OUGD503 - Brief 01 - Individual Practice - Penguin Random House - Informal Feedback

We had numerous informal feedback sessions for responsive which I found beneficial to my development throughout this module. For this brief in particular, feedback was essential because I was designing for a very specific target audience, using quite sensitive imagery. I received a lot of feedback from female members of my class as well as tutors. People seemed to like the conceptual element to the designs, saying that it was subtle and funny which is what I was going for. People did say that I needed to be considerate and tasteful with the illustrations and placement of certain elements of the design. This was an obvious consideration that was in the back of my mind, but it was useful receiving this valid feedback.

I didn't want my designs to come off as cheap or offensive, that would be the last thing I was going for. If anything, I chose to include depictions of the female body to celebrate femininity and empower women, or at least that's what I thought the book was about. People in the crit group advised me to be considerate and careful with the illustrations, reminding me of the importance of keeping it tasteful, something I obviously wanted to achieve.

OUGD503 - Brief 01 - Individual Practice - Penguin Book Research

The book that I am designing for is published by Penguin, who are renowned for their classic cover design. In recent years, they have published numerous books that have much more contemporary feels to them aesthetically. I find this very inspiring and think that my designs for How To Be a Woman should be contemporary whilst drawing reference from classic designs from the past. I want to keep the illustration and use of type true and simple to give the new cover design an updated, contemporary feel.

I came across some witty designs, where someone has redesigned the Harry Potter series in the style of Penguin classics, I found them quite entertaining and inspiring.



Penguin and Puffin book covers are still relevent in 2015, and modern designers still draw influences from the classic designs, something that I am attempting to do in this brief myself.

OUGD503 - Brief 01 - Monotype Brief - Campaign Research

I am interested in producing a typographic campaign that tackles a particular human rights issue, so I did some visual research into a couple of campaigns that I was already very much aware of and engaged with. Stonewall, an LGBT charity released a campaign several years ago now, which aimed to educate people about homophobia, with an ultimate aim to eradicate it. The campaign utilised its typography perfectly, giving it a very clean, bold and strong message. The posters are highly minimal, but because the message is set in capitals and a sans serif has been used, they feel very important and bold. I think the type used is most likely Futura Extra Bold. This type decision gives it a very contemporary feel, whilst also being as 'neutral' as possible. The campaign is about beating discrimination, and Futura offers that solution. I also feel the use of colour is important in making a strong impact. Red connotes warnings and danger, it is also highly eye catching from a distance. Being homophobic is dangerous and needs to be treated as a serious thing, so I can completely understand the decision to use bright red throughout this campaign. This campaign is warning people, telling them to simple accept others for who they are. 

Similarly, in these campaign posters by Amnesty International, a bold, neutral sans serif has been used to communicate the content in a way which is simple yet very effective. The poster feature two colours, which again increases their visual impact. Bold colours such as yellow are very eye catching, and the black type contrasts perfectly, allowing the written content to be communicated effectively. 

These posters are interesting because the typography has been formatted in a way which requires the reader to really look closely, instead of taking the content in the design for face value. It would appear that the poster is sending out a negative message until you look closely at the smaller type set in-between the larger letters. This type of design is useful for when you have a lot of written content to include, but I think that my designs for this brief will be less text heavy in order to communicate my intended message quicker.  

Although photography has been used in these posters, the typography stands out and delivers the main message to me. The imagery works well in the background, but the playful use of scale and positioning of the type adds an element of sophistication to the design and requires the audience to delve deeper to uncover the true underlying message here. 

OUGD504 - Brief 04 - Campaign Concept

I came across an original promotional poster from the time of release of Nightclubbing which gave me the inspiration to create my own campaign posters, which can be used on a digital platform and could be translated into print to further cement the campaign. The original poster featured the album artwork accompanied by some very contemporary condensed typography. The colour swatch included very muted tones of yellow, purple and blue, so I have taken those colours and amped them up to make a striking statement. 

I decided to mock up a couple of QR codes that could appear in print or on a digital platform. The user would scan the QR code with a mobile devise such as a smartphone or tablet, and they would then gain access to either a free or discounted track from the album, or receive some other sort of merchandise associated with the record. 

