'd thought of it first! Designed by Jason Dean and available for $50 a print.

Either the U or V is missing...

Lovely Logos...

2010-01-13T17:28:00.004Z

I have found a new website to worship;
This is a blog about logos and logo design - quite interesting for use graphics geeks.
I found a really interesting post from last october that looks at the negative space used within logos. The majority are really interesting, and use simple but very clever techniques to create an amazingly effective logo. Here are a few of my favourites:

The shape created by the leg and arm is in the shape of Australia. Subtle but so effective.

This incorporates two very different items and makes it into one complete symbol.

I like the present here, very simple

I like this because it incorporates image and text to create a symbol

This is a bit weird and looks squashed at first glance, then the cleverness becomes clear.

This is one I've seen before and this is SO clever. Until someone pointed it out, I'd never noticed it before. Well done FedEx, well done.

I've seen this logo dozens of times - we always seem to be buying yet more beer and wine in France! I feel a little ashamed to say that I had never noticed the C shape! it only dawned on me when I saw it in the greyscale; usually it is red and blue, which I think probably prevents you from seeing the C. I like it, and now have a lot more appreciation for it!

Pantone Potatoes...

2009-11-21T22:58:00.004Z

Clearly this is a design that every designer, printer etc will appreciate, I do however see a flaw. There is no indication of the flavour; the blue and green - Salt & Vinegar and Cheese & Onion or vice versa? The brown- Worcester sauce? Beef & Onion? Steak? I like them, but packaging needs to be clear and informative, which this certainly isn't.

From Thoughtful

(Someone guessed salsa for the red, and cucumber for the green...had they eaten crisps before?)

Writing on the wall...

2009-11-20T23:25:00.002Z

This stuff is amazing...I seriously wish my house was painted in this stuff because it would a) be so much fun and b) so easy to design at anytime. This is Idea Paint -
"IdeaPaint is a single-coat, roller-applied paint that can turn any “paintable” surface into a dry-erase surface. Essentially, IdeaPaint can create a whiteboard environment wherever your ideas might take form (walls, columns, doors, refrigerators, bathrooms, etc.)—but it’s less than half the cost of a traditional whiteboard and better performing. IdeaPaint is also the most environmentally friendly dry-erase product on the market, with limited packaging, transport and materials required."

The packaging is also rather good - simple and to the point. The graphic elements in the logo represent exactly what this product is about. Generally pretty bloody good! The only down side is it costs $175 for 50 square feet...which seems like quite a lot. Never mind, a girl can dream right!?

A cup is more than just a cup...

2009-11-15T21:21:00.003Z

There is not much like a Red Starbucks Cup in November to make you feel just a little bit festive, and just a little like christmas is taking over the world. I purchased my first Red Cup beverage of the season today, and in all honesty I did feel cheered. It made me think just how much a colour can affect you're mood and attitude toward a product. Normally a cup is just a cup, whether its from Starbucks, Costa or that random coffee place you get your morning caffeine fix from, cup; but in some instances a cup is much more than a cup; just as packaging is so much more than a wrapper. The packaging can make or break a product, it is your first impression and as well all know, first impressions count! The exterior is the bench mark for everything held within. You expect a product with basic colours, information and imagery to be a basic product. Something that is more dressed up and decorative is usually A) more expensive and B) a better product, possibly the best product.

I have recently come to realise that perceptions and first impressions are important, or at least more important than I used to think. I have been working on several briefs that all require interaction with the consumer on a very close level; the designs they see will give an impression of what the product will be like whether I as the designer want it to or not. We as consumers have come to expect just as much from the packaging as from the product itself. As a designer I realise that the work I produce gives a first impression about me; who I am, what I like, whether I'm good at what I do...I put a lot of trust in myself to choose briefs that will showcase my abilities and enhance my attributes. I am not sure whether I trust myself that much. It is hard to accept that in a few months time I will no longer be a student. I won't have the security of someone telling me when they think I'm doing it wrong for my own benefit. The real world is going to be a bloody scary place when I'm done with uni, I just hope that I am up to the challenge.

Discoveries from the back of the cupboard...

2009-09-16T13:59:00.002+01:00

I am speaking of the metaphorical cupboard that seems to exist within my mac hard drive. I recently installed the new leopard upgrade, Snow Leopard, which therefore encouraged me to delve into my hard drive and tidy it up a bit. It is amazing what you can find, and what you've forgotten you had.

I came across my taxonomy photographs from last years summer project and realised that we never really got the chance to do anything with them, so here are a handful of my favourites...I may do something more with them in the future, but for now I quite like them as a type archive...

A One Off...

2009-09-08T09:43:00.002+01:00

The photos above are of all the lovely, and very talented people who work at The One Off a multidisciplinary agency in Islington, London. I spent a fantastic two weeks at the agency, assisting on one major project, that by the end of the first week seemed to have taken over the majority of the studio, and most of our lives.

Sadly, I signed a confidentiality agreement which means I can't tell you all about the project... But the basics were brand identity, mark/logo and name, the look and feel for brochures, advertising, in store point of sale, customer journey and store layout/defined areas. The customer journey and in store design were not something I had thought I would be working on, but having been thrown into the project part way through I had to get into it pretty quickly. I really enjoyed working on an aspect that I had never had the opportunity to consider before, and it has made me think more broadly about the way graphics can be implemented, and the effects that they will have on the consumer.

The brand identity aspect was much more in the vein of the work I did at The Gild, but it wasn't the same thing, as working with different people, and in a different way made it feel like a completely new experience. I feel that I have really improved my communication skills when it comes to discussions over designs, and how the brand will be viewed if various designs were to be used.

We had some difficulty with the company, as we spent the entire two weeks without an actual name for the business, which meant a lot of guess work, and multiple options were required for every design idea. This really tested my skills, as it was really hard to visualise a company that had no name, only a list of emotional words and ideas that they want their brand to portray. We spent a lot of time considering the feel of the brand, getting into the essence of what was required, and moving pieces of paper about on our huge chart that dictated the areas of design. Though some parts of this process were a little slow, I think that it really helped to fully understand, and experience the brand values, before ploughing into designing for something we didn't really comprehend.

Overall the two weeks were very informative, and a really great (and I think accurate) experience of work in a real studio, dealing with a proper client, and working as part of a small, but very experienced team of professionals. I can not thank the team at The One Off enough for all of the help they gave me, and the time they took to improve my skills and make me feel that I was contributing to an important account.

Hand drawn type...

2009-08-31T22:05:00.010+01:00

I have recently discovered two lovely hand drawn type illustrators. It seems a rather elaborate area of graphics, but also one of the most experimental. I have enjoyed exploring the work of these clever and imaginative people, and I hope you shall too...

Linzie Hunter

Nate Williams

Vintage Type...

