Responsive: Evaluation

I have thoroughly enjoyed the Responsive Brief. Being able to choose the briefs myself has meant that I have picked briefs I have an interest in. Being interested in the topics chosen means that I have gone into more depth with research and this has affected my final outcomes. The final designs are more conceptual compared to previous design work. Every aspect of the design is considered, from the colour choice to fonts and the overall appearance. I have considered the target audience as well as where the designs would be used. This has made the outcomes better because they are appropriate for the audience and the context they will be in.

This brief has been a learning curve for me. It is the first brief that I have self directed and independently ran. This has taught me how to organise my own time so that I can get everything produced on time and retain a high standard of work. This is also the longest brief I have worked on as it has taken around 6 months. This has allowed me to spend more time than I normally would on each project. The J2O brief was challenging but having a longer period of time to create an outcome meant that I researched in more depth before trying to design an outcome. It also meant that I could play around with how I wanted it to look and get it exactly right. I am very interested in package design so this brief has allowed me to explore it in further detail. For this reason I have really enjoyed the project.

Being able to choose my own project meant that I could pick a wide range of themes from music to sustainability to packaging. This has kept me thinking of new ideas and challenged me with how to tackle each brief differently. It also has stopped me from getting bored, having such a range of project on the go means that it doesn't all begin to look the same. I have really enjoyed this brief because it has given me a great amount of knowledge on subjects related and also unrelated to graphic design.

I feel that I started off well with managing my time. Before christmas I was able to finish Sprung and Feathr, I also had completed a bulk of J2O which I was thankful for after the holidays. However towards the end of the brief time ran out very quickly. Other work took priority and that meant that parts of Responsive have been rushed where I would have liked to spend more time on. The Pocketbook brief wasn't started for ages because it was hard to coordinate with Harry and Sam, I think this has affected the outcome. However the project is still going on and I will keep working on it until I am happy and proud of the outcome. Food In the Loop I really enjoyed, I learnt a lot from the research and really got stuck into it. It is disappointing that I only had a week to do it as I would have liked to go into more depth and also branch out creating supporting designs like explanatory books.

I have used this module as an opportunity to push myself with Illustrator as I had no previous experience. I found it daunting and felt the best way to tackle this was head on. For some of the projects like J2O and Food in the Loop an illustrative style was more appropriate and I used this opportunity to challenge myself. I have learnt so much through doing this and I have been able to find a clear illustrative style which works well and is also consistent.

Overall my design style has developed since starting this brief. Not only has my design improved but so has my method of working and thought process. I am working a lot smarter now considering things that I would have never thought about before. This project has really taught me about time management and how I am able manage everything independently.

Responsive - Pocketbook: Evaluation

The aim of this brief was to create a whole identity for Pocketbook, a new company starting in Leeds thats aim is to help musicians through every step of creating a song. From the writing, to the production they are there every step of the way. The brief has been challenging. I have never branded a company from scratch before with no previous designs to work from or improve. However I have enjoyed the challenge even when it has been testing.

The concept for the logo came from the idea of a bridge. In music the bridge provides a break from the repetition in the song. There are some really strong links between the bridge and their manifesto. Their company will be different from similar businesses and in that sense provide a break from the repetition. A bridge also symbolises a way of crossing something or getting somewhere, it shows progression. They are the bridge for their customers, by helping them progress and get further in their career. From this concept an interesting and dynamic logo has been created which shows the movement and energy which they have.

Every aspect of the design has the same style running through it. Using the same colours and fonts has helped to strengthen their company branding. The website is well on its way, however lots of bits have had to be left blank due to lack of content. There is a strong theme that consistently runs throughout all of the pages.

The choice of stock has been quite limited, I want to further explore stock choices and find a high quality tactile stock that also represents the business. Ideally the business cards will be printed on a high quality ‘sketchbook’ paper. Using a textured stock will reinforce the idea of a pocketbook where the paper has is a good quality and nice to touch. I will then be able to print a range of designs onto the paper including the business cards and letterheads.

