Studio Brief 1:Design Production Evaluation

The design production outcome is a product of a large range of tested design decisions that encapsulate the theme of neon lights in the night through it's photopaper-like reflective cover encapsulating the theme of light in black and the method of photographing, a typeface that represents the function of neon signage in forms of tubes, an exciting use of glow in the dark as a miniature feature and the well recognised and established symbol of Manchester which this part of a 'series' is all based.

From the beginning, through research and found admiration of enticing and dramatic picture books, choosing to produce a visual publication with a high contrast between the glow of the neon signage in the night time set the theme for the accompaniments of the production. After print tests of the images fully blown and double spread, the glossy stock gave the images a glamorous showcased feel which neon signage can be associated to in terms of nightlife usage and Vegas/bar references, whether people feel they are used in glamour purposes tacky or not, I wanted the publication to feel very sophisticated and showcase the illumination of the letters I photographed in Manchester town centre.
Having the quote as the introductory set the personal ambiguity of the photo book and instantly alludes the reader to the glow of the neon signage's, and is made fluorescent pink to blend in to the content being one of the colours in my photographs but still in the tube styled typeface used on the cover.

As well as glossy stock within, a magazine size and a step up from the 4x6 photo size my images were developed as were printed and showed within crits, and stepping away from a magazine feel and having my page sizes as an actual 5x7 photo size displayed the type and mysterious detailing of the locations well and related to my film camera theme. As the photographs are mainly black due to contrast and level adjustments to my original photographs, I felt also having my publication magazine sized and more of a coffee table book was unnecessary.

As for the cover there were many struggles and adjustments, which went from a hardback cover using greyboard to whiteboard for a lighter feel, to in the end not having a hardback as with that it would feel less of a creative photobook and more of a serious, text heavy publication, therefore I steered away from this last minute as it didn't feel correct. Neither did using bookcloth as my material for the front cover;although previously justified and related to the location of Manchester's industrial revolution of cotton where the worker bee on the front originated from, it felt too much like a text heavy old style book. Although this could have worked if my photographs were more unedited, this publication is a modern take on the views of neon signage in the modern busy city centre illuminating the glowing colours and more available typefaces and possibilities of neon signage than there were originally (which I found within research). This publication having a modern feel became evermore important and clear as experiments with the cover went on and the clear style relation of the photos within which I was really happy with, needed to be reflected on the cover and the covers production.

The saddle-stitch binding was where I could tie in the relation to Manchester's infamous mills past by using thread and a more durable option for where I was producing the publication. Although tests were done with perfect bind and were successful, I was unsure of durability with it not being done professionally. These binding methods were favoured as they display the images within the publications fully and although mostly black, having the full bleed images are important for the dramatic effect and the attraction I want the creatives eyes to glue to the fluorescence of the signage's. If done professionally, saddle-stitch would have still been the choice but using a genuine cotton thread to celebrate the origin of the photographs and resonate with the full symbol on the front cover.

As this publication's target audience is creatives such as photographers or graphic designs, and lovers of items more quirky, distributed in Manchester's creative hub of the Northern Quarter in shops such as Fred Aldous and Magma, my excitement and focus of the cover was to make it stand out on a book shelf.Between ideas of a fluorescent glow in the dark cover or a complete glow bar on the spine, I finally settled on an all black cover with black page edges (which I had seen on a book in our library which had such a unique attraction) and a humorous title which I felt would appeal to my target audience, 'Get Lit' Manchester version in tube type which glows in the dark. I feel a title like this would grab attention to those interested in neon signage or not, and if displayed cover forward, the large bee would be ambiguous and mysterious such as the style of my photographs inside, and give visitors whether they be Mancunian or not, a will to pick it up due to pride of the city.

The covers material was chosen as it was sturdy enough for a casing of the photographs, yet also replicated a photographs texture and reflective feature. Despite this meaning marks can be made easily this would prompt buyers to look after the book as they would their own photographs (which I want my publication to prompt people to take of neon signage, which is the reason for 'film's not dead' a popular hashtag of my target audience online) and due to the unique design features of the publication such as neon and fluorescent inks, all black pages and a lot of mystery and ambiguity, the focus is on the lights and having the reflective surface of the front cover celebrates that to reflect whatever colour/type of light wherever the person is. The publication feels personal, like a photograph, and has features a creative can appreciate as it is a visual publication.

