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.

Beatrix Potter Submission Boards

Evaluation

I needed to keep clear of the original Beatrix Potter illustrations to make this project work. Because of this, I was staying to close to home and not thinking outside the box, my drawings were very similar to those of the original books.

I finally came up with a simple design that reflected the character from Beatrix Potter but was also quite different. I think the range works nicely, but could still be developed.

I wanted to have illustrated at least another book to go with Peter Rabbit, but I ran out of time, as I didn't realise I was going to be designing a story. To start with, I chose to design covers, but I changed the brief slightly so I could work with doing story illustrations.

Found it really challenging, but I was also inspired by the rules I could set myself in regards to how the illustrations and backgrounds would look like (point of view, time of day etc)

Deliverables

I would have liked to print the story onto thicker paper and more off white.. it is quite flimsy.. but the colours are nice and bright.. I feel that it could have done with being toned down a little.. (by the paper)

Overall, I like how the range works together.

Cards

Some playing cards.. that will will be postcard size for children to learn the alphabet.. if I had more time, I would make them look a bit more playful.. they are quite basic.. I have kept the textures consistent with the rest of the products.. so they fit in.. but I haven't been able to do same illustrations.. this is something I will change at a later date.. 

Stickers

Stickers that would come with the book.. also seen on the overall packaging... that I NEED TO PUT TOGETHER!!

Peter Rabbit Story Telling..

Story telling event at the library.. would be seen blown up on a banner near and around leeds..

Rules for bellyband layout:

"A Short Story" needs to be in dark brown, 14pt and justified to the right, under the title..
The title needs to be in the same colour as the material on the book, 22pt and justified to the right
'Beatrix Potter" stays in the same place on the back in a dark brown 18pt


After printing out a set of mock up bellybands, there were a few things that were different from other bellybands, which need sorting to keep consistency with the designs..

Peter's band is wrong, and moppet is not in a green colour.. if I had time I could get them laser cut so the material just shows through..

Bellybands for books..

Peter and Jemima so far.. I have covered the covers in material ready to put the story inside.. 

Another 3 to do..

Squirrel Nutkin.. (SPELT WRONG ON THE BAND.. NEEDS CHANGING) also.. the name needs to change to a more red/pink colour, to match the colour of the book..

The last book:

Need to print off and make sure the colour is right with the coloured material.. the band will be printed off in the same stock as the thick paper inside the book.. slighty off white colour..

Belly Band..

The book needs a bellyband to keep it shut.. so I am looking at making something that isn't just a strip of card.. have it a bit more playful.. which might mean that the cover won't need too much detail on it..

Looking at using the rabbit head.. this can be changed for each book.. coming out of the strip.. or even using the body, as the head may not be strong enough on its own.. (after talking to mark howe) he suggested using the body as well..

Bellyband with full body will work better I think, as it will work the full length of the book.. the book marks be visually similar as well.. 

Vector bellybands..

I am going to put the images into photoshop to make the texture look like the story inside..
Each book will be a different colour, but work altogether, and I want to try make the colour from the book work with the belly band somehow..

Cover Ideas:

Now that I have decided on the kind of look my book will be, I can start designing the cover.. keeping it simple and 'vintage' like..


[Hand drawn images]

I like the bottom layout more than the others, I think a bit more work needs to be done.. but I like the simplistic look to it.. Also, the other cover designs can follow the same look, with a different colour, and character head..

Some colour variations that can be used for all the books, not just the one.. the stock that needs to be used as the cover needs to look quite delicate I think.. 

Using the illustrated peter rabbit image as the front cover.. this will have to be repeated in the book somehow too.. to keep consistency.. maybe an object on each page?

 

The image needs to be bigger, like peter.. not keen on the blue colour.. THIS NEEDS SORTING NOW.. need to stop panicking..

I also like the washed out cover more.. less is more!!

I am going to use these colours for the covers:

Peter = Green

Jemima = Blue

Tiggywinkle = Orange

Need to sort out what is going on the cover (pattern?) need to keep the washed out look too.. maybe not so much?

Maybe have stickers for the front, so the actual cover will be a brown wrapping paper type stock.. DECIDE!

Use lines as a bit of detail for page, this may vary for each cover..

There needs to be some kind of border.. and the colour needs working on more.. not keen on the black.. 