I am not currently happy with the outcomes, I feel that the current design isn't my strongest work. However I think that is because I am viewing this deadline as the end result when actually I will be continuing this project after the hand in. As the project progresses so will the outcome of the work. I will continue to blog the external work as a continuation of this brief. I could have finished the project before the deadline hand in if I had all the website content. However there have been delays which are out of my control. Considering this, the work that has been produced shows a clear design structure and using a bit of imagination you can get an idea of what it would look like. I am excited to continue this project and get it up to a standard that I am happy with.

Responsive - Food In The Loop: Evaluation

The aim of the brief was to create a poster that raised awareness about sustainablility for one aspect in the food cycle. I create three posters in a set as a response. I chose to focus on the production of food, the disposal of food and the high cosmetic standards of fruit and veg. These three areas covered a range of issues in the food cycle and together have formed a strong visual campaign.

I really enjoyed every aspect of the brief from researching to creating the outcomes. The challenge was to create an outcome that would accurately send the right message to the audience. The posters needed to be kept as simple as possible and get straight to the point. The past entries have all had strong visual concept which not only is aesthetically pleasing but its message is clear.

The style throughout the three posters has remained the same. Working on a white background for all three has kept them clear with the attention being focused on the illustrations. The typeface used is Hussar as it provides a bold powerful message whilst retaining a friendly quality which means the message is received better. Orange has been chosen for the type as it is a natural earthy colour, it also helps to make the poster look visually more approachable in comparison to a harsh black which you would not naturally link to the earth. The orange type has remained consistent throughout all three designs, this has strengthened the overall appearance and made the visual connections between the three posters a lot stronger. Two of the posters have included an explanatory paragraph. The first most shocking statistic has been put in bold so that the viewers eye is drawn to that first and then naturally continue to read the rest of the paragraph.

All the illustrations were derived from images of the items so that they would retain a likeness. A range of compostable objects were chosen not just fruit and veg. The teabag and eggshell were included to show the range of household waste that can be composted. The carrot design has been kept in the same style so that the posters designs work as a set. The colours chosen have kept the design’s appearance up-beat whilst accurately reflecting the items they help to create. The colour works in sync with the illustrative design.

The project as a whole has been slightly more rushed than I would have liked. I really enjoyed it and wish in hindsight that I begun it earlier. This would have allowed me to explore more creative options and perhaps create a larger range of posters that could have covered every aspect of the food cycle. However considering the time restrictions I have had the work that has been produced accurately answers and goes beyond the brief requirements.

I would have really liked to print the final posters on recycled paper, however the university supply does not allow for this so the final designs have been printed on white matt. This would have really strengthened the posters concept visually as well as adding a natural texture to the design. However the submission to Posterheroes is digital anyway so this will not affect my submission, but I will print them on recycled paper in my free time after the brief for my own portfolio.

If I had more time I would really like to extend the project and create a range of informational books that would go into more detail covering the issues raised in the posters. This would strengthen the the posters by providing a book of information for the viewer to read. The book could have four chapters covering the four main areas in the food cycle. Production, Transformation, Distribution and Disposal. By following the full cycle of the fruit and veg people may begin to realise there is so much more going on that we do not know about. The would also be able to see what they could do to help and how it benefits them.

Responsive - Food In The Loop: Final Three Posters

These are the three final posters that will be printed and submitted to the live brief. The design theme runs throughout all three designs by using key components such as maintaining the same font of Hussar and font colour. Hussar was chosen because it makes a statement. It is bold but also shows friendly qualities which helps to portray the statements shown in the designs but in a polite 'not in your face' way. The white background is a running design decision throughout the posters. The information and graphics needed to speak for itself, any background colour would detract from this message. The designs would be lost into the colour and the viewers eyes would be attracted to that instead. Ideally I want to print this on an organic or recycled paper as this would create a great textured affect as well as making the design appear more organic. It will really fit in and support the idea of being more sustainable and more efficient with the planets resources.

