Process Book A book set that explains uniquely Chinese branding methods, for average Chinese designers
Copyright 2015 Tianyang Liu All rights reserved For more information Call 415 900 7217 or +86 18219003525 or Email 64705249@qq.com http://www.tianyangliu.com/
Process Book A book set that explains uniquely Chinese branding methods, for average Chinese designers
Contents 6
20
Problem & Action
Finding Solutions 24
The aesthetic principles & brand design process
26
The model of the Feng-shui composition
10
No Market
12 16
32
Aesthetic principle explorations
Logo variations
Hunger
38
Image and Typeface style
what happened to
40
Book design round one
42
Book design round two
50
Visual system revised
Make up what is left behind
Research & Discovery 8
The character grid
36
graphic design 18
30
Visual System 34
52
100
Volume One in Progress
Final Production
70
Project One: Chinese Tea House
72
Following the brand design process
74
Execution & deliverables
80
Project Two: Liyuan Sushi Station
82
Following the brand design process
84
Execution & deliverables
Volume Two in Progress 68
The Beginning of a Long Journey 110
Problem & Action
problem & action For decades, Chinese graphic design has lacked a unique design process and aesthetic principles. Some designers accept this, but others travel overseas to develop their careers and find answers. I was one of them, and I’m back with my answer.
06/ 07
Chinese graphic design doesn’t have its own design process or aesthetic principles, and there are no educational materials to help average Chinese graphic designers understand brand design based on the Chinese culture and the branding needs of Chinese companies.
Research & Discovery
finding & researching Through research and investigation, I found that political movements are the main cause of poor design in china.
International Advertising Association was founded
1938 1872
1922
1949
1922
1949
The first modern design studio was founded in old China
New China was f
g d
founded
08/ 09
It is well known that the Chinese design industry is very underdeveloped compared to western nations. The biggest reason is that China launched The Great Cultural Revolution in 1966, during which every commercial activity was suspended, countless books were burned, and merchants and scholars were arrested or killed. This period lasted almost 30 years, and the development of Chinese graphic design stagnated, creating a gap between Chinese design and international design standards.
1966 - 1995 Chinese Cultural Revolution
Creative revolution in advertising
60s 1966
All commercial activity was suspended during this period.
1995
1966
1995
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution
Design industry starts to recover
Research & Discovery
NO MARKET Graphic design lives off enterprise. When there is no market for it, it stops developing.
10/ 11
1966: people left their jobs and the economy crashed.
Research & Discovery
Hunger The Cultural Revolution was a political move against capitalism. During the movement, workers and famers gave up their jobs to catch capitalists. The societal structures collapsed, and people had to forage for food.
Nobody thinks about graphic design when they barely have food to eat.
12/ 13
Research & Discovery
14/ 15
burning & Destroying Countless books were burned to suppress knowledge; young people did not attend school.
Research & Discovery
what happened to graphic design During the revolution, designers created propaganda posters. Graphic design turned into a template for radical political drawings and loud typography. Years of designing in this context has skewed the approach of graphic designers in that generation.
16/ 17
Research & Discovery
Make up what is left behind Compared to the historical design events and movements that occurred in the world from 1940 to 1995, Chinese graphic design hasn’t changed much.
1945 WWII ended
The International Typographic Style, also known as the Swiss Style, is a graphic design style developed in Switzerland in the 1950s
New-wave typography In 1964 young Wolfgang Weingart (b. 1941), who had already completed a three-year apprenticeship in typography, arrived in Basel from to study with Emil Ruder. Supermannerism
Supergraphics corporate identification systems
Modernism
1966 - 1995 C
1940
50
60
70
18/ 19
Exuberant mannerism Milan, Italy, San Francisco designers
Retro The eclectic revivals and eccentric reinventions of earlier models
Postmodernism
Chinese Cultural Revolution
80
90
2000
2010
Finding Solutions
finding solutions Through conversations and meetings with contemporary Chinese brand designers to hear their concerns, I confirmed that Chinese brand design lacks its own system of aesthetic principles and design process, and most designers rigidly apply western design systems to Chinese brands.
