2008 Spring Show Brief

SPRING

2008 SHOW

A C R E AT I V E B R I E F

spring show | 2008

G RAPH IC D E S IG N 145

VISUAL I MAG E FALL2007

D E S IG N E R | JOE L FE LIX 209 | 423 | 4903 joel213felix@yahoo.com

Contents I NTROD UCTION

03 03 04 05

Problem Statement Parameters New Parameters 10 | 04 | 07 Specifications

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R E S EARCH TACTICS

Survey & Questionnaire Literature Review Observational Research Competitor analysis Demographics R E SU LTS

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Survey & Questionnaire Literature Review Observational Research Competitor analysis Demographics CONCLUS ION S

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Target Audience Plan of Approach Themes Notes, sketches & extras

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spring show | 2008

The Department of Design will be holding its annual Spring Show to showcase the labor of this years graduating seniors and undergraduate students in the study of Photography, Graphic Design, & Interior Design.

creative brief

introduction

PROB LE M STATE M E NT

The Department of Design will be holding its annual Spring Show to showcase the labor of this years graduating seniors and undergraduate students in the study of Photography, Graphic Design, and Interior Design. This event is an opportunity for the student to create a buzz in the ears of Professionals locally and to exhibit their learned craft to family, friends and peers. This event is traditionally held in the University Ballroom on the Sac State campus during finals week. The date in which this event usually occurs poses as an obstacle as it is very hectic week for our general target audience. My responsibility will be to develop an advertisement that will stir up excitement and demand investigation of the viewer, inspite of their busy schedules.

PARAM ETE R S

There are particular variables that must be accounted for on the poster. These givens are as follows: • Must include a Title • Must mention Department of Design • Must mention the three programs that are involved in the show • Must display important information such as Date Time & Location • Must include logos of Venue and Partners such as Sac State & ASI There will also be parameters that will be left open for exploration. Things such as: • Title • Body Copy • Theme • Paper

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N EW PARAM ETE R S as of 10 | 04 | 07

There has a been a change to the parameters of the design of this poster. There must now be a side “A” and a Side “B.” The requirement of a double sided ad will serve a dual purpose. Side A will serve as the advertisement for the Spring Show of 20o8, the second side is a call to action for potential students to get involved by contacting advisors at Sac State or the Department of Design. This opens up possibilities that a one sided poster does not allow for, and also extends the life of the poster overall.

creative brief

introduction

S PECI FICATION S

The final specifications on the deliverable piece will be as follows: • Trim Size to be 16” x 20” • Color limit -2 color pantone spot (both sides)

20”

16”

16”

SIDE A

SIDE B

An advertisement for the Spring Show 2008. This side of the poster must not only communicate date, time and location information, but also compel the viewer to take interest.

A call to action. This side of the poster will promote the department in general, and be a motivator its target audience (Potential students at the junior college and high school levels) to contact an advisor at Sac State and/or the Department of Design.

• 2 color pantone spot • Promote the Spring Show & Department of Design • Communicate Date, time and location • Logos of Venue and sponsors

• 2 color pantone spot (most likely same as side A) • Promote Department of Design • Contact Information • Sac State & Department of Design web address

Because we now have the responsibility to design both sides of the poster, this opens up new ways to portray this information. We can explore the possibility and probability of these posters being displayed together, side by side.

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Surveys & Questionnaires* Literature Review Competition Analysis Observational Research Demographics

* SU RVEY & QU E STION NAI R E

A survey has been implemented, however it is still pending a large enough sample to analyze and present. The survey was sent out on 09 | 21 | 2007.

creative brief

research tactics

SU RVEY & QU E STION NAI R E

A survey and questionnaire will be implemented toward our primary and secondary target audience. The first being professionals in the fields related to the department of design (graphic design, interior design and photography). Secondly, any alumni that have graduated and are practicing their trade. This survey is designed to reveal to us among other things, the familiarity they have with this show and what other related events they have attended.

LITE RATU R E R EVI EW

Literature, such as magazines and articles will be compiled and examined for trends and tendencies towards such things as Typography, color palette, as well as any other relevant elements that may be discovered during the process.

COM PETITION ANALYS I S

A study will be done on posters that are related to this type of event. This will include past Sac State posters, competitor schools with a comparable event and other professional conference advertisements. We will analyze trends in the way that Image, type, and layouts are handled and how they communicate information.