2009-08-31T14:34:00.004+01:00

These are just some interesting pieces of vintage type...

Type-joy...

2009-08-28T21:54:00.000+01:00

Type is something that you can experience everyday of your life, and still not realise the finer points of it's beauty. I would like to think of myself as someone who appreciates it's elegance and magnificence, even in the most mundane of uses. I've been continuing my collection of type that I started as last year's summer project, and those shown below are just a few of my favourites...

Young Blood...

2009-08-21T12:46:00.012+01:00

Whilst in Sydney I visited the Sydney Design Festival exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum. I got pretty lucky as they had their Young Blood Designers Market on, which showcases the best design talent from across Australia and gives them an opportunity to get their name into the commercial market. It's a bit like D&AD New Blood, but in a museum...

Anyway - I came across several really interesting products that I wanted to buy, sadly they were pretty expensive so I didn't, but there are some examples below...

Bespoke Press

Shuky

Rebound Books

The lovely people at The Gild...

2009-07-09T09:17:00.006+01:00

Well, as we all know from the ridiculous heat wave last week, summer is finally here. Mine is shaping up to be so busy, but I'm thinking that is a good thing, I hate sitting around doing nothing.

Since finishing term and moving out of my flat I seem to have been all over the place - but in a good way. For the first couple of weeks I was busy working part-time, sleeping and sunning myself the rest. Last week I started the first of my two placements for this summer, at Exposure. Granted I was nervous for my first day, but it turned out to be pretty fun, and nowhere near as scary as I thought. As I settled into the swivel chair in front of a seductively shiny mac cinema display, I began to think 'yeh...I could do this for a living'. The first week was really busy; brainstorming for new brands, logo design, presentation preparation and general office banter really take it our of you! I'd been getting up at 7am and not arriving home til after 7pm - it was clear that sleep was going to be a top priority over the weekend (sadly, I didn't get much due to a trip to Leicester, a family gathering, and a irritatingly squashy hotel bed).

I am now nearing the end of my second week, and my time at The Gild. The people here have been amazingly nice, really accepting of me and my inexperienced designers brain, and very willing to help and give advice. I don't really think I can mention exactly what I have been doing - it's probably a breach of confidentiality; but I've really enjoyed working on different projects, and experiencing life in a real studio. I'm very excited to see what comes of work I have done; and the other projects that have been going around me.

Thank you to all the lovely people at The Gild!

Portfolio - End of Year 2...

2009-06-09T21:10:00.009+01:00

This is the PDF portfolio that I have put together for my end of year presentation. I have included 15 pieces of work, and given a short description of each brief.

OUPD201 Evaluation

2009-06-09T21:07:00.004+01:00

The work I have chosen to display in my portfolio shows me as a well-rounded designer, with aptitude in several areas and aspirations for strong skills in one or maybe two specialist areas. It shows that I am proud of the work I produce, and that I want to display the work that shows the best of my abilities. My ambitions as a designer may not be totally clear from my portfolio, but I think that this is due to the limitations of the briefs we have been given and the areas that we have been asked to explore during this year. I am concerned that I need more packaging design work and product orientated design to demonstrate that this is the area I am most interested in; this will be a significant objective for me during my third year.

I have not tried to over embellish my work by using a lot of images on one page, or creating a ‘background’ or layout for it. I want my work to speak for itself, and be shown simply as this helps make the work stand out.

During this year I have become heavily influence by the work of some very high profile design and packaging companies. The work of Pearlfisher has been a real eye opener for me, as they produce the kind of work I aspire to produce. I was particularly impressed with their work for the Jamie Oliver [Image set 1] lifestyle products and the recent work they have done for Cadburys [Image set 2]. I am so inspired by their work because they seem to hit the nail on the head every time; you cannot fault it. They are also very diverse in what they produce: very traditional and classy designs for Fortnum and Mason preserve range, and cute, illustrative design for This Water [Image set 3], they have such a range of skills within their company.

R-Design is another company that continually astonishes me with their fantastic design work. They are heavy on brand identity and impact with their product design, and they really focus on improving the overall brand. I loved their work for Selfridges; a very chic black base with bold colour, which looked great on the shelf, and created a strong impression of the product. [Image set 4].

I realise that my own design work is not currently a contender with these packaging gods!, but it really helps me to understand what will be expected of me in the future. Creating positive, and exciting packaging design is an area that will have to work very hard in, but I am very driven to achieve this.

My strengths lie in areas of design that require organisation, simple graphics and a sense of usability: by this I mean to say that my work is very clear cut and understandable. I am very good at identifying the problems with existing design, whether it be packaging or product based, or simply the effectiveness of a logo design. I am a very organised individual, which most people have come to recognize as a positive trait, and trust me with tasks that require care and consideration. I think that I am well suited to working with a team as I enjoy being able to bounce ideas off other people, but I also like being able to produce personal work, or more individual stuff.

From one of my most recent briefs I have found an area that I had not really considered exploring before; hand drawn and experimental typography. Abstract illustration (doodling) has always been a habit of mine, and experimental type seems like the perfect outlet for my skills in this area. This is an area that I really feel I can improve my skills in, and probably produce some exciting and slightly unusual work.

My weaknesses probably include my lack of confidence and conviction to pick and idea and go with it. I am always very uncertain of how well an idea might pan out, and therefore wary about choosing briefs that are slightly more challenging. I am also afraid of one-day briefs – at least I was. I have become more comfortable with one-dayers this year, but I still need to improve my abilities to work quickly and produce strong design work from the word go. I know that these skills will be essential when working in a commercial studio; not only for the sake of producing work, but also when pitching and discussing new briefs with clients.

I am aiming to gain specialist skills within the areas of packaging and promotional design, type and layout, and more experimental, illustrative typography. These areas are all relatively different, but I see them linking together in quite a constructive way. All of significant interest to me, but the packaging side is probably the most important.

I know that I will need to improve my software skills for the sake of the packaging and layout work, but I will equally need to start experimenting more with illustrative type work, and more conventional illustration.

My professional concerns are that of design practices. I realise that research and development are integral to the process of design development, but I am uncertain of how the process works in a commercial studio. I am really looking forward to experiencing commercial practices in my placements over the summer break. I think that they will help me to understand how real briefs run, and will improve my development skills. It will also give me an experience of working with/for clients who have their own opinions about their brand image. I want to be able to draw heavily on my placement experiences when I return to the course for my final year.

For my dissertation I have chosen to explore the relationship between the design industry and sustainable design. My title is: ‘To what extent are sustainable materials considered and used within the graphic design industry?’ I have chosen this topic because my main interest in graphics is packaging design; an area of increasing controversy when it comes to using sustainable materials. Recycling and sustainability has quickly become an issue on a global scale, with governments pushing recycling and lower uses of materials. I am interested in creating design that is suitable for purpose but also takes the environment into account. I also think that having a thorough knowledge of this area will come in helpful for future design work.

