Below are a few of the final images taken at the photoshoot.
The whole pack
Leaflet folded
Leaflet Back
Leaflet Front Stretched Out
Badges
Postcards
T-shirts
Research Books
Thursday 21 May 2015
Product, Range and Distribution: Evaluation
I have throughly enjoyed this project not only for the design challenges but also for the amount of knowledge I have learnt in the process. I now have a much better understanding about the NSA and government surveillance, I came to really enjoy the researching aspect as it was refreshing to learn about a current problem in great detail. I enjoyed having to narrow my research down constantly throughout the design process to arrive at a specific problem. I chose to focus my campaign on online privacy as the more I researched the more this seemed like a big problem. Researching into existing campaigns proved interesting as there didn't seem to be any strong conceptual design against online surveillance. This surprised me but also gave me a strong incentive to create aesthetically and conceptually sound campaign which could be implemented in reality.
Throughout the range of products each design has been carefully considered to relate back to the message of privacy. The postcards are a good example of this where a message has been printed under the stamp positioning. This relates back to a historical example of privacy invasion in the war, the letters were monitored so soldiers would write under the stamp as a way of secretly messaging. This is an extra touch which reinforces the campaigns message.
I wanted to use graphic design as a way to solve a problem. Although it can't solve all online privacy issues I have been able to use it to solve one. I created small stickers to cover the computers built in camera, after a discovering a few different issues in the past where people's cameras have been hacked. These stickers as supposed to be reassuring to the user. I found being able to use graphics to solve a problem really rewarding as I have designed something with a purpose that people will actually use.
A range of technical skills have been applied to the range of products; this has produced a variety of designs on different platforms to support the campaign. Branching out from purely digital production has really benefited the project because it has made the concept a lot stronger. Each medium shares the campaigns message in a different way. The electronic poster for example allowed me to break up the message into different slides and show the focus of the campaign in a physical way; by not being able to read the letters, then it becoming clear and finally the type being covered with redaction lines. This shows how the campaign is fighting for encryption and privacy to return. This is the unique benefit of digital work as it would not be possible to send the same message in one poster or by creating something by hand.
The range of technical skills used has not only benefited the strength of the project but has also benefited me as a designer. I have pushed myself to try as many new techniques as possible whilst making sure they are all appropriate for the campaigns style and message. For example I have taught myself how to use photoshop to create a moving poster, this was very rewarding as I was able to see it quickly progress and develop. I have also used this opportunity to improve current skills like screen-printing. Although I have screen-printed in the past, this has been a great opportunity to branch out and explore screen printing onto different materials that I haven't tried before such as bags and T-shirts. I found this challenging as quite a bit went wrong in the production, however it has been a really valuable learning curve and I feel a lot more confident in my ability to screen-print onto material now.
Cheaper products have also been produced to support the campaign. Both badges and stickers are great ways of showing support to a campaign as they
are inexpensive to produce and could potentially be made in bulk and distributed widely. They do not take up a large amount of room on a bag or T-shirt but they are easily recognisable and show that a person endorses the campaign.
I have managed my time well, I have set myself targets throughout the project. In the longer term this helped me to plan when I want certain pieces of work done by, I found it easier to work to a set deadline as it gave me a good idea of how far into the project I was. On a daily basis I also wrote extensive lists which helped to break down the brief into smaller manageable chunks. Organising my time well has meant that I have been able to produce a substantial body of work in support of the campaign. I allocated a considerable amount of time to research as it was a topic I knew very little on and wanted to make sure I had a good understanding of it before trying to communicate the problem to others. This has really benefited the designs by outlining a clear issue, from here I was able to create work that tackles and raises awareness about the specific problem - online privacy.
I have also been more organised in the way I design. I have dedicated a sketch book to the project and used it throughout to sketch out ideas and designs. This has helped me to plan everything throughout the campaign and has also kept all my thoughts and ideas in one place. It has been really useful to refer to ideas that were jotted down in the past as I have been able to recycle them and make them appropriate for the campaign. For example, I jotted down one idea which was blurring the line between public and private, this was initially meant for a poster however the composition didn't work and it didn't suit a poster format. Flicking through the sketch book later gave me the idea to recycle it but in the form of a postcard; where it fits a lot better. The sketch book has really helped my project and development as a designer; this is something that will be implemented in future projects.
One of the things I have struggled with in this brief is working without, or with very little, colour. This is something I am not really used to doing as all my previous designs have involved a range of colours. I enjoyed the challenge and I made a conscious decision to work mainly in black and white because it suited the campaign. The campaign didn't need a huge amount of colour as it wasn't an overly cheery message. Red and blue were used when appropriate as this was aimed to make a statement about the United States of America.
If more time was available I would like to explore creating an app in order to extend and support the campaign. The app would be downloadable for free and allow people to keep up to date with the campaign on the go as it would act as almost a case file. In an ideal world it would have downloadable software which makes you invisible online; this would use graphic design as a solution to the problem.
Overall I have found this brief very rewarding and challenging. Self directing meant that I could allocate as little or as much time to it as I wanted to; it was in my hands to find a good balance as well as making sure everything was completed on time. I chose to spend a longer period of time on the project mainly because I really enjoyed creating it. It is rare for a brief to have so many appropriate and different design platforms open, I really wanted to make the most of this opportunity to experiment.
