EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: Coeliac typeface (collaboration with Mike Williams) Synopsis: The brief was to create a typeface which would be suitable for use within a campaign for Coeliac disease aimed towards young children and their parents. The typeface had to depict the disease visually through the letterforms without losing legibility but also needed to be fun and engaging. This was then to be presented within a type specimen booklet. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Typeface
Full alphabet including numerals and basic glyphs. This was presented in a series of font families including regular and outline. Also a suitable name for the typeface.
Printed resolution
A type specimen booklet showing all of typefaces, numerals and glyphs and their families created. A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Presentation/design boards
Evaluation: Towards the beginning of the year I was approached by Mike wanting to collaborate on a type based project after how well we worked together last year during the responsive module. After some thinking I realised that I would need a display typeface for my Coeliac publication which I was going to tackle later in the year, so this was an opportunity not to be missed and he agreed. From this we developed our own written collaborative brief which would produce a typeface but expanded this into a print resolution of a type specimen booklet. The concept was to create a typeface that would be suitable for a young audience but also convey a visual representation of the disease. The final typeface we designed achieved the concept we set out but from feedback we both realised that it could be used for other areas outside the health sector, so this is the approach we took to the specimen booklet and font name and changed the brief accordingly. I found that throughout the year my practice changed dramatically and because of this I found myself changing some of the briefs which I had written at the beginning. Similar to myself, Mike felt the same and this later created a stronger brief for the both of us to what we started with as our knowledge of what we wanted and what would be good for our portfolio was realised. We tailored the brief to fit this demand. The name ‘Involved’ was chosen to represent the involvement of the cells and antibodies within the body, which are the main visual elements of the disease but aren’t specific to that. For the production of the typeface we took the base font of Edmondsans as this has a bold face that would appeal to a younger audience because it is easy to read but because of the heavy weight left plenty of room for us to develop the illustration within. By choosing a base font this allowed us to keep legibility high throughout. During this production my role was to produce the illustration and depiction of the disease within the font. I approached this by experimenting with different mediums, especially those that would be used by the target audience such as pens and crayons, to create the visual squiggle that would represent the gut and disease. This was the basis of the digital manipulation and was the reason why I chose to create them with the Wacom tablet so that I could create the brush stroke effect but have greater control over the stroke weight and finish compared to a scanned image. This was then collaboratively worked on to tidy up the typeface ready to be placed within the specimen layout Mike had been working on. My part in production also was with book binding as this was a technique which I was comfortable with doing as I had done so much in the past. The choice to use a stitch binding was to replicate the lines created within the visual of the type but also reference to being able so see the inside workings of the body, here seeing the working of a book, and to add detail to the cover of the specimen booklet. At times during this brief my involvement was kept to a minimum because I was doing other briefs but looking back on this I wish I would have played a greater role because type and printed resolutions is something which I have grown to love and could have realised this sooner if I had experimented with it then through this. Overall I am very pleased with the outcome and the experience of collaboration between us was again successful and pleasant, building my confidence further with my ability to work with others. The visual of the display typeface is so strong and I was so happy with it that at the time I realised I need to put context with this with the Coeliac campaign no matter how much or little time I would have at the end to produce them.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: Notepads (live/expansion) Synopsis: This was a brief set in collaboration with Gee’s haulage to create a series of notepads to organise various information and dates when working. It was developed after a discussion amongst admin staff in which we realised that information was going missing on desks as only scraps of paper were being used. The notepads had to work as part of a set, be relevant to the job in hand and also reflect the company visuals. Then after feedback from portfolio surgeries later in the year it was suggested that the range and concept be expanded onto other haulage products because the subject was so individual and would be a good portfolio piece. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Printed resolutions
A series of notepads.
Other mock ups
Mock ups of other haulage products as part of the brief expansion.
Presentation/design boards
A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: This was the first brief which I completed and the first live brief which I was given for this year. It was a short turn around opportunity which had a specific audience and purpose in mind from the off. Because of this I limited the number of ideas which I had and discarded most of them before moving onto the design process. As the clients were people that I work with part time and because of this friendship I was given free rein on the design and formats as long as they were suitable for the job. That was a new challenge as in the past year I had struggled with open briefs spending too long deciding on a format and concept but with this being client based I felt more focussed and determined to produce something good quickly and efficiently as I knew this could lead onto further work in the year, which it eventually did with being asked to re design the website. Having an open brief was a good opportunity to test out some print and foiling skills. My final concept which I took into the design process was a series of small notepads that could be used for a variety of roles and were specified simply by a variety of related sayings. These sayings were all similar with slight differences according to their use and the feedback received was positive and caused a good conversation among us in the office because they could all relate with the individual terms. I was pleased with the finished foiling and feel it gave the simplistic design added interest without being too garish and distracting which suited the audience and context. Although the colour scheme wasn’t exactly navy and white of the company it was close enough to please and still work with the other secondary blue tones of the company branding but this could have been re worked with better stock for the front covers if more time had been given and I had better resources at hand. I am also disappointed with some of the perfect binding because it is beginning to fall apart after only slight use and when tackling future binding this is something I would consider and work on a technique to improve this. This was also a brief which I included within my portfolio and received some positive feedback saying that this would interest respective branding studio as the subject matter was not something which other graduates would have tackled and shows I am open to looking at corporate or tasks that appear dull. Some feedback which I received at DS Emotion was to expand the concept onto further haulage products to show how this could translate and add personality to an average and quiet boring distribution sector. Overall I am happy with the final outcome and believe that it accomplishes what the brief set out to do and was a greater starter project for the year which got me motivated again after a long summer away from design and thinking.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: Jaypee x BAGD (live/collaboration with Tanida Panyamang and Hannah Watt) Synopsis: This was a brief set by former graduate Johnny Packman to collaborate with him and other students in a wall mural which would take place within studio 3. The brief asked us to propose an idea within a group of what could be placed onto the wall to promote the course positively in some way. We needed to consider format and materials which we wanted this to take place with. Our proposals were then combined with other ideas and Jaypee’s illustrations to create a practical piece which was then illustrated across the walls and windows of the studio. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Concept visuals
A series of visuals illustrating our idea to be used within the proposal boards. Physical painting of the walls.
