Brief 4 - Dylan Thomas Evaluation

Brief 4 – Dylan Thomas Evaluation

This brief from the very beginning was about exploring processing and literature. Combining both my passions for process and literature. Although this brief did change at the beginning, it still stuck to the overall idea and concept I wanted. I wanted to use the literature and text to inform the design decisions and processes I used, and I found that I was beginning to use type to convey the concepts as much as the processes.

From the start I wanted this brief to run alongside all my other briefs, so that decisions I made in other briefs and this could work together to further my skills in processing and design. I really wanted to hone my skills with laser cutting within this brief, and try and come up with a co-hesive brand that could embody the brief totally. So I got to involve branding, and processing with a focus on literature, which was really good and it helped keep me inspired with regards to the other briefs I was working on.

I had come up with some quite ambitious design and processes, which unfortunately didn’t exactly work out every time. However this process of trial and error and persistence may not have helped completely in this brief, but allowed me to make more informed designs decision with regards to processes in my other briefs. Knowing what would work and what wouldn’t, which meant I could use the most appropriate solutions in other briefs to achieve what I wanted. I had to work around a lot of problems, for example digital print running out of vinyl and having to switch my stock and design to counter this. I think because I originally set out with thought out concepts behind each book, and quote it allowed me the freedom to make mistakes and create new solutions that would still work, and sometimes better than the original.

Also due to the fact that this brief was to span the entirety of this module, I had a lot of time to make mistakes and fix them, so I had to be organized and plan around when I wanted to do certain process, because certain process take longer than others such as screen printing as opposed to digital print.

This brief had been really important to me this module, it has allowed me freedom to have fun, whilst developing my skills in type work and processes. But I think more importantly it has allowed me to understand certain restrictions with the processes and how I can counter these problems, and help me make more informed design decisions with regards to my other briefs. 

Ougd303 Brief 4

Dylan Thomas Development Boards

With this brief I have collected all the main parts of development from this brief. Covering the design and processing experimentation, resulting in the desired effect or failing and having to fix the problem. It also documents the change within the brief and swap of concepts and content.

Lulu Boards (developed)

Dylan Thomas - final posters

Here is the range of posters that i have created, although not all of them have worked when they are laid out like this i am happy with the array of different processes used. Now its going to be a case of photographing them, and tweaking the ones where the finishs wasnt what i wanted.

Finished Posters

Emboss

Today i went an embossed my undermilk wood posters. I printed the book on the summerset satin stock and then took it to textiles. I managed to wet the paper and put it through the machine. I was nervous about wetting the paper, but it turns out the ink wont actually run. it diffuses a tiny amount but nothing drastic.
Originally i had done some samples of the emboss to see how it would work, and they worked great. However, when i went to put the posters through and when they came out the emboss was subtle, and you couldn't tell the difference at all. This was extremely annoying, i think there were two problems the emboss pressure wasn't enough and the wood was too thin so it couldn't give a deep enough emboss, but that was the thickest that i could put through. So this print hasnt really worked, but the concepts is there. I may photoshop the effect to make it stand out more. In the future i think i would use a thicker piece of wood, and possibly highten the pressure.

Animal Farm - Change

Originally with with Animal Farm design, i was going to print the a clear vinyl that i would then place over the top of the print out i had already done. I wanted to apply something clear, because the story in this book and the way its told is 'clear'. It doesn't hide anything or complicate things, but there was a problem with this because digital print ran out of clear vinyl and wouldn't be getting in any time soon. So i have instead, decided to print it onto the clear film separation downstairs. This means printing the whole book on the clear sheet, i actually think this will work better with the concept than my original idea. 

Logo ideas

Now that the designs for the posters are all done, and im in the process of completing the finishes as this brief was on a hiatus while i finished my other briefs. 

I have decided to start designing and developing the branding for it, as well as the packaging. I wanted this to be a fairly rounded brief so that it was fully contextualised. Initially i have started out by creating a simple typographic logo. I want to appeal to the sort of audience i am aiming at, readers non readers, book shop visitors etc. So by choosing to use a serifed font, it mimics the style of books and will work in the intended environment. 