Personally, design production has been the most challenging brief to date due to the very practical side of it. Grasping bookmaking and all the options for it was quite boggling, and my determination to incorporate fluorescent and glow in the dark inks with all the screenprint mistakes happening with my first time was disheartening at times but the design production decisions were right for the publication. Reprinting and getting screenprints wrong was quite annoying, time consuming and cost every time, however I know the capabilities of other printers elsewhere and I know this publication would be easy to recreate professionally in a professional binding and printing distributor as the photo-size, inks, and binding were all attainable for me, just putting them together by hand was a challenge.

If recreated professionally, ideally I would want a glossy stock that doesn't crease and mark as well as the stocks used together in this publication which would be off-putting as a new book to a new customer. The binding would be of course tighter, measurements of pages and cover more perfected, the glow stronger and preferably waxed and bevelled to reduce the ink rubbing off due to wear, and the fluorescent ink inside and all inks on the front a lot tidier which a machine could do easily.

I feel I have produced a quite quirky, personal, mysterious publication which would hopefully ignite creatives of Manchester to appreciate what the city has to offer visually and to capture these moments, hopefully collecting and shooting film as there is a surge in analog currently which I have witnessed in both Leeds and Manchester among the creative types that I know. The design production  would be replicated by professionals for many reprints easily as the decisions are distinct and match well to the content.

'Records' Alec Aarons exhibition September

Another example of how vinyls comeback and target audience age range is forever widening and becoming more of interest again

This exhibtion was curated at The Brunswick by fellow LCA student Alec, demonstrated how far you can take your work if you are passionate enough about it and the array of visitors it can attract. Although it was a simple layout, a lot of time and effort had been put in to it and a lot of thought, the vinyl player and the records to put on for example was a brilliant touch. It is encouraging and I definetly want to attend fellow students exhibits to build community and links to local creatives, and that just showing your work publicly wether it be at a venue or online, you are going to attract audiences you couldn't imagine.

Start of designing for screen

Typefaces

-Blunt stiff pen used on photoshop to mimic typically drawn tabs identifying genres and a-z in record stores and personal human touch
-vinylcuts/vinylstickons type too decorative as body text and make interface look less mature and marker pen arrow has potential of not being legible and not being appropriate for mature users

-dj fonts typeface for legible universal vinyl symbols, appropriate for international users of the website. website must be universally recognised as a vinyl marketplace with non bias layout and inspo from typical record store layouts and features
-use helvetica as it is the most legible and universal typeface which is well known, and will have no issue for the older audience

Layout

-static menu, scrolling recommendations of just uploaded adjusted to your purchase and search histories, which sidescroll more like browsing a record store
-it has been suggested I recreate the stacks like Windows Vista but I feel this would be very offputting and time consuming considering my audience and the initial problem of it being time consuming and messy



-Hover over vinyl artwork was favoured for minimalist layout and less mess of text which is an issue with Discogs marketplace identified
-To give the most correct mimic of the randomizer, I used Discogs switching up specifications and copied and pasted random vinyls up for sale to display the range of genres, styles and artworks showing the magnitude of the uploads and usage. No more would be built up than the ones stacked, would be discarded in the design.

Notes from discussions with various peers and curator of the 'Records' exhibition.


FIRST WIREFRAMES, TWO INTERFACE LAYOUT IDEAS

-was the favoured layout in feedback as peers felt the artwork would be more of the eyes focus as the top isnt taken up by the menu and title
-large easy to see search bar for non confusing, direct searching which is an improvement on the clunk confusion of Discogs marketplace
-notifications for a Wishlist for passionate collectors in the corner can be transferable to mobile alerts and is agreed this is ideal for Discogs audiences as there are many collectors/businesses and those wanting to invest in valuable vinyl
-keeping the layout simple and images gridded was favoured, as was the multiway scrollbars which I was surprised at
-less menu options as too many are overwhelming which is an inital problem of the Discogs marketplace

-tab feature, alike to the search tabs in record stores was praised, but again too many menu buttons
-this is where I displayed the quick view/hover intention which was said to be a valuable part based on the fastness and efficiency I want to create with this interface
-as an initial visit to the page, having latest for sale will display the vast variety of vinyls on the site to a first time user and jumps straight in, as record stores do, with artworks in your face as soon as you enter. although I want to create a simplistic interface, the excitement needs to be kept to be relatable to the stores and draw in the other half of the vinyl buyers who have no interest in using Discogs marketplace which in feedback has been called 'messy', 'clunky' and 'diluted' with no visual resemblance to record stores.

