Learner Survival Guide

Project end

complete evaluation

15/12/14

The project proved rather challenging, as it required using software I had never used before as well as adapting an entirely new process and way of working. To begin with, I had to break out of my previously learned and preferred method of working, so as to help the project run smoothly.
We were also given a brief, and while it included specifications and guidelines as to what the project required, it allowed me space to interpret it how I wished and room for experimentation as long as the final product was within the boundaries, of which were virtually non-existent. The end design, however, was to be engaging and would not include anything that offended.

At first, my interpretation of the brief was quite limited, as I was used to having a specific guideline to follow, and this project offered little guidance, which pushed my to go about things my own way. I was pushed to develop the different ideas and go back to old ones when I hit a dead end.

To begin with, I started off by analysing the brief, and started by creating multiple spidergrams of things related to college. I also dissected the title of the project: 'Learner Survival Guide'. By doing this, I could then begin my thought process, and began writing things down that I associated with College, Learner, Survival and Guide.
Eventually, I came up with my first idea of using something that many people knew of, such as TV programs, films and things alike. I decided upon basing my first LSG design on a TV program popular with those of the age within the college and something that was renowned: Zombies.

I researched many things related to the topic, such as posters of TV programs such as The Walking Dead, film posters, such as Sean Of The Dead. I also researched the logos of different zombie related things, as well as characters from the game Plants VS Zombies. These would be used later to look back on.

After I had done this, I then moved on to researching the logos of global companies, so as to build an understanding of how graphics, colour and photo-imagery communicate specific meanings. Using the research I had collated, I then began working on a design for my LSG project, using the widely recognized Costa Coffee logo.

While I had previously used both Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, I still found it rather challenging to get used to all of the different tools, and I often got both of the software confused in terms of trying to acomplish something that could only be done in one of the software or the other. At this point, I was also getting used to what the many different tools did and how to use them correctly as well as picking up any things that make the process quicker throughout.
For this design, I had to take apart and reconstruct the Costa Coffee logo into a Learner Survival Guide logo. This meant I was using the ellipsis tool to create multiple circles to achieve the desired badge logo. While doing this I also used the pipette tool to take the colour used in the Costa Coffee logo and add it to specific circles and the background of the design.
Once I had eventually completed my redesign of the logo, I then set out to finding a suitable font that was similar to that on the Costa Coffee logo. Due to the fact that the font is curved around an ellipsis, and without knowing that there was an easier way to get the desired effect, I positioned each letter the same distance from each other as well as rotated each so that is was the same distance from the curve of which it followed. I now know, however, that there is a tool that allows me to write on an ellipsis, which will make the next time doing this a lot easier and quicker.
I also had to find a font similar to the 'Since 1971' text, as well as place it and space it out in a similar fashion. I also changed this to 'Survival'
Lastly, I moved on to switching the coffee beans within the Costa Coffee logo to the North Notts College logo. At first I was skeptical of doing so, and thought about either keeping the coffee beans, which, after consideration probably wouldn't fit in with the theme, or finding another image that would fit in with the theme. Eventually, I just used the North Notts College logo, and changed the colour from red to white.
Once I had finished the front of the design, I moved on to completing the back.
The font on this side had to be in the format of Helvetica, as the font its self is crisp and is easiest to read. I added on the college information and contacts as well as some additional information to finish the design.

For the second LSG design we were to photograph every day objects, whilst making them more intriguing using different camera angles and settings, which we were to then edit using Photoshop. After photographic many different items, I finally decided on an image of a key.

After I cropped the actual key out of the image, I then played around a little with the colours so as to get a bold image.

For this LSG design, however, I had to learn how to do many things, such as learn how to neatly crop the image out of the original photo, this took a while to grasp, but I eventually came to terms with it.
The first design was rather simple, so for this design, I decided to experiment by using Illustrator to see what affects I could achieve. Eventually, I decided on adding dots around the key design to make it seem bolder. The background for this design was a very pale yellow, so that the key stood out.
The only issue I had with this process was that, halfway through doing the dots around the design, I realised that the colour I was using was a dark grey, compared the the black I had originally been using.

With the key alone, I felt that the design was a little desolate, and especially needed some work doing on the back.

I decided to experiment with simple lines, that would not only liven up the front of the design more and get rid of unwanted space, but that also created an opportunity to carry on to the back of the design. These stripes proved rather difficult to do, as I had to press shift at the same time as moving the cursor in a diagonal fashion so that I could get a diagonally locked line, rather than a vertically or horizontally locked line. I also had to make sure that all of the lines reached the edge of the design and were of equal distance from each other.