Production Proposal boards
A series of boards to pitch our concept and idea to Jaypee and the course tutors in order to be chosen as part of the production team.
Presentation/design boards
A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: Straight after the briefing with Jaypee I knew this was a brief which I wanted to take on because of the experience it could offer me and something for me to use to get out of the design rut which I was having at the time and take part in yet another thing which was out of my comfort zone and new. I found that this was becoming a theme among my practice, this willingness to get involved and embrace the new. After several discussions with fellow students we formed a group of similar interests to put together a proposal for what we thought would work well. This team was myself, Tanida and Hannah. Our concept was to propose that the wall mural would be a series of quotes and key words that related to the course. That they would be a mixture of inspirational ones but also key principles in design. Our choice to include both was so that the things being said could be easily understood and appeal to all those who would use the room, from existing students during briefings who may want a helpful hint but also candidates looking around on open days for a sample of what goes on in the course. The production of ideas was the most difficult part because the time which we had to complete the proposal was very short and meant that we had to contact each other through email during the night once at home ready for the next day. We worked on our own individual elements which we then sent to one another to be collaborated on and altered with each of our own opinions. This was a night of closely watching my emails but in the end paid off because the final outcome represented each of our own inputs but worked cohesively as one image. My main contribution was with the type but also the alteration of Hannah’s script sayings. These became the strongest element and something which Jaypee really liked. Because of this we were given the responsibility of the main type across the wall which would be used as a bridge between the two sides of illustration. With this we had to pick a suitable quote and the choice of going with ‘Embrace the unknown’ was because this was a saying which Amber recently had said within a briefing but it also suggested a void between the two sides which every student has to make and cross at some point in the journey of the course. We were successful in our proposal which then allowed us to work collaboratively as part of an even larger group on the wall itself alongside Jaypee. Production was the part which I was most excited about and because of this I was willing to help out at any time I had available, staying late to finish if needs be. I showed dedication throughout this stage of the process and I began to show myself that I could work on large scale formats with a larger group but also with others in the industry. A great experience to gain confidence in my abilities with others. This was a very tiring and physical production but well worth it when seeing the final outcome. Wall mural and large scale design is something I would definitely consider doing in the future. Overall, I was so pleased with the outcome but I am more thrilled by the experience and skills which I have gained from doing the production.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: BEAR (competition YCN/collaboration with Stephanie Pickard) Synopsis: The brief was an externally set competition brief as part of the YCN student awards 2014 which I worked with collaboratively with Steph Pickard. The brief asked us to create the back of a cereal packet for their existing product range ‘Alphabites’. The design had to be educational, suitable for their younger target audience and work as part of a range. The idea of collection of the boxes and reference to the alphabet or letters also had to be considered and demonstrated within our concept. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Cereal packet concept
Presented on a net template provided in the brief pack and also various mock ups. A constructed letter C formed as part of the collectable content of the box and used to illustrate this element of our concept.
Printed resolution YCN submission boards
A series of boards illustrating our concept suitable for competition submission and collaboratively worked on.
Presentation/design boards
A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: I decided at the beginning of the year that I would work collaboratively on my main competition entry this year because I felt that last year the experience of completing D&AD collaboratively was one of the best decisions I made because the outcome was stronger and a more enjoyable process when ideas can be bounced off one another. So for this year’s competition I have worked with a successful winner in last year’s YCN awards Steph. This was also a good match because our interests and design styles are very similar but we both focus on different areas where the other has weakness. We both enjoy illustration with similar approaches but I also like type whereas she prefers packaging. So altogether with our skill set I started the brief thinking that we had the complete package to tackle this particular illustrated packaging brief with confidence. Although this wasn’t exactly true all the way through because this was one of the hardest projects and concept processes I had tackled all year. Throughout the concept stage we struggled with what idea to pursuit. Because we are both concept driven this ultimately we had more ideas to begin with than we could handle and spent most of the early week deliberating which would work better and why. Eventually, after some feedback from tutors and peers, we settled on a few ideas that would complement one another. Still achieving the educational aspect of the requirements but looking more at the interaction and collection side of the cereal packets. Our final concept was to use the cereal packet as a way of children could discover native habitats of bears with the help of letters. Our idea was based around tear, reveal and share in which children could tear and reveal facts underneath the illustrations which could be kept, collected and shared among each other. Children could also tear and craft each related country letter from the inside of the packet. This added more engagement and direct link to the idea of letters being the focus. Ultimately children would want to collect at least enough boxes to spell their name. During this process we still considered the parent as these would be the ones making the final purchase choice so this is why we had to include direct facts and education but also when the back is torn away remain a box which is still practical for storage. Production was focussed on digital visuals and illustrations which we each took turns in making individual elements. Again, similar to Dr ME, I suggest the introduction of an overall patchwork aesthetic that could work to piece together the individual images we had been creating. To make them all work as a set during production we made sure we used the same colours and stroke weight throughout both of our work. Our strengths for this project were that we both had similar styles and could help out with skills where the other was weaker. Although the concepts produced with two heads were a lot stronger and more developed by the end the process of collating these was something which we both struggled with and probably wasted a lot of time which could have been used to produce physical products instead. If I was to do this brief again or expand it, it would be to create the physical packaging as some of the mock ups had slight distortions looking back on it. Overall I think we were both pleased with the outcome and mostly the concept behind it but were probably glad to see the back of it because it did take up so much time compared to our initial thoughts and left us feeling confused for the majority. I wouldn’t say that this experience has put me off collaboration because I had no issues with Steph I just feel that the choice of brief could be thought about more or in my case just avoid packaging.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: Coeliac campaign Synopsis: This is an individual brief which has changed since the beginning of the year when first wrote. It became a brief which asked to create a campaign based around the disease for young children and their parents, as part of an extension to the type brief. Its main purpose was to use the Involved typeface previously created in context for its original purpose to demonstrate its strengths and on an individual basis. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Printed resolutions
A series of posters and postcards.
