STUDY TASK 5 - who am I? - who are THEY?

Write a list of all the possible client groups that use graphic design in the development, production, distribution, promotion and/or communication of their products or services. 

Supermarkets
Retail
Advertising Agencies
Dental surgeries
NHS
Health sectors
Food and Drink sectors
Agriculture
Packaging
Book stores/covers
Fashion
Music Industry
Publishing
Education

Illustration, packaging and publishing

1. What skills / interests you have and how they relate to the needs of your client group?

I am extremely interested in image based design, with a keen eye for pattern and illustration. A lot of my work ties together illustration with hand drawn type, featuring application of this across a number of different formats. I like to be quite playful with my designs, as this allows me to reflect my personality within my work, and I therefore work with colours that represent this. 

My interest in fashion and retail pushes me towards certain briefs, and undergoing certain projects. Therefore I will often target an audience that I am familiar with and have an understanding of. For example, during the responsive module, a lot of my briefs were for retail products and featured illustrative pattern. I am extremely interested in seeing how this can create visual shelf appeal, and looking at the experimentation of prototypes and mock ups.   

2. What skills are needed and what skills do you want to develop?

As I am keen on illustrative work, I need to make sure that my visual approach is identifiable, and will stand out against everything that is already out there. It is good to have a strong sense of who you are and what you're about in terms of design, as this will allow client groups to recognise and determine your work.

In order for my illustration to be strong, I continue to practice my drawing skills on and off paper. I tend not to like designing straight onto the computer, and therefore draw out a lot of my illustrative designs before turning them into screen based products. Recently, I have been using a graphics tablet, and this has allowed me to create my designs at a much faster and efficient pace. 

In terms of skills that I want to develop, I want to make sure that my type is as strong as my image. Image is only half of the problem, and I need to make sure that I also focus on content and type. Whilst I explore hand drawn text quite a bit, it is essential that I work on this.   

3. What are your professional/creative aims and how do they relate to the needs of the client group?

My professional and creative aims have a direct link to my skills. I want to make sure that type and image is used in a way that allows me to create shelf appeal and really connect with my audience. I want to continue experimenting with my current way of working, but pushing this more towards the application of pattern in retail and packaging. 

In terms of professional skills, presenting my work is key. This is not just in terms of proposals, but also the photographing of my work. I need to make sure that I have the confidence and the ability to pitch my concepts, but also display the end product to the highest standard possible. 

The Artworks - design agency

Debbie Powell

Mary Woodin

Sara McMenemy

SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE - final images

After having issues with the printing of the larger booklets, and receiving crit feedback regarding format, I decided to look at producing some hotdog booklets also. Once everything was printed, however, I felt that all six worked really well together as a set. I was really pleased with how they looked, and I felt a lot more relieved about how my outcomes had came out. The scale of the A5 booklets didn't seem to be an issue when they were seen with the smaller scale versions.

A5 booklets

Here are the three A5 booklets ranging from 0-5, 5-10 and 10+. The colour scheme is really effective, and it was noted during the crit that they really worked well together. They're very bright, noticeable and give off a positive vibe, which is definitely something that is needed in order to put new students at ease.

When placed together as a set I feel they really compliment each other, whilst also showing a distinct difference of content.  The only thing I would consider changing however, is the colour of the illustrations, as mentioned in a previous post. They maybe clash a little due to the brightness and intensity of the colours. A simple use of grey tones would have been more appropriate.

A5 booklet details

Here are some of the details of the inside of the booklet. The introduction is definitely a much needed addition to the book, and it also helps to explain the content of the hotdog booklets. All the text was left aligned to fit in with the rest of the pages, minus the illustration pages as these were worked centred.

Although a few of the illustrations may get a little lost, the colour against the stark white stock creates a really interesting contrast and focuses the eye on the important components.

A6 hotdog booklets

The hotdog booklets came together really well, and I feel that the colour scheme that I experimented with is quirky and eye-catching. The pastels compliment the intensity of the orange, which really brings draws them together as a set of three.

On the hotdog booklets, I decided to go for the use of grey tones on the illustrations, which has stopped any colours from contrasting and going a little bit funny. 

A6 hotdog booklet details

Feedback was given to add more explanation to each product, therefore in the detail below you can see that text has been added in order to support the illustrations. The tone was kept friendly and welcoming, whilst the content was reflective of your first year on the course.