Image Set 1

Image Set 2

Image Set 3

Image Set 4

I wish more stuff came in cartons...

2009-06-06T12:30:00.006+01:00

I have a profound love for the simple waxed paper carton, and seems that the packaging world is starting to feel the same way. This simple piece of packaging is more than a container for our milk or preferred breakfast juice, it has a certain magnificence as a perfect canvas for design, colour application and information.

The definition is: carton |ˈkärtn|- noun
a light box or container, typically one made of waxed cardboard or plastic in which drinks or foodstuffs are packaged.
ORIGIN early 19th cent.: from French, from Italian cartone

It would seem that wether you are trying to find a missing child, or inform them of how good fruit is for you, the surface of a carton provides a most suitable area of application for any information.
I have found a huge range of clever carton designs and applied graphics that take this refrigerator staple to a whole new level of graphical magnificence.

OUGD203: Design Practice 2 - Evaluation...

2009-05-29T17:56:00.000+01:00

I expected the Design Practice 2 (Individual practice) module to be the most challenging of any module so far. Now that I have completed it I can safely say I was right, but for many reasons, and most of them are positive.

1. What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?
This module has helped me to develop skills in several areas, due to my choice of 3 quite different briefs. I have improved my skills with hand drawn type. This provided the base of my designs for the Postcards brief, and I really put a lot of effort into creating interesting, and quirky type that I think suited the brief. This has also improved my drawing skills, and given me the confidence to try similar design in the future.

The running of three different briefs at the same time, meant I have had to be really conscious of my time management. I have tried to stick to the timetable I drew up for myself at the beginning of the project, but obviously things changes, sessions moved and I had to deal with this by planning ahead. For example I booked a print session early, conscious that the facility would fill up, and it helped to know that I had to be ready for this session as it was my only opportunity. My time management has improved, and I think that I will try to timetable my briefs in the future.

My skills with information have also improved; the Lonely Planet and Homebase briefs both required written information incorporated as part of the design, and this made me very aware that I would need to plan my designs well from the beginning. I really enjoyed this informational side of the design work, and would like to do more with information graphics in the future.

2. What approaches to/methods of research have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?
The Homebase brief was asking for a re-design of a product range. I was able to look at the existing range they had, and identify what needed improving and how this could be done. Researching in this way helped me to create a design that was functional as well as aesthetically pleasing, and well designed.

For the Postcard briefs I wanted to work with an existing theme. Alice in Wonderland seemed to fit rather well, and I was able to research the characters and story in good depth. I even decided to read the stories whilst I was working on the brief; Researching a brief in this way enabled me to fully understand the words and themes within the book. I think that if a subject has a literary or theoretical background, then some reading can really help you to understand what angle you should use, and how you can design a response.

My development work, and the way I work has remained fairly similar to previous briefs. But I do think that I have become more accustomed to working on lots of projects at one time and learning to divide my time well. I have found that being able to switch off from one brief and onto another very quickly is something that I will need to get more adapted to in the future.

3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?
I know that I am a very organised person, and that this probably helped me a lot with this module. I know that planning my work has been integral to getting everything done, and I need to continue this with future briefs.

I have found a new love of hand drawn type, and several of my peers commented on how much they liked the resolutions I produced. I think that exploring this area more, and experimenting with this skill could create some good opportunities for me in the future.

I am a very thorough individual, and I do not like to leave any stone unturned. I have tried to explore all of the possible options for each brief (within the timescale I allotted them) so that I could feel that I was producing appropriate and strong design solutions to the briefs.

4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully?
I feel that I am very controlled in my work. I would like to be able to create more interesting, colourful, vibrant and exciting work. I am not sure how exactly I am going to do this; I think that maybe picking briefs that are slightly more out of my comfort zone and giving them ago would probably help.

I would like to have possibly done a fourth brief, as a one day project. I used to dislike one-dayers a lot, but a opportunities earlier this year told me different. I was not brave enough to choose a one-dayer for this set of briefs, but in the future I would like to give a few a go, and be a bit more daring.

5. Identify four things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?

I will try to keep a log of my work. Creating the timetable really helped me to get an idea of how efficiently I had to work. I think that recording my work will help me see how efficient I am, and where I can improve.

My motivation for the briefs needs to improve. There are of course outside elements that dictate mood and willingness to work; I never want these to become a distraction from my work, and I will try harder to not let them be. I think that if I can focus better on my work, then the quality will improve and I will also be preparing myself for a job in the design industry.

I has to reprint my labels for my work several times due to a very silly spelling error. This may not seem like a massive issue, but reprinting took time because the computer suites and printers were very busy, and it took much longer than I intended. In future I will make sure that my work is spell checked and that I prepare myself for the busy periods in the computer suites.

I found the idea I was working on for the Postcard briefs was not working, and I wasn’t enjoying it. I made the decision to change the direction of the brief, but was very worried that I would not be able to make it work. In future I would like to be able to make the decision with a bit more conviction, and have more faith that my ideas will pan out, and that I am good enough at what I do to at least make a go of it.

6.How would you grade yourself on the following areas:

5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor

Myself
Attendance 5
Punctuality 5
Motivation 4
Commitment 3
Quantity of work produced 4
Quality of work produced 3.5
Contribution to the group 4

OUGD203: Lonely Planet - Final Designs and Applications...

2009-05-28T20:18:00.000+01:00

This brief was relatively short, and I came to my final design quite quickly. It was the amount of information and the balance between graphics and text that took a little time to get right. I have designed the poster, which can also be used as a magazine advert, and a promotional postcard. I am quite pleased with the outcome, though this is the brief that I struggled with the most, but I feel that I did my best with it.

OUGD203: Postcards - Final Designs...

2009-05-28T19:43:00.001+01:00

These are my final design for the five postcard, with a different reverse for each. The packaging is also shown below, a simple brown paper envelope with a Queen of Hearts stamp and Wonderland postmark. I am really pleased with the overall outcome of the designs, and I have really enjoyed experimenting with typography.

OUGD203: Homebase - Final Products

2009-05-27T19:21:00.000+01:00

These are my finished product photographs. I am really please with the overall outcome; I think that the design works well, the products create a strong set, and the design can be applied to a wide range of products.

OUGD203: Postcards - Begin at the beginning...

2009-05-22T21:49:00.000+01:00

These are 3 variations of the "Begin at the beginning and go on until you come to the end. Then stop" postcard. This phrase is spoken by the king of hearts, which is why I have used to the red white and black/grey colour palette. The transparency on the words allows all of them to be read, and the repetitiveness creates a loop of the phrase - preventing you from beginning at the beginning, going on to the end and then stopping.