Presentation/design boards
A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: This was an individual brief which I had to reconsider the outcomes and overall purpose of it because I wanted to start it close to the deadline. The desire to still complete this brief instead of removing it was because I had already gathered a lot of primary information and leaflets on the disease but I also wanted a format in which to see the typeface myself and Mike had created earlier in the year but in context for its design purpose. Because of this I altered the brief to a short turnaround concept idea, still for a campaign based around the disease for a young audience and their parents, but with simpler deliverables. It became an extension and exercise to the typeface brief. The whole concept was based heavily on the primary leaflets which I had collected for my research. During the research process I noticed that Coeliac UK runs a campaign for Coeliac awareness week every year but with a different focus topic. From this I proposed the concept of creating a campaign based around children and the disease for the following year as the focus topic for the week. The main visuals came from the display typeface designed and produced previously. The choice to leave some of these as outlines was so that the children could engage and interact with the promotional material for the campaign so that it had more purpose for them as well as being educational and promoting the cause. Use of crayons on the main poster shows a clear recognisable visual to the parent of a child’s involvement or focus to the topic. Strengths of this project were the use and manipulation of the display typeface created to portray the concept of the child. This took only little changes to how colour was added but also the alignment of the letters but conveyed the message and audience focus within it. Weakness of this project was the overall time which I had left for the brief. If I had planned my time better with other briefs and tasks this could have turned into a full campaign with a larger range of outcomes. Overall I think that the campaign works well to get across some information about the disease which I had researched into and in the time it took to produce was a strong and simple concept which compliments the visual of the typeface perfectly. The final resolutions set out to what I hope they would achieve in giving good context and purpose to the type.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: Hallmark (competition Hallmark Creative/expansion) Synopsis: A competition brief set by Hallmark Creative to produce artwork which would be suitable as part of their ‘Kool Kids’ range. The design needed to be suitable for children and to be used on cards and gift wrap for children’s birthdays. The concept had to look at popular themes within children’s design and use a selected colour scheme provided by them. This was later expanded into a practical screen printed project for individual investigational and skill building purposes. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Digital artwork
A series of patterns presented as A4 digital artworks to be submitted online to Hallmark Creative.
Printed resolutions
A series of screen printed gift wrap and card.
Presentation/design boards
A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: This brief was one of the easiest and quickest to complete this year and the expansion of it past the competition was a great opportunity for me to experiment with print and screen printing again. It was nice to also complete this at the end of the year as it got me away from blogging for a few hours. With my practice I have realised this year that I prefer to physically craft and produce resolutions instead of focussing too much on the design this could also be because my conceptual thinking has become faster and stronger. My concept for the brief was based around the idea of a child’s party treats calling the collection ‘Sweet celebration’. Idea generation and sketching of the illustrations was quick because I had an image in mind and it was a chance for me to explore an old passion of character design from the first year. Character design is also something which is popular among designing for children so it made sense to have fun with it on this occasion. Problems with this brief came when submitting the artwork to Hallmark Creative. Although this was something which I couldn’t control was how it would be displayed in their judging gallery. Something had gone wrong with the representation of the colour scheme I had chosen so this was probably one of the factors which hindered my success. In a way I am glad that I did not win this competition because if so I wouldn’t have been able to take the idea and image to screen print because Hallmark would then have owned my design. Because of the colour issues I had this was something which I wanted to address through the practical application of colour through the screens. I chose colours that were similar to the artwork I had created but much more limited because I only had a limited number of screens to place the separations on. I am pleased with the outcome and the bright fluro colours work well with the idea of party and disco from a children’s party. Overall the expansion of the brief worked much better than the original artwork submission and was a great opportunity to get away from my other designs and screen print. This was also one of the last chances I had to experiment with print before the module submission.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: Leeds Cat Rescue Synopsis: The brief was to re brand and re design the website for a cat re homing charity based in Leeds. This brief was developed because throughout my degree I have focussed a brief each year on the theme of cats was only right to do so again but this time I picked a topic and brand with good cause and desperation of new visuals. The proposed designs must be suitable for the target audience and show them the work which the charity does. The concept had to elevate the visual perception of the brand. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Brand logo
This concept was presented within a printed brand guidelines publication. Visuals of the website design.
Website visuals Printed resolutions
Charity postal pack, series of postcards, charity cards and informational booklet.
