Module evaluation

OUGD405 to me highlighted the value of good research, something I have taken on board during OUGD406. This has been a good way in which my designs have been more varied, the research has allowed me to apply a number of different approaches to the concepts that I have thought of.

The final outcome for studio brief 1 does fulfil the brief in terms of strong use of typography because it is heavily focused on the branding and design of the original Wrigley's chewing gum packet design in the 1930s. To further improve the book cover design, it may have been interesting to take the original branding design that everyone knows and play around with it, breaking the rules slightly so that it could become suggestive and represent different messages that occur within the storyline. Another way to have designed it could be by mocking up the chewing gum packet, photographing it and then digitally inserting it onto the page with natural shadows etc. 

I enjoyed studio brief 2, as I was able to get primary research for the event by attending the day of talks that were held. The final design subjectively represents each of the artists in the exhibition, by taking a mark from each of their works in attempt to capture their individual style and approach to design. The decision to include the logo and date adds some objectivity to the A3 poster and shows that the design is representing the particular event and location. The design is screen printed, a traditional process that is suitable as it allows for a colourful image to be printed by hand with the various layering becoming more interesting due to the overlapping of colours. To further improve the final outcome and demonstrate the ability to use more than one printing method, the logo in the bottom right could work well if it is embossed.

In studio brief 3, as a group we worked well together to come up with a number of ideas that were then developed together. The work was all consistent due to the good communication we had set up as a group, ensuring that everyone was part of the group chat and had access to the google drive of work. With a few changes such as adjustment to the type on the social media platform so that it matches the rest of the design work, the layout of type on the flyer and invites so that it matches the posters and the changing of dates in the wayfinding system; the exhibition branding could be improved. The concept behind the name choice was seen to be strong and easy to understand, something which is important when advertising an event that people need to be encouraged to come along to. 
I feel that I contributed to the group well, offering ideas at all stages of the project. My focus was the posters, a process I spent a lot of time on and did a number of experiments to try and find the best solution. I collated all of the initial ideas and created a pdf for the first presentation, of which I helped to present. I also helped with the layout of the final presentation and then presented our final concept alongside Beth and Harvey. 

The newspaper for studio brief 4 uses the colour scheme of the LCA website so that it is suitable for the target audience. The colours are vibrant and work well together, having narrowed it down to the two colours I think this works better and compliments the duotone poster on the central spread. The research for this project was thorough and by looking at existing newspapers and posters, I was able to apply some of the techniques to this newspaper. The main piece of feedback was based on the stock choice, using newsprint was something that has enhanced the concept of the publication, as it emphasises the topic of becoming an adult. The fact that the images came out darker because of the thinner stock, informed my decision to use a slightly thicker stock of newsprint that had a matte finish to ensure that the printing was consistent throughout the whole publication.

Overall, this module has taught me that collaboration is something that I enjoyed the most. The opportunity to work with people that I didn't know very well was valuable because I feel as though I learnt a lot of new skills and it was a good way to produce a large amount of work in a short space of time because all of the roles were split between us. I think it has also highlighted the importance to not only rely on digital print, something I tend to do. In level 5 I would like to focus more on using traditional print methods more, even if it is just in the experimentation process i think it could improve my final outcomes a lot. 

Studio brief 4: Final evaluation

Evaluation

The newspaper uses the colour scheme of the LCA website so that it is suitable for the target audience. The colours are vibrant and work well together, having narrowed it down to the two colours I think this works better and compliments the duotone poster on the central spread. I do think that the time given to complete this brief was short, so the production time was reduced. With more time I would have liked to have made the newspaper longer, allowing me the opportunity to have some different pages and not just the same style throughout. However, I do think that the final outcomes fulfil the brief requirements of the production of something that will entertain, inform or advise the Level 4 freshers. The content is entertaining as it is made up of little stories and scenarios and the back page is also advisory; providing recommendations of places to visit. 

The research for this project was thorough and by looking at existing newspapers and posters, I was able to apply some of the techniques to this newspaper. One way in which I could have improved the outcome of this newspaper would be to research into specific editorial designers and look at how they would approach a publication like this. 

Feedback received throughout the project was useful and informed a lot of the design developments. 