Crit feedback told me that the design needed a bit more texture, and depth to the design. I have applied an eroded texture to the centre image, and added outline, and hand drawn letters to the bottom. I have asked for feedback on these, and the bottom image was preferred as it has a more hand crafted look, which fits in with the other cards.

OUGD203: Postcards - Packaging...

2009-05-22T05:47:00.000+01:00

In today's crit a couple of people mentioned packaging the postcards together somehow, so that they feel like a set. I have chosen to use brown paper and string as the packaging; this is a very simple approach, but won't take away from the design of the postcards inside. I also think that the simplicity will create intrigue; I am going to include a small stamp and postmark in the corner to indicate the nature of the design, and the theme.

OUGD203: Homebase - Illustration experimentation...

2009-05-15T20:21:00.000+01:00

This is the experimentation I have been doing for my illustrations for the packaging. I am trying to find a balance between simplicity and a fully designed image. The outline illustration is slightly 'unfinished', and the solid colour is slightly too dense and dull. I have settled on using the 6th illustration, I like the full colour, but the use of white outline to define the shape and form of the vegetable or fruit.

OUGD203: Postcards - Reverses...

2009-05-13T04:36:00.000+01:00

I want to create a design for the reverse of the postcard that ties in the phrase on the front, and brings the cards together as a set. These are examples of vintage postcards, and these will influence my ideas for the reverse of the postcards.

OUGD203: Postcards - Research...

2009-05-13T03:21:00.000+01:00

I have looked at these pieces for inspiration for my type design. I've been influence by several illustrative typographers, whose work is displayed below, and the way they give the words expression and personality. I want the postcard designs to be very distinctive from one another, but keep them together as a set, and related to each other through the design on the reverse.

OUGD203: Homebase - General design ideas...

2009-05-13T02:33:00.000+01:00

I have been using the plant marker/label thing as the starting point for my packaging design. I have been trying to find a layout that will suit the entire range of products that Homebase sell for their Grow Your Own range. These are the basic ideas that I have come up with, and hopefully one will become the basis for my final design:

OUGD203: Postcards - A typographic wonderland...

2009-05-08T19:03:00.000+01:00

I have decided to base my Postcards from the Edge brief on Alice in Wonderland, and the characters in the stories. I started by investigating the characters, trying to get a feel for how to represent each one. Initially I wanted to create collage effect, using illustrations, photographs and embellishments. I investigated this, and hit a dead end with the ideas for each calendar.

So, I have moved on to using typography instead of illustration. I think that the words and quotes from the stories are really expressive, and present interesting areas for typographic exploration. I think that hand drawn type, and illustrative elements will help to give the words expression and meaning. The images below are my initial ideas for some of the quotes that I have found in the stories:

OUGD203: Homebase - Logo Design...

2009-05-07T20:00:00.000+01:00

I have been experimenting with my logo design for 'Grow Your Own'. I decided that I wanted something more delicate, less imposing and more interesting that the current logo, shown below. I have decided to use this slab serif, embellished logo as my final design. I think that the addition of the leaf shapes and vine like ends to the letters make the logo more interesting, and the way the existing tear drop terminals and rounded ends to the slab serifs simply add to the overall organic feel.

Original Logo...

My design...

OUGD203: Lonely Planet - Initial ideas...

2009-05-05T18:51:00.000+01:00

This is my shortest brief, I only want to spend a week and a half focusing on this project, so I need to make fast decisions. I have been considering exactly what Lonely Planet stand for, and what they want to convey to their customers:

Independent
Personal
First time travelers
Informative
Simple
A feeling of company
Expert advice
Responsible
Encouraging
Tell it like it is
Inspirational
No holds barred

I need to endevour to incorporate all of these aspects of the brand into the advertising, and show that Lonely Planet are a reliable and informative travel company.

OUGD203: Homebase - Product Research...

2009-05-04T22:01:00.000+01:00

I've had a look at the other grow your own sorts of products that are currently available. This range by Burgon and Ball seem to be the only ones with a design created since the early nineties (everything else is about 5 different colours and has horrific type). However, this range uses just one image, repeated throughout the range, and overall it is very expensive. It focuses more on the tools and equipment, rather than the plants or seeds for growing.

OUGD203: The Briefs...

2009-05-04T21:42:00.000+01:00

OK, so I realise it has been a month since I posted anything - woops!
So here is the first post of my new term, and new projects.
My 3 competition briefs that I've picked are:

1. Homebase 'Grow Your Own' Packaging - Re-designing the packaging for the grow your own fruit and vegetables range that Homebase sell under their own brand. I have chosen this brief because I really like packaging design, and it was the only packaging brief in all the ones we had to choose from! I am also interested in changing the packaging, making it more eco-friendly, recyclable and maybe even compostable, instead of polystyrene and plastic containers.
Intended length of five weeks

2. Lonely Planet, copy based campaign for 3 new book titles - I have chosen this because I really like Lonely Planet as a brand - how they seem totally anti-corporate, even though they are, and that they speak to their readers on a very friendly and one to one level. I want to create something that is very friendly, and full of information, because Lonely Planet stop at nothing to give you all the advice they possibly can!
Intended length of 1 and a half weeks

3. Postcards from Wonderland - I am creating a series of postcards based on a rang of characters from the Alice stories. I wanted to pick a theme that was interesting and had lot of imagery and language that I can play with for the designs. I also chose Alice because it is a Victorian novel, and postcards were 'invented' during the Victorian era, so I though going back to the very roots of postcards would be a good idea. My plan for this brief is to create textural, type and illustration based images for the postcards, each representing a different main character.
Intended length of two weeks

OUGD204: Communication through type, Evaluation

2009-04-01T22:15:00.000+01:00

I intially chose the option of this type based module because I thought that I needed to improve my basic typography skills. At this point, I did not realise that I would learn skills and gain knowledge that are integral to all areas of graphic design, and will be valuable to me in the future.

The hardest part of the overall brief has been having to get to grips with using Quark Xpress. I had never used this software before, and I am quite proficient at using Adobe based software, including InDesign. I found it quite difficult to adapt to using Quark, even though it was essentially the same as InDesign, the tools and shortcuts differ. I think that using to learn industry standard software has been very valuable, having a small amount of knowledge of a programme is better than having none.

The tasks that we have been given in our workshop sessions have been incredibly varied, and all have enabled me to learn a different aspect of the software. The tasks at the beginning of the brief really helped to learn the simple aspects of how type can create a tone of voice, a personality or emotion. The
patterns tasks was something quite new and different; I had
never really considered using characters to create patterns.
I think that I learnt a lot from this exercise, mostly just that using different characters can represent different things about yourself.

Moving onto the advertising type exercise; I found it very difficult to work on such a small scale, the information and overall feel of the task was very dull, but so useful. Learning about hierarchys of information has been so valuable; I have found new ways of making type read in a particular order, even if it does not read from the top of the page down. Small changes such as size and weight can really effect the way the type is read, and the personality it carries. I know that this skill will be really useful in the future, as it applies to almost all forms of typography.

