Brief 01 - Student Layout - Changes and additions

Students Emma Mort and Joe Lang submitted alternative images after re-photographing their work.
There is also the addition of Khadija Akhtar.

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Brief 01 - Student Pages Layout Changes

To make the pages more consistent, the FA team liked the use of the line (separating the name and statement) but to use it at the same level on each page, however still allowing for the text to be slid across to where it bets sit sin the composition. The layout they were most happy with was the Annie Driver one as the line really seemed to add to and work well with the composition. This gave us a basis to work from for the rest of the layouts:

Here are the specifications that we are working to:

Grid:

- 210 x 210 mm format

- 12 collumn 3mm gutters

- 12 row 3mm gutters

- Margins: top-5mm, bottom-5mm, inside-10mm, outside-5mm

Name/Head:

- Latin Modern Roman Bold 14pt

- third row down

Body:

- Helvetica Neue Light 10pt with 14pt leading

- left aligned to same collumn point as Name

- 4 collumn width

Stroke/Line:

- same place on each layout page

- directly between title and body text

- 0.25pt

Contact Info:

- Latin Modern Roman Regular 12pt with 16pt leading

- bottom row

-left aligned to same collumn point as name and body text

 I made the following changes to each layout, consider the FA feedback:

Adam Jenkins -

They thought this layout worked well but they also wanted to see the largest image on the right hand side on it's own, as they felt it was enough to showed who he is as an artist. The contact info move to the bottom

Alice Wheeler -

They were really happy with this layout. The name and statement need to be adjusted to the same level as the Annie Driver layout, also move the contact info to the bottom.

Alison Button -

Works really well with the close up image as the large one (detail), but seems too busy with 3 images, just use the close up and then one of the structure forms (keep the top right) and then adjust the info to the right level with the line.

Anamaria Mazec-Smith -

This was the longest name, but to get it to sit right within the four columns it had to be brought down from 16pt to 14pt, therefore I have changed the rest of the name heading to 14pt too. This also needs to be brought up to the right line level. They didn't like the 3 images as they felt they were all very different and where fighting for attention. They suggested using the centre image as a large one on its own as it was the most striking.

Annie Driver - 

Change head/name point size to 14pt

Calum Paterson - 

Again they said the image were too busy and suggested using the centre, grey image alone would portray the artist well.

Christiana Bell -

They were happy with this layout. Contact info needs moving down to bottom of grid.

Christopher Frietag -
They weren't sure about this grid as they were;t happy with the large image and felt it was strong enough to portray him, they said they would speak to the student and get him to send more photographs. But in the mean time said to get rid of the large image and use the lego block image as the large image, and the sourcing image as a small supporting image. The info needs moving down to line level.

Elizabeth Trainer -
Get rid of sketch, just use photograph of clay alone and large. Move info to line level and contact details to bottom.

Emma Mort -
Use grey, pin image alone as a large image over one page to the other. The brightness may need adjusting as it is quite dark, or another photograph may need to be taken. The info needs moving to line level and the contact info to the bottom of the info collum.

Jenna Watt -
Use two images rather than the three (more effective) large scale touching the edges of the page and no gap between the two image. Move info to line level and contact details to bottom of grid.

Joe Lang -
They said the 3 images he had supplied us with were not adequate as they were photographs of old work, and they are all very different pieces of work. However they said they would speak to him about this and ask what he would prefer to use. For the mean time they said to use the large image on its own. Also the info needs moving to line level and the contact details to the bottom of the grid.


Here are the various layouts for each student with the above changes, which we will show to FA and ask which they think work best:

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Brief 01 - Meeting with Fine Art

In the meeting we had this morning with Fine Art, we brought along our layouts for the individual students double page spreads, using the real images rather than 'dummy' images, that we had been using previously. They worked a lot better and helped us to move forward as the FA team were able to point out what they thought worked and what didn't in terms of image hierarchy and the number of images used, to represent the students. Quite a few of the layouts could be stripped down to just one image to define that person clearly, which allowed the image to be increased in scale and more effective. From the 12 layouts I brought along they seemed to like the use of the horizontal line that splits the name with the statements, and that it should be used consistently across all pages at the same level (eye level), however still allowing the text to be moved horizontally across to were it is best suited within the composition. I have changes to make for the layouts I brought, as they said some of the images were too busy, I will explain these alterations in another blog post once I've make the changes.