OB S E RVATIONAL R E S EARCH

This study will examine the environment on campus in which the implemented design will be displayed. This analysis will reference other research tactics such as competition analysis, color theory and viewer interaction. Another avenue wished to be explored is how viewers outside of a college campus environment react to displayed information, but do to time constraints this data has not been compiled as of 09 | 27 | 07

D E MOG RAPH ICS

This tactic will be employed to compile data about past and current students within the related fields of graphic design, interior design and photography. This study will concern aspects such as age, gender and class level over a period of three spring semesters at Sac State. This will give us an understanding of what our primary and secondary audience looks like.

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01 02 03

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creative brief

research results

LITE RATU R E R EVI EW

Interior Design Magazines

Graphic Design Magazines

Photography Magazine

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Blueprint Magazine Pottery Barn Ethan Allen CMYK Magazine Print HOW Magazine Step Inside Design Dynamic Graphics Photoshop Magazine

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Interior Design Magazines

Photography Magazine

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creative brief

research results

Key points

Modern Typeface • Medium to High Contrast • Scriptic Typeface • Use of Ligatures • Expanded Tracking •

There are details that we can glean from this research, and certain characteristics that seem to form a trend when looking at magazines that have to do with Interior Design.

Looking first at “Blueprint” magazine I notice that the type solution is almost scriptic and makes use of connecting letterforms known as ligatures

I have noticed that several of these typefaces are very modern with a medium to high contrast in their stroke width. I also notice that “Pottery Barn” makes use of expanded space between the letters to give a sense of elegance and sophistication.

Ethan Allen also has a modern typeface but also has a very scriptic type logo above that also relates to what “Blueprint” has done with its type solution.

Sans Serif Typeface • Tightly Tracked Letterforms • Familiar subject matter •

Photoshop magazine makes use of tightly tracked lettering and a sans serif font. But what is clever and worth noting is the use of familiar content to the viewer. The tool bar from the digital imaging software Photoshop appears on the top bar of the magazine just as you would expect to see it on your computer screeen.

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Graphic Design Magazines 0 4 | 0 5 | 0 6 | 0 7 | 0 8

spring show | 2008

creative brief

research results

Key points

All lowercase letters • Bold block Letter forms • Use of negative space • Creating high contrast •

Outlined typeface • Use of line and interval • Tightly tracked letter forms •

When looking at these graphic design magazines we can notice some similarities with the other sections as well as some drastic changes in their approach to type. Print magazine uses all lowercase letters and has a soft rounded stroke, which gives it a playful and friendly facade.

Step magazine is drastically different from Print in that it utilizes bold block letters that grab your eye with the use of negative space by white blocked out lettering on a black field. Another thing worth mentioning is that you can go the opposite direction as Print and use all capitals just as the interior design magazines did. But with the use of sans serif fonts it communicates something different visually.

Dynamic Graphics does something different here with the letter forms by only using an outline. Again All capital letters and the use of tightly tracked lettering.

Use of primary process colors • Very high in saturation • Very high in conrast •

How magazine does something here that also uses line, but in a different way. The lines are set at a diagonal and are cut to form the letters H-O-W with the use of repetition and intervals.

The color gauge to the left shows approximately how much of a particular color is used. As you can see magenta and black are used alot within this sample. Process colors such as Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black seem to popular amongst this type of magazine genre. * Color

Gauge

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Observational Research

creative brief

research results

OB S E RVATIONAL R E S EARCH

This study will examine the environment on campus in which the implemented design will be displayed and noting viewer interaction with the current visual information. There are primary locations on campus in which observations were taken. The locations were as follows: 01

Kiosk between Eureka & Brighton Hall

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Library Quad

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University Union & Bailey Lounge

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Kiosk at Sequoia Hall

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Kiosk outside Riverfront center

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Kiosk outside Lassen Hall

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Kadema Hallway

OB S E RVATION TI M E FRAM E

09 | 20 | 2007 1:30 - 4:00 pm

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Kiosk between Eureka & Brighton Hall

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Library Quad

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University Union & Bailey Lounge

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Kiosk at Sequoia Hall

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Kiosk outside Riverfront center

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Kiosk outside Lassen Hall

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Kadema Hallway

creative brief

TI M E FRAM E

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1:30-1:55

research results

OB S E RVATION S

• Little to no interaction with information • Usually on a cell phone • Slight glances • Time frame might have been during normal class session

