OUGD303 Evaluation

Natalie Jackson

OUGD303

Evaluation

Throughout this module, I have found that organisation skills have been critical in order to get the work done on time and to a good quality. Although I have struggled to keep up with my own deadlines, I have managed to get my work done to a satisfactory standard.

I have found that all my briefs ran over the deadline I set myself, and as a consequence, I felt stressed and panicked when coming to finishing the briefs.

If I was doing this module again, I would make sure to set out  a week and day by day plan, so I know exactly where I am and what I am doing, as I found that I wasn’t giving a brief 100% of my attention, as I was mixing them about due to late starting and getting tired of a brief.

However, I have learnt a lot from the briefs I have set myself and thoroughly enjoyed the initial designing and concepts.

For my first brief, I was really excited to get started as I organised exactly what it was I was looking into, and set myself limitations, with a culture and a theme. The problem I had with this brief was not making my decisions quick enough, and the yearbook brief took over the majority of my time, which meant I didn’t completely finish this brief like I wanted. I learnt a lot with this brief, in regards to packaging and looking into japanese design. I liked the idea of mixing an english picnic with japanese food food packaging, as this really stands out in that culture.

I would have liked to produce a few more deliverables, such as bunting (for the event), cheese board, with the design cut into the wood, labels and a larger range of packaging, for children/men/women/different operas.

My second brief took me a while to get the ball rolling, as I struggled with illustration designs and staying clear of the original Beatrix Potter illustrations. I went down the line of using type as image, but decided that this type of design wouldn’t be of interest to children 5-8. I designed simple characters, and by using a water colour effect on the designs, I was able to keep a vintage feel, which is something I wanted to keep. I would like to perfect this brief more as there are still pieces missing from the project and areas that I want to develop.

The Madness revive albums started to become an exciting brief once I had come up with the illustrations for the covers, by using a song - from that particular album - as inspiration, whether it be a song lyric or the name. I should have done a range of albums using different colours and package design to make them a bit more exciting and ‘mad’. The fez was a later idea, as I wanted something that Madness fans would appreciate, and quite ‘out there’. I should have experimented and researched bespoke packaging more, as making the fez took a lot of time, and there might have been a better solution.

My one day brief is the project I am not happy about. I left it very late and I still had projects that were unfinished and it took a back seat. I had already designed the Burlesque poster, but I should have done much more research into burlesque dancers and events. I would like to develop the brief much more, designing the full burlesque party event.

Finally the yearbook. This was the brief that ran on throughout the module and was very time consuming. From the beginning of the brief to the end, we met up with the yearbook team at least once a week to make sure they were happy with the design and layout. Looking back, I think we met up far too often, and we spent far too much time trying to perfect the book too early on. We also had a member leave the group part way through, which put a bit of a strain on the group, however, we managed to keep enthusiastic in meetings and kept the fine art team on our side. I am very pleased with the overall book and flyers and how we worked as a team. I was also impressed with myself, as I was mainly presenting the work in front of the client and organising meetings and being the point of contact, which I didn’t think I would ever do.

Overall, I have found that my time management still needs improving and decision making, but I have also felt that I have learnt something different with each brief, which has developed my skills in design and myself as a designer.

M&S Picnic Submission Boards

Evaluation

When starting this brief I made sure that I set my limitations and gave myself a theme and culture to research and look into. I really got into this brief at the beginning, and had some good initial ideas. I think I could have developed the brief much more, using more food and looking further into the culture. I would have liked to produce more ranges, so the target audience (being quite varied, as families go to this kind of event) could all be included in the picnic.. women, men, children..

It would have also been good if I could have done more picnic design packages for different operas, maybe looking into other cultures and how the food packaging varies in each country.




Submission boards Print: The colour on the boards didn't come out well at all.. the ink or something went wrong over night, so the red has turned a nasty yellow colour.. and it doesn't show the work off great at all.. shame :/ 

M&S poster

Got a print slot today, thank god!! so going to get my posters printed.. been working on the M&S  one that will be seen in the shop and on Lorries etc..