At this point, I also began to place the text in an appropriate place as well as choose a suitable font.

As the college information and logo were required within the design, I incorporated the logo within the bottom right hand corner of the design, so that it didn't ruin the flow of the design, whilst on the back, I included the college information in a box decorated in the similar design that was around the key. The text was difficult to place, as I found that slightly tilting it would cause the collaboration of the text to go off, and so would ruin the layout. To finish, I added a little bit of information on the back so as to fill out empty space.


For the last LSG design, I wanted to expand the exploration that I had already done, so as well as taking images to later incorporate into my design idea, I also began to look into the idea of creating something that was 2D, using the traditional method of drawing and then photographing, but would also be 3D, such as 3D lined paper art, which was my main inspiration. As well as this, I also began to brainstorm idea's, eventually settling on 'what students do when in thought'.

I came up with an idea of creating an outline of a person and having a thought bubble that would be filled with doodles and photographs of things, such as the rubik cube and stick men, which would join together my 2D and 3D idea. The lined paper would be behind the outline of the person.

This required scanning drawings so that the process would be slightly shorter, and then incorporating them into Illustrator.

While getting the images onto the design template properly was a little tricky to grasp a hold of since the last time I did it, the design went together pretty well, since the arrangements were pretty straight forwards. In this design I had a mixture of drawings and doodles, graphics and photographs that I had edited to make look brighter and more captivating. The font I chose was similar to that of handwriting, and so fir into the design perfectly.

To conclude, I found this assessment fun to do as it allowed me to experiment. I did hit a few walls however was easily able to work my way around them. If I were to do this again I would definitely think things through more and also create more thumbnail sketches so as to help the design process come along easier. Now that I know how to use each process and technique with the software, I feel that I'd be able to expand my horizons and experiment a lot more than I have this time round.

Learner Survival Guide

Extended Research

How designers use MTP (Materials, Techniques and Processes) to communicate their ideas

1/12/14

Generally, Materials, techniques and processes are used to show how an idea has developed to reach it's final stage, and are also used to show the different ideas that went into one design. This allows for different ideas to stem from one and for self evaluation, so that if you want to change something you can.

My idea development process

My idea path, from the initial stage, has gone from zombies to keys and lines paper art. I started my creating a mind map of the different things students at college or people my age would find appealing. This included breaking down the title: Learner Survival Guide. I thought about what I linked to Learners, Survival and Guides.

Eventually I began to build on the idea of Survival. This is where the zombie idea came in.
I looked at Zombie films and TV programme logos as well as characters from the game 'Plants VS Zombies' A few of my idea's included painting the faces of people in the style of zombies, or having characters in the style of 'Cyanide and Happiness', which were simple yet fun

After this, we were then to make a design using a popular logo, I used the costa coffee logo.
After this we then began bringing in items to photograph so that we could edit them and put them into Photoshop. This was primarily so that we could edit the colour, size, and make it clearer. Out of the many items we had, I chose a key, which I then edited to make brighter. Once I had done this I put this completed image into the template within Illustrator. Because I had the design edited, I then began messing around with different things to add onto the template so it wasn't as empty looking as before.

 After this idea, I then moved on to my idea of 'what students do when bored or in thought' and began to experiment using things such as doodles and the Rubik cube.

Upon developing this idea, I began to look at 3D paper art and began to come up with ideas based on these:

From this I intend to use both the doodle idea and the 3D paper idea to create something interesting on Photoshop, while also editing in images that I had previously taken so that it doesn't just revolve around graphic work.



Learner Survival guide

Photography

Photographing items to generate idea's

24/11/14

Today we brought in random items that would help us to develop more idea's for the NNC Learner Survival Guide, as we did last week, and photographed them in different set up's so that we could then experiment on Photoshop with different idea's. Eventually, by the end of the project, we should have 3 completed designs, One of which, I have already completed:

Learner Survival Guide

Reasearch

Surrealism

16/11/14

What is surrealism:  A 20th century movement in art and literature which expresses the creative potential of the unconscious mind, for example by the irrational juxtaposition of images.

Surrealism in advertising:

This advert is very interesting and forces you to think about what you are doing and makes you become more aware of your surroundings.

It is interesting that the artist who created this piece used a bowling alley to link a normal and rather boring advert to something that makes you look twice. Using bowling skittles for teeth and having some knocked down is an interesting concept.

This is not a pipe

This particular piece, created by Surrealist Rene Magritte, I find interesting as it forces you to ask questions. At first I was confused, since it was obviously a drawing of a pipe. The idea behind this piece was that it was not a pipe, but a drawing of a pipe.

