13 / 14
PROJECT REPORT CAITLIN WALSH
OUGD503
99 designs / compotition
a small IT consulting agency that specializes in Adobe AEM (CQ). We build websites and mobile apps.
BRIEF
Create a design for a business card to accompany the online services our company provides. Use the company logo along with the name, contact details and website. Use a simple yet clean layout, using the colours blue, orange, black and white.
MY CONCEPT
Using the recognisable feature from the companies existing logo in the backwards slash and making it more of a focal point. Using the companies established website as reference the aesthetics revolve around simple layouts and block colours. Even though the brief only asked for a business card I decided to push the aesthetic I had created a little further by indicating what could be done with it and the potential this aesthetic has. Sticking with the darker, greyish navy colour gives a sense of sophistication and quality and having the layout evolve around the slash helps to keep each printed piece of stationary consistent and recognisable to the brand.
CONTENT THREAD / 99 DESIGNS EVALUATION This brief was the first competition brief I entered. This brief in particular was quite small and allowed me to get used to working at speed as well as working to a more confined and specific need. Initially the brief requested a simple design for a business card that reflected the online business. After completing this with multiple variants, I also pushed the printed identity concept further through a letter head and envelope to display the potential of the aesthetics I had created. Even though I did not win with this entry, entering in the competition helped me to get used to working with new clients through an online system and helped me to gain confidence in getting my work ‘out there’. It also helped me to focus and complete a brief in a shorter amount of time that what I am used.
GREETINGS CARD / compotition
A greeting cards supplier that hold compotitions for greetingcard & pattern design suitable formultiple ocassions.
BRIEF
To come up with a design based on typography. This can be based on any occasion. The design must evolve around the experimentation of hand drawn type.
CONCEPT
For the first card design I wanted to include a play on words as well as a play with the aesthetics of hand-drawn type. I feel that the combination of simple image and type delivers the affectionate yet humorous message well. This also adds to the playfulness that usually comes specifically with valentines day and gives the message a little more depth than a design that relies on pretty type alone. The second card design relies solely on typography. The way in which the type has been set in a circular layout which draws the eye in-ward inviting the recipient to read the saying. The quote depicted is something I had come up with a couple of years ago for a personal card design. The quote is a take on the well known saying ‘Love is blind’, however this version indicates a certainty rather than a fairytale feel. The simplistic nature of this design could be further enhanced if it could be letter-pressed as this would add texture and contribute to the hand-rendered feel.
TIGER PRINT/ VALENTINES CARD EVALUATION I really enjoyed this brief as it allowed me to just sit and play with and draw typography by hand rather than using digital software. I also liked the freedom it gave me to try different ideas without research as the concept was already present in the occasion and aesthetics required. As well as the aesthetics, coming up with suitable yet humorous language that a potential audience can understand and relate to. Making sure I limited myself with a shorter time period to execute this brief allowed me to not get carried away with idea generation and development which in turn let me utilise this time effectively.
99 DESIGNS / compEtition
Small volume winery focused on hand-made wine and port. The winery is located on a curving lagoon off the San Francisco Bay in California.
BRIEF
Design a creative and contemporary wine label for our small custom winery. It is requested that the label incorporate the owners, young sons thumb print.
MY CONCEPT
With in the brief, the competition holder made the suggestion of having his you sons finger or thumb print incorporated in the design. Even though it is stated that this is just a suggestion, I felt that the fact that it has been brought up by the person who will decide the winner of the competition means a design that does have this aspect included may be preferred in the long run. I also felt that this is something I could work of and use and a feature I could work with rather than starting blind A came up with two variations for the labelling that rely on bold colours and a simple layout. The vibrant pink offers a fresh and fun feel that usually comes through in the taste of white and pink wines. On the other hand the navy blue colour offers a richness and sophistication which is recognisable to the taste that comes with darker red wines. Both designs feature the thumb print. One works with the adapted typography to create a logo and the other uses the print to create a pattern. I the decided to push these aesthetics a little further by creating corresponding business cards that run with the ethos I had created for the label.
Shoal DRIVE / 99 DESIGNS EVALUATION I really enjoyed this designing and coming up with possible executions for this product. I feel that taking a single feature and applying this in a number of ways before deciding on a final design helped me to exhaust possible combinations. The design that uses the thumb print as a pattern offers a solution that does not take the idea of a thumb print to literally and means that the type based logo can also be used on its own when it comes to other printed paraphernalia. Because this is a smaller brief compared to others, I made sure I planned my time efficiently and did not take to long in creating a successful design. I also made sure I factored in the time it takes to mock up a design as this can often take longer than expected.
WEDDING INNVITATIONS / LIVE BRIEF
A friend that is getting married to a Turkish national in the summer. Mandy asked if I could design her a notice of marriage as well as wedding invitations.