1:56-2:10

• Environmental display caught attention of viewer • Possibly due to scale • Longer interest - 1 viewer stopped for 15 sec. to read • Signs use of type grid and assymetical composition

2:11-2:40

• People concerned with talking and eating • Visual Information held behind glass • Interupts message and clarity • Small scale 8.5 x 11 (most information) • Free Legal Music got some viewing time • May be due to color palette–yellow and black, high contrast

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• More traffic than at other kiosks • Which means more interaction from the viewer • Still only split second observations as they walk past • Bright saturated colors caught their eyes as they pass

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Kiosk between Eureka & Brighton Hall

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Library Quad

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University Union & Bailey Lounge

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Kiosk at Sequoia Hall

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Kiosk outside Riverfront center

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Kiosk outside Lassen Hall

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Kadema Hallway

creative brief

TI M E FRAM E

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CONCLUS ION S

3:00-3:15

3:16-3:30

3:30-4:00

research results

OB S E RVATION S

• Little to no interaction with information • Usually on a cell phone • Slight glances • Time frame might have been during normal class session

• Longer interaction from viewers • More traffic • Izabell Poster - very strong reactions • Postcards stapled in repetition down the side

• Highly saturated colors stand out against plenty of black and white ads • Little or no traffic • Timeframe might have been during normal class session

The environment in which this poster will be displayed is visually distracting and noisy.

There is little to no consideration in the way that promotions and advertisement are designed and displayed. Because of this people mentally shut out these distractions.

Here is list of key points that are relative to the designing of this poster.

• Color palettes with a high amount of contrast caught the eye. Yellow and Black • Saturated colors also caught the eye amongst a heap of visual noise • Scale: Larger scale took longer to read and captured attention longer • Message must be clear and succinct, only seconds to grab their attention • Most observed Posters & Color were the “Free Legal Music” Bible Study & Izabella Poster all of these posters had yellow in them.

• Strongest response to a poster was the Izabella Poster. Several people looked at it and one even stopped hard to turn around and take a second look. It has elements of the Art Nouveau style and is the most “designed” advertisement seen on all of the kiosks observed.

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Competition Analysis

creative brief

research results

COM PETITION ANALYS I S

This study will be done on past posters designed for what has evolved into the “Spring Show� at Sac state. This research will also be expanded beyond the borders of the campus to other schools who offer a comparable event.

Another aspect that is expected to be explored are posters for other design & photography conferences not related to school, but rather the professional world.

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London Design Festival 2007

TYPE AS A SOLUTION

Helvetica the movie

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The sample of posters on this page represent a type only solution which is a reasonable approach to solving this problem. The 2007 London Design Festival poster and the Helvetica film poster both make use of only one color, and prove that a message can be communicated without a myriad of colors. Since one of our parameters is a limitation on the amount of colors we can use (2 color pantone spot) this information should put any concerns we may have about this issue to rest.

In the London Design Festival poster they make use of a title that communicates something about the event. This will be an option for me to find a suitable word that conveys the message of the spring show. This title can be a lot of different things depending on what I decided to play up.

The 2007 Sac State spring poster created contrasting shapes and form through the use of multiple type weights from a sans-serif type family. This along with the use of bright saturated colors strategically placed in composition communicates movement and a popping of another key word or concept “inspire.” Although this is a three color job, which is one more than we can use, we can still learn a lot from how to create a composition that is compelling and visually interesting.

“I have never designed a logotype without first trying it in Helvetica. It is still the most versatile, classic and readable of all typefaces.”

-Steff Geissbuhler

Spring Show poster Sac State 2007

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“Typography is what language looks like.”

-Ellen Lupton

creative brief

research results

Vårsalongen Liljevalchs

“Color is the key. The eye is the hammer. The soul is the piano with its many chords.

The artist is the hand that, by touching this or that key, sets the soul vibrating automatically.”

-Wassily Kandinsky

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COLOR AS A COM M U N ICATOR

Alex Katz + Robert Starr Lecture

The choice of color plays a major role in what the poster communicates. Color should never be chosen arbitrarily.

In this sample we can see that the color green can create a strong association with what the concept is to communicate. In the Vårsalongen poster we are interested in a simple composition, enlivened by ornate detail and color.

Even though we have no idea what event this poster is advertising, we get visual clues through the foliage and color palette.

Likewise the 2005 TCU Graphic Design exhibition poster supports its title “fresh” through its color. Again this events designer chose to develop a title that communicates something about the concept of the show. What you expect to see at this show is fresh ideas and fresh concepts.