[ INITIAL SKETCHES ]

[image of fav logo]

Van Idea

After going through the boards for my Lulu brief, i realised that although this brief is about the delviery element of the products i hadnt actually considered the main delivery method..the transportation. Realising this, it was fairly easy for me to use the identity that i had created and put it across a range of van ideas. 

I researched the style of van i was looking for. Because Lulu is a small high-end brand, it meant that it would only need a small delivery van. This would then encompass the deliverables that i had already designed, bringing together the delivery and products.

Going with the general style of the design i wanted it to be simple, and kept in mind the sort of graphics i notice when im driving on the motorway. They tend to be simple, easy to read and uncomplicated. So they have impact, that can stick with people and that's what i aimed to create. 

// notes

Sample - Wrong

After establishing that i was happy with the cut of the design, i selected the initial LOTR piece and send the design through. I realised soon into the cut that the Laser cutters settings were initially wrong, so it went over the design 8 times as opposed to 2. So i had to abort the cut, and therefore scrap this cut, which was annoying and means i will have to re-print it and send it through again.

Deliverables

I spent some time this morning trying to work out my deliverables, and what is still yet to be done. im focusing on getting these briefs finished or as close to being finished by the end of Easter, because im ready to put them to bed. It will also give me the opportunity to take stock of what is still yet to be pushed, i feel i want to.

SO.

Cleo Tavern Brief:

DONE: 

Tea Matt

Coster

Menu

Glass

Shirts

Compliment Slip

Glass

TO DO:

PRINT - Thank you cards // Menu content

Rivet the menu together

Note Pad

Wine sticker and carrier

LULU Brief:

DONE:

Tissue Paper

Hampers

Stickers

Tags

Envelopes

Solid Tags

TO DO:

PRINT - Invoice // Invoice holder

Stickers to go on envelopes

Email

Get Ribbon

Get envelopes sewn shut

Re-Do delivery info-graphic

ISTD:

DONE:

12 Boards Laser Cut

TO DO:

Publication to go alongside

Fashion Student help

I spoke to a fashion student yesterday about the possibility of her helping sew my envelopes shut with the label. She told me to bring  in the envelops i want and the material on Friday so we could work out the best way to do it.
I went to see her today and showed her my idea:
[skltch]
and she told me that it would have to be done on a domestic sewing machine which she has and that she would do some samples and then send them through to me tonight, so that when im back in Uni we can pick one and she could do it for me.
This has worked out amazingly, and i offered to help her with anything she needed doing in the future to say thanks.

[photo]

Processing Timetable

I have put together a timetable, hourly, for next week. I want to focus on getting as much of everything produced next week so that i am going into easter with those briefs, producing wise, under way. That way i have enough time if everything goes wrong to fix it, if i run out of material etc. I want these briefs to be finished by the time i get back, and i need to get the ball properly rolling to get that done. 

(My constant reminder)

Evaluation of Each Brief

I thought it best to do a small evaluation of each brief, in order tog et my head straight on what needs to be done next and where to go from now.

LULU - I now have the range that i want and the brand and identity. Its now a case of starting to produce the work to try and see what is working and whats not. It will now be a process of experimenting and pushing the design to see where i can further the range, possibly considering on-screen design.

CLEO TAVERN - Brand and Identity, done. Need to start producing to make sure formats work. A lot of processes are to be involved with this brief. I need to work these out so i can start the next stage which will be indoor signage and spacial design.

ISTD - Design and identity is done. I need to get the wood, which is proving tricky - may need to veneer the wood. Get the 12 produced, and then work out the format for the publication and how that will be housed. Once done re-evaluate and push the range.

DYLAN THOMAS - All ideas and designs are done, as well as the initial mapped out processes. Need to start experimenting to see if the techniques will work and whether the processes are actually appropriate.

YEARBOOK - This is by far the most unfulfilling brief i have done this year. The clients wont comply and i dont feel i am learning anything from it and it was supposed to be substantial brief. So i am going to take on a new brief, possibly from one already done in my smaller briefs. I am at the stage with my other briefs are in a position for me to push and develop. I feel i can take on a new brief to replace the substantiality of this brief. I have a variety of briefs I have shown interest in that i am going to pitch for, whether i get them or not i will want to take one and develop one.