Throughout the range of products each design has been carefully considered to relate back to the message of privacy. The postcards are a good example of this where a message has been printed under the stamp positioning. This relates back to a historical example of privacy invasion in the war, the letters were monitored so soldiers would write under the stamp as a way of secretly messaging. This is an extra touch which reinforces the campaigns message.
I wanted to use graphic design as a way to solve a problem. Although it can't solve all online privacy issues I have been able to use it to solve one. I created small stickers to cover the computers built in camera, after a discovering a few different issues in the past where people's cameras have been hacked. These stickers as supposed to be reassuring to the user. I found being able to use graphics to solve a problem really rewarding as I have designed something with a purpose that people will actually use.
A range of technical skills have been applied to the range of products; this has produced a variety of designs on different platforms to support the campaign. Branching out from purely digital production has really benefited the project because it has made the concept a lot stronger. Each medium shares the campaigns message in a different way. The electronic poster for example allowed me to break up the message into different slides and show the focus of the campaign in a physical way; by not being able to read the letters, then it becoming clear and finally the type being covered with redaction lines. This shows how the campaign is fighting for encryption and privacy to return. This is the unique benefit of digital work as it would not be possible to send the same message in one poster or by creating something by hand.
The range of technical skills used has not only benefited the strength of the project but has also benefited me as a designer. I have pushed myself to try as many new techniques as possible whilst making sure they are all appropriate for the campaigns style and message. For example I have taught myself how to use photoshop to create a moving poster, this was very rewarding as I was able to see it quickly progress and develop. I have also used this opportunity to improve current skills like screen-printing. Although I have screen-printed in the past, this has been a great opportunity to branch out and explore screen printing onto different materials that I haven't tried before such as bags and T-shirts. I found this challenging as quite a bit went wrong in the production, however it has been a really valuable learning curve and I feel a lot more confident in my ability to screen-print onto material now.
Cheaper products have also been produced to support the campaign. Both badges and stickers are great ways of showing support to a campaign as they
are inexpensive to produce and could potentially be made in bulk and distributed widely. They do not take up a large amount of room on a bag or T-shirt but they are easily recognisable and show that a person endorses the campaign.
I have managed my time well, I have set myself targets throughout the project. In the longer term this helped me to plan when I want certain pieces of work done by, I found it easier to work to a set deadline as it gave me a good idea of how far into the project I was. On a daily basis I also wrote extensive lists which helped to break down the brief into smaller manageable chunks. Organising my time well has meant that I have been able to produce a substantial body of work in support of the campaign. I allocated a considerable amount of time to research as it was a topic I knew very little on and wanted to make sure I had a good understanding of it before trying to communicate the problem to others. This has really benefited the designs by outlining a clear issue, from here I was able to create work that tackles and raises awareness about the specific problem - online privacy.
I have also been more organised in the way I design. I have dedicated a sketch book to the project and used it throughout to sketch out ideas and designs. This has helped me to plan everything throughout the campaign and has also kept all my thoughts and ideas in one place. It has been really useful to refer to ideas that were jotted down in the past as I have been able to recycle them and make them appropriate for the campaign. For example, I jotted down one idea which was blurring the line between public and private, this was initially meant for a poster however the composition didn't work and it didn't suit a poster format. Flicking through the sketch book later gave me the idea to recycle it but in the form of a postcard; where it fits a lot better. The sketch book has really helped my project and development as a designer; this is something that will be implemented in future projects.
One of the things I have struggled with in this brief is working without, or with very little, colour. This is something I am not really used to doing as all my previous designs have involved a range of colours. I enjoyed the challenge and I made a conscious decision to work mainly in black and white because it suited the campaign. The campaign didn't need a huge amount of colour as it wasn't an overly cheery message. Red and blue were used when appropriate as this was aimed to make a statement about the United States of America.
If more time was available I would like to explore creating an app in order to extend and support the campaign. The app would be downloadable for free and allow people to keep up to date with the campaign on the go as it would act as almost a case file. In an ideal world it would have downloadable software which makes you invisible online; this would use graphic design as a solution to the problem.
Overall I have found this brief very rewarding and challenging. Self directing meant that I could allocate as little or as much time to it as I wanted to; it was in my hands to find a good balance as well as making sure everything was completed on time. I chose to spend a longer period of time on the project mainly because I really enjoyed creating it. It is rare for a brief to have so many appropriate and different design platforms open, I really wanted to make the most of this opportunity to experiment.
Thursday 14 May 2015
Product, Range and Distribution - Part 2: Leaflet
The leaflet will be vital to the campaign pack. It will inform and educate the public about what is happening and will also provide background information to the other designs. Now that the content is beginning to collect, I have decided to experiment with the design aspect.
I don't want the leaflet to be a boring or normal design that simply shows the information. I want to create something memorable which fits with the campaign. One idea was to create a concertina fold so that the design would say one thing when shut, when opened the sentence would extend and it would say another. Below I have sketched up what this should look like.
