Design Context
Alex Dyson
Showing posts with label OUGD501 - Studio Brief 2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OUGD501 - Studio Brief 2. Show all posts
OUGD501 - Studio Brief 2 - Print Design
For a creative based magazine I designed a double page spread which would serve as a gateway of promotion to the website for the audience to learn more about the organisation and hopefully react with it and sign the manifesto.
The journal which I would provide within the membership pack will be a very simple design as it will only be used to document 'good' acts of the creative. The front page would just be the logo and 'Journal' written in the branded typeface. The insides would divide in one project per spread with space for 20 projects within it.
The certificate for creatives that complete the journal will look like this, the name is fake.
The membership card that would come with the journal would look like this.
OUGD501 - Studio Brief 2 - Website Design
To begin the planning of my website I wrote down the pages which I thought would be useful on the site as well as what they would contain.
Homepage:
Full screen slider, Buttons for menu, social networks and slider elements.
Manifesto:
Manifesto, Join us w/ sign up boxes.
Creative Concerns:
Points and paragraphs for each.
People Involved:
Influential creators, list of people that have signed up.
Shop:
Products including T-shirts, membership packs & prints.
Contact:
Email address, phone number, address, map and message form.
After I had all of this stuff covered I sketched out some wireframes/thumbnails of how I wanted to website to be laid out.
After sketching it out I first laid out all of the button elements on the page with perfect balance, ratios and margins. The background image was then changed until I felt it fit within the grids in the best way.
Once the sizing and content was designed, I changed my mind about having a full screen slider as there was no use for it. This mean taking away the buttons and the slider menu. I also highlighted the button which would link to the manifesto in green.
Upon clicking the menu button in the top left corner, the menu would slide out from the left pushing the homepage across. This would work very fluidly to give a more user-friendly dynamic. The links would underline when the mouse hovered over it.
Upon clicking the manifesto button, the user would be brought to a page dedicated to the 'Honest Things First' manifesto that was written in my essay when critically rewriting the first things first manifesto to make relevant to our current day practices.
In the People Involved page, there is a slider menu of big names who have so far signed the manifesto, these people haven't actually signed anything but if a designer saw these names and look up to them, it is more likely that they themselves would be more inclined to it. When the user scrolls down they see a list of four columns which names everyone who has signed the manifesto as well as their occupation.
The last page was the contact page to allow visitors to ask questions and get in touch with the organisation.
Homepage:
Full screen slider, Buttons for menu, social networks and slider elements.
Manifesto:
Manifesto, Join us w/ sign up boxes.
Creative Concerns:
Points and paragraphs for each.
People Involved:
Influential creators, list of people that have signed up.
Shop:
Products including T-shirts, membership packs & prints.
Contact:
Email address, phone number, address, map and message form.
After I had all of this stuff covered I sketched out some wireframes/thumbnails of how I wanted to website to be laid out.
After sketching it out I first laid out all of the button elements on the page with perfect balance, ratios and margins. The background image was then changed until I felt it fit within the grids in the best way.
Once the sizing and content was designed, I changed my mind about having a full screen slider as there was no use for it. This mean taking away the buttons and the slider menu. I also highlighted the button which would link to the manifesto in green.
Upon clicking the menu button in the top left corner, the menu would slide out from the left pushing the homepage across. This would work very fluidly to give a more user-friendly dynamic. The links would underline when the mouse hovered over it.
Upon clicking the manifesto button, the user would be brought to a page dedicated to the 'Honest Things First' manifesto that was written in my essay when critically rewriting the first things first manifesto to make relevant to our current day practices.
When a user scrolls, a darker bar will appear at the top of the screen where the navigation is fixed. Upon reaching the end of the manifesto, the detail boxes are laid out in hope that people would sign the manifesto themselves.
In the creative concerns page, the organisation talks about their beliefs and what needs to be put right, this just emphasises the points made in the manifesto as a sort of conclusion of ideas.
In the People Involved page, there is a slider menu of big names who have so far signed the manifesto, these people haven't actually signed anything but if a designer saw these names and look up to them, it is more likely that they themselves would be more inclined to it. When the user scrolls down they see a list of four columns which names everyone who has signed the manifesto as well as their occupation.
