Final Photos

BLOG - designforlife-lca.blogspot.com

This is the Blog I have set up for the students to blog there found and own Graphic design.

This will be monitered by me. It has a link to facebook so that the students can upload their images to the facebook group and then from there I can place those images on the main blog.

Type and Grid

InDesign

Final banner back design.

tests for final back design. Played around with layout and colour. Not much difference between them, but it really helped.

As I explained earlier. I am no longer sure if I infact like the design of the back of the banner and so here is a simple variation of that. I have really simplified it and instead of adding lots of blab i have added the strap line, as mentioned before, let it take over. It is now a lot more focused and easier to take in.
Here are the final sticker designs using the new font and also a lighter grid on the 'design for life' stickers. I felt that before the grid was too over powering when it was shrunk down so small and so just reduced the line thickness.

I decided to go with GENEVA. It is really simple and has a really strong legibility. I think I do prefer this to the original design.

Also tested different fonts the 2 of my favourites on the back of the banner.

After a mini tutorial came to the conclusion that the original serif font was not as legible as it could be when it came to the large impact type on the main logo. Therefore I have tested various sans serif fonts to see which I preferred.

'LET IT TAKE OVER'

Last night I couldn't sleep at all because I was thinking so much about this project and what I had to do and whether or not it was actually working. And so as I was thinking about the lack of sleep I realised that I was letting Graphic Design take over everything else I wanted to do. Most normal people would sleep tightly and then get on with it the next day but for some reason Graphic Design really does stick with you where ever you are and I love that you can be inspired even when you don't expect it. This all lead to me thinking of this track line. 'LET IT TAKE OVER'. Although something that is taken over by something else usually carries with it negative connotations but by contrasting that with the words 'Let it' turn it around. No matter what you do it is going to happen so you may as well just encourage it to do so!

With more thought I then looked into a more illustrative response to this. Possibly illustrative type using a pattern. The repetitive nature of a pattern corresponds with Graphic design constantly being in your mind.

I also considered looking into the brain of a Graphic designer next to the brain of a 'normal person'. How do Graphic Designers think differently? possibly illustrating a brain full of Graphic Design- Nothing else fits.

New visual response to feedback.

After my crit this morning I found that the designs I already have done are in fact just 'fine'. Something seems to be missing from them. Although I may not have time to completely re-design all the images I have just decided to play around with new visual ideas. I really like this visual response. I am a lot more interested in hand rendered design as it holds a more realistic/natural nature where as the previous designs were all computer based and so somehow lacked individuality. Also, considering the amount the students will have to take in around the studio I want something that will really catch their eye and stand out, something which therefore needs to be unique and original.

I don't think these actually work very well on yellow paper. I may try with other colours - keeping to the original colour theme from the previous designs.

I do want to hold on to a large element of the earlier designs.

1. simplicity
2. circle theme
3. colours
4. phrasing
5. font

Speaking from Experience - membership card designs

1.
2.

3.

I have been looking over this design and i seem to have fallen out with it. It no longer seems to be achieving what I originally anticipated it to achieve. Yes, it is simple, and legible etc but is it really really lovely to look at graphic design? I don't think it is. RE-THINK.


Here are my current final designs. Number 2. and 3. are the back and front of a large circular banner which will hang from the main studio which the first years will first enter. On 4. I have not yet specified a blog address but the blog will be where all the information is held for this 'design for life' movement. 1. Is a set of stickers which concetina's so as to fit into a purse or wallet. These stickers are to encourage the students to look around for design out of the course and to be critical about it. Then they are asked to post these on the named blog address.

The two images below are looking at the concept of 'Design for life' as being a negative thing. On the 'Hello' banner I have highlighted the word hell. Athough this is just a test and experimentation of visual Ideas I do really like the colours and layout of this banner. It all seems to work really well together.
This is to coincide with the idea of being branded. I quickly made a stencil and thought it would be interesting to use this all over. Spray painting the words 'design for life' as a tag.

Initial designs - Speaking from Experience.

These were my initial designs for the membership cards. They didn't work at all like I had wanted. I used the image of a dog to link the well known phrase 'A dog is for life, not just for christmas' with Graphic design. I think the colours, symbol, layout are too similar to something on a shampoo bottle as opposed to something a Graphic designer would love to carry with them. I think I will need to rethink these completely.

I may try to re-draw the dog by hand so there is more of a relaxed/informal feel to it. As I chose this saying in order to be a bit quirky and humorous I don't thin the design works with that.

Definitely need to re-think.

Speaking from Experience

I have decided to keep looking at my first idea which was taking Graphic Design everywhere with you and knowing that this is the start of your life.

I have decided to do this by portraying this course as an exclusive club - something to be proud of and something to give everything to so as to reap the benefits.

As the Brief is to produce a Range of Products I have chosen to look at creating:-

- a large welcome banner to be placed out side the main studio.

- A role of stickers which encourage the students to critique work outside of their working space. The stickers can be placed on pieces of design around the city (stating like/dislike) and then these can be photographed ad blogged. Not only does this get them thinking about what they like/ dislike but also encourages them to start blogging early on in the year. The Stickers will also be recognisable to the other students on the course and so links in with the concept of them being part of an exclusive club.

- A membership card - This should be made in a way which makes the students want to hold onto it, It should be of a fine quality and also provide benefits to the students possibly with discounts etc at stores in leeds (something I need to look into)

- A mug, stating the simple phrase Graphic Design is for life and being the packaging for the other 2 products. A mug, to me, represents home life and also drinking coffee. By linking the course with home, the students will see that it is something that should be taken everywhere. And also linking it to coffee shows the need to keep energized and expresses the intensity of the course.