Record store exploration and vinyl spots

A flyer that caught my attention in the LCA corridor, checked to see if it was more competition but it is a new music magazine which has just started out with interviews, articles, and very artistic content and a best of 2016 spotify playlist. Probably curated by someone at LCA, this reinforces how much vinyl is coming back and that it has a relevance among students aswell as those who have been collecting for decades showing the mass target audience my new interface caters for.

Jumbo Records

Multiple stacks everywhere you look, record stores have so much to offer 

Visuals of branding, gig flyers, covers everywhere you look. It is an exciting atmosphere.

Relics Records

Very similar layouts, and as I have seen going to stores before and in the Record exhibition I attended in September, these places are all very similar and have a universal style.

Just opened record and coffee store, again reiterating the comeback of vinyl.

Stickers and flyers everywhere, prompts me to move forward with making the new interface more visual but not as cluttered. Record stores are enjoyed this way, but to solve my problem, my interface needs to be clear and straight to the point. Making the experience more visually striking and focused on the album artwork is crucial, but having stickers in the background may be too immature. Will have to try this.

Magazines on a coffee table left for customers to read, and Discogs has a main feature on the first showing its prevalence within the vinyl buying community. With the marketplace being made one large area and made easier to navigate and more visual, it would have a huge following as Discogs definetley has proved it does through my research

Vinyl spots

First was a stall at an Etsy market at the Leeds City Museum who created items such as notebooks and earrings out of vinyls; was a very quirky idea which worked brilliantly and showed appeal with the dozens of customers hovering and buying at this counter. The second is at On The Wall, a print shop which had these vinyl cards. Little spots like these on my travels around Leeds reinforced that the vinyl community is huge and currently only seems to be growing, making my problem seem even more relevant and that what I am creating has a mass purpose not only in Leeds but internationally due to statistics given on Discogs of different currencies.

Responsive crit feedback

Points raised with my thirsty planet direction

Making this moodboard for the crit has made visualising other design ideas so much easier, and the general feedback about it was positive and that it fit to the target audience of 18-24 yo's who unfortunately, are attracted to what is aesthetically pleasing as most are busy and finding a strong sense of their style. This is why I implemented the palm leaves as they are a current trend amongst young adult, bloggers particularly.

my example edits of my painted colour schemed waves overlayed with monoprints and palm leaves

-'textures create interest,more tactile and likely to be picked up'- useful if there were to be flyers or other products sold, would buy because of the design over a simple one in some cases
-'colour,texture,motion and vibrancy are going to be a fundamental part of the response. Consider how effective attention grabbing copy could and should enhance the message. Look in to the new Spotify campaign.'

-'this one can have a direct impact, nature>engaging>textures>craft>ethnic art. Look at clothing of villages,materials, scale. projected imagery,wrapping buildings in colour scheme, events,sponsors,experiences,would would it impact.
-'the phrases demand the viewers attention and the use of uppercase sans serif typography creates an effective juxtaposition with the textured colourful background'
-'phrases work well'
-'the phrases are unique and leave you wanting to know more'
-'phrases are distinct, they make a strong impact'
-'they grab my attention-makes it exciting!'

When asked how shall i simplify, suggestions were to change the text to white for more legibility or transparent to show water behind. I then asked what else people would find useful to create for a succesfull campaign...
-'credit card size vouchers?'
-'smaller handout prints'
'billboards and print material
-'really bright and engaging with the young adult/student audience'

'consider a minimum of 2/3 more phrases for it to act as a campaign,try a range of colours. Animation may add personality'- ideally I would prefer to have an animated campaign, but the program software isn't something I adapted to easily and struggled with a lot.