We also spoke about the stamp, and the FA team decided upon an image for the cover, however they wanted more work still on the stamp and positioning, and also designs for the spine. The fact that the image has now been selected means we can translate that across to flyer designs and begin working on them.


To some up here is the contact report from the meeting:

What we talked about:

Layout

• Line under name (same level throughout)
• Large image with smaller image (if necessary)
• No borders (if necessary)
• Design decision on larger image being on the left or right side
• Contact info at the bottom
• Statement under name
• Point size = negotiated in meeting

Stamp & Cover

• No stars
• ‘Original Rework’ straight, not bent
• Thicker heading
• Decided on the glitch image & colour (experiment with the back page)

What we need from you:

• Special Projects
• Statements
• Images (changes and missing images)

What you need from us:

- Overall cover design with spine & flyer experiments

Next meeting: Monday 5th March - 10:00am

Brief 01 - Yearbook - Student Pages Layouts

Here is one about for each student that I felt worked the best in terms of composition and effectiveness.
I will be showing these layouts at the Fine Art meeting on monday to get some feedback.

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Thumbnails of the layouts so they can be seen as a whole:

Brief 01 - Yearbook - Student Pages Layouts

Layout ideas for the following 12 students - playing around with composition and scale:

Grid Specifications:

210 x 210 mm format
12 collumns, 3mm gutter
12 rows, 3mm gutter
Margins: top-5mm, bottom-5mm, inside-10mm, outside-5mm


Adam Jenkins

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Alice Wheeler

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Alison Button

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Anamaria Marzec Smith

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Annie Driver

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Calum Paterson

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Christiana Bell

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Christopher Frietag

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Elizabeth Trainer

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Emma Mort

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Jenna Watt

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Joe Lang

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Anagrama

A great piece of branding by Anagram for a building named 'Sofia' designed by architect Cesar Pelli for One Development Group.

''Our task was to communicate such sophistication and exclusiveness to their potential buyers. Therefore we created an identity that was the exact opposite of what we usually see for this kind of project. 

Sofia's identity is formed by three very important axes:

Logotype: the keys and the coat of arms are inspired by San Pedro's coat of arms. 
Typography: we developed a custom typeface designed especially for Sofia, it is inspired by british san serifs. 
Layout: the text and information arrangement is inspired by the typographical treatment used before grids were popularized by the swiss grid system. 

Both the attention to detail and the brand's elements convey the greatness of Sofia's architectural project. ''

Anagrama

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10 Things every create should know

HERE

Progress Crit. - 23/02/12

Just had a progress crit this morning to discuss the the briefs I have chosen.
The first part required us to look around each others work, seeing if the briefs that had chosen was allowing them to reach their full potential, through exploring their main interests. And if there was enough of a range of work begin designed for.

Some feedback I received:
- work is appropriate to SOI
- St Martin's brief is focused on branding, so make sure the deliverables include type and layout related work to fit with SOI
- make sure deliverables are clearly set out in your briefs
- broad investigation of layouts
- not sure if the sketchbooks are helping or hindering your designs
- it is clear you briefs fit the SOI but I would consider thinking bigger.
- brief 4 - Type Circle - how can you take this brief further beyond the deliverables

Regarding the initial feedback we then discussed our own briefs with the group, explaining why we chose them and what they are allowing us to to, that is relevant to our SOI's.

A few more things raised in this discussion to consider:
- brief 2 - Fashion Brand - expand deliverables - go beyond what the client wants - could also design a digital/screen version of the look-book as well as the print version
   - consider the retail environment that the fashion designers garments would be sold in - retail outlook, if they had a boutique shop, what would it look like - go out and photograph shops, windows, walls displays and design for them, layout, signage.
   - how it could work across a website
   - how could the style be adapted to multiple collections rather than just one, e.g seasons - range, scope
- brief 3 - Practice - consider the target audience more in depth - who are they? ask people about their experiences of visiting the doctors (individuals, families, adults, young children) and find out their take on the environment, do they need some form of entertainment in the waiting room - charts - things to prompt them.
- brief 5 - Jewellery Brand - how signage could work across shop layout, environment.
   - product range - explore the materials of the jewellery - do the maths of how many can be packaged
- rethink all briefs of what I can do with them all - pushing the boundaries and expanding deliverables so they are not the obvious/easy choices.

