Logo Ideas...

Since my poster was decided upon as the show branding, I have been tasked with now being the head of branding (I don't plan to have much involvement with printing because of this now, I have no idea what else I'm required to do to help brand the show). Ive come up with the logo ideas below in an attempt to give something to all the areas that need it some little branding elements. I think having a relatively simple self contained design is the key to the logo since it has to be placed on a variety of items so I personally am swaying towards one of the square ones as the bottom of the page, I like the black and blue one in particular but they are all the iterations of one design so I don't suppose it matters too much. I played about with making the squares look more like stamps - the top 3 squares have frilly edges like a postage stamp (Im not sure if there too busy). I also add an experiment with circles but I don't think that the circles are quiet right. I plan on pitching them to the class tomorrow- I think I've provided enough options for the class to pick something out of them.

Branding Poster...

So after much discussion on Monday - Dan and I both ended up pitching posters- it was suggested that my poster could be used as some kind of catalogue cover and it was agreed that using two very different styles wouldn't produce coherent branding, so we both ended up pitching what we had. They preferred this design to the one pitched previously (I have since added very soft blue objects round the outside of the laptop since it was decided that the blank background needed something). I hope I haven't stepped on anyones toes- I didn't mean to even pitch this- I made it more for myself and as an extension of the branding previously pitched (I wanted to develop that style and this seemed like an extension of that) but Teacher Andrew seemed to like it and it was nice that its now a part of the show. A lot of the class seemed to like my idea- although Im a bit worried that I may have offended people by putting it forward- although I am glad that we didn't choose 8 bit because that style doesn't appeal to me at all (I had a lot of concerns about it previously which only grew when I googled the 8 bit style).

I also introduced a white smudged boarder above which I think would look really cool when printed- especially if we print small business/postcards with it on.

I have added squares in the background of this poster (although I'd need to put the boarder and the text on) this is the alternative background to the blue objects- I prefer the blue object one since it matched the busy theme. 

Additional Branding Experiments...

I've been playing around with some different designs and this is one of the ones that I have come up with - I took inspiration from the weapons of mass creation poster and opted to put my images within a recognisable shape (I felt the laptop worked best in the end because its one whole shape unlike the imac which would require a separate keyboard and mouse). I used the elements that I has already made and combined them together to form that shape. Since this is just a personal experiment Ive put in my name choice as well- Ive also done this just in case we get told that we have to pitch more ideas to the BA's if they dont like it.

I think the blue and red is my favourite colour combination- I think that its a lot softer than my previous posters because of this.

Black red and blue is another favourite colour combination I like the red on the black colour which is very striking but I dont think it works as well the blue.

Im not convinced on the orange and yellow- I think that the yellow screen colour is a little off on the rest of it and should be changed to match the tone of mustard round the edge.

This is my favourite of all my colour iterations- making the text a darker shade helps it to stand out more and adds a fourth tones that helps to soften the overall design. I placed the student exhibition time and place text within brackets so it looks like code- for all the coders on the course. Overall I much prefer this poster design, it utilises shape a lot more and I prefer having more of a vibrant colour scheme- I dont have any hopes in it being used after our group discussion since Ive used the same elements but I feel a lot better about submitting this that I did my last.

Branding Poster Pitch...

We all pitched our poster designs on wednesday - mine was well received a lot of the class voted for mine when it came down to overall branding (thank you guys!) and a some others voted for Connors. I think generally it was felt that our posters were strongest. After discussion my poster was sadly ruled out as a branding idea because it was deemed to personal, to complicated and not easy to use for the overall branding. Whilst I don't mind that my poster was ruled out (Im not overly fussed) I really don't like the 8 bit branding style pitched- I just don't think its what we as a class are about - we don't focus on games or make them and it feels very dated and horribly restrictive in such a way that I think it will look awful as branding. I think that people were keen to make something professional and sleek (something that I do not like as a style) and Im concerned that our whole branding for the student show will come across as boring and unoriginal because of it. I definitely don't feel that the poster should just be text based - I think that in order for it to be eye catching there has to be imagery and illustration something that really shows what we as designers are about. Pictures and imagery was present in almost all of my researched exhibition posters so I know that its an aspect that is a key element in regards to real exhibition advertising.

Also when Dan and Andrew went into Sue's class to ask the BA's something, they were told that the second years shouldn't be deciding on anything yet especially without the consent of the BA's so in order to cover myself I plan on designing a few other posters with different names just in case our name and concept are dismissed.