This designs is a little weird, however it is that aspect that draws the attention to it.

Surrealism:

1. 
   

Learner Survival Guide

Research

Idea's and Logo's

10/11/14

For my Learner Survival Guide (LSG) I have decided on using things that appeal to my generation of today, and have decided, since it has become increasingly popular with the release of games, films and TV shows, to focus my idea around the survival in the case of a zombie apocalypse.

I have looked into film and TV programme posters and logo's that are related to zombies to gather idea's.

I like the logo used, especially the hand within the letter 'A', as it begins to give you an idea of what the film is about without first having to watch it.

This logo, while simple, is bold and draws my attention. Immediately I know what the series is about.

The bio hazard symbol that the text rests on is proof of danger, and that you should take care. This idea could be linked in with the LSG, as to survive you need to take care and avoid any dangers.

I then looked into posters that had been made concerning the same topic:

I like this poster simply because, even though it is meant to be a spin off of the original 'Keep Calm' poster, it has writing over it that completely goes against the intention of the poster. The red font is eye catching on the black background and would be ideal, in the case of the LSG, to show that survival is necessary.

I also looked into game characters, specifically the Plants VS Zombies game that was developed for smartphones:

While none of these caracter designs have anything to do with every day life, this design is the closest to an office worker. To tie it in with my idea of survival, I could interpret the character in my own style and have it in a college setting.

As part of initial idea development, we were asked to create a first idea using well known logo's: http://www.beefthejoker.blogspot.co.uk/2014_11_10_archive.html

Learner Survival Guide

Design 1

Using a logo to create own

10/11/14

After putting in research into logo's, I then started creating my own design using the logo chosen as a base:

I feel that. for a first attempt, it has gone rather well. The logo, which slightly different, I am especially pleased with, considering that the text within the logo is spaced out equally and is level as it goes around the curve. I do feel however, that overall, the design is a little empty, and could do with something minimal to fill up the gaps. However, the simplicity makes the design bolder as it isn't over- crowded. On the back of the design, there is a list of some of the different courses taught within the college and the college's information. Once again I feel that it is a little empty however it isn't ver-crowded and is bold. I feel that a few small images would fit in nicely as long as they follow the colour scheme and as long as it is a silhouette of some sort. 

Learner Survival Guide

Research

Why Typography, Graphics, Colour and Photo- Imagery are used in Editorial and Graphics Design

03/11/14

In order to make a product draw in more attention, or to make it more entertaining, a series of devices are used to draw in more attention and to make a product look a little less boring and a lot more appealing.

The first being Typography. No one would look at a poster or packaging with a boring typeface and remember it. A more interesting typeface makes something a lot better to look at, and is sure to stick in the minds of those who look at it. A typeface that relates to the topic or product is even better, as it then draws in even more attention. For example, most know the hilarious Rom-Com Horror that is Shaun Of The Dead:

The hand within 'A' of dead can easily be recognised as something zombie related, and so makes the product stick a little more in the brain than a boring font would do.

The type of font used can also portray the seriousness of a product or can appeal to different genders and ages.

Secondly, graphics are used to create an identity for a product. By using  simple yet easily recognizable graphics makes the product stick in the brain. Who doesn't remember the Golden Arches that are symbolic to MacDonald's, or the Colonels face on the red background. Who is likely to forget the Olympic rings?

These fast food chains or games wouldn't be so iconic if it weren't for the simple yet fantastic graphics that has us automatically link them to each thing like we were born to do it.

Next on the list seems rather obvious yet is extremely important: Colour. While something is so blaringly obvious when it comes to a products packaging or a logo, the importance of it cannot be under-stated. The colour of a product projects a lot of information, whether it be the aimed gender of the product, the aimed age the product is intended for, the genre (In terms of Films) and seriousness.

Something that is supposed to be important will hold little or next to no colour, so that it cannot be under-stated, where as something that is meant to be a little less serious or engaging will contain quite a bit more colour. The colours used will also project the age range and preferred gender of the product, as well as, in the case of films, the seriousness of the content.

No one wants to look at a blank packaging, as it will deter them from buying the product it advertises.

Lastly, Photo-Imagery is used continuously throughout editorial and graphic design, and is where an photo is changed a little so that it portrays the correct mood and wanted message. Without this, small things on a photo could turn the imagery from something positive to something negative.


All in all, each of these different devices are used to convey different information and to catch the attention of those the product is aimed at. If the audience doesn't like the product's aesthetics, the attention it gets will dwindle to almost nothing, which then makes it rather useless.