Learning to set type in columns properly was a very laborious task, but has taught me a lot about how type is read. I realised that giving type space to ‘breath’ and making sure that the type looks appealing is really important. Using a serif font can help to read large blocks of type, a sans serif might be slightly less easy to read, but can looks less crowded on a page. I have learnt about using the right numbers of words on a line, and how to improve the leading of the lines to make more space on the page. using columns can really improve the readability of the type, as it breaks up the blocks of text, and gives a more appropriate number of words on a line. Similarly, setting type for a book or novel use somes of the same techniques. Using the right point size, and justifying the type correctly is really
important in making the pages readable.

My favourite part of this brief has been the CV, business card and letterhead. I learnt a lot about putting large amounts of
information on a page, and being able to divide it up properly. The business card and letterhead were quite easy, but I really wanted to make sure that these both represented me. I did this by using colour and serif texts, but not loading too much information on the business card.

The final task, packaging layout is probably the thing I have found most useful. I really love packaging design and the knowledge I gained in this one session has helped me to understand some really easy ways of producing nets and cut patterns.

I know that I have gained so many skills in the very short time allotted for this module. There are a few that will come in useful for future projects, and others that I will use all the time within design process. The main strength of my work is that I am very organised, I like things to be neat and tidy, which I think has helped with producing the tasks, and being very methodical about the way I approched the tasks.

I think that main limitation of is module has been the amount of time we have had to learn everything; it seems to have gone so quickly, and we’ve cramed so much into just 10 sessions. I know that there is so much more I have to learn, and I would really like to improve my knowledge further. I particularly enjoyed the type characterisitics task. I felt slightly geeky whilst I went through every aspect of the fonts I had chosen, and tried to pick out the characters that made it unique. The main
outcome of this tast was understanding the structure of a font, and learning the correct terminology of typography.

Keeping the type journal has been really enjoyable. I like collecting type and image anyway, so have an actual journal has been great. I have tried to analyse the type, and think about the personality and emotions it creates. I managed to do a little bit of the journal every week, I think that this has been more beneficial than trying to put it altogether in one go. I know that I will keep this journal going, and be able to look back at things, and draw inspiration for future projects.

In conclusion, I and genuinly pleased that I chose the typography module. I was told that it woud ‘appeal to my meticulous nature’, which it certainly has. I have also learnt that type is not just words on a page, but a translation of personality, tone of voice and feelings. I have come to realise that creating beautifully set type is like drawing a picture, it simply another form of expression, just using a set language. I know that there are rules about type, but pushing the boundaries and bending the rules it what creates great graphic design. In the future I intend to produce a lot more type based work, and I am hoping that the skills I have learnt will come in very useful for future briefs.

Fashion Invitation...

2009-04-01T17:53:00.000+01:00

We were given a one day brief; to design the invitations for this years end of year fashion show. The theme was victoriana, curio and mirrors. We were allowed to use any mix of illustration and type, and were set to A5 or DL (3rd A4) sized paper. We also have to create two distinct invitations, standard and regular.
These are my two finished designs:

Might Mouse...

2009-03-26T21:27:00.000Z

Someone [not naming names, but you know who you are] asked me to make a kit that could be used to make a Mac Mighty Mouse look like a real mouse - i.e. give it ears and a tail. Here is the print out if anyone wants to make one for themselves...

Russian Type...

2009-03-26T18:32:00.000Z

I found these on a Russian Type blog. They're a little bit odd, but really intriguing due to the mix of type faces and colours. I like the way they're both a bit thrown together, but it works...

Crushed ...

2009-03-26T18:27:00.000Z

I found these gorgeous images on a website called Crushed
I really like the quality they have, sort of handmade, but with digital elements. I also really like how they are quite illustrative and quirky. Illustration is definitely something I want to do more of in my next few briefs!

Type Module...

2009-03-20T01:54:00.000Z

I have just had my second to last Type Module session, and I've realised that I haven't posted anything about it!

We had to choose between taking a module in typography or image. I chose typography because I was enjoying the type sessions we were introduced to last term.

We have been learning so much that it is hard to talk about it all here, but I here is a list of a few things:
1. Leaflet design
2. Columns of text
3. Creating appealing type layouts
4. How to use Quark Express (Evil software!)
5. How to design an appealing CV
6. Designing a business card
7. Creating a letterhead
8. Creating an advert for yellow pages
9. How to create packaging nets
10. How to recognise and identify typefaces by their characters

I am so pleased that I chose this module - My favourite task has been producing my CV and business card, because I was able to chose elements that I liked and wanted to represent me. It has also come in really useful for producing type documents in general; I am learning things that can be applied to everyday word processed documents, as well as how to create hierarchies of information by just using type and altering it's pointsize or weight.

Business Card...

2009-03-18T21:29:00.001Z

More our optional module - mine is type - we've had to produce a business card for ourselves. This card was designed as a set to along with my CV and letterhead. So here is the business card: I chose the aquamarine colour because a] I really like it and b] because I think it represents me!

Old Fashioned Pharmacy...

2009-03-11T22:13:00.000Z

Boots Original Beauty Formula - packaged to resemble old fashioned pharmacy bottles and boxes. Very nice, I am (once again) tempted to go and buy some of the bottles, just so I can have them on my shelf! Most of all I love the typography on the lables, and how it varies for each product.

Pink Packaging...

2009-03-11T21:35:00.000Z

I've coveted this packaging for sometime now. Soap and Glory is a cosmetics brand that is available in Boots and Harvey Nichols. I really like the tabloid style titling paired with the vintage images and clever puns. It's all rather clever really, and nice to have on your bathroom shelf!

Drink Me...

2009-03-11T21:23:00.000Z

I love Heston Blumenthal! The man is a genius and makes the most amazing food! I loved the Drink Me concoction he made, inspired by Alice in Wonderland. The concept is so cool, and the glass that it was served is pretty much too amazing to describe, really wish I could try the drink...I'm very jealous!

Fruit Box...

2009-03-10T20:39:00.000Z

I am not sure where these originally came from, I've found them on a few blogs. I love them, so cute and weird. I'm not totally sure what the boxes contain...but i like them!

Nice Calendars..

2009-03-10T20:21:00.000Z

A nice person found these on a blog and sent me the link. These four are my favourites, but there are loads more here

Clever Cartons...

2009-03-10T17:00:00.001Z

I really like these ice-cream cartons, Rocombe farm was the first organic dairy in the UK, and they have been making ice-cream for over twenty years. I love that their packaging is modern, and fun, whilst accurately representing the ice-cream it contains. Fresh and funny, I like it!

Sandwiches...

2009-03-09T18:44:00.000Z

Lovely disposable sandwich packets - I love that it looks like you're eating off a plate, but the design is still really fun and colourful!