Range of products

SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE - turning point

Taking onboard the feedback given to me during the crit, and the experiences that I encountered during printing, I decided to change the format of my booklets. I am undecided as to whether or not they will all work as a set with the A5 booklets, or individually.

Points of feedback I'm going to focus on:

- consider adding explanation of why you would need those specific products

- decide upon a different format, but keep it pocket sized (probably A6)

- work with coloured stock

An appropriate format to use would be a hotdog booklet. This way I could keep it pocket-sized, still include a cover, and I also wouldn't have the issue of printing double-sized, which has cause me so many issues. I am also going to consider different variations of coloured stock and how I can include all of the information in my previous booklets. I feel that the hotdog booklets should only contain the illustrations, and the other information should be presented elsewhere, perhaps on a belly band, or on separate inserts. This would allow for the possibility of a little package for my products.

Lining up a grid and adding the illustrations.

Hotdog booklets

£0-5

£5-10

£10+ 

After looking at these designs, I realised that the title page wasn't needed as I was going to be producing a cover. I will therefore replace these with some the list of unnecessary items individuals purchase. 

Prototypes

IMOGEN'S BLOG

Looking through Imogen's blog to find out who she is. 

Points of interest...

• Love old, vintage looking textures/shades/type
• Interested in subliminal things, things not so obvious to the eye and need thought
• Subliminal messages within the use of geometric shapes and lines
• Simplicity is key in communication..."Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful."
• Love paper craft and decorative things such as wrapping and decorations
• A sense of humour in graphic design is always appreciated
• Quote: 'Where you invest your love, you invest your life'

In order to get an overall view of the type of stuff Imogen's interested in, I went through her blogs and made notes on things that I thought could be incorporated into the double page spread.


1. Aztec pattern
Throughout her blogs, there is continuous mention of aztec patterns, and they are even being used in one of her current briefs where she has gone ahead and created her own designs.
Below are some of Imogen's stunning aztec glasses designs.

2. Pattern in general
A lot of pattern is featured throughout Imogen's blog, be it as part of her own work, or that of others. I have noticed a lot of geometric patterns, aztec and also the patterns used on Paperchase products.
Imogen's interest in pattern, shape and line may possibly stem from her love of maths, something that I have taken note of from past briefs. 

3. Where you invest your love, you invest your life

I am uncertain as to whether or not Imogen has picked up on this quote from the Mumford & Sons track Awake My Soul, or it is just a saying that she is aware of. However, I think it says a lot about Imogen's character, and she probably has her priorities in order. Love evidently makes up a big part of who she is and what she does, putting her energy into the things, or even those, that she is passionate about.

'Is your time and dedication to people, places and passions investments of your love into them, with the dividends from it deposited back into your own heart? Will your life become impoverished if you fail to invest your love wisely?

What do you invest your love in? Have you ever been like a venture capitalist in love and poured your heart into something or someone with the hope of a great return, but no guarantee of it? If so, what were the results? Did you give your heart to someone and get it back with interest, or did you just walk away with a pen?'

(source)

4. Colour

When asked, Imogen stated that her favourite colour in particular was navy. However, she was also partial to burgundy, forest green and turquoise - "vintage colours that are slightly drained". 

I played around with some colours on Illustrator, and came up with some possible shades that may fit the bill.

5. Simplicity
Imogen talks of simplicity quite a lot within her work and she enjoys it within others as well.
The quote "simplicity is about subtracting the obvious and adding the meaningful" crops up quite a few times, and I am aware that this is something she wanted to focus her C.o.P publication. It therefore must mean a lot to her and I feel it would be really interesting to work towards something that reflects this. A simple design that still reflects Imogen's personality and main points that need to be included.

6. Crucifix
Also this isn't something that I've come across on Imogen's blog, I am aware that she is very attached to her cross necklace. This type of imagery could be included as it ties in nicely with the idea of simplicity and meaning, as well as Imogen's favourite quote from M&Sons.

Imogen appears to appreciate a lot of design, ranging from vintage packaging and work from the modernist era, to Peter Crawley's illustrative techniques. Because of this, I'm going to have to really focus my work, and look at one main aspect of my partner, be it an answer to one of the interview questions, a pattern or even her favourite quote. 