Brief 02 - Fashion Identity - Logo Ideas

The logo needs to look classy, elegant, traditional with a modern edge. It will be used alongside a lot of photographic imagery so must not detract from the image. The typeface needs to be kept simple and clear, however a logo/symbol that can accompany the brand name 'Lorin Shepherdson', can be a bit more extravagant as a contrast. The logo needs to be used as a away of the audience identifying the brand as Lorin Shepherdson, so must reflect the style/nature of the brand.

A few typefaces I think may work well:

- PassionSans Light
- AW Conqueror Didot Light
- Big Caslon Medium
- Sanford Book

Lorin creates womenswear clothing designs that accentuate the female figure, using traditional fitting methods such as nipping in at the waist. I tried to incorporate this through the type, the 'R' in the first has a silhouette of the side of a womans' figure however i don't think it is obvious enough and looks quite gothic. The second nips the whole name in the sides with particular curved edges on the 'L' and 'N', which is quite subtle. The third with the first and last name over two lines and centralised has a slight slant with the narrowest part being in between the two words. The fourth is same as the third however with a slightly larger vertical scale.

An idea for how the woman figure could be applied to products:

The logo below is the initials of the designers name in lowercase and joined up. The detail within Lorin's designs means a lot of handcrafting has to be done. This logo idea takes uses this handmade style through handwriting. I quite like this as it is not too obvious.

Here is how the logo looks with the Sanford Book type. I think the contrast between the hand drawn logo and the digitally produced type works really well as it reflect the designs of the clothing, which are taken from old traditional fitting methods and translated into modern designs.

Brief 04 - Supplement feature - Harry Pearce

Harry Pearce 

Harry Pearce was born in 1960 and studied at Canterbury College of Art. He co-founded Lippa Pearce Design in 1990.

Harry's work touches many disciplines, from spatial design and identity to print and packaging. His clients range from Phaidon Publishing, Williams F1 and Kangol to Shakespeare's Globe,Saks Fifth Avenue, the Science Museum and Boots, for whom Harry has created designs for over 23 years. Some of his major corporate identity work includes Halfords and The Co-operative.

Harry is dedicated to supporting human rights. Over the last 15 years he has created all the design material for Witness in New York City, founded by the musician and activist Peter Gabriel. He also sits on the advisory board.

Harry has won many national and international design awards including two D&AD Silvers. 

He was one of a few graphic designers chosen to exhibit in a show of excellence in New York to celebrate British design. His work was exhibited at the 50th anniversary exhibition of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI) Paris, of which he is also a member. He is a member of the Royal Mail's Stamp Advisory Committee.

In 2006 he joined Pentagram's London office as Partner.

http://www.pentagram.com/partners/#/36/

T Magazine Supplement

T Magazine is the supplement to The New York Times magazine. Here are a few of their covers. Artists and Designers are invited to interpret the franker T in any way. They each portray the T in distinct style yet work together and are consistent with the letter.

The supplements I am designing for, need to work together and still be consistent through the use of the circle. The circle could be made up of letters from the professionals name, or of something that is relevant to them. This could also be through using colour.

We Made This

Client: Benwells - Twelve Days of Christmas

'' Benwells, gets inundated with orders for Christmas cards. Most of these are left until the last minute by the various clients – so Benwells wanted to send out a reminder to people to get their orders in early, in exchange for a 10% discount. They asked us to put together a card that would communicate this, while showing off their impressive foil-blocking skills. We wondered what life would be like if even your true love took 10% off, so created an alternate version of the Twelve Days of Christmas. This was foil-blocked in metallic red onto duplexed red and white Colorplan, with the reverse foiled in white, along with a partridge which had been 'reduced' by 10%.''

WeMadeThis

This piece has a strong underlying concept that as been cleverly adapted to the Christmas carol. And works really well through the use of language. The use of language in a clever way, I feel, is the most effective way of grasping an audiences attention, it offers them something to think about and once they 'get it' gives a sense of ownership.