Closed it could say We Want Privacy Back. This is the whole focus of the campaign and should be made clear to the reader. Once opened it would then change and say We Want Mass Surveillance to Stop. Bring Privacy Back. This will need some tweaking, however the conceptual idea is there. This both communicates the message of the campaign whilst providing a memorable interactive element. There perhaps should be a linking statement between the two; something along the lines of 'we are not suspects', this would explain why we want mass surveillance to stop and give a reason to why we want privacy back.
Here is a quick mock up I have made of the leaflet, this has allowed me to see where all the information would be placed. This mock up is 10cm squares however the actual document will be 15cm as this provides more room for information. One side will include all the information, about the campaign has purposefully been placed on the back of the design so that it's the first thing viewers read. When the sides are opened more information will appear, such as about the NSA/Edward Snowdon, Facts, How to protect yourself online and how to support the campaign.
Although this won't be fully inclusive it gives enough of an overview for the reader to understand. A link to website and also social media will be made clear so that they can further their understanding and show their support/share the campaign.
I don't want the leaflet to be a boring or normal design that simply shows the information. I want to create something memorable which fits with the campaign. One idea was to create a concertina fold so that the design would say one thing when shut, when opened the sentence would extend and it would say another. Below I have sketched up what this should look like.
Closed it could say We Want Privacy Back. This is the whole focus of the campaign and should be made clear to the reader. Once opened it would then change and say We Want Mass Surveillance to Stop. Bring Privacy Back. This will need some tweaking, however the conceptual idea is there. This both communicates the message of the campaign whilst providing a memorable interactive element. There perhaps should be a linking statement between the two; something along the lines of 'we are not suspects', this would explain why we want mass surveillance to stop and give a reason to why we want privacy back.
Although this won't be fully inclusive it gives enough of an overview for the reader to understand. A link to website and also social media will be made clear so that they can further their understanding and show their support/share the campaign.
This is what the back of the leaflet will look like with all the content put in to the design. The lines won't be printed but just show where the leaflet would be folded.
Writing the whole thing in ZXX looked too heavy. The tracking looks odd because of the sentence structures. Speaking to Ness she suggested that I should try a ransom style letter instead. This would fit in with the collaged hand cut out effect used on the first poster design.
Here the sentences are created out of the ransom lettering. The range of different type faces and colouring creates an interesting visual display of type.
Once put into context the ransom doesn't seem to work. This is because of the colours are too bright; they are clashing with each other and make the page look busy. The composition doesn't work either, the varying sizes of type make the message unclear.
The saturation of the ransom lettering has been lowered so that the colours appear more dull, making the range of colours closer together. The size of each word has been changed so that every word is clear, easy to read and a similar size. The typographic layout has been centralised making the hierarchy clearer whilst removing inconstancies within the type layout.
"We are not suspects" has also been displayed in ransom lettering. This has filled the gap and continued the theme throughout the design.
Wednesday 13 May 2015
Product, Range and Distribution - Part 2: Gathering Content for Leaflet
I want to create a leaflet which I can put in my pack. This will give people more information about The Eagle's Eye but also explain what has happened with the NSA and Edward Snowdon.
I have bullet pointed what I will need to include in the leaflet. I will then gather all the content before beginning designing so that I know how much I have to work with.
• Who/what is The Eagle's Eye
• The aim of the campaign
• What the problem is/what we are fighting
• The NSA
• Edward Snowden
• How you can protect yourself?
• How can you help?
It is important to get the structure and content of the book correct. The content can be placed in an effective order which will support the case and give the situation more depth whilst making it easier to understand.First explaining about the campaign and the problem so that people have a brief understanding of what the campaign is fighting. Then moving on to who the NSA and what they have done. Edward Snowdon should be covered as he has had the most fundamental roll in revealing the mass surveillance. Next should be some shocking or interesting facts, these will have more meaning if people have a bit of prior background knowledge. From here the book should cover how people can protect themselves and finally how they can help. In this section the campaign pack could be promoted as the money made would go back into funding the campaign. Links to websites and social media should also be clear and obvious to the reader. Social media has a huge impact on the success of campaigns, if a cause wants to go viral they will not succeed without it. Making the links obvious will guide the reader to showing their support online, after reading the book content the reader should feel like they want to join the campaign.
Who/What/Aim
The nonprofit think tank New America Foundation published a report today after investigating the 227 Al Qaeda-affiliated people or groups that have been charged for committing an act of terrorism in the US since 9/11. It found just 17 of the cases were credited to NSA surveillance, and just one conviction came out of the government's extra-controversial practice of spying on its own citizens.
US dramatically expands definition of terrorist—new guidelines state
that “concrete facts are not necessary” and profiling is acceptable.
First Look, July 23, 2014
1.5 million people added to the Terrorism Watch List in the last 5 years—and
have no legal recourse or way of challenging their status.
Associated Press, July 18, 2014
Snowden: Dropbox is a NSA surveillance target.
Boing Boing, July 18, 2014NSA spies routinely share nude photos collected during surveillance.
The Guardian, July 17, 2014
At least 80% of all audio calls, not just metadata, are recorded and
stored in the US.
