‘colour is the visual component people remember most about a brand, followed closely by shape/symbols then numbers and finally words’ – Morton - I started by focusing on colour and the associations people have of them by exploring the connotations of colour, such as green for luck. - In response to Morton’s quote, I investigated how recognisable brands were through solely colour, and got feedback from peers. I found this questioning of what people thought the colours showed very beneficial. - After looking at packaging strongly in my essay, I wanted to bring colour and packaging together in the form of my visual research and journal
- Through tasks set in lesson I started putting my theoretical work alongside visual work of my own and others. - By making this visual selection of quotes, facts, artists work and key ideas, I started to understand what direction my project was heading in, and decided to focus more on flat colour and how this can be applied to packaging.
- I then visually explored how everyday packaging uses colour theory to effect the consumer through subconscious colour associations. - Through simple pencil drawings I created some studies of pre-existing packaging as a way to deconstruct and understand the meaning of its production.
- By looking at the work of different Japanese designers (left), I started to wonder if I could change the perception and function of an item through it’s packaging. - The work of ‘Print and Pattern’ and Louise Lockhart (top right and centre) Also made me think about using print work in my work, as I really liked the rough, home made feel, which is a juxtaposition to mainstream packaging. I began to wonder if I could bring the two together -I started to create my own packaging with reflection on colour (bottom right)
- After reflecting on ‘Print and Pattern’s work, I then developed onto ‘natural packaging’ and looked at the flipping of colours from inside to outside of fruits. -I went on to explore mono print to create graphic images which really deconstructed the colour of fruits, and mapped them out to show the different components and the relationships between. - Because of this experimentation, I looked into other ways of displaying natural packaging whilst still intensely investigating colour.
- At the D&Ad festival I saw how iconic colours can be relied upon to depict abstract imagery and still retain the meaning of the image (Below) - I also saw how the deconstruction and allocation of colours can produce informative but abstract outcomes. - After looking at the different media used, I decided I really wanted to explore traditional print more in this project
- I wanted to loosen up my work through the use of fairly roughly cut papers to make abstract kind of imagery. - I then began to develop drawings which depicted the fruit I wanted to whilst not giving a really clear idea as to what it is. - I began looking at the use of abstract colour, in particular CMYK and how these colours which aren’t really associated with fruit impact on how they are received.
- I then transferred my work into vectors so I could use them as positives for screen printing. - I also quickly played around with different colours, and decided that I wanted to look at different colour schemes, such as purples, oranges, or blues to see how these themes impact on perception. - I then turned these into black and white images and printed them out to use in the print room
- I ended up making images through two different print processes, screen and lino, to see how they differ in effect. - I thought the crispness of the screen print worked well and would transfer the best onto packaging due to its small scale and repeat pattern.
- I developed two different formats for outcomes, packaging designs and two different zines using the off cuts - I found the process of re-appropriation through different context really interesting, as I ended up developing outcomes which I hadn’t expected to create at the beginning. - Overall, the responses of peers showed the effects of colour and packaging, and highlighted the importance of colour when it is changed with the same form