Brief 5 - ISTD Evaluation

Brief 5 – ISTD

This brief was an opportunity for me to explore the relationship between alternative print process and generating info graphics. Previously I had never created info graphics, so it was a chance to gain some skills, generating research working through it, analysing it and ultimately picking the most relevant information that I needed. It was also an opportunity to bring together the skills I had developed with the laser cutter and working with alternative print substrates to develop and push this brief. I really wanted to try and create something that was unique in its manufacture and content. Using the original ISTD brief as a springboard to create a brief that allowed me to explore the areas I was interested in. As mentioned, I spent a lot of time researching this brief and analyzing the key facts I needed to portray in order to bring this brief together, I had to make decisions fairly fast due to the nature of the process I was going to use. This was because I knew that the processes I wanted to use would be extremely time consuming, and creating the posters took 3/4hours at a time. So I had to improve my time management and organization in order to get what I wanted done. This was probably the most efficient brief I have produced within this module, because I had a clear direction and I knew what I wanted to achieve. This brief turned out to be the sort of brief that I could keep expanding on, creating more poster boards, publication work and packaging. I think the main problems I encountered with this brief was the formatting, i.e getting the substrates to laser cut into, getting the fabric for the packaging and getting the publication printed. Due to the publication size I planned to outsource it in order to get it done digitally at Pressision, however this brought around problems in itself and unless I was willing to have 100 produced I wouldn’t be able to, so instead I came up with formatting it myself. All of these problems forced me to think outside the box, and this brief really allowed me to be as creative as possible whilst having a strong concept to play around with. I learnt more about the logistics of publications and again I got to work collaboratively across courses in order to create the packaging element. This brief allowed me to be inspired, which at times really helped me with my other briefs because it meant that the decisions I used in this brief could help inform decisions I made in other briefs, such as Brief 4 and Brief 2.

Although this brief is extremely concept driven and not something I will be necessarily producing once I graduate, it has really pushed me to think of alternatives when printing and really pushed my creative abilities. 

Ougd303 Brief 5

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.

ISTD Development Boards

I have gone through this brief and documented the transition of this concept from the initial range of ideas, to the development stage and the wood processing. I have documented the range of development and packaging, covering the exploration within this brief.

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

Mocks ups of wrap

Today i got the samples of the style of wrap around packaging for my ISTD, they were only small sampels showcasing examples of the different seems, zips and folds. I decided on picking combination between both the zip and fold over design. That way when it's closed it can be zipped shut. It also gives the packaging a 'slow' reveal effect, so you have to peel back the case to see inside.

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]

ISTD National geographic idea

After establishing the grid and the font, i have played around with various layouts and styles for the publciation.
When you see large articles in NatGeo, they tend to be fairly simple in their layout especially when you want the images to speak for themselves. So following this idea i have created fairly simple layout, that is focused on the images as opposed to the text, and therefore only using the text to help clarify information.
The images defiantly need tweaking and lightening, as they are too dark. But at the moment i am happy with the structure, and i think it clearly showcases the work and the style.

Cover:
With regards to the cover, i wanted again to create something simple that spoke for itself. By encompassing both the trees and the vectored pattern it can showcase the crossover and then by applying the appropriate type it gives it a realistic feel to it. I did have to spend some time editing the national geo title because i don't own their font. I got it as close to their's as i possibly could. [font used and edited]
Also, for the banner of yellow around the outside i used the pantones to match it as closely as i could. [pantone number]

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]

Laser Cutting

I've just found out that laser cut wont be open over easter at all, so im going to have to push the production up and proprieties the work that really needs to be done before. It isn't too much more, i was planning on getting the Dylan thomas briefs done over easter, but now that i cant im just going to have to focus on producing the ones that need a laser cutter this week.
The other problem with this is that digital print is fully booked pretty much, so im going to have to try and get as much printed as possible in drop ins.

what needs laser cutting:

DYLAN BRIEF:
LOTR
GEXP
UMW - Second one

CLEO TAVERN:
Main menu
Drink matt
Drink Menu

LULU:
NILL

ISTD:
4 Other boards
Publication box - Not essential as long as its designed and specked i can produce the week after easter.

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.

Re-Evaluated ISTD BRIEF

Development

Sample engraving

I spent an hour or so today testing out some sample engraving onto different substrates for the different briefs that im doing. I have tried out different depths and weights. Im really happy that i did this, because i came across a load of different problems. Like the fact the computers will not read the Cleo Tavern logo, it only sees it as a row of lines so i had to spend time rastering out the image, which is why the logo isn't as clear as it should be.

 The lulu logo worked fine on both the colours of acrylics, which works well and its clear. I think when it comes to the engraving i will use kiss cut, it gives a cleaner shape and makes it legible. 

As i said i had to spend a lot of time messing around with rastering, which meant that i couldn't engrave the items that i had set up to engrave. However, i fixed this by instead cutting the patterns onto the substrate first, and then applied the logo over the top on the same piece. This still gave a clear image, and the logo needs to to be rastered more clearly but it will work if i follow this process.