The shop follows the same grid rules as the 'People Involved' page. Products include two variations of screen prints and t-shirts for an example.
The last page was the contact page to allow visitors to ask questions and get in touch with the organisation.
OUGD501 - Studio Brief 2 - Branding & Identity
The first thing I needed to sort for this organisation was a name.
I first thought of CEDO - Creative Ethics Defence Organisation.
However CEDO is already an organisation in spain for studies of oceans and deserts - Centro Intercultural de Estudios de Desiertos y Océanos.
I liked the ring of Creative Ethics so tried other ways of displaying that.
CEPO - Creative Ethical Protection Organisation.
OCE - Organisation of Creative Ethics.
I wasn't liking any of the other ones I came up with so just decided to bite the bullet and go with CEDO.
I decided to have a look at logos of socially and environmentally based organisations, the examples I found were strong in some ways but very visually weak. This would not be an option for my organisation as it is aimed at creatives directly.
I wanted to make the identity serious, creative based and well designed. I found out about a book called Branding Terror which focuses on how terrorist organisations have branded themselves. I thought this would be an interesting read as all terrorist organisations stand for something and believe in it and must represent that in their visuals (no matter how bad they are). Exactly what I want to do, however good rather than bad.
When I actually got the book, I was in a sense quite disappointed because of the amount of repetition throughout, no fault of the author or anything, terrorists just aren't the most creative individuals.
A concept that ran through all of them was using an image or symbol of a globe to represent their aims of their beliefs being followed everywhere. This would then be supported by other visual elements like guns or religious books.
This works completely for all of them, no matter how badly done they are. I took a photo of an example to show, no more than one was needed.
This got me thinking about the elements I would need in the organisation's logo. A globe would be contextually relevant to represent the aim of world domination of good design.
This lead to playing with ideas in my sketchpad at the same time as digitally. I started to develop a rather strong logo towards the end, below I have posted photos of what was created.
The sketches really helped me create an image from my head before creating it digitally, this sped up my development and motivated me to create something of a good quality.
When it came to deciding on a typeface, I made the decision to play with some different outcomes, sans serif originally looked a bit awkward because I wasn't executing it very well, without thinking to research into how I could make it look good, I decided to work with Big Caslon to give it a bit of a CIA feel, however upon finding out how to work type around a curve, I gave sans-serif another go which would give it a bit more of a non-governmental image.
This looked much more relevant and also had a strong creative-esque feel to it.
From the development of the logo, the predominant typeface within the organisation's branding would be Futura Medium, and then for body copy or smaller type, Futura Light.
Colour was a clear option to me, after seeing other organisations logos and critically analysing them to determine what put them together, a lot of them use green to relate directly to the natural concerns they believe in.
My organisation also benefitting the environment but also the economy, society and social welfare as a whole made me think further.
Growth and development is a key factor which runs through all of these elements, which again is a direct connotation with green, however not as bright and in your face as the 'eco-friendly' societies. A mid-tone green would be a good colour to complement the visuals.
For use of smaller spaces and such, this logo would be far too detailed to see, therefore I created an alternative logo for other uses.
I first thought of CEDO - Creative Ethics Defence Organisation.
However CEDO is already an organisation in spain for studies of oceans and deserts - Centro Intercultural de Estudios de Desiertos y Océanos.
I liked the ring of Creative Ethics so tried other ways of displaying that.
CEPO - Creative Ethical Protection Organisation.
OCE - Organisation of Creative Ethics.
I wasn't liking any of the other ones I came up with so just decided to bite the bullet and go with CEDO.
I decided to have a look at logos of socially and environmentally based organisations, the examples I found were strong in some ways but very visually weak. This would not be an option for my organisation as it is aimed at creatives directly.
I wanted to make the identity serious, creative based and well designed. I found out about a book called Branding Terror which focuses on how terrorist organisations have branded themselves. I thought this would be an interesting read as all terrorist organisations stand for something and believe in it and must represent that in their visuals (no matter how bad they are). Exactly what I want to do, however good rather than bad.