An explanatory paragraph has been added on both the compost poster and also the misshapen veg poster. This is because the posters by themselves may not make complete sense. The sentence helps to give context to the poster, in the case of the compost poster it helps to explain why you win every time with composting. It also explains how much damage is done when it is put in to landfill. This may shock people and make them think twice about throwing food away or not buying food based on appearance.

Responsive - Food In The Loop: Final Poster Alterations

After finishing the last of the three posters (above) I decided to go back to the other two and try to fix the faults and form a stronger theme between them all.

I didn't like the finish of the compost poster because it looked overly clinical and neat. Adding soil as the backing was one idea of pulling in elements from the last design. However as a whole backing it looked odd especially having the white box on top, it just looks like I don't know how to create a transparent background.

Reverting the background idea so that the soil is under the veg. This makes a lot more sense and looks a lot better. The other veg's opacity was changed back to 100% so that there would be a stronger colour contrast against the brown.

The last poster in comparison to the first looks a lot better. The colours are more vibrant and it is clearer what the objects are like the teabag and eggshell. Not having outlines has really helped to neaten up the design as it means that your eye gets drawn into the veg naturally rather than by a harsh thick square framing them. The type reads better in the second one compared to the first even thought its exactly the same. The brown thick frame of the first one leads your eye around the lines rather than reading the type smoothly.

I am still not overly happy with this design outcome, at first it was good but now compared to the others it looks very bland and minimal.

Adjusting the layout of the type has made no real difference.

I thought that making it smaller would make focus the attention on the carrots. Which it does! However it looks more out of place here because it doesn't fit with in context with the other posters where the type is significantly larger.

Again trying colour again which hasn't really worked. 

Making the type bigger just looks ridiculous as it takes away all attention from the carrots.

I made the text a similar size to what it was previously but also gathered a snippet of information to put at the bottom so that it would explain the poster. The poster now feels more weighted and equal throughout compared to before where it was quite top heavy.

Responsive - Food In The Loop: Compost Poster

Composting is a great way to reduce the amount of food that gets wasted whilst also producing nutritious soil for your garden. I began by looking into a range of items that can be composted so that my poster would reflect a wider range.

 All the illustrations were derived from images of the items. A range of compostable objects were chosen not just fruit and veg. The teabag and eggshell were included to show the range of household waste that can be composted. 

The illustrations were created by dividing the item into its basic shapes; as you can see with the mushroom. The layers were then merged together to create the solid shape. Coloured detail has been added to make it clear what the item is however the amount of colours used has been kept to a minimum. This has helped to keep the designs neat and has removed any unnecessary detailing.

The colours chosen have kept the design’s appearance up-beat whilst accurately reflecting the items they help to create. The colour works in sync with the illustrative design. 

The illustrations were then placed into a grid and lined up. The peppers stood out the best so these became the centre focal point.

After all the illustrations were created they were placed into straight vertical lines. The red peppers took centre focus as they were the most colourful illustration. The lines of fruit resemble the options on a slot machine, having the three red peppers as the winning combination. The bright red along with the fact that they are the most detailed item means that they work well as centre of attention. They naturally attract your eye, the other items work in favour of the peppers by complimenting them but not taking away the attention.

The end illustrations were removed so that it would clearly resemble a slot machine where only three lines are shown; the winning line and one either side. This also made room for typography.

The thick lines were too much as it made the illustrations look like they were in a grid not a slot machine. It separated the illustrations out too much.

By making the horizontal lines lighter it has divided the illustrations correctly. They are now viewed as vertical lines.

The slogan 'Composting. You win every time.' has been added to the poster to link the idea of composting and a slot machine. Your chances of winning on a slot machine are pretty thin however with composting there is no down side! 

 The creamy organic background aimed to make the poster look more natural and earthy. However it contrasts heavily with the black type and the dark outlines.

A dark navy background replaced it, this has significantly helped to ground the designs, making the illustrations look stronger and more vibrant. The dark navy however isn’t a suitable colour to resemble compost or food.