These are nice...

2009-03-09T18:34:00.000Z

I spotted this leaflet in Starbucks and really loved the illustrations. I like that they are slightly unfinished and have a nice graphic technical drawing feel; I think that it is nice that they didn't just use photos, or line drawing images, these are more artistic, and show some consideration of how their products are represented - I think it implies that there is almost a science or technical skill to producing the best cup of coffee - it shows that they care about their product.

Music in the Mountains...

2009-03-04T12:12:00.000Z

This is my final submission page for the Music in the Mountains logo design brief. All our designs were looked at, and 12 were chosen to be submitted. I was asked to change the colour scheme and the size of the lettering. This shows my final logo design and several applications of it.

The Wine Floor...

2009-03-01T22:28:00.000Z

I was away during reading week, doing a sneaky bit of skiing for my birthday! Anyway, it was not a total waste in terms of graphic design; in the resort a new wine shop had just opened and we went in on our way back from dinner one evening and the French guy that owned the shop gave me his business card, shown below...

Back from the digital desert...

2009-02-24T21:29:00.000Z

I realise I haven't posted in a while - all the excitement of working on my digital media blog obviously distracted me...! Anyway, I'm back to regular posting on this blog (the digital one will probably never be touched again), about everything and anything graphic design related.
This is the most recent piece of work - A one day brief for a spanish event called Music in the Mountains (Musica de las Montanas). I have to say I really enjoyed being able to sit and draw, and just work on something simple, and get back to actual designing. This page is my proposal page for the competition brief, I don't have particularly high hopes, lots of people's work was amazing!

Honey Pot...

2009-01-19T11:03:00.000Z

I think I like the principals behind this packaging that the actual packaging itself. I'm a big fan of bees, and giving them more flowers can only be a good thing, as they're disappearing. The terra-cotta pot is quite nice, and I like the typography printed onto it. Minimalist, but makes an impact.

Clever Creamer...

2009-01-19T10:56:00.000Z

I remember having ice lollies this shape as kid. These are slightly more sophisticated than ice lollies, coffee creamer in tiny triangles. Using a shape that requires less materials for packaging means that these little triangles are better for the environment, and generally look cooler than the old white packets.

Cute Candy...

2009-01-19T10:51:00.001Z

I really like this candy packaging. It looks quite intricate and cleverly designed, but most of that is the graphics on the exterior. The bright colours and quirky design make this a really eye catching product, I want to buy it and I don't even like fudge.

Carry On...

2009-01-15T23:50:00.000Z

Something else truly British: The Keep Calm and Carry On poster from WW2. I love it because it's British and because it is just so stiff upper lipped in every way.

History of the poster: 'During the early spring of 1939 and the war with Germany almost inevitable, the British Government's Ministry of information commission a number of propaganda posters to be displayed throughout the country upon the outbreak of war. The plan for the posters was the relay a message from King George VI to his people that all capable measures to defend the Country were being taken.

Using the crown of King George VI as the only graphic element it simple read 'Keep Calm and Carry On'. Although some of the posters did make it onto walls the poster was never officially issued and so remained almost unseen by the general public. That is until a copy turned up over 50 years later with a pile of dusty old books bought from an auction.

[There is no record of] who originally came up with the slogan. However the reproduction is a tribute to that unknown person who created it. People across the world are still finding reassurance in its wonderful handsome design with the very special attitude of mind that it managed to convey.' - www.keepcalmandcarryon.com

Peyton and Byrne Bakery...

2009-01-15T22:58:00.000Z

I have fallen head over heels for this packaging. I love the mix of bold colours, very simple type and sparse design which portrays something so quintessentially british that I want to star waving a union flag or screaming about The Beatles. As practically every user on the packaging blog I found these one pointed out - 'the text looks like London Underground type' - yes I agree (though it didn't take 20 post saying that, to make you realise it). I managed to find the typeface that was designed for the London Underground, but sadly it is very expensive to buy, lucky for me I found a very similar font that looks practically the same, and I am hoping will come in handy when I get the chance to design something properly British (because at heart, I really do love our monarchy and red buses).

Gravity Virus...

2009-01-07T10:47:00.000Z

Take a look at this website. I think this is such a clever idea, and would be so much fun to use...no idea where you get it though!
www.troika.uk.com

Frozen Yoghurt...

2008-12-18T19:22:00.000Z

From thedieline.com:

'Frolick brings to Singapore the frozen yogurt craze that has been sweeping Hollywood. Giving the brand a politically incorrect attitude, the store frontage is dotted with badges that sport catchy slogans like "We stay hard longer", "Size does matter" and "I like it topless"...

They are also given away and kept as collectibles where fans and customers alike will be able to look forward to updated ones with each new store opening. "We wanted to approach yogurt in a fun, unexpected sort of way, rather than follow the conventional health-conscious image that other brands have," says Chris Lee. "The pull factor is tasty yogurt, a good design and spunky attitude."'

Pantone Pannettone...

2008-12-18T19:13:00.000Z

I think this is just genuinely really clever. These were made by a design company called Purpose. The description here is in their own words:

"For their first Christmas, newly established printers Greenford Printing
wanted a memorable way to promote their business and at the same
time wish their valued clients a 'Merry Christmas and Happy New Year'.

By building on the familiar language of colour specification, Pantone
swatches initiated the main theme for our concept. ‘Panettone’ created
a colourful twist on the traditional Italian Christmas cake.

The Panettone boxes arrive as a set of 5, featuring special dates
from Christmas Eve to New Years Day, each one representing a
different pantone colour.

All I want for Christmas is...

2008-12-18T18:49:00.000Z

A pack of type trumps! These are amazing....I just....I have no words, I want these so badly! From Face 37

Matches...

2008-12-18T12:24:00.001Z

I am not sure if I like these...but the concept is interesting!

Here is what...

2008-12-16T23:12:00.000Z

2 hours of boredom,
1 black pen,
1 A5 piece of paper,
2/3 of a glass of wine
Bridget Jones 2 (the film, not as good as the first obvy.)
and 1/2 a Graphic Design Degree gets you...

Clever Milk...

2008-12-16T20:16:00.000Z

This is Sainsbury's new idea for packaging their milk. This is a bag that would hold milk, and then you could decant it into...well some other milk holding device. The bag would use 75% less packaging, and be more environmentally friendly, though not all local authorities collect bags as part of their recycling schemes. I'm not really sure about this...I mean its all very well and good, but if the milk is going to cost the same then this improvement is just making Sainbury's more money...

Animal Index...

2008-12-15T18:41:00.000Z

These are so cute, and very cool. I am not exactly sure what they are meant to do, but they're just nice and interesting.

Furniture Promotion...