When I actually got the book, I was in a sense quite disappointed because of the amount of repetition throughout, no fault of the author or anything, terrorists just aren't the most creative individuals.
A concept that ran through all of them was using an image or symbol of a globe to represent their aims of their beliefs being followed everywhere. This would then be supported by other visual elements like guns or religious books.
This works completely for all of them, no matter how badly done they are. I took a photo of an example to show, no more than one was needed.
This lead to playing with ideas in my sketchpad at the same time as digitally. I started to develop a rather strong logo towards the end, below I have posted photos of what was created.
The sketches really helped me create an image from my head before creating it digitally, this sped up my development and motivated me to create something of a good quality.
When it came to deciding on a typeface, I made the decision to play with some different outcomes, sans serif originally looked a bit awkward because I wasn't executing it very well, without thinking to research into how I could make it look good, I decided to work with Big Caslon to give it a bit of a CIA feel, however upon finding out how to work type around a curve, I gave sans-serif another go which would give it a bit more of a non-governmental image.
This looked much more relevant and also had a strong creative-esque feel to it.
From the development of the logo, the predominant typeface within the organisation's branding would be Futura Medium, and then for body copy or smaller type, Futura Light.
My organisation also benefitting the environment but also the economy, society and social welfare as a whole made me think further.
Growth and development is a key factor which runs through all of these elements, which again is a direct connotation with green, however not as bright and in your face as the 'eco-friendly' societies. A mid-tone green would be a good colour to complement the visuals.
For use of smaller spaces and such, this logo would be far too detailed to see, therefore I created an alternative logo for other uses.
OUGD501 - Studio Brief 2 - Practical Idea
I was originally going to write and design a guidebook about doing good design. However after some thought and mind mapping, I realised how much further I could take it than just another book (I've done enough books in these last two years, I want to take this further).
My new developed idea was to create a campaign and organisation that fight against the wrongs in graphic design.
This organisation would be in place to bring together like-minded creatives that believe in a better way of designing and that we have had enough of being a productive tool at destroying our own planet socially, economically, and environmentally.
With the produced manifesto as the primary weapon in this organisation, it will have the potential to take it's toll over print based and digital mediums to cover as many creatives as possible at the same time as using the benefit of social media to reach out to as many people as possible.
As the thought developed into an idea, and that idea developed into a better idea, I narrowed down the possibilities of this brief as well as making sure they were relevant by providing a reason/use for each idea.
Website & Blog:
When people first hear about something or are interested in it, the usual reaction is to google it and research into it. For an organisation so important a website would be very useful at explaining who they are along with all of the other information people would be interested in looking for. A blog would be a good way of allowing people interested in or a part of the organisation to keep up to date on what is happening and what 'good' creative work is being done by the members of it.
Mobile Application:
In this digital age, more and more people are owning advanced smartphones which allow them to browse the internet on the go. For many, this is very convenient either as time passing whilst waiting for something or for any other reason. An application would be better than just a mobile optimised website because seeing an icon on their home screen would encourage users to view it more often as it is easier.
Social Networking:
Social networking has become a very important tool for getting information out to people, expanding audiences and reaching people who would otherwise never heard of such a thing. When one person 'follows' or 'likes' a page they are interested in, their friends will see it, and if they are also interested in the same topic they will probably interact with the page in the same way to be updated on what the organisation is doing or what it is about. Social networking = growth of audience.
Print based advertisements in creative magazines:
As much as everything is very digitally orientated now, a lot of us are still very fond of handling print based products such as papers or magazines. An example would be creative review and similar creative publications. Their audience would see the advertisements and as long as they were designed properly, would encourage them to look into the organisation and hopefully take part. Using this form of print advertising would reach thousands and thousands of like-minded creatives in very short spaces of time.
Mail-outs:
To start up an organisation that has a potential to be so successful, contacts and partnerships must be developed with other organisations or individuals in high places and with similar ideas and concerns. Mail-outs could be sent to studios all over the globe to encourage them to take part in the organisation as well as share their views on the topic, this will make their audiences aware of it and encourage them too.
Membership Packs.