20/ 21
Finding Solutions
The solution: create a book for average Chinese designers that explains brand design step by step, with aesthetic principles drawn from Chinese culture, and design thinking based on Chinese ideology.
Brand Design Book Branding Fundamentals
What is a Brand?
Brand design in China
Why Branding?
Brand design Standards
Case Study One
Chinese culture & Chinese brand design
Case Study Two
Brand design process
Possible Deliverables
Learning from the case studies
22/ 23
Finding Solutions
THe aesthetic principles & brand design process After studying classical aesthetics in Chinese and other Asian cultures, I learned that...
Graphic design, like many other industries, is affected culture.
Even though Asian artistic principles usually exist in written form,
Design is a recent occurrence, yet it has developed quickly. But since
I believe that every kind of knowledge can be extracted and displayed
it is developing so fast, the internal structure of Chinese graphic
as visual charts, design formulas, and graphic principles.
design lacks cohesion. Some designers learn western design systems because they already have a complete system of aesthetic principles,
Since China was not affected by the industrial revolution as much
but in order to engage Chinese audiences, a system needs to be built
as western countries, the origin of Chinese design comes from
that is based on indigenous aesthetic sensibilities.
traditional painting. Feng-shui theory is one of the key elements in Chinese paintings, and is used in other parts of Asia as a means of
As a designer, I will gather disconnected Asian design principles ( from the present day and from antiquity) and put them into a complete system created specifically for China. I will start with Asian modes of thought and expression, and extract ideas that can be converted to design elements.
graphic organization.
24/ 25
1
Investigating and gathering
> 2
Extracting aesthetic principles
3
Visualizing design knowledge
... ...
Finding Solutions
The model of the Feng-shui composition The golden section is based on natural beauty and the laws of nature, and has many applications.
1.62
1
26/ 27
Finding Solutions
Feng-shui theory often exist in written form, described with vague definitions. And yet, it’s a fundamental principle of tradi-
tional art. I gathered examples to show how Feng-shui theory was used by the masters to create compositions with “air” and “flow.”
In Feng-shui, everything composition should have a main focus: dimension one. The second focus—dimension two—is derived from dimension one. Dimension two can be anywhere within a reasonable distance, but the line that comes from dimension one to a third element must always create a 90° angle with the line connecting dimensions one and two. The sequence of creating it is showed below.
Dimension One Side Line
Dimension One
1
2
Dimension Two
28/ 29
Dimension One Side Line
Dimension One Side Line
Dimension Two
Dimension Two
90 Degrees
90 Degrees
Triangular Structure
Triangular Structure
Dimension One
Dimension One
Dimension Three Supportive Line
Supportive Line
3
4
Finding Solutions
The character grid
1
Here is how English is read, and how Chinese is read:
Chinese graphic design is bad, and it needs some esthetic principles.
中國的設計現在不好，它需要一些設計原則。
2
English is written in horizontal lines, and Chinese is written in squares.