Adobe 'Show what you know'

friendship, fun, youth, vibrancy, edgy, memories, party, drunk,movement, colour, music, individuality, friendship
was suggested I add sketchy outlines to add movement and energy to the specifications of what image is implying influenced by the disclosure album covers

in feedback, the describing words for the images came out perhaps like i should have expected, about parties and memories rather than the deeper meanings tied to each image as it is hard to extract out.
Displeased nobody got the 'rabbit in the headlights' vibe from number 3 as its very relevant for student life, I knew this direction wouldn't work in the way the brief could and doing 2 big briefs would be a risk of making one more diluted so therefore I scrapped this brief and plan to make an instagram of my film photography as I am very fond of.

Thirsty Planet key components

'pump it'- describing the water pumps
'do good'- the ammount of people your donation will help and 5000 litres per bottle
'making waves'- progress of thirsy planet
'hydrate, donate'- every bottle donates
'change a life'- knock on effects of having the aid for facilities
'more than just water'-saving lives quenching that thirst
'one bottle, 5000 litres'- emphasis on positive impact

powerful typeface to impact the visual language, making the words an encouragement
trustworthy sincere typeface to work within companies ethics and goals
Blobrush,komica axis, AS carter, cocogoose
Baskerville is considered the most persuasive trustworthy font

flag colour scheme
palm tree leaves trend for aesthetic attention of the generation 18-24
handwrendered detail to emphasize honest ethics of the company

The design process of making a new user interface for vinyl marketplace

Want to make Discogs vinyl specific as there are so many problems users have experienced specifically from this website so this is where I am taking forward my inspiration from to create a completely new interface for a vinyl marketplace made more tailored to the target audiences buying/selling/searching user experience

-emphasis on the emotions/experience buyers and sellers have about vinyl as it is a specific analog trend that has come back, and using record stores and the website
-try and input aesthetic experience of those who prefer record stores and the anticipation of finding a vinyl they feel (need to speak to record store goers to get the other side to try and tie in with the new user interface)

SWOT
Strengths of Discogs-can see buyer ratings, strong trust in the community, can filter specifications, can buy/sell,updated regularly, seller ratings,

Weaknesses of Discogs-'time consuming', becoming less reliable, 'unecessary' interface evolution,doesn't include tax in price, clunky interface,

Opportunities of Discogs- to invest, make money, find the missing vinyl of your collection,

Threats- people diverted away due to confusing interface first time users, vinyl buyers preferring the record store experience due to vibrancy and love of not knowing what theyre getting,

Motivation-search for or upload vinyls for sale, invest in vinyls that will increase in value, collect, collection is expression of your character,

Goal- to purchase or sell desired vinyl

Positives of record stores- workers are (usually) happy to chat, you can listen to the vinyl, discovery, excitement, clutter, artwork everywhere, colourful,discoveries, split in to categories

Negatives of record stores- don't always have what you want, a lot of clutter to get through


Discogs statistics-

Personas of vinyl buyers-large age range, international (12 different currencies)
male student building up collection
middle aged record store business owner
classics fan and collector of different versions/presses
dj who makes a living mixing passionate about specific genres
teenage daughter buying for parent


-the fact it has an international user experience will inform the interface design process to be clear and direct without any connotations to specific countries popularities. using record stores as an input would be useful as these are placed internationally and are a shared experience, as is the passion for music.

-is used by businesses making it an essential, however to buyers is more of a luxury opportunity to buy and sell vinyls in various conditions to save money and earn money and obtain the hard to find vinyls that would be very frustrating to find in record stores in most cases due to huge stacks. this interface is used more specifically for those who know what they want, but a wishlist notification or recommendations tie back to the experience of going to a record store so this will be included

Information needed-homepage which can show recommendations based on previous interaction displayed incase you don't know where to begin and a login that remembers you for ease of experience, buying page with search engine to find vinyls with a distinct filter of condition/rating of seller/country it is in(which would impact shipping cost), selling page with your uploads with options to revise etc, genres page if you don't know what you are looking for but know what style which can involve soundtracks to dubstep, history section, notifications input for wishlists and when they become available for sale with your filters and specifications you get an email/app notification, artists page to browse their vinyls and related artists on the side such as spotify has, people also bought feature, help page for first time users who are not familiar, however I aim to make this interface as simple to navigate as possible and much less cluttered than the existing examples such as discogs and musicstack