WHAT IS GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR - study task 3

Ten examples of each discipline, categorised.

Information and Way-finding design

1. Guys & St. Thomas' Hospital NHS (Endpoint Sign design)

genre: medical, signage

 audience: wide breadth of audience, patients, visitors and staff

content: way-finding, signage, floor coverings, lighting, decorating and environmental graphics

sector: health

budget: unknown but took three years to complete

2. Gender balancing on social networking sites (Information Is Beautiful)

genre: social networking

 audience: males and females signed up to a number of networking sites

content: gender balance

sector: infographics

budget: unknown 

3. College of Music (Terada Design)

genre: way-finding, education

 audience: pupils and staff

content: way-finding, signage, hallways and ceiling colours

sector: way-finding

4. Top 21 albums of 2011 (Information Is Beautiful)

genre: music, visualisations

 audience: music enthusiasts 

content: top 21 albums of 2011 defined by country

sector: infographics and visualisations

5. Eureka Tower car park (Alex Peemoeller)

Alex Peemoeller - a man with the best name ever and an extremely cool website

Playful use of perspective, livening up what is normally quite a boring and dull space to be in

genre: signage

 audience: drivers and pedestrians

content: directions and commands

sector: transport

http://thevelvetprinciple.com/blog/?p=64

^^^ interesting article on improving the multi-storey car park

6. Star City (BrandCulture)

genre: way-finding, casino

 audience: gamblers and staff

content: retail, commercial and entertainment spaces

sector: entertainment

7. USA map design (Creative Roots)

genre: travel

audience: travellers

content: states of the USA

sector: map design

Product and Packaging design

Industry

beauty & health
beverages
spirits & liquor
beer & malt beverage
books & media
fashion
food & gourmet
home & garden
pets & animals
kids & baby
office & art
technology
tobacco
wine & champagne

Substrate

aluminum
bag & film
carton
jar
molded fiber
paper & board
plastic bottle
plastic & pvc
pouch
specialty
sustainable
glass bottle
tin, metal, foil
wood


1. Marou chocolate (Rice Creative)

genre: confectionary

 audience: more up-market buyers, gourmet chocolate

content: building visual identity and packaging

sector: packaging

2. Smoked salmon (R Design)

genre: fish, supermarket products, food

 audience: shopper, up-market

Sector: food packaging for fishmongers/fish market

content: All the typography was hand drawn and paired with illustrations that highlight the fish type. On the standard plus lines the illustrations change from the fish to that of the flavour or ingredient that comes with the product. e.g. King Prawns with Chilli & Coriander. 

Bright colours are used throughout both ranges to differentiate between the fish type and create hierarchy within the product titles and descriptions. The design was able to adapt across several pack formats achieving a consistent look across the range and strong stand out on shelf as well as engaging the consumer - R Design

3. Moroccan Oil (Berard Associates)

genre: hair care

 audience: female majority

content: overall brand analysis

sector: packaging design for line of hair care products

4. Fur die Feinen Leute (Marco Stormer)

genre: letterpress, design packaging

 audience: designers, artists

content: packaging for billiards equipments

sector: packaging, equipment

5. Coconut water (Michelberger Hotel)

http://www.michelbergermonkey.com/

The story of the monkey

genre: drinks

 audience: drunk with alcohol therefore older audience, also drunk as a lighter alternative to milk on cereal (those looking after their weight)

content: 'The brand is based around the character of a superhero Monkey (the story of which you can read on the accompanying website michelbergermonkey.com), and he is featured on the can, wrapped around it. When 3 cans are placed together, you see the whole image of the monkey which increases shelf presence of the drink. We used a can with a rippled design to echo the sea which is used as a story theme and design element in the website artwork.'

sector: drinks packaging design specifically for a hotel

6. NIKECraft Collection (Tom Sachs)

genre: sportswear

 audience: youthful male and female audience interested in the brand

content: 'Nike design and Sachs applied materials that have never been used in sportswear, taken from automotive air bags, mainsails for boats and the space suit itself. Each piece is packed with functionality that would prove useful in the voyage through space. Zipper pulls that double as storage containers, paracord that can be fashioned as a tourniquet and embellishments like the periodic table of elements screened on the inside of a jacket - they all merge visual interest with purpose'

sector: clothing and footwear

7. Betjemen and Barton (Chris Mann)

genre: drinks, tea

 audience: up-market tea enthusiasts - classic French tea company

content: 'Betjeman & Barton takes pride in their rich history and tradition. It is the perfect mixture between the fancy French and serious British. I wanted to suggest this concept by mixing the traditional woodcut illustrations of Frasconi with punches of bright contemporary colour.'