In the Alex Katz + Robert Star lecture poster, the designer uses large quotation marks as a focal point that can be seen from a distance and uses a strong grid to communicate the information.

TCU Graphic Design Exhibition 2005

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Collated Collective Senior show 2006

HAN D D RAWN I LLUSTRATION

University of Brighton Degree show 2006

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World Day of Design 2005 AIGA

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This technique creates an interesting contrast between hand drawn illustrations and clean form typography. In the Collated Collective poster we can see clean type overlapping to create an interesting shape while at the same time creating a focal point for the rest of the type to work off of. The term collated is used in its definition of an analyzing and comparing of the collection of works done by the graduating seniors.

The University of Brightons Degree show also uses hand drawn illustration of a still life of multiple items composed to dissect the frame of reference diagonally in half. This example also shows us how two colors can be used to unify the entire poster.

The World Day of Design also uses a simple composition, that is activated by these hand drawn illustration that encompass a stick figure in the middle of the page. This acts as the focal point, and because it is a darker color on a brighter background it still draws your eye in, even after following different paths that the illustration makes. The illustrations also create a texture that can be interpreted from some distance. Its communication of information does seem to be the default treatment, as it uses a bar to separate imagery from type.

In all these examples, the use of hand drawn illustration communicates creativity and a personality that is fun, inventive and expressive.

“To draw does not simply mean to reproduce contours; the drawing does not simply consist in the idea: the drawing is even the expression, the interior form, the plan, the model.�

-Ingres

creative brief

research results

I MAG E RY & TEXTU R E

The least successful of the three within this example is the Stephens College senior portfolio show poster. It uses a an almost centered layout that lacks interest. The contact information is handled without care as it is shoved to the bottom of the canvas treated in a default manner. The only attempt in creating a compelling composition is the shape that the scriptic typeface is placed. It appears to be handmade with an applied texture to add to the interest.

Within these examples are some interesting ideas that may or may be worth exploring. The only thing that is trouble some in using imagery is that it must be reduced to one or two colors since that is one of our parameters.

KEY POI NTS

Listing key points that we glean from looking a this type of research can be useful in the concepting phase of this project. We can and should refer back to this information frequently for guidance in solving the problem effectively.

Key points that were noticed in this sample are as follows: • Typography plays vital role in communicating information • Cropping Letter forms can make an interesting composition • The use of repetition and intervals can make an impact • The combination of imagery and type • Hand drawn illustrations contrasted with clean type • Type used in repetition at small scale to create texture • Typography used in a large scale to create shape or plane.

• Textured background adds another dimension • Borders become part of the overall design • Bright color palettes grab the attention of the viewer • Some of these are purely type driven

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Senior Portfolio Design Show Stephens College

In the Next poster we again see hand drawn lettering just as in the Collated Collective example which communicates creativity and seems to be a reoccurring trend in design today.

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Next | AIGA Design Conference 2007

Both the 2006 Sac State Spring Show poster and the AIGA Design Conference “NEXT” poster do a good job of doing just that. There is an interesting contrast between the imagery of a hand holding a portfolio and a crumpled up piece of paper that work as a support for the typography to play off of.

Spring Show Sac State 2006

The use of imagery can be useful as long as that imagery is used in a secondary or even tertiary manner in support of a concept. Otherwise you run the risk that it will communicate that the show is only about photography.

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Demographics will give us an idea of what our primary and secondary audience looks like.

D E MOG RAPH ICS

In the following pages you will see basic demographic data that will inform us of whom exactly we are going to communicate to. This sample averages the last three spring semester spanning a total of approximately three years. This gives us information on our Alumni as well as Professionals as the alumni establish themselves in their respective fields. * Demographic data gathered at the Sacramento State Office of Institutional research. www.oir.csus.edu/reports/factbook

creative brief

research results

GRAPHIC DESIGN MAJOR An average of 3 spring semesters in %

G E N D E R in %

Male Female

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AG E

19 & under 20 - 24 25 - 29 30 - 34 35 - 44

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CLASS LEVE L

Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Graduate

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CONCLUS ION

Within the current Graphic Design major and in the sample of Alumni we can clearly see the it is split down the middle for gender. There are an overwhelming amount of early twenty year olds as well data that reveals class level to be seniors. This means that their understanding of the subject matter to be high.