What makes this better- is an opportunity to group all vinyl buyers and sellers wether they prefer stores or not, taking to one place where they can find the particular vinyl they want without having to sort through mass ammounts of stacks and at possibly a bargain price or having the opportunity to buy a sold out limited vinyl or a present they can't find between various record stores. allows the user to search specifically for what they want through artist pages, genres, condition, in their currency, finding the nearest to them, and for them to be notified when a vinyl on their wishlist becomes available. Within research asking a user of Discogs and a curator of an exhibition specifically on record stores, he said Discogs marketplace needed to be a larger feature of the site, and now this will be larger and catered specifically to the broad target audience in one place.

Need to ask for research:
Why do these people buy vinyl over cd's or mp3?

Overall feedback was that vinyls sound better and they are an investment, and owning vinyl has a true ownership compared to digital mp3s or cds. Also, those asked working at record stores in Leeds all agreed a vinyl collection is a reflection of who you are.

What could be adjusted to make the interface more engaging and easier to use for the purpose of buying/selling/searching vinyl?

Less clunky, a way to randomize vinyl like in the shops to keep the excitement and discovery, more simple and less time consuming to search.

Favourite part of the analog experience of collecting and playing vinyl, how could I incorporate this digitally to enhance user experience and bring the two audiences in?

Ownership of the vinyl and finding hidden gems in record stores, can recreate this with vinyl randomizer, and also quick and easy searching with preview player and larger artwork, more visual like the stores compared to Discogs marketplace.

Studio Brief 1 update

-glitchy screenprinting of text inside represents neon signages famous flickers whilst being luminous like the photographs against darkness of the night

-pink as it is the most common and was the only one out of the 3 fluorescent inks that wouldn't give my book a horror/halloween element

-bookrum painted black to contain the spirit of encouraging people to go out and take photographs aim of my publication, DIY theme relating back to analog themes and to give the book a specialised creative feel and black shine. bookrum seemed too vintage, although this would go with the original old looking photography, my editing has shown neon lighting in a new modern light of increased sharpness and absoloute darkness. The sheen of the paint is detailed and darker than the bookrum

-was going to use vinyl for this dark shiny effect but no glue strong enough to attach to my book

-board was spread slightly too far meaning the casing has a photo album feel, although at first annoyed with myself this could add a photo album element enhancing the photography content.

Thirsty Planet campaign strategy and initial visual

http://www.campaignstrategy.org/articles/12basicguidelines.pdf
-campaigns need to be motivating the audience,
- know what needs to change and the opportunity to do so
-'Campaigns are needed because there is an urgent problem which has to be made public in order to be resolved. Effective motivation needs simplicity in message and purpose.'
-'Pictures are far more powerful than words. Good ones tell the story and the best need no caption. And pictures cannot be interrogated or argued with. Make your campaign speak in characters and symbols that are larger-than-life. The only things stronger than images are face to face contact and direct engagement in doing the campaign.'

http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/lucozade-find-flow-grey-london/1358635
'Lucozade's new campaign seeks to reposition the brand less as a hangover cure and more as the drink of choice for busy people on the move who want to be on top form.'

http://www.primesight.co.uk/effectiveness/lucozade-energy-find-your-flow-network/

The Objective (make less of a hangover cure, and more of a drink for those on the move to cure their dips in energy)

Lucozade’s ‘Find Your Flow’ was one of the biggest campaigns in 2015, targeting a wide audience of ‘everyday strivers’ with a combination of TV, Radio and OOH. Everyday strivers comprised people who work hard, play hard and pack their days full. Looking to make a big impact and position Lucozade as relevant to everyday dips in energy levels, a further campaign objective was to target a more specific audience of those strivers who are ‘on the move’.

The Strategy (targeting commuters through radio peak times and large billboards)

We knew that Lucozade had to do something completely original and that our large format DOOH sites would provide the solution in targeting the everyday strivers on the move. But more crucially, this message could be amplified using another powerful medium, radio, to create a standout audio-visual experience...Together, we established the idea of synchronising Lucozade’s radio schedule spot times, which were running adjacent to traffic bulletins on all major radio groups, with our portfolio of national digital roadside panels. This would create a unique, emotive and engaging experience for drivers in need of a Lucozade Energy boost.