The main piece of feedback was based on the stock choice, using newsprint was something that has enhanced the concept of the publication, as it emphasises the topic of becoming an adult. Due to the fact that there were no print slots available, I had to source the paper and try out the different ways in which it could be printed. I was able to try 3 different thickness and surface finishes of newsprint which helped me to learn about the inks in a printer and how when the paper is thinner, the ink is absorbed more and therefore causes the outcome to appear darker. This informed my decision to use a slightly thicker stock of newsprint that had a matte finish, ensuring that the printing was consistent throughout the whole publication. During the production stage, I also learnt that to print double sided for a booklet, the printer has to be set to short edge binding rather than long. This was discovered through trial and error, something that can now inform the production of designs in other modules. 

Feedback from the final crit on the name of the newspaper was something that I could not change. The comments were that it sounded suggestive and could have been changed to '#adultlife', this is something I had considered at the beginning of the project but the concept is based on the actual twitter hashtag so it wouldn't make sense if I was to change it. 

Overall I am happy with the final outcome as it has a consistent visual style and principles that I have learnt over the year have been applied.

Studio brief 3: Exhibition contribution

For the exhibition preparation I was part of the catalogue team. I was originally assigned the role of information collector which involved making sure a spreadsheet was sent round and completed by everyone in the exhibition so that the data could then be transferred to the catalogue.

This job was fairly short, so I was then part of the making of the catalogue. I spent my time organising the prints into piles, adding a front cover and then trimming them so that they were ready for the sewing team to bind them together (fig. 1). 

Due to communication errors between the various teams, the outcome of the catalogue was not as others had intended. The miscommunication meant that we had not remembered to proof read the content of the catalogue. Along with someone else, I sat and proof read the catalogue and also made a mark on each image (fig. 2) that wasn’t very visible when printed and also marked any type errors (fig. 3). The marks on the images meant that the person in charge of the catalogue would need to increase the contrast of those particular images. 

The need to reprint the inside pages of the catalogue means that our team has to go in on Monday to re-bind it all together, something that could have been avoided if communication had been improved. This is a skill that I have become aware of and realised the importance that it has when working with a large number of people. 

fig. 1

fig. 2

fig. 3

Studio brief 4: Final critique

description of newspaper

The final critique allowed for feedback on the final outcome and comments in which can inform our evaluation. 

Feedback
- text on the green page is a little hard to read, widen the columns slightly
- make sure text fills the boxes so it looks consistent
- "the name 'aduting' sounds a bit cheeky", maybe change to #adultlife
- subtle use of colour highlights a mature design style, suitable for the target audience

Studio brief 4: Production

Production of the newspaper was something that took a lot of experimentation and learning. The decision to print onto newsprint was appropriate for the style of publication that was being created. As it is not a white material, it will cause the inks to print out a slightly different colour to what is on screen. The first trial I did with the newsprint allowed me to see just how much darker the inks would come up on the paper. Figure 1 shows how the inks came out, which in comparison to figure 2 (computer design) there is a very big difference. I found out that the stock did contribute to this a little, but the printer that I was using was not set to a high quality print. I changed printer so that I could get a better quality print and ensure that the colours were as close to the onscreen designs as possible. 
I did a test print on normal paper to make sure that it came out ok, this allowed me to learn that the long edge binding when printing double sided does not work for a booklet. Figure 3 shows that the pages on the reverse side of the page printed upside down. To resolve this problem I had to make sure the printer was set to print with a short edge binding. 
Another element that I had to consider when printing was the stock that i printed on. One of the newsprint stock was shiny on one side and matte on the other. This worked well for the centre page where the poster was, but the difference in surface meant that the colours were changed when printed. 
This problem was resolved by finding a newsprint that was thick enough, but the same finish on each of the sides. 

Figure 1

figure 2

figure 3

Studio brief 4: Further developments

fig. 1

The development of the poster for the middle spread of the newspaper lead onto the decision to only use two colours in the newspaper. The green and pink were the colours that complimented each other the best and as they were more different to each other, I think that they held the identity of LCA much better than if the pink and purple had been chosen. 