2008-12-15T18:33:00.001Z

Autoban are a furniture design company based in Istanbul. These images are they're promotional postcards

Biscuit Book...

2008-12-15T18:29:00.001Z

I think this is a notebook...its hard to tell, but I like it!

Book Type...

2008-12-15T18:27:00.000Z

This type, made out of various book shapes, is very clever and interesting...nice work!

Book Cover...

2008-12-15T18:23:00.000Z

I just like this book cover...no idea what's in it!

Tate...

2008-12-15T18:05:00.000Z

Cool new stationary products for TATE from Buddy [www.buddycreative.com/]

Perfume in a hat box..

2008-12-15T18:01:00.000Z

This perfume is not only very expensive, but is sold in this very cute hat box. I like the design, and over the top concept.

Oh, I do so want this...

2008-12-15T17:44:00.001Z

This would be the most amazing thing ever! I love this concept!

- Sadly, this is not a commercial product. The concept belongs to Ignacio Pilotto, and there is no affiliation Pantone, Inc. and the Rubitone.

I ♥ Waitrose...

2008-12-15T17:21:00.000Z

I really like this packaging design for Waitrose own brand products. I like that not all of the designs are identical, and they match each product in an appropriate way. I like the simplicity, and the quirkyness of the designs.

Si Scott Designing...

2008-12-14T14:57:00.000Z

Interesting video of how Si Scott (Illustrator) creates his designs

International Music...

2008-12-08T19:35:00.000Z

I love this illustration for International music at Cadogan Hall in London. I picked this up ages ago when I went to a Prom with Lovely Sophie (her official name) and just found it amongst a pile of other paper stuff.

Pirate Posters...

2008-12-04T20:21:00.000Z

This is 1 of 3 posters designed by Office for 862 Valencia
I really like this one, and the phrase on another (which was too small an image to post) which says:

Pillage before Plunder,
What a blunder,
Plunder before Pillage,
Mission fulfillage!

I ♥ this font...

2008-12-04T20:11:00.000Z

Ink Splash Font

Good Design..

2008-12-04T20:06:00.000Z

This is so true, and I feel like this quite a lot...

Inspiration...

2008-12-04T20:01:00.000Z

I think that these photographs are pretty self explanatory... I just think this is really clever!

Advertising Archive...

2008-12-04T19:40:00.000Z

I found this really cool website that has an archive of interesting and creative advertising. These are some that I like the most...

Dorset Cereals...

2008-12-02T21:24:00.000Z

I love this packaging! I would never normally buy cereals that cost more than £4 a box, but I was kindly bought some by a very nice special person. I have kept the beautiful packaging for any future use that I may find for it, but I have to say that the cereal inside tastes awful! Literally like sticky cardboard! I find it odd that a company would market disgusting tasting cereal in immaculate packaging...maybe that is their ploy, pretty box no one will notice the taste! Oh well...heres some pretty boxes...

More packaging...

2008-12-01T20:29:00.000Z

I found these packaging designs for a new Selfridges food range. I really love the simplicity, but the use of bright bold colours that set off the black background.

Screen Prints...

2008-12-01T10:40:00.000Z

These photographs are of two finished screen prints, and one Brusho print.
This print is a CMYK print, made using four different screens.

This is a print, using just the CMY screens, there is no black ink used on this image

This is a Brusho print. This type of effect is achieved by painting powder based inks onto the screen, and then squeegeeing the binder liquid through. I really like the mottled effect that these inks create.

Pearlfisher...again

2008-11-30T22:57:00.000Z

Pearlfisher for Woolworths SA Organic
This packaging design for an organic food brand is gorgeous. I really love the simplicity, type, and colour; as well as the small illustrative elements.

Task: New brand creation conveying modern South African authenticity, depth and taste.
Scope: Strategy and brand identity design

Jamie Oliver

2008-11-30T22:44:00.000Z

Pearlfisher for Jamie Oliver
Task: New brand creation, developing a new lifestyle concept that elevates the Jamie Oliver experience from the kitchen to the home.
Scope: Strategy, logo, brand identity, corporate identity, structural design, design of over 170 SKUs, secondary packaging, tone of voice, naming, pack and web copy.

I really like the old icon quality that these designs have. The overall designs are quite quirky, and colourful, in a simple but bold way. I want to see these on shelves!

Packaging...

2008-11-30T21:54:00.000Z

I am (sadly) becoming more and more ridiculously obsessed with packaging. I have always been one of those people who will just buy things for the box they come in, or the bag you get from a shop. I have been looking at the packaging design of different design companies;

[Graphic thought facility]
I really like the illustrative qualities this package has. The cut out flower garland is really beautiful and intricate, but I think it is just there to make the photograph look good...

[Pearlfisher]

This design company are amazing! I love pretty much all of their work...here are some of my favourites...

This Water
Task: Strategic rebrand and relaunch, moving

out of Innocent’s shadow and becoming a confident stand-alone new water brand.
Scope: Strategy, naming, brand identity, writing and tone of voice

Little Dish
Task: New brand creation, making healthy ready meals appealing to parents and fun for kids.
Scope: Strategy, naming, brand identity, writing and tone of voice.

CMYK Characters...

2008-11-30T21:45:00.000Z

I found these on a google search ages ago, but have only just recovered the image from an old USB drive. I love how cute these little characters are, but they're actually packaging for printer cartridges. I like that the simple packaging has been inventively designed and aren't too over complicated for the throw away packaging that they are. Cutely named 'Cardboy'

Faber & Faber

2008-11-30T21:41:00.000Z

I love this type face! These book covers are so cute - i like the idea of the embroidery design, and how simple the design is, but still really effective. The type face is quite simple, but still decorative, and sets of the design really well.

Strange Comparison...

2008-11-30T21:20:00.000Z

I was looking at the design by build website [wearebuild.com] and found this design for a CD case. The first thing I noticed was its strange resemblance to the cover of 'How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul'...i realise that it's not exactly the same, but I think that the layout is pretty similar.

OUGD 201_Design Production_Evaluation

2008-11-28T15:50:00.000Z

Alexandra Bucktin
BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN
Level 02 Design Production OUGD 201

The focus of my work for this module has been primarily learning about printing. The Colour for Print and Design for Print briefs have enabled me to explore print in a much more thorough was than ever before. The Colour for Print brief has been much more about principles, and rules about printing; how everything works in reality. The Design for Print project has enabled me to put some of this learning into practice and start to understand more about colour and printing within my own work.

The skills I have developed since the beginning of this module have been relatively intangible. I have learnt so much about the principles of printing and colour systems, but it all seems to be information, and not physical work. In a way I think that this is a good thing – I now have a large knowledge base of the conventions of printing that I can apply to all of my future work, which will only make it better and more suited to commercial purposes. I am really glad that we started our second year by learning about something that is invaluable in the design world.

