Brief 7 - Branding Evaluation

Brief 7 – Branding

This was by far my smallest brief, and originally I wanted it to be something that I worked on from Easter onwards – however I realized that the other main briefs I was working on at the time had more potential and I needed to focus my efforts on them to get them completed to a standard I was happy with. So this meant that initially I worked on this brief sporadically, coming up with a range of different concepts and deliverables. However it constantly had an underlying theme, I knew that I wanted this brief had to represent me and my interests in branding, and my thoughts on it. I wanted this brief to explore the ideas I had put across in my dissertation whilst encompassing the research I had been doing throughout this module.

As I began generating ideas and development for this brief I began to see that there was a clear link forming between my DC brief and this brief, as well as touching on elements of my PPD module. As the brief progressed I realized that this was becoming all about my interests as a designer, which I was really happy with because it allowed me to put what I thought about design into a context that worked for me. By creating an =idea that would help deconstruct branding, as I did in my dissertation, but in a visual way is something that I will be able to refer back to through my career hopefully in the future. Due to the fact that this brief was solely designed for the design community it allowed me to have free-reign with regards to the format of it, and I managed to do formatting and publication design which I had previously touched on in my other briefs but I managed to really push in this brief. I also got the opportunity to work on on-screen design, although initially I didn’t really want to touch on-screen design I felt that within this brief it needed it, and I am actually very happy that I have done it because it has removed to daunting misconception of on-screen design.

Out of all my briefs this has been my favorite, I think due to the fact it was quite small and a fast turn around brief meant I couldn’t get sick of it and I could have as much fun with it as possible, whilst it revolved around a concept that I was really interested in. I think this brief was a culmination of my last three years studying graphic design, and its been very satisfying creating something that I am extremely happy with and can keep with me in the future. My only regret with brief is I wish I had spent more time on it, because initially I didn’t really see the potential in it until I started working on it. However, if I had started it earlier I may not have made the decisions I did and came up with the concept I did so as it stands I am happy.

Ougd303 Brief 7

Branding Development Boards

I have collated and created a flip book that follows the evolution of this brief from the range of initial concepts to my skill development with on-screen delivery. Then the final production of the brief, including documentation of choices made and development.

Cleo Tavern Development Boards

I have grouped together and selected the main development parts within this brief, ranging from the research to the logo design and identity creation. From this it follows the development of the identity across a range of deliverables involving processes and design.

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.

App design

In order to create a balance between the on-screen delivery for this brief i have decided to push the range across an app design. I have never done anything like this before, but using the identity that i have created i am planning on using the same simple format for the app and the website. I want them to mimic one another, whilst at the same time being fairly individual.

// Sketched display - 5cm x7cm 640x960 res. 

Lulu Boards (developed)

Initial web layout

taking on the tweaked and designed table i have started playing around with the layout and style of the website, experimenting with the style and shape of the icons. How to incorporate colour and what pages were best to show.
As i was developing i did realise that i didn't want to have the flat colours for the icons, that it made it look really childish and not very aesthetically pleasing. Out of the development i did the only thing i liked was the grid and pages idea, as well as the interactive buttons i designed but i defiantly need to re-think that design style of the overall website.

Open publication - Free publishing

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.

Evaluation - branding and dc

As i have been developing this brief, i have begun to realise that it seems to be morphing into a 'sister' brief for my DC. I am using similar information to inform and generate the content, whilst at the same time using it to inform my design practice. Although they are two separate publications, this brief seems to be a more in depth look at the branding world that i am interested in. In both my DC publication and this annual, i have used information for my dissertation which again was informed by my research for DC and vice versa. This coincidence is interesting, because it has made me realise how much i am actually invested in the intricacies of branding. This was completely coincidental, but i am happy that both briefs now seem to be informing one another, and i am really enjoying drawing the parallels between both.

New deliverables

I have decided that i want to create an annual publication that would go alongside the on-screen element for this brief. The idea being that you would receive both a stamp and annual publication explaining that stamp element and what its all about.
After having this idea i sketched out the basic format for the publication, and style i wanted as well as picking the 'logo' element that i wanted it to be about so that it had a solid reference to go alongside. As well as creating this publication i intend to mock up the rest of the annuals, contextualising it.
I have been looking at small publications that you may receive, such as the monograph you get with creative re-view as well as other such small publications. These are the sort of styles i am aiming for.

[book images]

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

Branding Periodic Table

Branding elements.
I've had a break through with this brief, the idea is now to create a periodic table of branding. this means deconstructing it into its main elements and others that work together to create the foundations of branding. When creating a periodic table there tends to be 3 main elements eg: Chemistry, Biology and Physics and the elements work within them. So for the corresponding side within branding, i want to try an illustrate the experience is becoming more and more important to brands. So it would be logo, identity creating an experience.

I am really excited about this idea, i think that it gives me scope to make a comment on design as wella s creating something that could function with the design industry whilst putting my own stamp on it.
So i have started to break up the elements of design and how they beging to work together to form brands.


Looking at the research i have done, i want to try and keep the same structure of a periodic table so that it is recognised, but then within that restriction tweak it to give it some form of uniqueness. By altering the shape of the boxes etc and maybe looking at a way they can interact.

This style of brief also gives me an opportunity to work with on screen design which i havent done yet.

// MOODBOARD

New Brief

Since before easter it was really important for me, when i came back to be working on a brief that really summed me up as a designer. I wanted to create a brief that would really display me as a designer and hopefully shed some light on my opinions of design. 

although coming up with a concept is a lot harder than it thought because theres two clear areas that im interested in; branding, processing and type. 

I have come up with a range of ideas that include:

10 commandments of branding

Statement on branding by designers and studios and myself

branding structure

I wanted something to encompass them all. And this is where i was struggling to get my head around. I know that i want to try and create some form of info graphic that encompasses me and branding. I just need to try and give it some center to try and get these three points to revolve around them.  

CT Interior

In order to give some more definition to the identity of my brand, i have been playing around with the idea of transferring the identity onto an interior. I did contact interior design to see if they'd collaborate but non of them responded so its down to me. I sketched out some ideas for the interior that i like, and visualise for the brand and from there vectored them up. I think the vectors look fairly poor. It gets the point across, but in a certain way i prefer the drawings because it makes it more organic, not that my sketching is anything to write home about but it feels a bit more realistic. So i may try and get someone to draw it for me in a better way, i shall have to see.