Sector: drinks packaging

8. Berkeley London (Construct)

genre: confectionary

 audience: those willing to spend a lot, sold at five start luxury hotel in Knightsbridge

content: 'The understatement of the logotype is balanced with an innovative and flexible branding palette, allowing the hotel to engage in a sensitive dialogue with it's guests, turning up the wit and energy where appropriate and keeping things simple where required. The colour palette is a refined cool blue, soft grey, deepest inky blue/black and fresh white, inspired by the hotels iconic blue bar. The branding palette includes a bespoke geometric pattern, a clean technical line drawn illustration and bold use of typography and tone of voice.'

sector: exclusive food and drink

9. Tiny Fruit (Little Duck Organics)

genre: organic snacks

 audience: kids and baby, parents

content: organics snacks, tiny snacks for tiny humans

sector: kids and baby, organic food

10. Darling (Dima Je)

genre: animal treats

 audience: pet owners

content: fun dog food packaging for young, adult and old pets

sector: pets and animals, packaging design

Branding and Identity design


1. Freedom Foods (Yellow Brands)


Before:

After:

genre: advertising and re-branding, cereal packaging
audience: 'better food for everyone'
content: honest, nutritious and free, reposition selves from dishonest health claims and scientific jargon
sector: food rebranding


2. Love & Toast (Margot Elena)

genre: high concept bath and beauty

audience: sold at Urban Outfitters, unique and high-end, those willing to spend a lot on beauty products, females

content: 'Conceptually, Margot Elena was envisioning a loose creative vibe with Love & Toast, what she refers to as “Brit Pop Folk Art.”  Drawing influences from Japanese design, Love & Toast also has a Swedish feel about it with its bright colors and simple iconography and many will also notice a nod to the ‘80’s.  Wanting the first items to feel loose, bright, spontaneous and very “now,” future packaging will move forward with what is “pop” at the moment.'

sector: health and beauty branding

3. Habitat (GTF)

genre: household furnishing store, logo and identity

audience: young home-buyers, fashionable/trendy/house proud/contemporary

content: As part of the rebranding programme, a secondary typeface was introduced to give a consistency to communications. Habitat DIN was created by redrawing the DIN typeface, providing a small, easy-to-use family of faces that could deliver complex messages with clarity. A kit of new master logos and typefaces was delivered with the brand manual.

sector: Home furnishings, identity

4. Design Museum (GTF)

genre: design, art

audience: artists, young designers, those interested in the arts

content:  ‘more engaging, dramatic and provocative’ to reflect the institution’s own eclectic definition of design.

sector: identity

5. Fruita Blanch (Atipus)

genre: editorial, packaging, preserved products

audience: family business with long tradition, first time buyers and those who are committed to the brand

content: Selection of stationary and products specifically for a family business of preserves and jams, using the font Blanch

sector: identity, stationary, preserves

6. Waitrose (Pearlfisher)

genre: logo, supermarket identity

audience: up-market shoppers

content: 'Strategic positioning, brand identity and design across the Waitrose portfolio of ranges.'

sector: strategy, brand identity, naming, tone of voice

7. Innocent Smoothies (Pearlfisher)

genre: smoothies, drinks

audience: the health conscious

content: 'Bringing these little drinks into line by introducing consistency to a rapidly expanding brand.'

sector: drinks, brand identity and design

8. Help (Pearlfisher)

genre: health branding

audience: modern day individual

content: 'refresh to visually strengthen the brand architecture creating own-able equities', witty products appealing to the contemporary buyer

sector: health, humour

9. This Water (Pearlfisher)

genre: water brand

audience: youthful audience, contemporary

content: confident stand-alone brand, moving out of the shadow of other contemporary drinks brands

sector: drinks

10. Abbey Road The Beatles (Wolff Olin)

genre: music 

audience: those who still own a record player, fans of The Beatles

content: Logo and record design

sector: Branding and logo