Using the same colours as the packaging but made it look a bit different so it will stand out more.. This would look quite nice on packaging as well..

Changed the colours around to see what difference that makes.. 

Still to do:

Still have things to complete on this brief before signing it off:


Promotion : Posters and flyers (M&S lorries)
Plates & cups : Need a range
Labels for the packaging and info about the food
Overall making it look good!!

Butterfly Origami Instructions

I have drawn out the instruction diagrams so the customer can make their own butterfly..

I was thinking that these could be made out of the napkins.. rather than including a set of paper/card in the picnic, but these instructions will be inside.. need to test it out to see if they are followed easily..

Stock

After printing of some mock up packages, I have decided I would like to use brown paper, that looks like it has been recycled.. the stock compliments the colours and it gives a japanese feel to the product.. 

Packaging

After speaking with Si, I have decided to combine elements from my initial ideas with the idea of using pattern design on the packaging..


I have used 2 colour ways, to get an idea of how different the pattern can look.. I have printed them off in black and white, to see how the pattern sits when the packaging has been folded.. 


There are a lot of areas I need to change on the design, as a lot of the shapes are either cut off, or don't work well where they are placed.. I also want to change the scale of the pattern, maybe leaving more white space than in the initial designs..


I can also see how the label could work on the designs, and what shape that will be, and if it can be taken from the shapes used.. 

Plate Designs

Much more investigation needed.. but I have decided on square plates for different reasons.. I have used square/rectangle shapes throughout my designs in this project.. and also, I have seen that japanese food is sometimes presented on square plates.. so I think they would be better than circular ones..


I have used the pattern from the food packages.. I want to keep the same pattern but slightly change it to make it look a bit different.. need to look at plate designs and more into japanese food, to see what works best.. 

Package Design..

Putting the pattern design onto some of the chosen packaging.. 

I need to experiment with the colour, as this is too feminine.. I'm not keen on it being pinks, as this would only interest women really.. 

I wanted to see how the pattern would look when the packages were made.. 

The typeface needs to change.. again.. it is a bit too feminine, and I want the food to be for both men and women, so it needs to be a bit more masculine.. which is difficult when using flowers I suppose.. this needs to be thought about..

Nutritional information needs to be at the bottom.. I don't think it sits right at the top.. need to look at other packages, to see how the information is laid out to get a better idea of how it works..

This would be printed at a larger scale, so maybe there is too much white space.. might have to change the handle, so that it is easier to carry as a bag package..

More information is needed.. maybe where the wine has come from and the taste etc..

Writing on the inside is the wrong way up.. this needs to change.. not seen in photographs, but maybe have the nutritional information on the bottom.. again needs to be investigated..

I like how the pattern really wraps around the packaging.. need to experiment with different colour scheme..

Difficult to see in image.. but I have changed the colours.. they look a bit more natural, and I am thinking about having an off white stock.. and look into foiling..

I have played with the scale of the pattern, which looks a bit more tree like, going into the distance.. this would need to be the same on the other packages.. 

Tree pattern..

For the packaging.. I am struggling to get the image right.. IDEA.. making the branches into a pattern that can be repeated and tessellated.. this is then easily transferred onto different packages and on origami etc..

Could come up with loads of different ways the pattern fits together, and add the cherry blossom to the branches.. more experimentation needed though..

How the pattern comes together.. I think it works really well.. I need to decide on how the pattern will be put together, so there is a rule.. and therefore the pattern will look the same on everything..

Did some experiment on the stroke, and added a rough texture, to make it a bit more wood like.. I don't think the thick stroke works as well as the thinner lines..

How the branch is made.. using guides and simple lines.. within a square.. could look into using triangles and rectangles and other tessellating shapes.. to see how this affects the way the pattern works and looks..

Some more variations of the branch pattern.. slightly different to the pattern above.. 

