Project Report

This module has been an exciting chance to experiment and revisit skills and a chance to work to live briefs and gain an insight in to how briefs are set at a professional level which if anything has make me more excited to work up to a professional level.

Thirsty Planet
Working on this brief showed me more than ever how important getting feedback is, and to try obtain it outside the studio as much as I can in future. I was delighted that Thirsty Planet actually came in to talk to us about their brand and what they were aiming for, and getting feedback from the marketing director herself reassured me I was working towards the right look for their fresh contemporary rebranding. Part of choosing this was the target audience they aimed for on the briefing, as it gave me the opportunity to make an assumingly boring category of selling water in to an exciting campaign. They were very focused on their ethos being dedicated to their donation and charitable work which I directed the campaign to focus on.

Mini Briefs
Being able to choose the mini briefs allowed me to revisit favourite designs skills and allowed me to work for audiences such as designing for young children and work toward helping an organisation that prevents young suicide. Causes such as these require a happy, positive, fantasy world to be created and I thoroughly enjoyed being able to draw for these and it gave me a chance to practice with my new graphics tablet.

Designing for ‘Up Yer Sleeve’ was a delight as Secret 7” was my favourite live brief last year, and designing for music is one of my goals and interests as it allows so much interpretation and freedom of design within this.

These briefs allowed me to set sights for the future and what causes I want to design for. It makes sense now that I have always wanted to create colourful, motivating pieces to add a bit of joy to the world and seeing the amount of companies submitting to YCN and D&AD it has given me confidence the work is out there and I enjoy setting myself the tasks and concepts for them. If I were to do anything different I honestly would have enjoyed to work on more as coming up with concepts for such different briefs given is exciting to me as I would like to think I come up with work a bit different to others.

Collaboration
This part of responsive was rewarding and showed me that I still have the organisation and leadership skills that allow me to step in to set deadlines when need be.

What also surprised me was that I took on the role of type, which is usually the opposite. I discovered and took reassurance that I have learnt a lot about the key principles of graphic design and that I have stepped up my standards as I would not settle until we both were happy with our card range.

I feel I was a motivating partner who set time frames when my partner wasn’t in or we were slowing down the process. Our outcome is work I am proud of and can relate to my design style, and is part of my developing ethos as a designer.

Studio Brief 1 mini brief 'Up Yer Sleeve' Design Boards

Studio Brief 1 mini brief 'Penguin:Childrens Cover Award Design Boards

Studio Brief 1 mini brief 'Papyrus' Design Boards

Studio Brief 2 Collaborative Practice 'UK Greetings' Design Boards

Studio Brief 1 Main Brief 'Thirsty Planet' for YCN design boards

Up Yer Sleeve brief

For my track I was given Frankie Knuckles- Your Love, which I had never even heard previously to the email. I see this as a fun opportunity and advantage to base a version of the artwork simply off the song itself, and other versions after researching Frankie.

The keys are very fast with a lot of variation in the background making it quite an experimental, busy track. The lyrics are reaching out in desperation for his desired persons love which runs in line with the tempo and variation of the track perhaps representing his overthinking mind and uncertainty.

Aim to use a mix of colour to represent the music and the emotions with shapes such as key shapes and synth squares with a style homage to the genre and late 80s with a dance/rave aesthetic.

Looking at Youtube comments gives a useful current view on the track and seeing what fans celebrate about the track, which includes appreciation of the synth and naming Frankie the 'god father of house'- house being a very popular genre currently, which has changed a lot over the last few decades, and this track is appreciated as it is right at the start of the genres history. A style in ode to it's time would be an ideal approach.

The way I have used filter effects is similar in the way music is tweaked and experimented in producing electronic music and I wanted to capture late 80's style incorporating glowing synth keys with a variety of glowing colour representing the busyness and variety of the keys. Post modern analog aesthetic to represent the time.

It was advised by someone I know who is in to this era of music, to look at rainbow city records were linked to the era and frankie, and to look at their record styles. All of which used high saturated colours.

This shape could be used in outcomes to reference the era

Simple glowing synth key composition

Using the shapes of the buttons with a glowing synth wave overlayed to represent the keys and the sound itself, all different colours as there are so many keys

I added an old school film effect which reminds me of the recorded videos of dance raves from this era and adds nostalgia to the piece

Simply done with the keys

Starting off with longer piano like keys, which still have the glow of the synth and waves representing the sounds. This has a lot of energy to it.