Development

Lulu - Mapped out delivery

I have spent time mapping out the deliverables and they way that they would be distributed to the consumer. its a basic format at the moment, but has helped me worked out the different element that need to be branded and how to go about it.

// BELOW: I have vectored up the basic idea for the delivery method for each item. I have categorised each part and gone from there to create a visual diagram as to how each element would interact. this is very basic at the moment, but it shows the initial concept more clearly. Andy pointed out that this would help to explain the thought process as opposed to just making and photographing. I can make this into a clean info graphic. 

Tutorial with Andy

I had a great tutorial with Andy today, it was really helpful and has helped me gain more focus on my briefs, both for my practice and my profession. 

// My main worry with the LULU brief was that it wasn't commercial enough, but Andy reassured me that there will be plenty of time to be uncreative and have to do the generic if i can prove i have imagination that is applicable and can actually be printed then it will be fine. He did point out that i need to consider onscreen design, to give this brief a rounded commercial feel. I now know that i need to nail the designs down and focus on experimenting with stocks, and make sure the formats are appropriate and the small elements within it really work to create a rounded finish to the problem. 

// We also discussed my ISTD brief, my problem with this brief was the lack of range. Although with the chosen content i have the opportunity to create a range of information graphics, i feel the format is lacking. So we had a good discussion about what i could do, and we discussed the idea of creating a publication that has a range of the natural disasters, either 2 from each category or the top 10..or something along those lines anyway. Im really happy with this idea, and im thinking i can transfer the stocks and print techniques im using onto the publication, by either having an engraved slip case or something similar. 

These were the two briefs i really needed help with, as the other 2 im certain of the deliverables needed, the concepts and the direction. 

Dyt - Mapping out

I have spent this morning working out the format for the posters for each book. I need the background text to be the same across all the posters so that they work together as a set, and basically create a blank canvas with them. I had already worked out the font, which will be Baskerville Old face, this is due to its legibility at a small size, and its light weight so it wont be distracting. 

// OUTLINED TYPE SIZE, LEDING, KERNING AND BASIC GRID

I then systematically went through each book, working out which chapters were the most relevant and which ones had the key happenings in the book. So that when it comes to doing beginning middle and end then it means that i can map put the selection easily. 

Lorenzo Crit

I had a fairly helpful tutorial. It was a chance to talk about briefs that i've changed within the last week. I realise that because of this i have been put behind by a week. Bu now i actually have drive// focus and a healthy amount of pressure, so that i can really push my briefs. I feel so much better about where i am and what im doing.
My main weaknesses was my ISTD brief, i hadn't spent much time on what i wanted and what i wanted to deliver. After talking through my ideas with Lorenzo i have established a clear concept that i want to develop. the whole idea about the oldest tree and using it to map key historical developments and the possible impact on the trees.
I now know the exact direction for each brief and what i am going to do with them. I think that this has been an important stage.

Texts

I have just brought together the texts that im using for the book posters, i have had to change the book of The Northern Lights to The Amber Spyglass, as the northern lights was unavailable:

Under Milk Wood
Great Expectations
Amber Spyglass - PDF
Animal Farm
LOTR

NEW DYLAN THOMAS BRIEF

I have decided to change my Dylan Thomas brief, i felt like i was going no where and that it was becoming really stagnant. So I decided that i needed to have a re-think. Still have the same concept of creating bespoke posters and around literature. But this time try and broaden it so that im not so pended in with Dylan Thomas.

I have decided to instead focus on changing the overarching context of the posters. The aim is now to re-introduce people to printed media and the book, through focusing on classics of our time. Incorporating old school writers such as Dickens to modern day classics such as Pullman. I think having a broad range, will make the context and way the stories can be displayed a lot more fun. I have been brain storming some initial ideas.

// My main concept is to have each book used as the background for the poster and then from there use the type to pick out elements from the story to create either a saying, image or phrase from it. Some of these stories are huge so this will be interesting. I want to story lines to be visible but not necessarily readable. Legible so you can see them and if you wanted to read them you could, but it isn't essential to the piece.