Presentation/design boards
A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: As the rest of my degree I had feature a cat related brief within every year I thought it was only right to do this again during extended practice. This is a clear personal interest that has run right through all three years and this is because I owe a lot to my own cat as he has been a great support and influence throughout. This time however I wanted to find a subject that had more meaning and purpose behind it than previous ones. One of the ways which I felt I could achieve this was to focus on a cat charity and was able to come across Leeds cat rescue online. The charity itself is successful but the brand and web visuals which it uses are shocking to say the least, becoming a talking point in many presentations. So as a gesture of good will and to tackle a cat related brief this year I decided to create a possible re brand and identity for them, something which on numerous occasions I was suggested to propose to them and turn into a live brief. Because of time restrictions and stress at the end of the module I haven’t managed to do this yet but this is something which I look to do shortly after submission. This also became a brief which I wanted to submit to feature in our yearbook so this allowed me to have a set deadline to work towards and knowing that I wanted the outcomes to look the strongest to best represent myself within the yearbook. At times this caused added stress but I feel that this forced me to develop a strong but simple concept to apply across the brand material. My concept and design production focussed heavily on the brand identity and tone of voice as this was something which I felt needed improving on massively from the existing one and would be the main design element across platforms and printed material. Getting this right was essential to the overall effect on the aesthetics and the audience. My final concept was a simplistic iconic shape that could be used with the name or other content but still be a recognisable brand visual. The shape was essentially a line which wrapped around the content to form the shape of a house as re homing and adoption was the main line of work for the charity. The line also created the visual of a cat with iconic references to the ear shape and finishing with the tail leading off to where the door would be if seen as a house. The tone of voice created was very appropriate to the audience as it was again strongly cat related and referred to the audience as being cats, suggesting a helping hand was a paw instead etc. I was very pleased with the outcome of the concept and visual created for the brand and this is something which I received a great deal of positive feedback about from portfolio surgeries. So much so that many suggested I make a feature of this on a page by itself within my portfolio. I also extended the solutions passed web based and into print. I felt that by including a print element I could push the concept and tone of voice further. A postal pack is something which I had seen competitors do during research as a thank you for helping the charity. This would give the charity greater recognition to their audience. I spent a great deal of time during this brief working on the concept and visual and at times found this rather stressful. It took a lot of deliberation and sketching and altering before I was completely happy. But I think without the hard work at this stage the concept would have been poor and too obvious and similar to their competition. Overall this was one of the most successful briefs which I have completed this year because of the good feedback which I have received from those within the industry.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: 78violet Synopsis: The brief was to re brand American duo Aly & AJ after their recent name change and proposal for new album and tour. It was an opportunity to look at brand application across a number of printed formats but also an opportunity to develop screen printing skills. The visuals and concept must depict both the attitudes of the band and new music style but also the lyrics from their upcoming album. Attitudes of the band were the thought of the two of them coming together to produce a third voice. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Digital mock ups
Mock ups of the vinyl cover (front and back).
Printed resolutions
CD packaging, CD inner hotdog booklet, tour book, tour tickets and promotional screen printed posters.
Presentation/design boards
A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: This was an individual brief which I had wrote at the beginning of the year but fell massively behind its original schedule due to the inclusion of the other live briefs. After seeing how well the experimental and different approach to aesthetic took with the Dr ME brief I thought this would be another opportunity to do so but also a chance to explore my love of print and screen printing techniques. Before this brief I had little opportunity to screen print and through the process of this production and how much I enjoyed it I realised what type of designer I actually was which was very different to the beginning of the year. I am disappointed that I didn’t experiment with this sooner or during the second year as it would have made my approach to individual practice much more enjoyable from the start. As this was a re design of an existing brand visual and album art I began to research heavily into the changes which the band had made in the past 5 years not just the change of name. Whilst watching a recent interview they talked about the name change being a way for them to express this third voice which they felt they created when harmonising together. This is where my final concept came for the visuals and throughout is based around the idea of two elements, whether that be type, colour or image, coming together to create one complete image that works in balance aesthetically with one another. The other concept for the album artwork was based around the lyric ‘hothouse flower’ in which I created a pattern of flowers which again within it highlighted two main colours and images coming together to create one final piece. The production of this flower pattern was created by chance and then developed further with colour during screen print. I found that during the technique of screen printing colours could be overlaid together to create a third, again perfect for my overarching concept. This concept is mimicked in the CD packaging by the two parts coming together to form the whole cover. During research and production I also looked at how music has changed format and what is now desirable. To demonstrate this I chose to create a vinyl cover that would be more permanent as these are now collectable pieces whereas the CD packaging is more disposable and simplified as often CDs are now downloaded then discarded. At the beginning of development before Christmas I was unhappy with the rate at which this idea was being developed but this couldn’t be helped with the emphasis at the time being on my dissertation. In some ways I wonder if by stepping away from the idea and gathering more visual research I was able to create a more pleasing visual and stronger concept. If I had rushed to finish to the schedule I had set at the beginning I would have never attempted to screen print. So in some ways I am grateful for poor time management to meet my own set deadlines. Strengths during this brief were the screen printing as I was so please with the visual that this became the main feature and focus across all application on products. A by chance experiment worked out great and again pushed me to keep developing other briefs past the skills I already had. Again a demonstration that my practice this year has taken me out of my comfort zones for the better. Through this brief I learnt great skills and techniques which later helped with my self promotion production. Overall the outcomes produce for this brief have been some of my strongest. I have looked at a variety of different methods and formats to produce them. I have improved my skills in screen print, foiling and preparing for external print. All skills which have improved and informed my practice greatly.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: Gee’s website (live) Synopsis: This was a client based and paid brief which was given to me after they had seen the work produced in the Notepads exercise. This is a digital based brief which consisted of proposal of a new website re design and update. This would be extended onto coding but after the module submission. The website proposal needed to include all relevant content already shown plus added new features which would improve user-bility for both the company’s clients and potential employees. The re design is needed to place the company higher up in the competitive sector of haulage and distribution and give them a modern bespoke look. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Website visuals Proposal boards
A series of visual mock ups and displays to illustrate the new design and concept to the client. A series of boards used to sell the idea to the client.