The Guardian, July 10, 2014
NSA uses video-game style ‘reward points’ to encourage employees to
do more spying.
Washington Post, June 18, 2014
I have bullet pointed what I will need to include in the leaflet. I will then gather all the content before beginning designing so that I know how much I have to work with.
• Who/what is The Eagle's Eye
• The aim of the campaign
• What the problem is/what we are fighting
• The NSA
• Edward Snowden
• How you can protect yourself?
• How can you help?
It is important to get the structure and content of the book correct. The content can be placed in an effective order which will support the case and give the situation more depth whilst making it easier to understand.First explaining about the campaign and the problem so that people have a brief understanding of what the campaign is fighting. Then moving on to who the NSA and what they have done. Edward Snowdon should be covered as he has had the most fundamental roll in revealing the mass surveillance. Next should be some shocking or interesting facts, these will have more meaning if people have a bit of prior background knowledge. From here the book should cover how people can protect themselves and finally how they can help. In this section the campaign pack could be promoted as the money made would go back into funding the campaign. Links to websites and social media should also be clear and obvious to the reader. Social media has a huge impact on the success of campaigns, if a cause wants to go viral they will not succeed without it. Making the links obvious will guide the reader to showing their support online, after reading the book content the reader should feel like they want to join the campaign.
Who/What/Aim
The Eagle’s Eye is a campaign to raise awareness and put an end to mass online surveillance focusing mainly on our online privacy. After 9/11 the laws on government surveillance loosened and they were given more rights to prevent further attacks. However this means that all our meta data is being stored: basically everything we do and say online is now being collected. This information is collected from our telephone companies, internet providers and is stored for years. Access is available for law enforcement's like the FBI, without need for a warrant. This issue has caused uproar for many reasons from the wrong people having access to your information, to your naked pictures being saved and past around the staff.
We don’t think this is acceptable or ethical and we need to fight to get our privacy back. We want to raise awareness so that more people know whats going on, and then we can fight for the change we need to see.
Bring Privacy Back.
About the NSA
• more indepth since 911 - interview with ex employees
• increased surveillance because of 'terrorist threats'
Facts & Sources
Below are the facts that I am going to include in my booklet. There are links to the sources below.
that “concrete facts are not necessary” and profiling is acceptable.
First Look, July 23, 2014
1.5 million people added to the Terrorism Watch List in the last 5 years—and
have no legal recourse or way of challenging their status.
Associated Press, July 18, 2014
Snowden: Dropbox is a NSA surveillance target.
Boing Boing, July 18, 2014NSA spies routinely share nude photos collected during surveillance.
The Guardian, July 17, 2014
At least 80% of all audio calls, not just metadata, are recorded and
stored in the US.
The Guardian, July 10, 2014
NSA uses video-game style ‘reward points’ to encourage employees to
do more spying.
Washington Post, June 18, 2014
Tuesday 12 May 2015
Product, Range and Distribution - Part 2: Creating a Moving Poster
So far the range of campaign work produced has all been physical. I wanted to create a digital piece of work to expand the range into another format.
Creating a digital poster will open up a lot more options in the way I can design; it means I am able to communicate with an audience by only revealing certain information at a time.
Sketch Idea
Here is a quick sketch mock up of the poster I wanted to produce. The idea was that the text would appear a word at a time. After creating the postcards I have decided to change the slogan to Bring Privacy Back. This is a lot snappier, easier to say and is better condensed into three words; again, fitting in with the three redacted lines. The 4th slide would be the whole text but in a range of the ZXX font. This would make it hard to read and would fit with the statement Bring Privacy Back because the end of the video would be using the font designed to maintain privacy.
After drawing the transition out, I decided it would actually look better the other way around. Although the first design fits the statement more, it would be more intriguing for passers by if the words flashed up but made no sense. They are not able to properly read or understand it, this too can represent maintaining the privacy. At the end it would quickly flash up in a clear font what the statement said.
I had no clue on how to make the moving poster so above is the youtube tutorial I have watched before creating it.
Final Moving Poster
Here is the final poster which would be displayed on the London underground and on other electronic poster boards. The poster moves through the slides relatively quickly and would be on a loop. The slides move quicker at the end when they flash up what it says so that people have less time to read it.
The poster like the other range of products really focuses around the point of privacy. The type being hard to read at the beginning in ZXX shows the audience how our personal information and messages should be; hard to read, encrypted and private.
The three redacted lines that appear at the end and cover the text resemble the restoration of privacy. It completely hides the the text making it impossible to read or see, this is symbolic to bringing back privacy.
Distribution
This digital poster can be used on the electronic poster screens in London. The screens that are spread along the duration of the escalator would be an ideal spot because of the sheer volume of people who would see it. The poster would be seen by thousands and its unclear message at the beginning would grab the viewers attention and keep their focus, especially as they have nothing else to watch.
Target Audience
The target audience in this case will be a broad range of people who pass the design. Some people will pay more attention than others and would hopefully question the slogan.
Sunday 10 May 2015
Covered: Evaluation
Overall this project has been very enjoyable. I have always had an interest in philosophy and enjoy reading and learning about it in my spare time. This brief was a great opportunity for my to combine two of passions; graphic design and philosophy.