Playful, light hearted fresh bold designs that grab attention from far away due to their fizziness created by these motivated taglines which I think are perfect for the 18-24 year old target audiences of the Thirsty Planet competition.

Aim to create an attractive looking brand whilst also making the nourishment of these countries important, showing the beauty of where the donations are going to and its potential with light hearted statements with the focus being on the two countries focused on by Thirsty Planet as they make it clear their ethics and focus are on the donations and is what sets them apart from other brands.

Palm leaves patterns are a trend right now popping up from on prints to dresses, and is a beauty from these countries. If this is already a trend, an attractive campaign involving these could prompt more interest in sales which is all good for the donations!

waves representing nourishment and refreshment their water is and does

could go more minimal/abstract done in the flags colours

handmade detail to add to their ethical/transparent aims and allowing the countries it donates to, to help build their tools themselves to encourage pride and prosperity. adds honesty.

reflect flag colours gradient?

Discogs user/vinyl buyer research

Jumbo Records- Leeds
Walking in to a store like this is always a pleasure due to the excitement and the anticipation of finding a gem between the stacks and stacks of amazing album artworks boldly displayed on the larger diameter. The new interface needs to combine the feeling of walking in to a record store, as many only go in to record stores, to celebrate the long history and revival of vinyls and tie the two generations together whilst with the opportunity Discogs brings to allow people to sell and buy any vinyl found with a quick simple search, which I intend to refine for a slick user experience

Points made from Jumbo when asked
'What do they think about Discogs experience? what problems have they faced?'
'What is it about vinyl that has brought it back and why people collect them?'
'What components of a record store could I encorporate for the new interface?'
-a positive of Discogs is that it is updated regularly
-the sound quality of vinyl is better, go up in value,owning vinyl is an investment
-a weakness of discogs is accounts being disabled due to not paying tax should be included on pricing straight away

Relics Records

This was from a business perspective as they are active sellers on Discogs
-positives are you can see the ratings of buyers to know wether they are trustworthy or not
-would be beneficial for the self proclaimed 'nosey' business owners to see what others have sold,and the prices to judge competition
-set up originally as a site for vinyl enthusiasts, still has a strong community ethos promoting trust
-agreed the interface was very clunky
-vinyls sound better, are far nicer/feel better in your hands,different world altogether
-in the modern day we are persuaded we dont want the clutter of vinyls but this is changing
-vinyl collections are an expression of your character,identifies who you are
-in a record shop, the strengths that should be included in the interface in some way are the happy to chat attitude you get from (some) record shops,you can listen to the vinyl,dont know what youre going in for most of the time

Tried Crash records but they were very rude about my project and patronising

Simple search for Drive soundtrack gives complex and confusing search results

Screenshot from when searching on their much more slick direct app, highlighting to problem of inconsistency with Discogs' interface

Comments from speaking to friends and various people outside music venues-
'directed to the wrong format, can come up with the mp3's and not the actual vinyl I want to buy'
-useful information on the product but first time users are put off by too much text
-especially first time users can mistake conditions of the vinyl as being good enough
-doesnt show shipping which can vary a lot between different sellers
-when selling products the functionality of the website can be problematic

From a curator of the exhibition I went to of photography of inside vinyl stores up and down the country, valuable to speak to due to their passion for speaking to the owners and also buy vinyl on discogs themselves

'Well i don't think it gets recognised enough because of its layout & branding, its more like a database rather than an music/vinyl specialist website- it's like an eBay for records. I don't it should be branded like eBay though, probably more to cater its specialism ! ' Fellow LCA creative who regularly buys vinyl and has complained to someone in my class about Discogs before, so I thought asking him would be ideal! His point made of it looking more like a database is correct, considering the amount of people using selling and buying on Discogs internationally needs a universal interface from young adults to the older vinyl generation,that resolves the issue of inconsistencies in function and replenishing the user interface to boost the sites large potential.

research like this from various vinyl buyers, who use discogs or just enjoy the mystery and anticipation of record stores have given me different personas to base my interface off