Graphic Design 平面設計
3
In school, I learned about the golden section—the proportion of 1.62 to 1—which takes many forms:
30/ 31
western grid + golden section + Chinese character box = The character grid
+ 1.62
1
+ =
Finding Solutions
Aesthetic principle explorations The first round of explorations using Feng-shui composition rules and the character grid
視 覺 創造自己國人的平面設計 我們的審美來自我們
劉天陽畢業設計題目
思 考 的 長 遠 問 題 。
這 事 值 得 我 們 每 一 個 中 國 設 計 師
如 何 做 好 設 計 ， 什 麼 才 是 中 國 的 設 計
我 們 自 己 的 設 計 。
但 是 直 到 現 在 有 誰 真 正 關 心 過
設 計 在 中 國 有 這 遠 久 的 歷 史
風水構圖原理實驗 初步結構測試測試圖一
框架結構簡單應用
32/ 33
利 用 結 合 眾 人 的 思 想
視 覺
運 用 古 人 的 智 慧 做 現 代 的 設 計
書 籍 海 報 結 合 網 絡 傳 播 新 時 代 設 計
理 論 結 合 研 究 項 目 得 出 結 論
為 國 人 自 己 的 視 覺 創 造 市 場
做 出 中 國 人 自 己 的 設 計 原 理
要 做 的 事 情 有
思 考 的 長 遠 問 題 。
這 事 值 得 我 們 每 一 個 中 國 設 計 師
如 何 做 好 設 計 ， 什 麼 才 是 中 國 的 設 計
我 們 自 己 的 設 計 。
但 是 直 到 現 在 有 誰 真 正 關 心 過
設 計 在 中 國 有 這 遠 久 的 歷 史
創造自己國人的平面設計 我們的審美來自我們
劉天陽畢業設計題目
風水構圖原理實驗 初步結構測試測試圖一
框架結構簡單應用
中国的平面设计专业在结比欧美
視 覺 創造自己國人的平面設計 我們的審美來自我們
及日本这些发达国家算是非常年
就毕业了，当然这是普遍现象不
轻，据我所知该专业的开设计以
包括全部，不一棒子打死一船人。
总 结 吧 ， 它 包 括 (
前还没有，有的都是这几年前才
作为中国人，一个普能的设计人，
平 面 构 成 ， 色 彩 构
开设的，因些说实话以我本人拙
我希望大家尽点自己的责任，不
民，手绘，创意，汉字书法与字
见，能真正胜任该专业教授的老
要拿你那半桶水的英文出来炫耀
体设计，传统文化，现代文明，
师应该不多，其次是我们国家的
了，不要认为什么都是外国的好了
计算机操作，英语)，当然现在英
教育上的失败，大家也是有目共
（我可以告诉大家，外国的东西
语是世界语，我们不应该盲目抵
睹的，培养出来的大学生人文素
也不见得多好，像强生奶粉出了
制，利用它学习一些国外的好作
质与专业素质我 在 这 里不想多
问题，肯德基也出来问是，日本车
品和更好地满足外企客户，还有
说，大家看看想想也就非常明日，
出了问题等等，我更想信本国的
如果你想更全面，应该学习广告
再次是现在这一代的大学生是独
大牌子产品），中国没做好就是
大型策划等.
生子女的第一代，娇生惯生的一
我们自己没做好，因为我们是中
代，很多学生不会把学习当成第
国人，东西没做好你能怪谁？还
一要务，混着混着
在我想告诉大家，中国文化包括 汉字都是无人能比的，大家可以 去验证一下，看看相的文章，我们 做设计的更应该把自己的东西发 扬光大。而成为一个合格的平面 设计师我想，也是我的
運用古人的智慧做現代的設計
劉天陽畢業設計題目
風水構圖原理實驗 初步結構測試測試圖一
創造自己國人的平面設計
風水構圖原理實驗
我們的審美來自我們
初步結構測試測試圖一
劉天陽畢業設計題目
框架結構簡單應用
框架結構簡單應用
視 覺
做出中國人自己的設計原理 為國人自己的視覺創造市場 理論結合研究項目得出結論 書籍海報結合網絡傳播新時代設計
設 計 在 中 國 有 遠 久 的 歷 史
Visual System
Visual system
At first, I wanted to name the book The New Universe, but realized that this name and logo represented me, not the project.
34/ 35
Logo rough The inspiration for this logo is the Chinese knot. The Chinese knot represents connection, circulation, and good will. My idea was to use the shape of the knot, and combine it with the initial letters of my project—”NU” (New Universe)—in a contemporary way, since the nature of the project was a bit scientific and exploratory. I hoped to make a complex logo rather than a simple one.
Visual System
Logo variations
36/ 37
Visual System
Image and Typeface style the target audience is Chinese, but as a thesis project, it had to be accessible to english-speakers, so The book is written in both languages.