Being able to choose a book which I love has made the project even more enjoyable. Not many philosophy books have interesting or even good covers; they normally look quite boring and don't often reflect the philosophy inside. It was an great challenge to update the book cover to make the book more appealing to a new audience. I was able to use prior knowledge about the book and its running themes to create a concept for the design pretty quickly.
Being able to create the design quickly after a few sketches may have been the one downside of this project. I knew from the beginning which philosopher I wanted to do and quickly identified a running theme to base the design around. I don't feel like I fully explored a few different avenues before picking one. If I could change anything it would be to research into more philosophers and perhaps think of more covers.
However considering the time limit for this project and the sheer amount of work on, being 100% sure on the book has really helped to focus my research into the conceptual aspects of the design. I was able to dedicate more time to reading the book and really understanding it, this meant that the design is a lot more thought through and every design element is justified.
The design has been printed on a fine linen stock from G.F Smith, this paper was chosen to reinforce the traditional book style. The colour has printed more of a teal instead of the intended green. However the texture of the paper has really shown through and different colours can be seen within the design.
Even though I haven't been able to carry out as much experimentation and exploration into other ideas, I feel like I made the right choice to focus my energy on one design. I have really enjoyed this brief and I am happy with the outcome. It has a strong concept behind the design and every element has been carefully considered.
Being able to choose a book which I love has made the project even more enjoyable. Not many philosophy books have interesting or even good covers; they normally look quite boring and don't often reflect the philosophy inside. It was an great challenge to update the book cover to make the book more appealing to a new audience. I was able to use prior knowledge about the book and its running themes to create a concept for the design pretty quickly.
Being able to create the design quickly after a few sketches may have been the one downside of this project. I knew from the beginning which philosopher I wanted to do and quickly identified a running theme to base the design around. I don't feel like I fully explored a few different avenues before picking one. If I could change anything it would be to research into more philosophers and perhaps think of more covers.
However considering the time limit for this project and the sheer amount of work on, being 100% sure on the book has really helped to focus my research into the conceptual aspects of the design. I was able to dedicate more time to reading the book and really understanding it, this meant that the design is a lot more thought through and every design element is justified.
The design has been printed on a fine linen stock from G.F Smith, this paper was chosen to reinforce the traditional book style. The colour has printed more of a teal instead of the intended green. However the texture of the paper has really shown through and different colours can be seen within the design.
Even though I haven't been able to carry out as much experimentation and exploration into other ideas, I feel like I made the right choice to focus my energy on one design. I have really enjoyed this brief and I am happy with the outcome. It has a strong concept behind the design and every element has been carefully considered.
Product, Range and Distribution - Part 2: Postcards
Postcard Idea 1
Ages ago in my sketch book I drew up a few ideas for a poster around the fact that the line between privacy and public has been blurred and its not really clear whether information that you choose to put online should still be classed as private.
The idea wasn't substantial enough for a poster. However I have decided to recycle the idea and use it as a design for a postcard instead. The postcard has better dimensions for this design and the message becomes more powerful.
Originally I tried placing the public over privacy to show how private things have now been replaced or re-classed as public. This design isn't visually strong and it makes privacy hard to read. The design doesn't fit in with the idea of the lines being blurred.
Spreading the type out so that the two sections are clearly divided. Public has been written in bold to draw the viewers attention showing that information is now classed or seen as public rather than private. The message of the design is good but it needs to use some form of blurring to reinforce the caption underneath.
"The NSA - blurring the line between private and public since 2001." plays of the way companies proudly announce how long they have been doing something, for example "Heinz creating the best ketchup since 1876". This tongue in cheek tone highlights a problem with the NSA and slates them whilst presenting the information as if it were in favour of them.
Blurring 'private' has helped the public to look sharper and clearer.
By blurring 'public' but not to the same extent as the 'private' this has helped to illustrate the blurring of the two categories. Allowing 'private' to be more blurred shows that is its fading from privacy to public.
Back
The back needed to include a set place for the stamp, room for an address and also a brief overview about the campaign so that people could understand the postcard in its context. A link has also been included to the website so that people can google what the campaign is about in greater detail.
In the war, soldiers used to write under the stamp or on the back of the stamp as a way of sending a real message home. At the time every letter was read and checked over, secrets and information were not allowed to be divulged. By writing under the stamp it stops the authorities reading whilst being able to contact home secretly. Here is a link with some really interesting stories where soldiers wrote under the stamps, what they said and why they did it.
This links incredibly well with the aim of the campaign. It is a nice extra touch which drives home the idea that we are being monitored and they are watching over what we do and say.
The coloured logo stands out terribly compared to the rest. The logo itself looks huge whilst the type underneath is barely legible.
Using the black and white smaller version of the logo has removed the attention away from the corner. The information about the campaign takes up an appropriate amount of room leaving space for the users personal message.
Postcard Idea 2
The second postcard involves the design created to reflect the NSA spying over us.
Bring back our privacy sums up what the campaign is about. The design supports the slogan by showing how the world is still being watched through the keyhole.