Every person that signs up to this organisation and pledges to the manifesto will be doing the planet as well as all of our lives a huge favour, and for that reason they should be thanked and made proud to be a part of it. The membership pack could be sent to each person/studio that signs to this manifesto, and this pack could contain things like stickers, prints, a membership card and a 'good' design journal, where they can document the work they have completed to make our world or societies a better place. Once that journal is complete, they can send it back to the organisation and be awarded with an 'elite' or 'golden' status within the organisation who has done a large amount of work which contributes to making our world a better place to exist.
Awards & Certificates.
For those that reach a 'Golden' or 'Elite' status (I still haven't worked out what to call it), an award should be issued as well as a certificate to authenticate the prestigious status they'd been promoted to. This would serve as an amazing addition to a creatives portfolio as well as a thank you for acting in something they believe in and taking part in the success of the organisation.
These are all proposals as the timescale would not allow me to code websites or create all of the printed material.
My new developed idea was to create a campaign and organisation that fight against the wrongs in graphic design.
This organisation would be in place to bring together like-minded creatives that believe in a better way of designing and that we have had enough of being a productive tool at destroying our own planet socially, economically, and environmentally.
With the produced manifesto as the primary weapon in this organisation, it will have the potential to take it's toll over print based and digital mediums to cover as many creatives as possible at the same time as using the benefit of social media to reach out to as many people as possible.
As the thought developed into an idea, and that idea developed into a better idea, I narrowed down the possibilities of this brief as well as making sure they were relevant by providing a reason/use for each idea.
Website & Blog:
When people first hear about something or are interested in it, the usual reaction is to google it and research into it. For an organisation so important a website would be very useful at explaining who they are along with all of the other information people would be interested in looking for. A blog would be a good way of allowing people interested in or a part of the organisation to keep up to date on what is happening and what 'good' creative work is being done by the members of it.
Mobile Application:
In this digital age, more and more people are owning advanced smartphones which allow them to browse the internet on the go. For many, this is very convenient either as time passing whilst waiting for something or for any other reason. An application would be better than just a mobile optimised website because seeing an icon on their home screen would encourage users to view it more often as it is easier.
Social Networking:
Social networking has become a very important tool for getting information out to people, expanding audiences and reaching people who would otherwise never heard of such a thing. When one person 'follows' or 'likes' a page they are interested in, their friends will see it, and if they are also interested in the same topic they will probably interact with the page in the same way to be updated on what the organisation is doing or what it is about. Social networking = growth of audience.
Print based advertisements in creative magazines:
As much as everything is very digitally orientated now, a lot of us are still very fond of handling print based products such as papers or magazines. An example would be creative review and similar creative publications. Their audience would see the advertisements and as long as they were designed properly, would encourage them to look into the organisation and hopefully take part. Using this form of print advertising would reach thousands and thousands of like-minded creatives in very short spaces of time.
Mail-outs:
To start up an organisation that has a potential to be so successful, contacts and partnerships must be developed with other organisations or individuals in high places and with similar ideas and concerns. Mail-outs could be sent to studios all over the globe to encourage them to take part in the organisation as well as share their views on the topic, this will make their audiences aware of it and encourage them too.
Membership Packs.
Every person that signs up to this organisation and pledges to the manifesto will be doing the planet as well as all of our lives a huge favour, and for that reason they should be thanked and made proud to be a part of it. The membership pack could be sent to each person/studio that signs to this manifesto, and this pack could contain things like stickers, prints, a membership card and a 'good' design journal, where they can document the work they have completed to make our world or societies a better place. Once that journal is complete, they can send it back to the organisation and be awarded with an 'elite' or 'golden' status within the organisation who has done a large amount of work which contributes to making our world a better place to exist.
Awards & Certificates.
For those that reach a 'Golden' or 'Elite' status (I still haven't worked out what to call it), an award should be issued as well as a certificate to authenticate the prestigious status they'd been promoted to. This would serve as an amazing addition to a creatives portfolio as well as a thank you for acting in something they believe in and taking part in the success of the organisation.
These are all proposals as the timescale would not allow me to code websites or create all of the printed material.
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