One experimentation that was made was the idea of having no text at the bottom (fig. 1), the title across the middle and then the one sentence scenario above the hashtag. This worked well visually, but I do not think that there was enough content for it to be in the newspaper alone. The development then continued to keep the sentences, but also adding the text (fig. 2). This worked well so that the reader knew the topic and then could carry on to read more below. 

fig. 2

Studio brief 4: Rationale

The experience that the publication is based on is the moments of realisation that you are now an adult and that moving out comes with responsibilities that most would have not even thought about until it happens. The content is predominately influenced by the twitter hashtag of '#adulting' and also my own experiences whilst being at university. The format choice to print on newsprint is playing on the idea that these adult moments are being presented in a format often associated with the older generation. The design does not follow the tradition layout of a newspaper as the modern twist was needed so that the newspaper suits the target audience of students. 
The content is made up of small, funny stories of which are entertaining; along with an informative page on recommendations of places that I have visited near Leeds. This is appropriate to Level 4 Freshers because it will encourage them to try and explore new places, knowing that they will be worth the time and money spent. The double page spread in the centre of the newspaper has been designed so that the freshers can take it out and use as a poster to decorate their new student room, which often takes a long time to decorate and make personal. 
The outcome showcases the printing resources at LCA, showing that the printers are able to print on a variety of stock that normally digital printers would not take. The teaching of principles is also something that has been show cased in this publication through the application of grids, using a number of Adobe softwares and making decisions on typeface choice.

Studio brief 4: Middle page development

The aim for the poster on the middle page spread of the newspaper was for it to be an image that I had taken in the first few weeks of being in Leeds. I had a scroll through my camera roll and I noticed that a lot of the photos I had taken was of the neon lighting in the different bars, restaurants and shops that I had been in when exploring Leeds. I decided  to use the photo shown in figure 1, it is a photo of the neon sign behind the bar in Belgrave Music Hall & Canteen. This is a venue that I have continued to visit regularly throughout the colder months and then also the sunnier months because the roof top area is nice for an afternoon drink. The interim crit suggested that the front cover could be a section of the poster, but in terms of colour it could be an inverted version of the style that the other images follow. Figures 1 and 2 show experimentation with this concept to see if it would work. I liked how they turned out, but I do not think they are visually bold enough to act as a poster that someone would want to put up in their room. It was also decided that having the poster duotone would be most appropriate to ensure consistency throughout the design of the newspaper. The image had to be turned to grayscale, then changed to the pink colour as shown in figure 4 so that the green could then be added behind the white lighted writing on the image. Figure 5 shows an image that seems to work well to incorporate both of the colours in vibrant way, keeping the same visual consistency as the other images being used in the newspaper. Unfortunately when printed, the complete change in image colour meant that the printer reproduced the colours really dark in comparison to the on screen version. It was a problem that I couldn't work out how to rectify as the only thing I thought it could be was that I had set up the document to be RGB, but when I checked it was set to CMYK. I decided to start the editing process again and fortunately it was more successful. Figure 7 shows the final image, a similar outcome to figure 5 but with less green and no purple. This printed out just as vibrant as when on screen. As an experimentation for the poster, I was advised to test what it would look like if a section was taken as the main poster and then the '#adulting' was placed across the centre (fig. 8) in the same style as the other images. In my opinion I do not think that this works well as the image for the main poster, but as a front cover it is successful because it gives a preview of what is inside of the newspaper. 

fig. 1

fig. 2

fig. 3

fig. 4

fig. 6

fig. 5

fig. 7

fig. 8

Studio brief 4: Poster research

Although I will producing a newspaper style publication, the plan to have a poster in the middle spread of it means that I could benefit from researching into popular posters. This research will allow me to ensure that my design will be valued by the audience that will be reading the newspaper. The poster will need to be on trend and also fit with the aesthetic of the newspaper. I have used the website designspiration to find the on trend posters that could influence the middle pages of the newspaper I am designing. Figure 1 is a monotone poster, using different shades to accentuate the object in the middle of the page. This style of using only one colour and the white sans serif text at the bottom of the page will act as inspiration for my newspaper design. I think the objects that I will be photographing are not something that would look good presented in this way, so I have decided to approach them in an abstract manner. 
The layout of figure 2 works well with the white border around the image, allowing the image to be the focus and then the text to stand out without distracting from the image. I think elements from figures 1 and 2 together could work well and be something that I apply to the design of the poster in the middle of the newspaper. 

fig. 1 

fig. 2

Studio brief 4: Final content

Leading on from the feedback received from the crit, I have started to plan out what each page will say on it. the images show the sketches I made over the initial mock up that I had printed for the crit. The crit has confirmed that the visuals are good and now its just the content that needs sorting out. I like the idea of using the back cover to take the '#adulting' and make it as positive as possible. The back cover will be a reminder that university can lead to a lot of freedom and time to explore as many places as possible, something that may have been hard for some people when living at home. The images show my notes on what the content could include and the different approaches for each page is something that I would like to try and achieve. 