Product, Range and Distribution - Part 2: Design Plan
At the moment the range of designs I have produced feel very disjointed from each other. By writing a design plan I am hoping that it will clearly link the designs and create a stronger campaign. It will give me something to refer to as well as to look back on and see how closely I work to the plan.
The purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness about mass online surveillance and to put an end to it (slightly optimistic). The centre focus will be privacy. Since 911 the NSA have been given more powers when it comes to the collection of data. The idea of privacy is slowly disappearing as they surveil over our emails, calls, search history and everything else we do or say online.
Bring Privacy Back works as a slogan as it is short snappy and memorable. The slogan makes an obvious point - privacy is no longer here. This will make a lot of people question it and perhaps even doubt it "I have privacy...etc". No matter how the slogan is taken it would spark a reaction or at least get people thinking.
Privacy has already been touched on in the poster design. This could be redesigned to refit with the black and white theme of the later work. Black and white would be cheaper to print, allowing more designs to be printed and distributed.
The repetition of the redacted lines throughout the project connotes the idea of maintaining privacy. This is a strong visual element which reinforces the focal point of the campaign - privacy.
The triangular design although perhaps slightly hipster will be affective as it aesthetically pleasing design means that people would be more likely to buy and use the products. By not including the campaigns name the design retains a level of mystery to what it is a visual expression of. People wearing the T-shirt would catch other people's attention and spark a conversation, this is one way of spreading word about the campaign.
Both the use of the redacted lines and the triangular pattern forms the designs into a solid campaign. Applying them to a range of products will help to spread the word and message of the campaign. A slogan along the lines of 'Bring Privacy Back' would perfectly sum up what the campaign is about whilst fitting in with the simple designs.
The whole campaign will focus around the idea of bringing back privacy. Interactive or changing elements running throughout the design will help to portray this and will be a physical example of returning the privacy.
A range of products will be created to support the campaign and also to distribute the message. T-shirts and Tote bags will be screen printed and act as a walking advertisement for the campaign. As more people begin to use the products it will make people question the design's meaning. Postcards will travel the country or even the world spreading information about the campaign to a wider audience. The post card removes the use of technology reverting back to the traditional methods of writing and sending in the post. This is a strong statement in a world so heavily reliant on technology. It is much easier to send an email or a text but by using the post card removes the need for technology. Badges can be easily worn or attached to something to show support for the campaign. A range of badges have been created to highlight the campaigns message. The designs have been kept simple as they are in a 3cm radius and must remain clear from a distance. Two types of stickers will be created; firstly a range of stickers using the designs which people can stick anywhere to show support for the campaign. Secondly small 1cm circular stickers will be created with the purpose of covering the built in camera on a computer. This idea has sparked from the same news story that inspired The Eagle's Eye logo here. This sticker design will once again highlight and reinforce the idea of wanting privacy online, by using graphics to form a solution to the problem.
Next Steps:
• Redesign Poster
• Postcards
• Badges
• Stickers
The purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness about mass online surveillance and to put an end to it (slightly optimistic). The centre focus will be privacy. Since 911 the NSA have been given more powers when it comes to the collection of data. The idea of privacy is slowly disappearing as they surveil over our emails, calls, search history and everything else we do or say online.
Bring Privacy Back works as a slogan as it is short snappy and memorable. The slogan makes an obvious point - privacy is no longer here. This will make a lot of people question it and perhaps even doubt it "I have privacy...etc". No matter how the slogan is taken it would spark a reaction or at least get people thinking.
Privacy has already been touched on in the poster design. This could be redesigned to refit with the black and white theme of the later work. Black and white would be cheaper to print, allowing more designs to be printed and distributed.
The repetition of the redacted lines throughout the project connotes the idea of maintaining privacy. This is a strong visual element which reinforces the focal point of the campaign - privacy.
The triangular design although perhaps slightly hipster will be affective as it aesthetically pleasing design means that people would be more likely to buy and use the products. By not including the campaigns name the design retains a level of mystery to what it is a visual expression of. People wearing the T-shirt would catch other people's attention and spark a conversation, this is one way of spreading word about the campaign.
Both the use of the redacted lines and the triangular pattern forms the designs into a solid campaign. Applying them to a range of products will help to spread the word and message of the campaign. A slogan along the lines of 'Bring Privacy Back' would perfectly sum up what the campaign is about whilst fitting in with the simple designs.
The whole campaign will focus around the idea of bringing back privacy. Interactive or changing elements running throughout the design will help to portray this and will be a physical example of returning the privacy.
A range of products will be created to support the campaign and also to distribute the message. T-shirts and Tote bags will be screen printed and act as a walking advertisement for the campaign. As more people begin to use the products it will make people question the design's meaning. Postcards will travel the country or even the world spreading information about the campaign to a wider audience. The post card removes the use of technology reverting back to the traditional methods of writing and sending in the post. This is a strong statement in a world so heavily reliant on technology. It is much easier to send an email or a text but by using the post card removes the need for technology. Badges can be easily worn or attached to something to show support for the campaign. A range of badges have been created to highlight the campaigns message. The designs have been kept simple as they are in a 3cm radius and must remain clear from a distance. Two types of stickers will be created; firstly a range of stickers using the designs which people can stick anywhere to show support for the campaign. Secondly small 1cm circular stickers will be created with the purpose of covering the built in camera on a computer. This idea has sparked from the same news story that inspired The Eagle's Eye logo here. This sticker design will once again highlight and reinforce the idea of wanting privacy online, by using graphics to form a solution to the problem.