 Here I was just experimenting with type and lyrics from the title track from the album. I am thinking of creating more hype by using specific lyrics on the webiste which will get the fans exciting.

OUGD503 - Brief 01 - Monotype Brief - Research

This brief is asking me to communicate a specific concept and message through the use of pure typography, something that I have little experience in, but none the less a lot of interest in and excitement for. I decided to kick my research off by looking online for inspiration, inspiration from the past. The student uprising in Paris in the May of 1968 was fuelled by 'riot posters', the vast majorty of which hand rendered, which realised and utilised typography's wonderful power in evoking/conveying emotion. The posters were produce quickly, and distributed even faster across the city. The typography may appear to look rushed, armature or just plain ugly, but that is the beauty of D.I.Y. design and to me, gives the message of the campaign more strength and impact. 

Type and minimal imagery runs throughout these riot posters, they compliment each other perfectly. For this Monotype brief, I am meant to focus all of my attention on the typographic design, so I don't think I am really supposed to include any imagery or illustration per say, but I will need to investigate with further. Of course, imagery can be created from abstract and playful use of type and positive/negative space. 

Here is some more contemporary content which focuses its attention on pure typography. The aesthetic here could be described as grunge or just postmodern, which I am usually a fan of. I feel that this style of typographic play will not really suit the requirements of this brief. The way that I am interpreting this project is with a clearer vision. Usually I enjoy abstracting and combining type, but I think that I will need to work in a much cleaner and minimalist way in order to convey my intended message. Nonetheless, the examples below are very visually inspiring. 

OUGD503 - Brief 01 - Monotype Brief Considerations

Considerations

For a brief of this nature, it is important to consider a number of factors that will be fundamental in striking an appropriate tone of voice. This brief is extremely open, meaning I am able to interpret it however I see suitable. This excites me a lot but also makes me realise that I need to strategically consider a number of things:

Product: Posters, leaflets, campaign website, badges, banners, GIFs and web banners, tote bags

Range: The posters and leaflets will be printed on cheap, coloured stock and distributed by post. They can also be printed from a personal printer by people who choose to support the campaign. The set of badges will come in a range of colours, slogans and typefaces

Distribution: Posters will appear across urban environments and can also be downloaded and posted where ever people decide. The leaflets will appear in schools, offices, public places, anywhere that people can easily access them and take them away. The website will be public and available on desktop and mobile devices. GIFs and web banners will appear across a number of websites, including news sites, blogs and social media sites. The campaign will have social media accounts on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The badges will be available to order for free from the website, and will also be available to purchase from charity shops and vintage clothing shops, as this is where badges are commonly found nowadays. 

Target audience: I see the main target audience of this campaign as being men and women aged between 15 and 30. It is a broad range, but I feel that 15 is a good age to educate people about the real dangers of labelling. Up until this age, boys and girls will have labelled others and experienced labelling themselves, but at 15, they should begin to understand the consequences and effects of using negative labels. Anyone older that 15 should know this, but will still need educating on the negativity badges bring. 

Tone of voice: Witty, playful but underpinned by a serious message. I will aim to be as direct and neutral as possible in order to avoid sounding condescending. 

Think about:

·what you want to say and how you want to say it -  the concept:

·I am interested in equality particularly/recently for transgender people. There have been stories

in the news recently which have upset me concerning trans issues

·Labelling sexuality to me is something of the past, we need to be more open minded and

progressive, younger generations are throwing away labels and I think this is a positive step in

the right direction. I would like to produce a campaign which tackles these issues
-I want to spread a positive message about abandoning all labels and stereotypes, not just those surrounding sexual orientation. I think labelling is an incredibly damaging presence in society and needs to be challenged for good

·I don’t like it when people post ill-informed content on social media, especially Facebook –

think before you type sort of thing, be more aware of your online persona/presence, do your

research before you rant, no one wants to hear it

·where you should or could say it – posters, social media platforms, publishing

·how you might use type to improve your message, to initiate change, or to motivate and

inspire.

WHO IT’S FOR

Those passionate about a cause, those who want to be more passionate about a cause, or those with ideas on how a cause can reach more people or be more impactful with the right typeface.