38/ 39
Title Subtitle. Subtitle. Subtitle. Section divider. Section divider. Section divider. Section divider. Section divider. Section divider. Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes, Texts and notes,
quotes and important information. quotes and important
目录 子目录，子目录，子目录 分段 分段 分段 分段 分段 分段 分段 分段 分段 分段 分段 分段 分段 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字 文字文字
引言引言引言引言 引言引言引言
Visual System
Book design round one The first round of design didn’t go smoothly since the structure of the book was not completely decided.
40/ 41
Visual System
Book design round two
42/ 43
Visual System
44/ 45
Later, I had ten brand designers read and comment on the second round of design. The questionnaire looked like a newspaper and was distributed to the designers with a digital version of the book.
Visual System
46/ 47
Visual System
Based on the comments, i designed a new cover with a stronger connection to the project, but since it was too busy, I had to explore different design options. A new visual system with a pleasant tone and new logo enhanced the connection between the form of visual language and the contents of the book.
48/ 49
COVE R
Visual System
Identity
Grid
8 inch
一九六六
补漏
12 inch
一九五五 Typography RTWS ShangYa Demo, 37 pt
MF ShangHei Regular, 37 pt
展示字体 标题
Lora, Bold Italic, ALL CAPS, 25 pt
HEADING
RTWS ShangYa Demo, 25 pt
Lora, Italic, ALL CAPS, 15 pt
RTWS ShangYa Demo, 7.5 pt
Lora, Italic, 7 pt
展示字体
display FACE
文章主体
Body face
Image style
Graphic Elements
Colors Volume one
Volume two
50/ 51
The revised visual system has a final, bilingual version of the logo, which speaks more to the concept of the project. It also contains a revised typographic relationship
between the two languages, detailed photographic style, a set of graphic elements, and two colors extracted from the Taoist concept of Yin/Yang.
Volume One in Progress
vOLUME ONE in progress According to the feedback of my target audience, I separated the books into to two volumes. Volume one explains the basics of brand design, introduces and explains the brand design process and aesthetic principles, and helps readers understand how a brand can be developed using the methods in the book.
CHAPTER ONE Branding Fundamentals What is a Brand? Why Branding? What is Brand Identity? Things to Know Before You Begin
CHAPTER TWO Brand Design In China Brand Design Standards Chinese Culture & Chinese Brand Design Brand Design Process
52/ 53
Volume One in Progress
54/ 55
Volume One in Progress
56/ 57
Volume One in Progress
58/ 59
Volume One in Progress
60/ 61
my target audience reviewed volume one to provide comments and feedback, and i conducted a test print to see how the type and images looked in real life.
Volume One in Progress
62/ 63
64/ 65
Volume One in Progress
66/ 67
Volume Two in Progress
Based on the feedback and the text print, I continued revising the book, increased the type size, and decided to use threadbinding to make the books easier to read.
68/ 69
vOLUME tWO in progress Volume two shows two brand design projects conducted using the unique process and aesthetic principles explained in volume one. The purpose is show readers how these principles function in real life.
CHAPTER ONE Chinese Tea House Branding Xin Chadao Chinese Tea House Brand Design Process Conclusions of Branding Strategy Brand Design Deliverables
CHAPTER TWO Sushi Station Branding Liyuan Sushi Station Brand Design Process Conclusions of Branding Strategy Brand Design Deliverables
Volume Two in Progress
Project one: Chinese Tea House The first project is a Chinese Tea house brand design. I used my design process from Volume One to gather and collect information needed to make the brand design functional and engaging for both customers and the client.
70/ 71
Volume Two in Progress
Following the brand design process Following the brand design process, I started doing interviews, making questionnaires, and having meetings with employees and the target audiences. I finally concluded that to meet all the requirements of the brief, the design solution should highlight the four featured teas, use graphics, vivid colors and contemporary type and visuals to create a forward-thinking carry-out tea house brand.
1
Information Gathering
2
Result Filtering
72/ 73
3
Information Analysis
4
Nature of the Brand
5
Design Execution
Volume Two in Progress
Execution & deliverables Based on the requirements of the brand (determined through research), I designed a series of eleven pieces using the aesthetic principles of the Feng-shui composition to achieve projects goals.