BRIEF
Design Marriage notifications and wedding invitations that correspond with each other and work together in informing the client’s friends and family how and when the marriage is taking place as well as details on the celebration.
MY CONCEPT
Design Marriage notifications and wedding invitations that correspond with each other and work together in informing the client’s friends and family how and when the marriage is taking place as well as details on the celebration.
WEDDING INVITATIONS / LIVE BRIEF EVALUATION I really liked working on this brief as the client was very good in letting me have a near free rein on the design after she had given me her preferences and ideas. I enjoyed taking her thoughts and concepts and then making them into a physical piece of work that will be used to serve a purpose. I also liked the fact that this invitation is not your typical invite as half of it works as a notice and the other half works as a the actual invite. Making these two aspects work together added to the challenge however I felt that the finished product is successful in doing this. Being able to also use a differing print process in foiling adds a hint of class and symbolises the special day. This was the first time I had actually sent off anything to be printed else were due to the number of components with in the invite as well as bulk number of each needed. I was actually very happy with the results and makes confident in doing something like this in the future if need.
BRANDING & IDENTITY / LIVE BRIEF
A Turkish real estate company that deal with the construction, renovation and sales of properties based in the Antalya region.
BRIEF
To create a suitable identity using the companies existing logos to be used for stationary purposes such as business cards and letterheads. Also create a brochure displaying the companies properties that are on sale for the 2014 season.
MY CONCEPT
Due to the fact that this company deal with the architecture and construction aspect of many of the properties they have on the market. I felt that this would be a nice focus to work wit when creating and aesthetic of the brand. I thought that this would be a good way for the brand to be differentiated from the usual real estate establishment. The fact that the owner of the company is also the architect for the business this may appeal to him. Using shapes from the existing logo, I adapted these into looking like building blocs that symbol the construction side of the company as well as offering a nice texture to the aesthetic. Experimenting with opacities and images of the Need Company properties added to the concept as the lines and shapes from these buildings symbolised the architectural style the company possess.
need company / branding & identity EVALUATION I enjoyed this brief due to the fact that Branding and identity is something that I find rewarding. I really like creating an aesthetic that can run through a range of formats and I feel that i have achieved this for the Need4sale brand. At first I thought that working with an existing logo would be difficult and i didnt particularly like it, however i found that it gave me something to work with rather than around. I feel that the outcome that i have created its subtle but appealinging with the imagery in the background addind texture. The white of the background is clean which is a good reflection of the brand its self though the constuction and design they create. The simplicity of the visual also makes the stationary work-able as it does not hinder the information being given. The business cards can also be printed in bulk cheaply onto basic stock which is food for business however the design still portrays quality and proffesionalism.
need company / property brochure EVALUATION I really enjoyed this brief because it allowed me to work with editorial design and layout which is something I have not been able to do with the other briefs. I also really enjoy working with photography, however it was a little difficult working with photographs that I had not taken myself because the visuals and quality of some of them differed quite a bit. Other than this, Before this brief I hadn’t really done any editorial design as it was something that I felt was not a personal strength so I saw this project as a little challenge. I am actually surprised at how much I did enjoy this brief and I think that I have definitely gained more confidence in my layout skills and would not hesitate to do this kind of work in the future.
BRANDING & IDENTITY / LIVE BRIEF
A Turkish based company specialising in the growing and manufacturing of pomegranate syrup in the province of Antalya.
BRIEF
To create an identity for brand that can be utilised for stationary purposes as well as packaging. It was requested that the identity remained traditional to its Mediterranean roots however depicted a luxurious and fresh feel.
MY CONCEPT
Due to the fact that this brand grows its own produce and makes it into a sell-able product, I felt that the aesthetics should have a hands on feel. However, because this brand overlooks every aspect its product goes through, from planting the seed to packaging the finished product, I felt this displayed a great sense of pride to give the consumer a product of high quality and purity. This is something I definitely wanted to incorporate through the identity. Having the product label and business cards created through a hands on process such as letter press reflects the traditional and hands on nature of the business, yet the designs and colours highlight the quality and purity the product possess.
ESHKIM / BRANDING & IDENTITY / PACKAGING EVALUATION I feel like I got a lot out of this brief because of the realisation of other factors that have to influence the way in which you can apply your design. When looking at possible bottle shapes, I had to make sure that it was a shape that is a standard shape as this reduces cost when buying on bulk or requesting manufacture. This brief did take longer than anticipated just through the development of a logo and identity, however I feel that this benefited me in the long term because it allowed me to exhaust a lot of possibilities which I believe resulted in a strong and suitable aesthetic. I also feel that looking at the basic printing methods offers this brand a ‘stand out’ factor and differentiate from other products of a similar nature. Even though this is a more costly method of print, think that in the long run, this will add to the appeal and quality of the product which in tern may mean it can be sold at a higher price.