I am going to be addressing the general public in the UK, society as a whole. I realise that this is a very open and wide target audience, but I have noticed that campaigns of a similar nature tend to try and broaden their reach/scope by appealing to mass audiences. 

WHAT TO CONSIDER

·You can pick anything from a global topic to a local or personal issue.

·Think about the world of your cause and those already active within it. What means do they have to join you? Do they have digital access or would a predominantly analogue response be more fitting? What materials are related to the cause? What methods?

·Think about the right typeface for the right cause. The typeface itself can become part of the message or the story – its origins, its history, and how you choose to use it – as much as or more than the words themselves.

·Design for protest can be visceral as response time is short. Protest is both active and reactive. By its nature, its messages are often hurried, scrawled and raw. This translates digitally too, into transmissions that are often quick and immediate. How does this affect your cause or movement? What kind of typeface would suit this type of messaging? How would a typeface enhance its impact?

·Remember your end goal. Make it bold. Make it powerful. Make a difference.

WHAT’S ESSENTIAL

A typography-led integrated graphic design campaign including:

·At least one poster

·At least one digital element: GIF, animation, short video, a campaign website

·At least one other touch-point: bus banner, leaflets, stickers, badges, tote bags, t-shirts, phone cases etc. Further touch-points could include: banners, badges, moving image ads, newspaper ads, website banners or other online promotions – anything that could raise awareness and get people engaged. The more innovative the better.

·Show how your output is relevant to your cause alongside your execution.

·Whatever applications you choose, use only type as the major creative expression for your cause.

·Your executions must be visually linked to one another so that they can be easily recognised as part of the same movement.

OUGD503 - Brief 01 - Penguin Random House - Development of Ideas

After doing some initial research into semiotics and aesthetics associated with the theme of the book, I got to work developing my conceptual ideas that had begun on paper. I did a number of basic sketches in my sketchbook which I translated digitally by scanning them in and converting them to vector artwork using the live trace tool in Illustrator. 

I converted the sketches into vector artwork to keep the designs clean and fresh. I didn't see hand rendered artwork being entirely appropriate for this brief. The brief specifically asks to design a classic book cover, something that will translate into print and digital outputs. I saw vector artwork as offering the solution here. I am not usually a fan of working exclusively in Illustrator, however, a goal of mine for level 05 is to improve my skills in this software, so that is the justification behind my process. 

I developed the sketches by manipulating certain areas and lines. I also began to introduce typography into the designs, experimenting with composition and placement. I wanted the type to subtly compliment the confident lines, integrating with the shapes created. I wanted to avoid using bold, dominating typefaces, because I thought that would contradict the overall theme of femininity. I noticed in a lot of the classic Penguin cover designs, sans serifs such as Gill Sans or Futura were used consistently. This prompted me to experiment with a range of more contemporary sans serif alternatives to these classic, timeless typefaces, I thought that by using these typefaces, I would be catering to the needs of the brief whilst also staying true to the book and the author. 

Caitlin Moran is a modern woman and spreads messages about modern day femininity in her books, so I knew that I needed to keep my designs minimal and fresh and draw a lot of inspiration from modernist design principles in order to achieve a design that is striking, effective, functional and true to the content of the book. On top of experimenting with composition and type, I began introducing some colour. I looked to use colours which were quite neutral and not stereotypically feminine as such, or whatever that means. After looking at a number of colour combinations, I decided to revert back to a monochrome palette. This was a concious conceptual decision for a number of reasons, the most important being the colour of Moran's hair. 

OUGD503 - Brief 01 - Monotype - Indepth Analysis of Brief

Monotype D&AD - The Brief:

 BACKGROUND

Design has the power to do good, but to achieve this you need the courage to believe in what you have to say; the conviction to tell it; and the clarity to communicate it.

Monotype creates typefaces and technologies that help people tell their story—in any language, on any device, and with a clear voice.

THE CHALLENGE

Take a cause you believe in and use the power of type to make a difference. Design with typography to agitate, educate, and organise the world and your audience. Use typography to help people believe in your cause and its purpose; to motivate and inspire people, in a relevant way, to your cause; and above all, to make an impact.