Including Characters & Text

After speaking with Mark, he gave me some really good advice on how to do this properly.. 

Firstly looking at the backgrounds specifically, baring in mind that characters and text will be placed somewhere, then printing them all out and drawing on roughly where you intend on the characters being..

He also made me think about point of views and scales, whether you were looking at the rabbit, or from the rabbits point of view.. also looking at the sky, does it change as the story goes on, showing the time of day.. and if anything stays the same, to make rules for myself..

The layouts I did before with all the rabbits was very cluttered, and it didn't work, there was just too much going on.. so I have simplified the story as well as the images, just to condense it and make it more about Peter Rabbit..

Looking at how the text might work.. not in a straight line.. I don't think this is sitting right.. It would be nice to have a raw typeface, maybe slightly old looking, serif?

I am going to go with this typeface, looks quite rough and old looking, which is the look I'm going for.. need to get the text in the right place and make sure it doesn't crowd the composition..

I have found a times typeface that is hand drawn, which looks quite old and antiquey like.. 

backgrounds..

Here are the backgrounds.. there are a few things I need to change, now that I have printed them out, I can see them better.. Some of the colours in the sky are too dark, and affects the wash of colour I wanted for the book.. Also, the shed needs to be made bigger.. just to show how small Peter is..


Next step after changing these is to include the characters and type.. I have drawn on the print out, to give me an idea of where these things might go.. need to scan that in toooo!!

Back to Book illustration..

I am looking at doing 3 - 5 concertina books for my beatrix potter.. I am making it textured and just picking out the important parts to the book.. they will be packaged together, and they can also be put up on the child's wall.. just need to get the illustrations done.. I have counted about 34 pages for the book.. above is a double page.. 

Introducing the four rabbits.. going to get the illustrations done first, then worry about the type after.. just need to make sure I leave space for writing to go..

.. second part to the story.. Mrs Rabbit, shouting after the bunnies.. with speech bubble.. 

3 pages next to each other.. will be interesting to see what they look like when printed.. will need to check this out sooner rather than later.. 

Story..

Having a think about the story.. and experimenting how the story can be laid out.. it could be a poster that has the story on it.. laid out around the shape of the character.. for example, the rabbit.. look at different ways the sentences are laid out, horizontal.. or diagonal..

The look at different typefaces and weights.. 

This could be the theme throughout the book.. having an image that the words go around.. with makes the story a bit more interesting to read.. 

Can you tell it's a rabbit.. add the other ear in maybe.. this could be the whole story on a huge poster.. running from the ceiling to the floor.. no need for a book.. it could be that the story runs across the wall.. glow in the dark.. read it in the dark as the child goes to bed.. 

Quick experiment with colour of the text.. how could this become interesting enough to be a wallpaper of some kind.. there needs to be more colours.. or maybe you don't see the text at all until the lights are out.. 

Beatrix Potter Alphabet

I have decided to look at a Beatrix Potter alphabet, instead of peter rabbit, as there isn't enough objects that fit into the alphabet.. so combining the objects in the book to make the alphabet up works better..


I have decided to keep the ideas done with peter rabbit, tiggywinkle and jemima.. with the letters forming the image.. but with the object from the alphabet.. for example:


A is for Apple

I don't want the image to be clean.. I want them to look like they have just been printed.. rough feel to it.. kinda..

Bit more work to be done to make it look a bit more rougher..

I want the stock to be off white.. so the colours don't completely stand out.. however, I need to look at doing some on white paper, as the colours will stand out more, and need to be bright for the kids..

The alphabet:

a = apple

b = button/blackberry/basket

c = cat/carrot

d = door/duck

e = eggs

f = fish/fox/flower pot/feather

g = gate/garden

h = hedgehog/hen

i = 

j = 

k = 

l = lettuce

m = mouse/mr mcgregor

n = nest

o = onions

p = parsley/potatoes

q = 

r = rabbit/radishes/rake/robin

s = shoe/sparrow/scarecrow

t = tree/toolshed

u = 

v = 

w = watering can/wheelbarrow/waistcoat

x = 

y = 

z =

Do I need all the letters.. I am only working on the covers? 

- Alphabet

- Numbers

- Story

B for blackberry.. the separate letters will be in different shades of purple, so the letters can be seen easier..