Presentation/design boards
A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: This was a brief which I gained from the success of an earlier one with the same client. This was a little different in it was much more serious, with more set restrictions and purpose in mind to before. The brief was also my first paid job. I knew that with this I had to be more professional with my approach which is why I have sent a proposal presentation of my proposed idea. I am grateful that they are cooperative and have allowed me to look at coding it after my final submission when I have time to do so. This was very different to other briefs I have undergone this year as I had to work closely with the client and work with their needs and demands over my own design preferences. I spent a great deal of time at the beginning of the process sitting down with one of the directors and finding out what exactly was needed. The proposed idea had to contain all the same content which was already displayed, a few additional elements and updates. They wanted the site to stand out from that sector of distribution and their local competitors. A way in which I thought this could be achieved would be to introduce a one page scroll system as this is a modern and on trend element which none of the other sites seem to use. I felt that it was fitting to the concept of showing movement and forward thinking which I managed to convince the client also. My experience working with a client on this occasion was good because they were so open to ideas that I had to put forward as long as it represented the company in a positive light and included all the relevant information and content that was needed. The main aspect which they insisted was that the site be suitable for their existing clients wanting new work but also those looking for work as a driver or within the office. This made the process easy as the brief was narrowed down so much in terms of content so I didn’t need to undergo much research. Plus with working their part time I already knew quite a lot of information about how the company works with their other clients and what the needs are surrounding this. I received positive feedback about the proposal and they said that my idea was presented well in a format that they could understand. This for me was positive as it showed how my practice has become more professional and how the confidence of presenting my work has changed. Overall I am looking forward to working on the digital aspect of this after the submission is over and working alongside the client. Also coding is something which I want to practice more and not lose those techniques I have learnt and built up over the past two years as I realise that even though I love print I am still going to have to have good awareness of the web and digital as this is the way forward with a lot of brands recently. The fact of getting paid also makes this experience better.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: Edge typeface Synopsis: This was a self initiated brief which came from the re design of my self promotion and branding. I decided to expand the initial letterforms which I had already created for my branding icon forming the remaining letters of the alphabet using only the two shapes present (semi circle and triangle). The typeface created was then to be presented in a suitable type specimen booklet alongside a suitable name which would show of the typeface and its attributes. It was based around the modern geometric trends which are current design style and that have influenced my practice this year. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Typeface
Full alphabet presented in a variety of font families including regular block and outline. Type specimen booklet which also looked at binding methods and print finishes that also inspire me. Postcards and posters
Printed resolution Presentation/design boards
A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: This was a brief which I had initially thought was part of my extended practice but I was advised to include it within this submission. Because of this however I had little documentation of my development and design production stages as it was meant as just an expansion of my self branding but also as a chance to experiment and improve skills in print finishes and book binding ready for briefs I was producing at the time. Looking back if I had made the decision to include it as part of my submission I would have changed this and gone back and looked at documentation and evaluation of production. But again this was another brief where I look at the use and production of typography and as this was around the time writing my dissertation it was good to have a practical outlay for the context I was learning in that. The design production was relatively simple because it was formed from the two letterforms which I had already created with the initials in my brand logo. Some of the letters I struggled with the proportion of the shapes and how this could work together to form the anatomy of the letter. In some cases I think it may still be visible where I struggled as legibility is slightly reduced with some of the letterforms. Again with this brief I used it as an opportunity to practice book binding methods and print. My techniques have improved massively over the year and are something I would like to continue with my practice in the future. The techniques which I had learnt with this brief and Coeliac type was something which I translated into my context of practice publication, making the process of that quicker and more enjoyable because of knowledge already gained. Overall I was happy with the aesthetic of the outcome and believe that it is a strong portfolio piece because it allows me to show off my personal interests, skills and how I can expand briefs further.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: Yorkshire restaurant Synopsis: The brief was to create branding and relevant material for a restaurant based in the heart of the Yorkshire dales. The design and its concept had to reflect the place in which it was situated and also cultural dishes and attitudes of the place. To achieve this, the concept was based around Yorkshire dialect as this is a common signifier of the area along with its food and landscape. All which are depicted in the final resolution somehow. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Brand logo
Suitable name and brand identity and visuals to be used across printed material. Business card, dinner, dessert and drinks menus, signage, staff uniforms, napkins, take away bag, cup and food wrap.
Printed resolutions Presentation/design boards
A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: This was one of the most enjoyable briefs this year because of its subject matter of Yorkshire. It gave me a chance to explore my roots in the county. Again this was a chance to explore the application of a brand across a wide range of products but within this brief I specifically looked at how a brand visual could change depending on the format which it was presented on and the limitations of this. This is becoming a popular trend in this sector but also across branding in general. The concept of the brand name is based around the Yorkshire dialect and the famous Yorkshire man’s motto which features a line directly linked to food. Researching into dialect was an element of the process which I enjoyed because the way I pronounce certain words never really crossed my mind until now, so an interesting discovery on a personal level. Dialect is a main part of the recognition of something being known as part of the county but I found that not many restaurants used this idea to promote themselves as being Yorkshire orientated. Another main signifier to the county is the landscape and this is the other element which I incorporated into the brand. I wanted to achieve this on a subtle level that could be still easily understood and found a good way to achieve this was with a map visual. Photos of just the landscape are too common among this sector in the county. It was an element which the audience could relate to but also that would engage with tourists by showing them directly the location they were in and relative to where they could be heading after eating. Strengths during this project were my direct link and understanding of the subject because of this researching was quick and my audience was understood. With this I was able to produce a stronger concept throughout and could focus on the change created with application. Weaknesses were time management as I didn’t leave myself a lot of time before submission to complete the production of the printed material. Because of this some are of poor quality but managed to fix the appearance of this within the photos by choosing angles and sides carefully. By doing this I have being able to get some decent shots for my portfolio. Overall this was one of my strongest and easiest concepts produced. I have received good feedback from those in the industry during portfolio surgeries and that was whilst it was still work in progress.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: 80s Channel Synopsis: This brief was to create a channel concept, focussing on online platforms, for a channel which played only shows and films from the 1980s. The concept designed had to be suitable for a modern 21st century audience needs but also be easily recognisable in its visual display to the 1980s.