Typography is the soapbox for your rallying cry. Used at its best, it can empower your words, evoke meaning, set tone, and inspire ideas. Without it, your message could be drowned out. Where would the students in Paris of ’68 be without their screenprinted stencil type? Where would Revolutionary Russia be without its condensed, sans serif gothics? And would Occupy have inspired the collective imagination without democratic digital design and ‘desktop publishing’? The right typeface, used in the right way, gives a cause, movement or change its true voice.

Think about: what you want to say and how you want to say it; where you should or could say it; how you might use type to improve your message, to initiate change, or to motivate and inspire.

WHO IT’S FOR

Those passionate about a cause, those who want to be more passionate about a cause, or those with ideas on how a cause can reach more people or be more impactful with the right typeface.

WHAT TO CONSIDER

                You can pick anything from a global topic to a local or personal issue.

                Think about the world of your cause and those already active within it. What means do they have to join you? Do they have digital access or would a predominantly analogue response be more fitting? What materials are related to the cause? What methods?

                Think about the right typeface for the right cause. The typeface itself can become part of the message or the story – its origins, its history, and how you choose to use it – as much as or more than the words themselves.

                Design for protest can be visceral as response time is short. Protest is both active and reactive. By its nature, its messages are often hurried, scrawled and raw. This translates digitally too, into transmissions that are often quick and immediate. How does this affect your cause or movement? What kind of typeface would suit this type of messaging? How would a typeface enhance its impact?

                Remember your end goal. Make it bold. Make it powerful. Make a difference.

WHAT’S ESSENTIAL

A typography-led integrated graphic design campaign including:

                At least one poster

                At least one digital element

                At least one other touchpoint

Your touchpoints could include: banners, badges, moving image ads, newspaper ads, website banners or other online promotions – anything that could raise awareness and get people engaged. The more innovative the better.

                Show how your output is relevant to your cause alongside your execution.

                Whatever applications you choose, use only type as the major creative expression for your cause.

                Your executions must be visually linked to one another so that they can be easily recognised as part of the same movement.

I chose to work on the Monotype brief for the main part of individual practice because out of all the briefs on offer from D&AD, I saw this brief as providing me with the greatest creative challenge. It was asking me to work across digital and print, which is something I enjoy. It was also asking me to design for posters, leaflets and web, elements of graphic design I would say I have a passion for. I saw this brief as an excellent opportunity to begin developing a more critical understanding of typography, allowing me to fully realize its power and potential to spread poignant political, social and cultural messages within society. Once I had picked the brief apart, I got to work very quickly. 

It didn’t take me long to start thinking conceptually with this brief. I soon came to realize that it was the perfect place to develop my copy-writing skills as well as pure typographic ones. It was also a great opportunity for me to really consider the product, range and it’s distribution. I was continually thinking about the scope and range of people that my campaign would be speaking to, taking into account the target audience was fundamental in achieving success in this brief.

 The cause that I chose to promote was a very positive one and extremely relevant in today’s society. At the core, my campaign is all about encouraging the abandonment of labelling and stereotyping, with all of the negative connotations they have. I feel very strongly about this topic, so I was passionate about the work I was producing throughout the design process. 

OUGD503 - Brief 01 - Penguin Random House - Research

I looked for book cover design that sits within the very broad field of feminism for visual queues and inspiration. The book 'How To Be A Woman' tackles these themes and issues but in a comical way, and the brief is asking me to pay particular attention to the fact that the tone of voice is not overtly serious. I came across a lot of book cover designs that I felt were pretty serious and soulless. Quite clinical and not very aesthetically inspiring. These examples made me more determined to produce a design which feels minimal, refined but also conceptual and entertaining. 

A number of the book covers use visual puns to convey their intended messages, but some of them are a bit too obvious in my opinion. I want to convey my concept in a subtle way that will entertain people the second they realise what it is. One of the things I do find inspiring from everything I have been looking at is the choice of typography. A lot of the books use very geometric sans serifs, very similar to Futura. I want to use similar typefaces in my design because they are timeless, classic and have high impact - this way, I will be answering the brief, which is asking for a specific emphasis on typography.