OUGD505 - Design Practice 2 - Evaluation

Within this module there has been an opportunity to think about ethical side of design, a topic that before undertaking this brief I didn't think really related to graphics, however I now know how important it is to be socially aware, and more importantly about the implications of design work. 

Within studio brief 01 began with me thinking about my experiences of Leeds as a city over the last two years. I created a number of design ideas and made sure each was researched, and mock up designs created for each. This further development made the idea selection much easier and I was able to create a wealth of interesting ideas. Moving forward I was able to build upon my experiences of traditional print techniques to try and create an outcomes that is in some way unique and unseen before. The two way screen print in many ways archives this so I am very pleased. The level of experimentation needed in this design process was much more than a typical print so time management was key in this. 

As the year goes on I felt my dedication to my work and commitment to the project management side has improved. A wealth of initial research in this project created a strong basis to work from. I have not been worried about letting my ideas and research topics expand as the project goes on. The decision for example to move away from refugees as a theme was due to its sensitivity and that it would be a really difficult project to create appropriate outcomes for. I subsequently began looking at a similar theme that had much more to it in terms of outcomes and possibilities. I was able through this change in themes to create work that I would personally enjoy and try and expand upon themes in graphics I feel my skills are more suited to like editorial design and design in the creative field. 

In terms of the work I felt that the photos themselves had something interesting about them and it was important to build upon these, further research into contemporary editorial design and the work of OK-RM and Experimental Jetset created a great understanding of their design techniques and why more minimal design can be really effective. With this I tried to improve upon my practical outcomes constantly, considering all I had learnt about design for print in previous modules. As distribution plays a major part in this module I felt it was really important to look at distribution techniques and online distribution in particular can be used to create a much wider scope for the work, this connection from printed matter and online means ensures as big audience as possible.

In terms of improvements in this project firstly in studio brief 01 I feel there was a distinct lack of colour in the outcomes though this may be seen a appropriate to the concept the outcomes seem slightly monochromatic and could have been more playful. As well as this the selection of Louis Le Prince seemed to be popular among many other students showing it may have been a little obvious, however I feel my outcome is unique in its design which I am happy with. In studio brief 02 I feel firstly it was a shame not to create something in response to the theme of Refugees as much of my research was on this theme. Furthermore I felt my outcomes could have been more expressive and how I expand on the photography could have been improved upon. In terms of what went well, the website and posters really added more to the project and created a more rounded campaign. As well as this my time/project management has been really strong, finishing my work early has left time for reflection and create the best submission possible. 

Overall this module has been challenging yet rewarding, I feel I have found more of a place for my work and am beginning to find a focus in graphics. I personally feel my responses to this module have been well developed through research, development and frequent feedback and experimentation. 

OUGD505 - Design Practice 2 - Leeds Public Spaces - Final Print

The final printed poster, after much experimentation and a large amount of printing the final poster has been realised the design shows three distinctly different images that are seen from different angles of the poster. Overall the communication is exactly what was being aimed for and the designs have an extra sense of intrigue and excitement. All in all the poster design has been successful in its communication of Louis Le Princes work in cinema.

OUGD505 - Design Practice 2 - Product Range Distribution - Borders Website

The opening page has been designed to be impactful communicate the themes right away and give context to the overall campaign. The image would rotate between these four. Each is very different and gives a different perspective on the project. 

'The Book' this section gives an overview of the publication and a glimpse into the spreads. This section aims to highlight the qualities in the books content and unique content.  

'The Posters' Showing the four limited edition posters as part of the project. Again designed for simplicity the black background relates to the 'issue' lead content. 

'The cause' Gives a brief insight into the context of the publication and what it aims to achieve. Keeping consistent to the rest of the website again with an emphasis on clarity. 

The 'Shop' section uses a contrasting white background to differentiate between the other sections, showing the products that are on offer and how much, how big etc. 

Finally the 'Contact' section, featuring the borders book email and contact information. 

Overall the website looks really professional and shows a great level of quailty that reflects the publication. The design is simple and inline with the rest of the works styling. The use of a website would be a access point to anyone in the world and further expand the distribution of the publication and posters. 

OUGD505 - Design Practice 2 - Product Range Distribution - Website Research

Exploring the websites of some photographers shows how they would display and sell their books. Often with a link to a distributor the websites almost always are basic and white to allow for the content to be right at the forefront. This also gives an indication to the pricing and how to layout the website for online purchase. 

OUGD505 - Design Practice 2 - Product Range Distribution - Limited Edition Posters

Informed by the Printed Pages magazine,  with a well rounded campaign it is really appropriate and useful to feature a limited edition poster, this gives a further context to the project, and communicates the ideas within a different format. Considering the target audience is mainly creative/arts community they would have some disposable income that they would want to spend on things like posters. Therefore creating four posters fits with the rest of the project and is another example of product and range. 


The posters have been designed to highlight the imagery, simplicity at the forefront of this. The communication aims to be concise and clear relating to the rest of the campaign. 

OUGD505 - Design Practice 2 - Product Range Distribution - Mock Ups & Final

Mock up 1. Initially testing the scale and images, the communication was simple using a box in the top left of each page. After printing it was apparent that the type was too big. The contents page was not at this point realised. The cover again simple, using Helvetica condensed displaying the 'borders' title as clear as possible.

Mock up 2. The cover has been made more bold to try and emphasis the title and the context. The type size for the copy has been reduced in size. The contents page features a map for extra clarity, the numbers have been continued throughout the publication. As well as this the order has been realised, from the contents page the order moves top to bottom left to right starting with North America. (sectioned via continent) Keeping consistency in the order and communication. The back cover has been realised showing a snippet of each image, as there are 20 images this fits really neatly into a grid.

Mock up 3. The same as 2 yet in colour, looking at the quality of the images alongside the text ensuring each is clear and well cropped. This showed that the contents page was over cluttered and didn't fit the (art/photography book) target audience. 

Mock up 4. Considering the research and the change in design this mock up is very different. The new spread system has began to be used and consistent throughout. The covers communication tied more with the target audience. The contents page has been stripped back to be more consistent to the rest of the publication.  The cover features a colon, this has been later removed as it interrupts with the communication.  

Mock up 5. The cover has been printed in colour to better understand how the image and type sit alongside each-other. The contents page has been extended for further clarity. 

Mock up 6/7. Initially experimenting with size and scale looking at A3 and A4 printed designs. The small publication was 'cute' yet didn't have the same impact of large photography.  Showing the new typeface on the contents page to again emphasis clarity and remain consistent throughout the publication. This mock up also showed how the spreads sometimes created a line of incorrect image within the gutter, this would need to be tackled as best possible for the final mock up. The back page also has been given more white space to try and communicate the same yet remain consistent to the rest of the publication.  

Final printed publication. Through much experimentation and many mock ups the final printed design has been created. The image quality is high and the final print to a professional standard. The gutter problems have been tackled as best possible yet there remains a slight overlap. All aspects of the design now aid the communication and fit within the art/photography book demographic.