Next Steps:
• Redesign Poster
• Postcards
• Badges
• Stickers
Friday 8 May 2015
Covered: Final Outcomes
Poster for Exhibition
Whole Book Cover
Nietzsche speaks about a 'herd mentality', simply he uses this to refer to people who act as if they were in a herd. He mainly criticises Christianity for upholding and fostering a herd mentality. Like a herd, Nietzsche see's Christians to be docile and condemns their instinct to follow. He argues that contemporary society is doomed to fall into nihilism because of the values Christianity holds.
Nietzsche believes that the notion of a God has arisen because of man's need for comfort rather than a desire to seek the truth. In the first chapter of the book Nietzsche argues about how humans favour untruth over truth. We tell ourselves a lie rather than living in reality.
The use of sheep to represent the herd was a conscious decision. Sheep have a strong instinct to follow the sheep in front of them. When one sheep decides to go somewhere, the rest of the flock usually follows, even if it is not a good "decision." For example, sheep will follow each other to slaughter. If one sheep jumps over a cliff, the others are likely to follow. Even from birth, lambs are conditioned to follow the older members of the flock. This instinct is "hard-wired" into sheep. It's not something they "think" about. This is similar in some respects to Christianity, Nietzsche criticises them for not questioning their religion.
The sheep was also chosen to represent the herd because of its symbolic meaning to both Nietzsche and Christians. As previously stated Nietzsche see's Christians as sheep for their more detrimental qualities. Christians, on the other hand see the sheep as a symbolic representation of 'God's people'. Exactly like Nietzsche they refer to themselves as sheep but for completely different reasons. They view being a sheep in a positive light because they are subservient to God.
Sheep are mentioned in the Bible more than 500 times, more than any other animal. The prominence of sheep in the Bible grows out of two realities. Sheep were important to the nomads and agricultural life of the Hebrews and similar peoples. Secondly, sheep are used throughout the Bible to symbolically refer to God's people.
The colour green has been chosen to represent the pasture that the sheep are on. A lightish vibrant green has been chosen as this makes both the black and the white stand out. The green is refreshing and immediately makes the design look
contemporary. It makes the book look more interesting by lifting the overall brightness.
Whilst the colour and sheep pattern create a contemporary feel, the type maintains and reflects the classic book. The typeface Goudy was selected for this book because it perfectly reflects Nietzsche's philosophy. The book was written in 1886, at a time where philosophy was seen as an interest and subject for the elite. The typeface emanates a strong sense of class, affluence and antiquity. The ampersand especially draws the eye in creating an interesting central focal point.
In the way of stock, I have chosen Fine Linen from G.F Smith. The stock's texture is similar to that of an old or classic book. The stock will also help to reflect the books traditional qualities.
A dust jacket format has been adopted rather than a paper back style. This means that all the information fits on without breaking the pattern or making the page too heavy. The information is a lot clearer and easier to read once broken into two separate sides. Using the dust jacket has also allowed more information to be included.
Thursday 7 May 2015
Covered: Green
Originally I was struggling to choose the right shade of green to suit the book design. After speaking to Danny we established it needed to be a lighter green so that the black and white of the sheep would stand well against. The dark green that I had chosen blended in with the black detailing on the sheep making the pattern less clear.
After using the pantone books I was able to select the right shade green. The sheep are clear and stand out from the background. The colour is contemporary and fun, making the cover look more interesting.
Wednesday 6 May 2015
Covered: Designing the Cover
Before I start designing the sides I have found a list of things that can and/or should be included on the book. In the brief it says a completed jacket design, so I want to know what should actually be included.
Back
Back
•If your book will sell through retail source it will need to include a bar code generated from an ISBN# unique to your book title.
All of the other items below are optional.
• Title and subtitle of the book are optional but recommended
• Promotional text or a synopsis of the book
• Quotations from reviewers – especially if they are from recognizable sources
• Brief author biographical information – About the Author – can include small photo
• ISBN Bar Code
• Publishers name is optional or may be represented by an emblem or device (colophone)
• Publisher or author web site address
• Photographer or illustrator credit (optional or placed in tiny print along the side of the spine)
Additional for Dust Jacket:
• Title and subtitle of the book are optional but recommended
• Promotional text or a synopsis of the book
• Quotations from reviewers – especially if they are from recognizable sources
• Brief author biographical information – About the Author – can include small photo
• ISBN Bar Code
• Publishers name is optional or may be represented by an emblem or device (colophone)
• Publisher or author web site address
• Photographer or illustrator credit (optional or placed in tiny print along the side of the spine)
Additional for Dust Jacket:
The inside flaps of the dust jacket can be left blank – or here are a few ideas of what you can include.