Feedback
'1st and last are the best ones'
'the colours look very 80s and the effects make it look electronic'
'could maybe add a vinyl sleeve effect to it to make it really nostalgic of the time but also modern as vinyl is a popular thing again'
'unusual shapes creates movement'

The vinyl style cover contrasts and highlights the funky saturation and glow of synths

The dripping synths represent how the tune is underground and defies the conventional and it is so fast and busy it can't be contained


Submission

Final range product shoot for Thirsty Planet (studio brief 1)

All with the files in the project package updated and added to the final designs, which I think actually work very well together as they are fresh and contemporary, more carefree styled.

Submission boards for Studio Brief 1 Thirsty Planet and Studio Brief 2 Collaborative Practice UK Greetings

Collaboration discussion evidencing

As well as lists similar to previously scanned in with brainstorms, moodboards and main points written down, we kept in touch primarily through these discussions and facebook as this was the easiest way to show each other our designs as we were working on them in a quick and efficient manner.

Unfortunately, Nanami can't be here today to merge personal notes and timeframes with but I feel we communicated confidently and I set time limits and goals every time we finished and agreed on a part of our project which I am happy with.

An example of when my partner couldn't attend a crit and I communicated I would put our ideas forward as she sent me scans and we arranged to meet the next day to swiftly catch up

Discussing and developing our gift card styles comparing scans and artist inspiration. I always try and be motivating and very positive when working with others as I feel this is one way of getting the best work in a team.



Confirming final mockups and decisions on our charity 

Traditional print experiments and feedback

Gradient experiments inspired by Caribbean sunny skies and the season the carnival is in, the bright colours brought to Leeds with the amazing costumes, in the form of a gradient. For many of these experiments the top half of the print worked brilliantly with a contrasting stripe but many mixed together on the bottom half making more of a muddy colour. Type will hide this, and need to try the first type style I made on the best outcomes.

This type style was inspired by one of the posters from the moodboard making the visitors really look to read it, with 'yea' underlying the spirit and good feeling of the festival. Using this design as it isn't as busy as my second meaning these mix of colours won't make it too hard to read and look at.

These were the most popular to submit favoured for their suited Caribbean colour contrast, energetic typography (a huge association to the carnival with dancing and live music) sharing a positive experience of the carnival through the piece to the viewer. A collective celebration of the carnival in honour of it's 50 years bringing the carnival and design typography together with a hand drawn element to celebrate the humble community sense to the piece with a dash of glitter, as if the piece had been in the carnival itself full of lavish sparkling outfits dancing and music.

The language used is to express the carnival's popular points and show it's energy and happiness intertwined with the composition of the lettering, the variety to showcase the mix of communities and all positive outcomes of the carnival on Leeds.

Feedback

preferred mixed typography expressive
-exciting, more subtle due to type flow
-has a n energetic rythmn to it

-shouldn't add as it already has colour and glitter with a variety of energetic text

I had considered adding more flicks of colour to represent the feathers of the outfits but within feedback I was assured this was enough and if I added it would lower the impact and look too much (which the carnival is, but for exhibition purpose I will not add more)

-strong association of the colour of the carribean
-not as expressive
-doesn't have as much connection and rythmn

Kate Moross typography inspiration

Moross makes typography look effortless, a skill I want to expand on within studio brief 1. To make sure I do this the right way with using the type to reflect the carnival, as well as being inspired by carribean style posters, I want to see how these letters can be put together to not just be read but to give the energy and fun of the carnival. Moross nails it with appropriate use of visual language of her typography.

phrase associations among the caribbean carnivals history which I could ask my family friend about as she works there every year and is in the specific music business. type showcases movement and bold expressive shapes lit up by the colour.

uses her own style incorporating perfectly with the branding of Cadbury's and capturing the creamy taste the ad is trying to mimic to make consumers tempted

uses type for the opportunity to make people look closer to read the piece which I find is an intriguing approach which would make a piece stand out rather than being straight type. As this is for a gallery piece and not actually comissioned by the carnival it means it can be more experimental, especially with the unpredictability and surprises of traditional print which really excites me!

inspired by the music and dancing of the carnival with the colour and movement incorporated

With this traditional print piece I really want 50 years of unity to be the focus as it is not like any other year, and the milestone is something to celebrate for definite!