1
Logo
2
Tagline
3
Graphic system
74/ 75
4
7
Business card
Letter head
New teaism Chinese tea house created non-pesticide management to produce organic quality tea to its customers. Produce good tea and create a new tea market have always been our goals.
18219003525 Manager: Tian Ran
you, me and tea
5
Employee card
Name: Tian Ran Section: Saler
8
Poster
e tea
m
ne e tea ou e eated non
mana ement to u tome ma
6
odu e o
an
ua
e t
de
ty tea to t
odu e ood tea and eate a ne tea
et a e a
ay
een ou
oa
Envelope
e uany n ea
u e
ea
you, me and tea ot ea
o on
ea
Volume Two in Progress
9
10
Takeaway cups
Environmental design
76/ 77
Volume Two in Progress
11
Brand design mock-ups
78/ 79
Volume Two in Progress
Project Two: Liyuan Sushi Station Through the first brand design project, I became more familiar with the new brand design process and more experienced with Feng-shui composition. Project two exemplifies the brand design process in a more detailed and elaborate way. The use of the Feng-shui composition is also more dynamic and complex.
80/ 81
Volume Two in Progress
Following the brand design process I conducted more interviews and questionnaires than before, and was able to gain more reliable data about the requirements of the brand design. I learned that the appropriate brand design solution for Liyuan sushi station should emphasize fresh ingredients and use abstract line art (representing the sushi), a color palette that reflects and represents traditional Japanese sushi culture, and a traditional dining environment.
1
Information Gathering
2
Result Filtering
82/ 83
3
Information Analysis
4
Nature of the Brand
5
Design Execution
Volume Two in Progress
Execution & deliverables Based on the project requirements, I designed a series of eleven pieces using the aesthetic principles of Feng-shui.
1
3
Logo
2
Tagline
Graphic system & Color palette
84/ 85
4
Table paper & chopstick bag
Delicious and Healthy
5
Take-out bags
来 具 自 有 中 中 国 国 ， 风 情 的 寿 司
自 然 的 味
Pure
Silky
6
Coupon & Business card
Volume Two in Progress
7
Wall Graphics
婉 融 入 万 金 雅 致
温 婉 素 雅
韵 韵 出 一 衣 锦 绣
8
Paper Lantern
粹然 天命之性，粹然至善 Natural
素缕 素缕之往，其心朗朗 Simplicity
空 灵 妙 境
柔 出 生 之 美
顺 滑 委 婉
86/ 87
9
Sake label and accessories
清 酒
空 灵 妙 境
sake
清 酒
韵 出 一 衣 锦 绣
清 酒
清 酒
sake
sake
10
Traditional screens
粹 然
素 缕
天 空 命 灵 之 妙 性 境 ， 粹 然 至 善
Pure 素 顺 缕 滑 之 委 往 婉 ， 其 心 朗 朗
Volume Two in Progress
11
Brand design mock-ups
88/ 89
Volume Two in Progress
90/ 91
Volume Two in Progress
The book is comprised of two case studies in which I apply the design process and aesthetic system developed in Volume One.
92/ 93
Volume Two in Progress
94/ 95
Volume Two in Progress
96/ 97
Volume Two in Progress
98/ 99
Final Production
Final production Both books are printed as two hard cover, thread-bound books with a custom case. This is just the first step of creating unique and applicable branding methods for Chinese designers, and this will be my career focus for many years to come.
100/ 101
Final Production
102/ 103
Final Production
104/ 105
Final Production
106/ 107
Final Production
108/ 109
The Beginning of a Long Journey
The beginning of a long journey My thesis project and the two case studies created are just the first step in the long journey to create a complete conceptual system and aesthetic principles for Chinese design. The brand design process and the Feng-shui composition can be expanded into other areas of design—from book design to poster design, print to digital—but may take years to be developed.
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Copyright 2015 Tianyang Liu All rights reserved For more information Call 415 900 7217 or +86 18219003525 or Email 64705249@qq.com http://www.tianyangliu.com/