I tried to apply all I had learnt from the Colour brief to the Design for Print brief. Granted there was the odd hiccup with trying to print certain colours and tones, but I feel that I was able to make my work better because I was considering the printed outcome, not just the design on screen or paper. I now know that this is really important because it makes me think about the overall design process, and the way in which I am going to produce work. From learning about print, I have also learnt about how digital colour works – I realise that it is the opposite, and in a round about way have learnt about an entirely different area of design.

I really feel that this project has shown completely different strengths to my work, than the briefs that I completed at the end of last year. I chose to use illustration, something I have not yet properly tackled on this course. I was really please to find that tutors and students alike thought that my illustration work was interesting, and slightly different, but subtle. I have capitalised on this strength by making my print brief mainly about the illustration. I purposely used simple typefaces and text in my resolutions so that the illustration was able to stand out.

During the print brief I had to take some time out for family reasons, and this gave a strange break to my work, that I had not experience before. Because I had to take some time away from the studio, using a computer everyday and generally always having my work at the back of my mind; when I returned to full time work I found that my pace of work picked up, I chose an idea and stuck with it, and I was much more confident about the decision I had made with regard to production. I think that this was the case because I continued to work toward my unextended deadline, which made me more organised (something I didn’t really think was possible!) and much more aware of the time I has to produce my final resolutions.

The weaknesses within this brief are more to do with not having as many crits as the other students, due to the aforementioned reason, and generally not having other students to bounce ideas off of so readily. I really like talking to others about my work and their work equally, and helping each other along with new ideas. I think that my work may have suffered a little from not doing this, in that I was forced to make decision on my own, with no real confirmation that I was on the right track.

If I were to have the opportunity to repeat this module there are several things that I would do differently; Firstly I would not take the time off that I had to; this would have provided me with more studio hours, more time to use the print areas, and more opportunity to experiment. I would have possible researched my project in a different way, maybe done it at a more outdoorsy time of year, I think that this has effected by ability to gain primary research and generally be more ‘into’ the project.

I would have liked to use different forms of print. I have experimented with screen print, and really enjoyed the process – however many problems I encountered. I would really like to look into doing more of this, and possibly some different hand based print processes, as the finished product can really surprise you. I think that digital print has become such a readily available output for our design work, that we are ignoring some really interesting ways we can produce more innovative designs.

Having this brief, plus two other theory based briefs, and several workshops all going on at the same time has been quite hard. I realise that we have to learn to juggle a lot of different projects at once, but I think maybe this has affected my work in other areas. Our timetabling has been rather confusing, and I know that this is not always down to human error; however, I have attended some sessions that I was not required to, and have therefore wasted time that could have been used more constructively.

Overall, I have really enjoyed this module. I have learnt so much that I can now apply to future briefs, and I think that I have found an area of design that I really enjoy. With the next opportunity for print based production I really want to try designing packaging, so I am hoping that this will be on the cards at some point this year.

Litho Printing...

2008-11-27T20:55:00.000Z

For my final resolutions, I have stated that I would use litho printing to produce the leaflet. I think that litho printing is probably the most relevant type of printing to all of the work I produce (not just in this brief). I have found a brief explanation about how lithography printing works, and having been taught about it, and seen how the machines work, it all seems rather simple now!

From Wikipedia:
"Offset printing is a commonly used printing technique where the inked image is transferred (or "offset") from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface. When used in combination with the lithographic process, which is based on the repulsion of oil and water, the offset technique employs a flat (planographic) image carrier on which the image to be printed obtains ink from ink rollers, while the non-printing area attracts a water-based film (called "fountain solution"), keeping the non-printing areas ink-free."

Some of the advantages of litho printing are:
Consistent high quality images, quick and easy production of the printing plates, plates last longer than direct litho printing and the cost of mass print production is very low as the main costs go into plate production and set up.

This image shows how an offset litho press works, where there is a rubber roller between the plate roller, and the paper which transfers the image.

Finished Leaflets...

2008-11-27T10:48:00.000Z

These are the finished leaflets, and pockets that contain them to make sure they stay flat. I am fairly pleased with the way they have printed - though the colours are not the same on the pocket and leaflet, I think this is because they were printed using different programs.

Presentation Boards...

2008-11-25T10:15:00.000Z

These are my finished presentation boards. There are 5 in total, the final one is currently unfinished as I have not photographed the finished product yet.

James Bond...

2008-11-21T16:50:00.000Z

I went to see Quantum of Solace a few weeks ago. You know how you talked about the good bits and the bad bits afterward, well it was then that I realised that my favourite part was the opening credits, and not just generally. The images/animation was bloody awful and made you feel a bit sick, but the typography animation was so cool. The video below shows the horrible animations and amazing typography, even though it isn't brilliantly clear, you get the idea.

Texture and depth...

2008-11-19T10:54:00.000Z

In the past couple of days I have been enhancing my illustration work to give it a bit more depth and tactility. I have incorporated textured fill colours, rather than flat fill colours into the images so give them a bit more impact. I have done this with the posters, and leaflets so that they show continuity. Spring, Summer and Autumn leaflet covers are shown, and the Spring poster illustration.

Photographs and presentation mock ups...

2008-11-19T10:45:00.000Z

Whilst putting together my presentation boards I found that I hadn't included a range of the photographs I took at the beginning of this brief. The image here is of my mock up presentation board that shows the photos that I decided not to use for this brief.

Thank you to Louise, for putting up with the sun in her eyes xx

Leaflet Design...

2008-11-15T10:28:00.000Z

This is a mock up is of a circular leaflet, that would be held with a pin in the centre and two wheels of card would move freely. Information printed of the bottom wheel, would be shown through the window of the top piece of card.

Seasons...

2008-11-12T10:19:00.000Z

I have been working on illustrations for each season, so that I can produce a print set for each. These are the designs I have come up with so far...

Illustration...

2008-10-25T15:25:00.000+01:00

I haven't actually done a piece that uses hand drawn illustration since I started this course (at least I don't think I have)! So, as a piece of experimentation I have produced this vector, illustration and digital colour image, that encompasses the seasons, and ideas associated with wellies...

Wellies...

2008-10-25T15:13:00.000+01:00

At my interim crit, it was mentioned that I really needed to focus in on the actual wellies - rather than a person wearing them, or the countryside etc. So, I have been 'brainstorming' and come up with a few ideas that will hopefully give me a platform for the next stage (designing stage) of this brief.

I have considered using close up photos do depict each season, and produce a booklet/leaflet for each season;

Flat example of leaflet content and cover

Example of each season cover

These were considered a strong outcome for my brief, but need some work, and would also need to be used for a poster outcome.

Initial Ideas...

2008-10-20T20:19:00.001+01:00

These two images show the mock-ups of possible poster layouts. The photographs used are all first hand, taken this previous weekend in Hertfordshire and Devonshire.