Bob Gill Advice

'Unless you can begin with an interesting problem, it is unlikely you will end up with an interesting solution.'

Bob Gill's Book - 'Forget all the rules you ever learned abut Graphic Design, including the ones in this book'

http://www.visualessays.org/the-best-piece-of-advice-ive-ever-been-given-about-graphic-design/

'If you begin with an ill-defined or boring problem you will be totally unable to think of an interesting response.'

Brenwells - Printing tips (finishes)

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Circular 16 - The Typographic Circle

''Lippa has designed the last nine issues of Circular and delights in creating each from scratch. In this issue the close up of the title on the cover through the contents pages and dividers indicates a desire to focus on the detail of the work. The use of Courier as the default font set without justification is designed to act in contrast to the typographic perfection of the featured work.''

http://pentagram.com/en/new/2010/01/new-work-circular-16.php

The cover of Circular 16:

We Made This

WeMadeThis

Benwells Samples Box


''As part of our work on the new identity for print specialists Benwells, we designed an A5 samples box to send out printed samples.
It consists of a cardboard outer that is silk-screened in green on the inside (and smells gorgeous and printy as a result), and which contains a crisp white box that holds their (lovely) samples.''

 The cardboard outer holding the white samples box

 The white samples box, with a blind embossed logo, and foil-blocked tag line

 The tray from the samples box

 The tag line foiled onto the cardboard outer

The contact details on the back of the samples box


I really like this piece of design, although the design itself is quite minimal, it is effective through the use of stock, colour and print finishes, creating a clean but striking solution. The contrast from the packaging to the box itself is a nice touch as the rough cardboard packaging protects the crisp clean box inside.

Cardon Webb

A series of book covers for Oliver Sacks designed by Cardon Webb.

This clever design work really, each book cover has its own image that represents what that particular book entails, but also has a background image that works across the series of books that once placed together form an image of a human head. The contrast between this black and white image against the colour damages for each separate book, means that you are primarily drawn to the colour and what that book is about, but then secondarily the image thats works across them all is apparent. It also keeps consistency within the designs through the use of typography and background colour.

Domenic Lippa & Harry Pearce

Brief 03 - Initial logo Ideas - Pitch boards

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I sent across 4xA2 boards for the initial logo designs pitch. I included a range of ideas/compositions for the tulip concept, various colour schemes. Black and white, and reversed out colour. I also mocked up how it would look across exterior signage and staff uniforms.

These are initial design ideas and regardless of whether they are chosen for the practice or not I will still develop the brief and create various deliverables.

Brief 01 - Meeting with Fine Art

Here is the contact report for the meeting we just had with Fine Art, and what we are going to do next:

What we talked about:

• Stamp

- No 09/12, just 2012

- Clean cut stamp, that will work with the inside of book

- ‘Rework’ = one word, no punctuation or split

- ‘Leeds Art College, Ba (Hons) Fine Art’ should read on the stamp

• Layout

- Serif typeface

- Horizontal text

- Name and text sat together

- Contact info at the top (in black)

- Images breaking into double page

- Order of book = not alphabetical, design decision

- Full image to cover double page spread with text on top, where appropriate

• Cover design

- Green/dark grey/pink/faded colour pallet, with toxic pink stamp to work over it

- Using students work and ‘glitching’ it

- Large stamp

What we need from you:

• Images (all of them): Deadline 20th March

- Filter through statements

What you need from us:

• Cover designs : 

- Stamp straight on and tilted = range

- ‘Glitch’ students work with colour palette = range

- Duotone - front and back = range

- Stamp = range of designs

• Layout

- Overall book layout with preferred layout designs

Next meeting: Monday 27th February - 10:00am

Brief 03 - NHS - Logo Idea

The logo uses the a tulip image that represents health, and wellbeing, another image can be seen within the tulip of a figure holding its arms out. I played around with the stem of the tulip wrapping around the type as in a protective wreath to represent the community and that they the practice is their to help. However, it was starting to look like sperm, which could relate the practice to sexual health, which is not the main aim. So I chaged it to a straight stem to make it look more flower like, and I also added more petals. i think this could be developed further into an open flower to show the openness and welcoming nature of the practice. But for the pitch I will send across these initial logo ideas.