List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Website visuals
A series of visuals for the channel website.
Online/onscreen player visuals
A series of visuals for the online player function. Also representation of how the brand would translate across and be displayed on TV.
Presentation/design boards
A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: This brief is a reflection of what my practice was like at the beginning of the year, it is very different to how I have turned out because I thought at that time that I would become a digitally focussed designer. For this reason it took me nearly a whole year to complete because one minute I would enjoy it then the other I wouldn’t. The enjoyment which I did get out of it was creating the brand’s visual identity as this has become a clear focus in my practice. In the end I used the brief as an application of brand in a digital context but also to research and focus on audiences needs now within the 21st century. The main concept which I focussed on was that of the brand name and identity. The final logo produced is to refer back to the past by including the use and connotations of the rewind icon. This is a feature which was introduced in technology of the 1980s but it is still used today within television just within a different context, it is still understood to show something which occurred in the past. Within the name this was used to replace the two As within ‘Flashback’. This brand concept was also a great way in which to look at how type can affect the aesthetic and meaning within a brand identity. In this instance I had to use a type which was highly legible at varying scales but also illustrated the postmodernist style of the 1980s. To achieve this I took inspiration from the movie poster ‘Drive’ as this was suggested in early crit feedback. This used a script font with use of neon colours, very simple and understandable but also very 80s. During the brief I struggled a great deal with production. One of the main reasons was because I no longer have as much interest in digital but also that not being from the 1980s it was hard at times to put myself in the shoes of the right audience that would be truly interested in the channel concept. If I was to complete the brief again this is definitely an area which I would research in more depth and get a larger variety of opinions from those who remember the 1980s. Overall the outcomes I am generally pleased with I just wish that during the production I had more enthusiasm to really understand the topic deeper and produce a stronger digital aesthetic. The brand identity outcome I feel is very strong and this is probably the one element which I am proud of because it is the only real element of this brief I spent a lot of time on because it is where my interests lie as a designer.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: Elmwood brand the boring (live) Synopsis: This was a set brief by Elmwood in which we was each given a boring profession to brand. My chosen profession was accountants and for this I had to make the profession fun and engaging for the target audience whilst still representing an accountant firm accurately. This concept was then presented to Elmwood in an interim crit and also digital submission. Although this wasn’t successful with them I have received good feedback in terms of it being a portfolio piece and from this I have expanded the range to include other ideas past the submission point for Elmwood. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Printed resolutions Digital mock ups
A series of stationary such as notepads, letterhead and invoice sheets. Also business cards and CD cover. Office interiors and a series of stationary.
Submission boards
A series of boards presenting the concept to Elmwood.
Presentation/design boards
A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: This was a brief which was brought to use during the beginning of the year by brand and packaging agency Elmwood and was something which I hadn’t planned for at the start of the year. At the time I had no idea that this would turn into quite a big brief for me, even past the point of submission for them because of the positive feedback I later received during portfolio surgeries. This became my third live brief of the year and by this point it was something which I was enjoying more than my own individually written briefs because they were so challenging and varied in their subjects. Also with them not being as open I felt that I had something clearer to work on compared to the sketchiness of my own. A brief being too open with no real set deadline was something I have struggled with all year so this is probably one of the reasons I welcomed doing live briefs so easily with little thought before tackling. My chosen profession to brand was an accountant. I struggled a lot with this concept at the beginning and found myself experimenting with the obvious and looking at various solutions in detail before I was finally pleased with one to work on for submission. The chosen concept uses the humble ant image to suggest strength dependability and intelligence. Qualities desired by the client from the profession. I took a less serious approach to present an image of an accountant which was fun to move away from the profession being seen as boring and dull people. Allows the client to see a more personal side so they become more approachable without this hard edge corporate feel that is usually used. During the design process I had a range of ideas but the feedback received at the interim crit really helped with the direction in which to take. Without this I think I would have chosen something more corporate because I was initially afraid to jump too much outside of the box but again, similar to Dr ME, this was encourage and again resulted in a better final resolution. I have also received much positive feedback during portfolio surgeries with suggestion on how to expand and develop the idea. This is something which I decided to do after the submission was unsuccessful with Elmwood and feel that with this the concept was improved greatly. I am disappointed that this was not done sooner as more opportunities could have come if these adjustments and additions had been made sooner for Elmwood. From portfolio surgeries towards the end of the year I could see that my practice had developed into something which was brand focussed, with this being one of the standout pieces I presented. Feedback from these also suggested that my strengths are within typography an d the use of copy as all said the concept of the sub title ‘Strength in numbers’ was a winning concept. Within the design production stage I looked at creating a suitable visual that showed my concept with use of one colour and simplistic iconic forms, as inspired by through my research. I chose the colour green as it had a direct link with money and no debt but also suggested positivity, reflecting well on the brand. Production took on a variety of stages which run through the year because of the different points of feedback which I received. Changes which I made to my original visual was to replace the pound sign with the queen ants head to replicate our own, making the text of the title larger than the visual identity as this is the strength within the concept and would work better at different scales then and improve legibility and also developing interiors. All have made the concept and final resolution stronger and a better portfolio piece. I regret not hearing this feedback sooner and developing the concept more before the point of submission for Elmwood but I am happy now with it being a strong portfolio piece. I had some issues with printing because of the stock which I had chosen and if I had time I would have re printed on something a little heavier and eco friendly to suggest the idea of strength and nature within the stock and format. Overall I was pleased with the final concept and visual of the brief and feel that without expansion it could have looked poor. This brief has shown me that coming back to briefs after an amount of time can be positive and work out for the best as you can see ideas that were not there before.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: Christmas postcard (live) Synopsis: The brief was set by fellow student and it was to design artwork which would be riso printed onto a postcard format ready to sell as part of a Christmas fundraiser for a local Leeds charity. The brief was simple and was taken on as part of a good gesture towards charity, as a few of my pieces this year have been, but also as a quick one day brief to refresh my brain from other longer briefs. The theme, colour and design style were all set so researching could be focussed from the start making the design process much faster as I was limited to what I could create. My chosen Christmas theme was a song ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’ by Slade, I knew that it had to be a typographic piece that would work in one green colour. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Digital artwork
Artwork of the postcard design submitted for print.