Front Inside Flap:• An interesting short quotations from the book
• Photos or small images – an excellent place to carry over your design elements
• Quotations from reviewers – quotes not used on the back cover
Back Inside Flap:• Short author bio with or without a photo
• Photos or small images – an excellent place to carry over your design • Additional books by the same author with small cover images
• Cover designer or photographer credit
Front Inside Flap:• An interesting short quotations from the book
• Photos or small images – an excellent place to carry over your design elements
• Quotations from reviewers – quotes not used on the back cover
Back Inside Flap:• Short author bio with or without a photo
• Photos or small images – an excellent place to carry over your design • Additional books by the same author with small cover images
• Cover designer or photographer credit
This list has been really helpful in deciding what to put on the book cover. I like the idea of having a bit out of the book in the very front. A bit about the Nietzsche could be useful to include especially for new readers. A review from a recognisable source would also help to promote the book.
I have already gathered some information for the book cover for my previous design:
Quote
‘What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.’
The Blurb
Beyond Good and Evil confirmed Nietzsche’s position as the towering European philosopher of his age. The work dramatically rejects the tradition of Western thought with its notions of truth and God, good and evil. Nietzsche demonstrates that the Christian world is steeped in a false piety and infected with a ‘slave morality’. With wit and energy, he turns from this critique to a philosophy that celebrates the present and demands that the individual imposes their own ‘will to power’ upon the world.
Barcode
About
I have copied this word for word from my version of the book.
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was born in Rocken, Saxony, and educated at the universities of Bonn and Leipzig. At the age of only 24 he was appointed Professor of Classical Philology at the University of Basle, but prolonged bouts of ill health forced him to resign from his post in 1879. Over the next decade he shuttled between the Swiss Alps and the Mediterranean coast, devoting himself entirely to thinking and writing. His early books and pamphlets (The Birth of Tragedy, Untimely Meditations) were heavily influenced by Wagner and Schopenhauer, but from Human, All Too Human (1878) on, his thought began to develop more independently, and he published a series of ground-breaking philosophical works (The Gay Science, Thus Spake Zarathustra, Beyond Good and Evil, On the Genealogy of Morals) which culminated in a frenzy of production in the closing months of 1888. In January 1889 Nietzsche suffered a mental breakdown from which he was never to recover, and he died in Weimar eleven years later.
After writing it out, I might not actually use it. I think it could be too much text. Instead I can use:
Written in his most masterful style, full of irreverence and brio, Nietzsche dissects self-deluding human behaviour, bankrupt intellectual traditions, and the symptoms of social decadence, while at the same time advancing an extra-moral wisdom to be shared by those kindred soul who think 'beyond good and evil'.
This new translation of Beyond Good and Evil provides readers with a true classic of modernity that sums up those forces and counterforces in nineteenth-century Western Civilisation that to an astonishing degree have also determined and continue to inform the course of our own century.
Dust Jacket Experimentations
This is the first of the final book covers. It will work as a template but certain smaller elements need to be altered. The colour green is one element which needs to be sorted out. I also need to decide whether to alter the sheep so that each row alternates the direction it faces to look like below. The idea behind this is that all of the sheep are aimlessly following the one in front and on it goes.
The flaps either side of book cover do not work well if the green is continued over. The text is hard to read in both white and black on the green.
The two lighter shades of green used above definitely do not work. The colour itself is quite garish especially in the areas where it has been used as a solid colour - the flaps either side. These colours don't do justice to the book and remove the idea that there are serious messages/theories running through it. The light green makes it look fun and friendly; something the book is not. The book needs to look appealing but also mature and serious, the lighter greens are ones you would find on a child's book not necessarily a mature philosophy book. The darker green before perhaps looked too serious and dull, removing an interest and intrigue from the book. The background will need to be somewhere between the two.
Above shows two different colours that could work for the book cover, I am still unsure on what colour I want to use and don't feel like either of these are completely appropriate. However this is a minor detail which can be edited later on. The sheep are now alternating for each row. The type is inline, I want to add something extra on the front flap, I think I will find another quote so the layout will almost mimic the layout of the back flap.
Tuesday 5 May 2015
Product, Range and Distribution - Part 2: T-shirts
To support the campaign, T-shirts have been designed and screen printed. The two different designs work with the triangular design already created. Two of my housemates kindly modelled the T-shirts for me. Below are a few of the pictures that were taken.
Whilst creating the T-shirts there was a never ending list of things that kept going wrong. Firstly the screens were not exposed for long enough so the first days work went down the drain. Then when the screens were okay glue was melted onto the back of top design which was annoying. Next a guy printed on my T-shirt by mistake, which was another annoying problem as he didn't have the T-shirt size I originally had. Then when the design was printed the ink didn't fill the whole design, this left the top part of the triangle very faint. Screenprinting onto material means that it is very hard to realign, this has caused the design to be slightly blurred and has created an overlapping between the two prints. All in all screenprinting was stressful and a lot did go wrong, however it has been a learning curve and I am glad I did it. Even thought the prints aren't perfect they are still usable and primary research shows that the designs would sell. Ideally I would like to screenprint again, however I don't have the time and it would be foolish to waste it getting one aspect perfect when there is so much else left to do.
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