What would look like on the package.. need to print out and see how it looks.. need to work on what the label would say and look like.. will the label colour code the food types.. / what the food is..

.. Also need to think about the stock.. will being off white.. or whether the package will be printed with a background colour.. and if so, what will the colour be.. and if that effects the colour of the pattern..

IDEAS

After the group crit, I have decided to go along the lines of a japanese summer theme. The idea I have in mind, is using the cherry blossom tree to wrap around the packages.. but not exactly the same image.. but similar, keeping the consistency.. the inside will have a simple pattern using the same colours as the outside..

This is the package that would hold the drink.. the bottle of wine.. I have taken the image from the other 2 packages and transferred it across to this.. not keen on it being so big and taking over all the package.. need to experiment with scale and how this looks, as the package will be quite big..

Something that looks a bit more delicate.. not having so much block colour.. 

I have created an image with the butterflies and the lines.. maybe look more into this to create a more substantial pattern, keeping in mind the japanese summer.. 

This will also come with a label.. as will some of the other packages, so it stays consistent..

Slight change of direction..

.. with the images that will be on the packaging, and the overall feel of the japanese opera.. 
After the group crit, I have decided to down the lines of a japanese summer.. using cherry blossom, which is a well known japanese flower and quite summery..


With this I have also decided to design a fan as well as the origami.. which will also have the design on there, to make everything fit in..

The above design for the tree is too blocky and doesn't reflect the subtle japanese culture.. I don't like the flowers either, just no..

Here is have made the lines much more subtle and thinner and gave it a hand drawn feel.. maybe I could draw it by hand in inks to see what effect that will give..
The flowers look better, although I am still unsure about the colours..


Hand drawn cherry blossom.. 
It would be quite nice to see the different variations of the cherry blossom, whether it could have pattern inside on the petals, or how the colours can affect the way it looks..

After putting it into illustrator, I have found that slightly rotating the outline of the flower looks with delicate and works well with the feeling of this japanese, natural summer.. 

 So I have now drawn myself a tree for the cherry blossoms to sit on.. as I wasn't keen on the images done on illustrator, it just felt too much.. and I couldn't get the texture I wanted.. I want to move this image further by using ink to create different weight in line, as this is what it is lacking I think..

However, here is how it will look with the flowers on it.. I want to put some more lines in the trunk, to give it a bit more detail.. rather than a solid brown colour..

I could maybe add a couple of butterflies to the image.. 

The idea is that this cherry blossom tree will wrap around the packages.. but as the packages vary, they won't all look exactly the same.. 

The types of food in each package could be differentiated by colour.. so they aren't confused..

I need to decide on 2 or 3 colours for each package.. and how they will work together for the overall carrier package.. as each colour would then be seen on there, so it stays consistent.

Not laid out like this.. but these are going to be included onto the package.. need to think about how all the packages work together when put together, could have some fun with the image in that respect too..

Madame Butterfly

Madame Butterfly will be seen a lot to promote the opera, on posters and on the packaging itself, so it needs a 'brand' so that once it is seen, it will be known.

The brand needs to reflect the japanese culture and be very simplistic

Some of the japanese designs have hand drawn aspects to them, I have hand drawn the butterfly image, to give it a natural delicate feel to it

Pattern Experiments

Using the same template, I wanted to make a range of patterns, that would be seen within the picnic, but would work together with the event as well..

I have looked at some japanese patterns, and found that many of them are of single shapes that have been tessellated, here I have used a triangle, and rotated it round three times, and used live paint to fill in the different areas.

The colours are experiments, I have chosen them as I think they best represent the country and also the opera.. I wanted to see how they work together, but also what colours work better..

Next : Where will these patterns be seen.. need to put them into context to see how each pattern works.. and then also how the colour will work..


I like the pastel colours more than the darker more vibrant colours. I think they reflect the natural look I am aiming for, and is much more subtle..

My FMP Briefs

1. Picnic

2. Beatrix Potter

3. Madness

4. Burlesque Kit

5. Yearbook