FINAL CONTENT
Front cover

The moments you begin to realise that you now have the responsibility to look after yourself ...

Laundry

Doing that laundry that has been building up for a week or two … #adulting

One of the biggest realisations during the fresher’s week of uni was the price of the circuit laundry room. It began to dawn on me that staying clean was an investment that had to be made; sorry loan. It is £2.80 for a single wash, a wash that is likely to not fit all of the dirty clothes in. You will find yourself prioritising what needs washing and what can wait. To top it up you have to do it online using paypal, not something we all have in 2017. Get with the times please circuit. Do not bother with the dryers, they have a funny smell and do not even dry your clothes. Save yourself that £1.80, that could buy you something more vital.

Toilet paper

Getting your ‘shit’ together and bulk buying toilet paper … #adulting

I must admit that I hadn’t even considered the fact that toilet paper would need to be added to my shopping list. It might come to a bit of a situation if you do not realise this soon enough, be prepared. The realisation that you are essentially paying to wipe your bum. How SHITTY is that? Rumours have it that some uni’s have had to lock away the toilet paper because students started to take it so that they didn’t have to buy it. Don’t worry, it’s really not that expensive, you will not find yourself having to follow in their footsteps. But do make sure you buy some regularly, always have a stock.

To do lists

Smashing through that to do list … #adulting

You will find yourself religiously following a to do list. If you haven’t deemed it important enough to put it on the list, then you probably won’t end up doing it. Do not even attempt to list the blogs that need to be done, it will make a list far too long. CATEGORIES and VAGUENESS is the way forward. Enjoy ticking it all off. You will feel like you have everything organised, you will feel like you are independent and most importantly you will be acing that new adulating ‘thing’ you now have to do.

Buying cleaning products

Buying cleaning products other than antibacterial wipes … #adulting 

It took our flat over 3 weeks to realise that we had purchased window cleaner instead of surface cleaner, no wonder our work surfaces looked so shiny. We felt so silly, but you live and you learn. One thing I found was that as your parent visit you, they will leave you cleaning products in your room. On many occasions I had not even realised anything had been left; much to their despair. I would have to embarrassingly admit that I have used none of the products when asked the question about if my room is any cleaner. Every now and then you will just want to clean, it might not be that successful, but embrace this moment and make it thorough as it won’t happen that often. If in doubt, antibacterial wipe.

Back cover

#adulting is about having the freedom to travel wherever you want with no explanation … enjoy the freedom 

Remember that no you have entered this ‘adulting’ stage of life, it isn’t all boring. You now have the freedom to do what you want without having to ask permission and make sure that it fit in with everyone else. Make time to explore this new city that you have just move to (I’m assuming), get on a train and go places. I recommend making the most of the surrounding cities and towns as they are easy to get to and all have something different to offer. I recommend Manchester Christmas markets, Newcastle’s art galleries, Liverpool’s cocktail bars and Harrogate for a nice afternoon tea. This one is a little further, but if you get the chance to go to Edinburgh I really loved it there! Such a beautiful city, it has everything.

Studio brief 4: Design developments

fig. 1

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fig. 3

fig. 4

fig. 5

fig. 6

Based on the colour scheme choice shown in figure 1, developments are to be based on the design shown in figure 1. The typeface is Montserrat and is placed just above the centre of the page. The decision to have it just above centre rather than central was because there is going to be some type at the bottom of the page, so if the title was central it would look off balance. Figures 3 and show the area in which the text could be placed on the page. The decision to have the text in the 3 columns was based on the broad sheet newspaper shown in figure 5. Although I am designing this newspaper with a modern twist, I think it is important to show some of the most common features found in a traditional newspaper. The bold title and columns is something that a lot of people would instantly associate with a newspaper. This development shows how the three colours could work together within the publication. The individual pages will be a colour each and then to contrast with the rest of the newspaper, the middle poster has been designed to be grayscale. This works well to make it different and stand out as a poster, but the type being different may need to be re-considered and worked on a bit more.