The poster perhaps wasn’t clear enough without an explanatory paragraph. The paragraph helps to explain why you win every time with composting. It outlines the harm that is caused by putting food waste in landfill, it also goes into the benefits for the viewer. 

The paragraph is too long and wordy for a poster. It detracts from the design. Viewers would not be persuaded to start a compost bin because the heavy text makes the poster look dull and boring.

The navy blue background has been removed and the paragraph has been shortened to a more digestible chunk. The white background connotes a clean, clinical design where actually compost is the opposite. The design needs to remain clear but have an element of dirt which will link it back to the fact that it is about compost.

A soil background was created on photoshop by using a solid brown as a base. Paint flecks in a two lighter colours were added by using the brush tool. The paint flecks help to add depth to the soil whilst still in keeping with the 2D design of the illustrations. 

However using brown as the whole background does not suit the poster, especially with the food being on a white. It almost looks like the transparent background  option hasn’t been clicked. It is such a stark contrast having soil and then a bright matt white.

A soil background was added to half the poster to help suggest the context it would be in. However this is worse than the background being all soil. It is distracting and the 'You win every time.' stands out more than anything else.

The soil and the white have been reversed so that the soil provides the backing for the composting items. This removes the need for a heavy frame around the grid, it also puts the veg in the context that they would be in - soil. The brown background contrasts with the colours of the fruit and veg which helps to solidify the illustrations, making the colours stand out and grab your attention. The white background keeps everything else neat, it also acts as a frame to the design. By making the type orange it removes all black in the design making it earthy and organic. It also maintains the same style used in the other posters. Having the type in orange on a white background for all the posters means that they work better as a set, the message they portray is clear and legible. The shocking statistic has been put in bold so that the viewers notice that first and then naturally continue to read the paragraph explaining.

Responsive - Food In The Loop: Dig Up, Dig In.

One of the other main areas I wanted to tackle was eating more locally sourced food. This has been divided into two sections; one being buying from local markets and the second is growing your own. I decided to focus on the latter as I thought it would fit in nicely with the compost poster I had previously created showing a full circle of the vegetables life. From being home grown to scraps being put in the compost after.

I had two slogan possibilities which I liked:

'from fork to fork'

Which would show the pitchfork in the ground and then a dinner fork.

'dig up, dig in'

The idea of digging up all your veg and then digging in to a good meal.

I found this image of carrots in the ground and thought it could be a good way of illustrating growing your own veg.

I created a soil background by firstly colouring it a solid brown. Then using the paint splatter brush I chose a lighter and darker brown to splatter across the background. This has created flecks in the soil as seen on the picture. This works better than a solid colour as it breaks it up, it also gives the soil more depth whilst still retaining the 2D qualities of the illustrations.

A quick mock up on Illustrator to check that the idea would work before continuing any further. The soil looks a lot better with the specks added. The carrots look clear and the orange works nicely with the brown soil to provide an earthy natural organic feel.

The fork was created on Illustrator using basic shapes to begin with. They were all then merged to create one out line. I decided to round all the sharp corners so that it would fit with the smooth illustrations of the fruit. No corners were used when designing the fruit so this would contradict the design and create inconstancies. 

The first time I rounded all the corners it did not look like enough. I went back through it and recurved them so that there would be a more obvious curve making the fork look smoother.

Playing around with having the fork just touching the ground before digging. This would fit the poster as an instruction; Dig up. Dig in. 

The type has been added as well as light blue to symbol the sky. However it clashed with both the orange and the green in the design already. By reverting it to white the orange and green were not dulled down and their colour shows more vibrancy.

This is the final poster design. The simple bold text speaks clearly as the illustration depicts. The light grey fork blends well into the design as it doesn't detract from the type and the carrots but is a nice extra that fits well in a blank space. The poster may not be understood as well without text underneath explaining like the compost poster. However it would be ruined with body copy on as this would steal the attention away from the design. When I enter the poster it will be in context with food sustainability so the message will be clear to those viewing.