SAMPLE PACK
ESHKIM / SAMPLE PACK EVALUATION Even though this part of the brief may not come to fruition I really enjoyed working off of an adjacent angle that was to promote the product to other businesses rather than just consumer buying the product off a shelf. I feel that this shows intuition through further development and is something I do like to do when working for a client because it not only gives them more options on things they may not have thought about previously, it also gives me the potential of more work. Making sure the aesthetics of the identity ran through this aspect also was very satisfying and having the miniature bottles adds a dynamic and fun feel which in turn reflects on the Eshkim company and the way they do business as well as being very appropriate for supplying samples of a product.
COLLABORATIVE / COMPETITION BRIEF / ycn
A Breakfast cereal that is directed mainly at younger children and aim to educate kids through their unique and fun packaging that is based on the alphabet. Collaborative partner / Sarah Goldthorpe
BRIEF
To come up with a new in innovative way to make the alphabet interesting and fun for young children. The concept must evolve around the alphabet and be suitable to be used on the back of a cereal pack.
our CONCEPT
Sarah and I developed the idea of representing each letter of the alphabet with an animal To broaden the spectrum of knowledge a young child would have of animals they perhaps would not ordinarily come into contact with as part of everyday life. This is to be executed in a fun an inviting way with an interactive cut out character that can be collected with each letter of the alphabet, fun facts about the animal and a game that reflects the information learnt with in the facts.
COLLABORATIVE / COMPETITION BRIEF / YCN EVALUATION Through out this project I believe that Sarah and I worked very well with each other and utilised each others skills to get the best results in our finished product. I feel that we were both able to rely on each other well and could trust that we both did the jobs we were assigned. This made it an enjoyable project were idea generation and developments were made efficiently. Personally I enjoyed this project because designing for children is something I had not done before. Working with illustrations is something that I find fun and creating something that is educational for younger children is also very rewarding. Coming up with the games in conjunction with the facts and being able to highlight this information through a fun activity is a solution that I think is successful in engaging children and teaching them something new.
d&ad / COMPETITION BRIEF
The original well-being drink, created to offer an alternative to caffine and sugary filled beverages.
BRIEF
Repackage Purdey’s Rejuvenate and extend its range to include one new product – Purdey’s Natural Energy. Ensure that your designs retain the individuality of the brand, but enable it to appeal to more people.
MY CONCEPT
The origins of botanical drawings was to document and assist the identification of a species, usually for medicinal purpose. This was a fitting concept considering the ingredients within the Purdey’s beverages that aim to supply a natural boost for those seeking some natural energy and rejuvenation. The hand drawn botanical fruits highlights the intricacy of the ingredients used through the detail of each image and reflects the content of the beverage in a simple yet powerful way helping the audience visualize that natural components with in the product.
PURDEY’S / COMPETITION BRIEF EVALUATION I think that this has been my favourite brief from the responsive module. I think this is because it allowed me to use illustration skills that I have not been able to apply to my work as of yet. I feel that the outcome I have accomplished is very suiting to the origin of the existing brand, however makes it more appealing to a wider audience through the bold aesthetic and alternative bottle shape. Not only do the visuals work well, but I feel that the concept is very succinct with the focus of the product regarding health and well being. Offering the competition holders differing designs is to show the adaptability of the aesthetic and how they can offer slight differences in appearance and appeal. The first design gives a less formal / sportier aesthetic were as the second gives a simple, clean and more luxurious appearance.
SUMMATIVE EVALUATION Overall I have really enjoyed this module and I feel I have improved on my skills as well as learnt knew ones. I have also gained a lot more confidence in my work regarding both live and competition briefs. I feel that being able to have complete control on the type of briefs to work on allowed me to try multiply types of design such as branding and identity and editorial. Also being in charge of how much time to dedicate to each brief has allowed me to work more efficiently and I believe has helped me improve my time management skills. I have come to realise the importance of design boards and I feel that I have got a lot better at creating these in a way that reflects the brief as well as my own aesthetic. This included mock ups and photography and how this improves presentation. One of the biggest skills I have learnt and developed through this module is how to digitally mock up my work. This has come in very handy when presenting my ideas to a client and showing the potential in my work. Creating this imagery trough Photoshop is defiantly something that will continue to benefit my work in the future. I have experience working on live briefs with clients in the past and many of these experiences haven’t been too positive. However during this module I have learnt how to formally interact with a client on a professional level which is something that I will certainly take away from this work. I am proud of both the quality and the quantity of work I have produced throughout the module and I believe that this portfolio of work has a good range of examples that show my skills in different areas such as illustration, layout and idea generation. I feel that the way in which I come up with concepts has improved greatly and making sure that these concepts are actually workable for everyday life.