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INTERIOR DESIGN MAJOR An average of 3 spring semesters %

GENDER

Male Female

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AG E

19 & under 20 - 24 25 - 29 30 - 34 35 - 44

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CLASS LEVE L

Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Graduate

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CONCLUS ION

While age and class level are relatively the same as the graphic design major, one major shift is the amount of female students and alumni in the Interior Design major, which can directly influence the way we approach the problem.

creative brief

research results

PHOTOGRAPHY MAJOR An average of 3 spring semesters in %

GENDER

Male Female

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AG E

19 & under 20 - 24 25 - 29 30 - 34 35 - 44 50

CLASS LEVE L

Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Graduate 50

CONCLUS ION

Again class level and age group trends continue to stay the same. The female percentage drops in comparison to the Interior Design major but is still significantly higher than the Graphic Design major.

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TARGET AUDIENCE

Based off of our current understanding of the Spring Show, we have determined that our primary and secondary audiences are professionals and alumni who are familiar with the subject matter of our show. Our goal is to compel them to attend in order to create contacts and potential employment opportunities.

Our tertiary audience is the general student population on campus and also those potential students who are currently at the junior college and high school level. Our primary goal for this target group is to expose them to the department of design and inform them of how to get involved by listing contact information.

Based off of our demographic research, we have revealed that we have an overwhelming majority of women in our audience which we must take into consideration. This does not mean that we will put flowers or kitties on the poster to attract their attention, only that we must take it into consideration.

The overwhelming age group in which our target audience falls is into the 20-24 age. This means that we must pay attention to current trends not only in design but as well as literature and clothing as this may affect the overall aesthetic of our poster design.

TARG ET AU D I E NCE

Professionals Alumni General Student Design Majors JC & HS students Parents | Peers Slightly more female Primary age | 20 -24

creative brief

conclusions

CONCLUS ION S | PLAN OF APPROACH

TH E M E S

I have learned that viewers are to busy to read information, especially in such a visually saturated environment such as Sac State. The plan of approach will include the development of a concept that is clear and concise, but impactful enough to grab the viewers attention. The poster must seperate itself visually from its noisy environment which means the use of a type only solution is a very viable option intended to be explored.

There are some themes that I have developed based on this research of what this show is about and what other people have done. The driving themes will be supported through the use of the previous listed elements such as typography, color, layout, and imagery.

The research reveals that a majority of the literature targeted towards designers and photographers us a sans-serif typeface with a few exceptions. This is what I plan on using initially for concepting, but if a concept gives rise for a reason to use something else, then that will be explored at that time.

Also the use of vibrant saturated colors seems to be the overall aesthetic used in order to grab the attention of the viewer and to communicate a message. According to the observational research we only have seconds in which to communicate our visual message, so the voice of the poster must be loud enough to grab the audiences attention. It must be strong, compelling and reactionary in the same way a propoganda poster might move you. This can be done by amping up contrast of several different elements, such as color, scale, typography and imagery.

Demographic research reveals that our primary gender in the audience is female. After further female literature review in other female magazines I noticed a similar trend towards sans-serif fonts and a bright color palette. Another technique I intend to explore is the use of hand drawn illustration contrasted with clean formed typography to creat a compelling composition.

01 The Network The idea that the spring show is a place of networking between the designer/photographer, their peers, potential clients and potential employers.

02 A celebration of the process As designers we all understand the process involved in developing a concept. This theme is intended to communicate to the primary and secondary audiences and even the tertiary audience in that they will understand that its been a process just to graduate.

03 Flaunt This title is intended to communicate to the audiences, “a showing off� of what they have accomplished. They should be proud of the work they have done and be excited about displaying it in such way that the audience is impressed and compelled to contact the designer or photographer for future job opprotunities.

This is by no means the end of research, but rather a peeling away of the first couple of layers that are involved in this complex problem. The problem still stands needing an impactful and unique solution. With this research compiled there are things that understably can be avoided and others that can be explored further. This research should be reffered to frequently, in order to keep us on the right track to solve this problem effectively.

G RAPH IC D E S IG N 145

VISUAL I MAG E FALL2007

D E S IG N E R | JOE L FE LIX 209 | 423 | 4903 joel213felix@yahoo.com

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If you wait you’ll forget, jot it down now.

TYPE FACE S US E D

Binary ITC Berthold Akzidenz Grotesk | LOSF

creative brief

notes | sketches | extras

Pss t‌ It ai n t o v a t ill it s ov a.