Printed solution
Postcard version of the artwork riso printed as part of the fundraiser.
Presentation/design boards
A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: This again was a quick turnaround brief set by Lizzie with a specific outcome needed. This played to my advantage as I could quickly gather relevant information and inspiration because the search had been narrowed by the brief. Much of my focus and thinking was around the exact lyrics of the song and which could be used within a typographic piece that would easily represent the song but the over arching and general theme of Christmas to the audience. Many of my briefs within extended practice have focussed on themes for charities so this was a good opportunity to think about a similar sort of giving audience and selling basis. My chosen concept was based around the lyric ‘Are you hanging up a stocking on the wall?’ as this worked better with the Christmas references and the association of the green colour. The other idea which I had was to use the lyric which referred to reindeer and kissing Santa but these were discarded early on because these elements are stereotypically associated with the colour red. The finished design is simple and legible which is suitable for the small format which it needed to be printed onto but also illustrates the key words of the lyrics in a subtle way which isn’t too garish. The use of the one colour has also effected the design and concept which I had chosen to produce and gave me strict limitations to the type of design I could created but I think because of this the outcome appears more considered with a stronger representation of the lyrical meanings and type principles. The use and placement of type and how to illustrate this without losing legibility was one of my strengths which I hoped to improve on further in later briefs. Looking back I am disappointed that I didn't investigate a variety of lyrics instead of just going with my first idea, although in some ways this couldn’t be helped because of the short time scale of the brief and also I was heavily focusing on the Coeliac typeface collaboration. This exploration of other lyrics could have possibly been an effective way in which to expand the outcome quantity. Production was only digital for this brief because the artwork was being submitted and then sent to print with a riso graph. Although there wasn’t much physical craft involved with this project it meant that I had to consider external limitations when designing and because of this my design had to consider this and had to be kept to one colour because of this printing method. This became good practice for me when sending something to print externally without my full control which would definitely happen more frequently outside of education. So better to learn from mistakes now when clients money isn’t involved. Overall I was pleased with the outcomes as they fulfilled the brief but also worked as a good opportunity to explore type and how it is used. With this brief being one which I completed early on in the year I could use it to practice type principle skills and layout and act as a refresher on this before tackling some larger projects. A way in which to get my brain thinking once again. In the future if I tackled a similar brief again I would have expanded the range further into other stationary items or even gift wrap and cards but because of the specific Christmas theme I did not want to be thinking about this in spring past the time.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: Dialogue (live) Synopsis: This brief was set by two fellow students and was to produce an A3 piece of artwork that could then be screen printed in collaboration with someone else’s submission. This would then go to feature in their exhibition within Leeds. The topic was based around the idea of dialogue and the design concept had to reflect this meaning or action in some way. My concept was based around the dialogue of memories and conversations stored within photographs. This was an inspirational brief for myself as it gave me a chance to reflect and look back at my own past and what has made me who I am and informed my practice to date some of which appears later in my context of practice publication.
List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Digital artwork Presentation/design boards
Halftone artwork supplied as my submission. A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: This year I have found myself participating in a large number of quick turnaround live briefs which has suited my way of working as they have given me the opportunity to get away from other briefs at the time and clear my head. But also to make my production and thinking skills faster and more focussed. Although the brief was very open to interpretation in this instance I did not feel overwhelmed or struggled because I knew there was no time to be indecisive. As I was pleased with the final concept I produced I became more aware that with my practice I can push myself and became more confident with the way I was thinking about concepts. This confidence achieved helped when presenting my ideas in portfolio surgeries. My final chosen concept which I submitted was based around the idea of dialogue which is found in memories and the conversations stored and sparked by photographs. This was an inspirational brief for myself as it gave me a chance to reflect and look back at my own past and what has made me who I am and informed my practice to date some of which appears later in my context of practice publication. I found my love for nostalgia as seen in some of my other briefs which look at things from the past decades. Throughout the brief I was designing with a desired format in mind although this was a wrong way to approach it as this choice was not set by myself so therefore didn’t follow the brief I was given exactly. I hoped that the design would be produced as a postcard as this would suit the visual message of it being a photograph and cause a similar dialogue as postcards do when seen within the exhibition. To my delight this did come true in the end but was unknown until seen so this was a weakness I had created. Strengths during this brief have been the speed in which I have been able to research and produce an understandable and appropriate concept. Although still always room for improvement. Overall I was happy with the final outcome, especially with it being in the format I desired, and it was good to see my work and name as part of a very successful exhibition that wasn’t just student based.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: Dr ME flags (live/collaboration with Josh Douglas) Synopsis: This was a set brief by Dr ME who came into the studio for a workshop at the beginning of the year. The task was to work collaboratively on a flag that would represent us both in some way and to look at a new way of approaching a design task, which would then be displayed in Salford in an exhibition. This encouragement of experimentation and working more craft based was something different for the both of us but opened up my way of thinking about how visual concepts could be crafted and represented. Our concept focussed heavily on personal linguistic pairs and the idea of collaboration. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Digital artwork
Artwork used for digital printing.
Printed resolution
Flag
Presentation/design boards
A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: This was a live brief which was also a collab and quick turnaround, which at first seemed challenging but by the end became an enjoyable and a good opportunity for experimentation. Because of this openness to experimentation the outcome which we produced had a very different aesthetic to what we were both use to but equally was as pleased. It allowed us to be brave with design decisions and showed that even with some mistakes and the unknown during production the outcome can end up successful. It also showed me the possibilities of different mediums and how well collaboration could work after the stresses seen with it last year. I think without this brief I would have been very cautious to even do collaboration this year, so definitely a good eye opener at the right time. Our concept for this brief was to show visually collaboration between the two of us. A way in which we thought we could achieve this was through the use of linguistic pairs. These were both about design and personal interests of the both of us and we looked at how these could work together to create one overall image of us, showing that all these parts make up one thing and are only seen when both elements work together as one. We developed this concept more by using a patchwork to combine the designs together. This was used to highlight the concept of two once different individuals things or people can come together to form the one image. The production was something which we both weren’t comfortable with because it was out of our comfort zone as Dr ME encouraged experimentation and a hand crafted aesthetic, which we were unsure if it would work or not at the beginning. We used this approach to create the linguistic icons before working digitally to re colour and re create the checkerboard effect. At the time of the workshop supplies of different coloured stock was limited so this hindered are opportunity to create the whole piece using hand craft. But early on we had decided that the easiest way to produce the actually flag was to digitally print in the textile department so scanning and producing digital content did not take much longer and was of little hassle. Digital manipulation of colour allowed us to have greater choice and experimentation. This production experience opened up my creative thinking and practice up which made a welcome change and improved my ability to produce icons in a limited colour palette because I had thought about it practically by hand on this occasion. This production resulted in visuals that were rough with a natural line and organic visual. Meanings were still recognisable even with this rough cut approach. I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t go to Salford to see the exhibition after putting the time and effort into making, printing and mailing the flag. Finished visual and production was something which I was very happy with and would welcome the opportunity again in the future. Overall this was an exciting but challenging brief as it pushed me out of my usual comfort zone with design but feel because of this I was more open to experimentation with other briefs later in the year and could see the light hearted fun within design again.
EXTENDED PRACTICE MODULE BRIEF COVER SHEET Module Code: OUGD603
Module Title: Extended Practice
LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART
Student Name: Natalie Dyson
Studio Brief Title: Context of practice publication Synopsis: The brief asked to create a publication which documented the context of my practice through the year. The publication had to show me as an individual and a designer, showing how my design approach has been influenced and inspired by the sources and topics which it featured. I realised this year that my practice has focussed on typography and its use within branding, print and web so this formed the basis of my concept and content. List of deliverables
Evidence
(boards, resolutions, apps,etc)
(Series of business cards, posters, website etc)
Printed resolution Presentation/design boards
Publication and book jacket/sleeve. A series of boards illustrating my research, concept, design process and finals.
Evaluation: This was the last brief of the year and it was to create my context of publication documenting the research and influences of my practice over the whole extended practice module. Throughout my practice this year I realised that the majority of my briefs and outcomes have focussed on print, type and branding so this is something which I wanted to reflect and show within the publication. Gathering content for the publication was an easy stage as I had most of my influences saved within one folder on my desktop and could name stand out studios which have directly influenced me throughout. I also had a lot of personal help and inspirational quotes I had gathered which I wanted to include. How to display this was something which I initially struggled with but realised that by categorising and splitting the book into sections with different topics covered by one over arching theme of type was the best way to tackle this. My concept of the publication was to show the workings of my thinking and skills from the past year. As the publication was to focus on typography and its basis of the rest of my influences I found it fitting to give it the title of ‘Anatomy of a practice’ this was to show the direct link to type anatomy and its principle but also suggest this content being the back bone and basis to my practice in general. To highlight this concept I have chosen to make the binding visible to show through its finished aesthetic how it was physically made and inner workings of the book. As this year I had tackled a lot of projects with book binding and printing I was relatively confident with this as a strength but my weaknesses came with printing this out. I found that I had a lot of problems with my printer where the ink would bleed or smudge causing me to re print time after time, something which I hadn’t scheduled for. Because of this I was late with the printing of my final presentation boards and also caused stress. If I was to do the brief again I would allow time for this to happen. As I didn’t want the context to be too copy heavy I decided to capture some of my random inspiration within small inner photo books within each section. This allowed me to easily show off more influences that have been collected randomly over the past year from various sites and blogs. It was a way for me to categorise my miscellaneous findings. Overall I feel that the book demonstrates my practical abilities and techniques which I have picked up and developed upon this year but also demonstrate my influences simply and clearly to the audience. The book can be used as a personal reminder of my journey and as a reference point for further influences.