Additional Inspiration...

Found this propaganda style poster on Pinterest- I really like the idea behind it, arranging all the different pieces into a shape would help to give me design an additional level - something I am keen to experiment with - although I dont really have a clear ideas as to what that shape could be. Possibly a laptop,  or an imac with a keyboard and mouse something that relates to our course. Although of course it could also be something random.  I like the blue colour as the background which contrasts nicely with the black and cream central pieces although there is a sense of texture to the design- something that I should possibly add into my own to make it seem less blocky and flat.

My Design so far...

This is the design that I have come up with so far- Ive tried to place my collection of objects randomly together but in a way that fills most of the space. Ive incorporated some additional geckos to reference the Barcelona trip which I thought would apply to the BA's as well. Ive also included the 24 dots per inch and my slogan just to try and have a bit of fun with the name. This set of designs is very much inspired by Pattullo's black and white print although I have tried it with a reversed black and white colour way and in red just to see how it would look. Ideally the BA's would all have to pick and object to represent themselves as well to make it fair- I have hidden all our names in and left spaces for the BAs names just because I thought it was a more personalised touch! 

I much prefer the black on white- I think it looks a bit more striking and though Im happy with my design - the train ticket in particular is one of my favourite aspects- I do think that its missing something- perhaps a spongy dappled texture on the solid colours to make it looks more printed?

Since a lot of us get the train into college I wanted to include a train ticket but I decided that it would be a bit clever if I put on all the details about the show on it- I know for a fact that there are 13 of us second years hence the 13 undergraduates but I wasnt sure about the BA's I guessed 11 but I obviously need to check tis number!

I played around with different coloured backgrounds but I think that If a different colour is used then the objects have to be changed colour wise to match - which isnt too hard just a little fiddly in areas! Overall Im happy with what I have produced- Ive tried to include everyone- everyone has there little aspect- and if the design gets chosen then arguably each person could produce a little illustration of what they want to represent themselves and then these could be put together so everyone gets a little piece of the branding.

My concept for the Branding Posters...

After looking at lots of different posters I decided to try and come up with more of a concept for the branding posters I didnt want to focus on dots because I dont think that its a very original concept- Im also not a massive fan of the name (I dont think it offers much of an inspiring theme) so want to make a poster that works outside of it. I also dont think that whatever depicted in the poster has to match the name- I think its the only way I can try and be original with it.
So my initial plan is to make a black and white poster - much like Pattullos black and white prints- filling the design with random objects. I plan on including digital objects, as well as more random ones. As well as this I thought that it might be a nice touch to represent people in the class with their own objects, just to make it more personal and fun for us. Sticking to black and white keeps it neutral but Im hoping adding splashes of colour will add some vibrancy.

Thoughts for objects so far:

Digital Objects:

Laptop,
Imac
Keyboard
Mouse
Camera
Video Camera
Ipod
Ipad
Iphone
Logos for Photoshop, After Effects and Illustrator
Headphones
Chargers
Hard drives
Memory Sticks
Discs

People Objects:
Jake Guest- Superhero- his ycn project revolved around superhero's and I know he loves them
Chloe Honeyset- A charm bracelet - she really likes her jewellery and fashion and I've noticed that she has a pandora bracelet!
Alessandro Tesoro- Something Italian to highlight his Italian roots- maybe a plane ticket, a plan, a flag?
Glen Myers- Games Console or a Bandana - The bandana references the sunburn incident in Barcelona.
Dan Ellis - The bandana (again the Barcelona Bandana incident)
Liam Rhodes- A football - Liam seems to be football obsessed
Connor Mcnally- A woolly hat - Connor wears hats religiously - Im not actually sure what the top of his head looks like!
Dan Mole- A guitar- Dan plays guitar and talks a lot about guitars and amps
Ollie Whittaker- a camera or a car
Andrew Pledger- a toolbox- Andrew seems to have a Mary Poppins rucksack with a variety of tooks in and likes to build things
Gina Allen- pink, chocolate, Makeup, Hair extensions- Gina is a girly girl so I think that any variety of dainty objects will work well in the design- hopefully this will add contrast against all the different blockier shapes.
Ani Choudhury- a sketchbook or games console
Me- Some Dms with ribbon laces

Extras:
Pencils
Rubber
Sharpener
Sketchbooks
Paperclips
Keys (from the keyboard)
Bottles- we are student partygoers
Champagne glasses- in reference to the event
Pens

Alice Pattullo - Branding Inspiration...

Alice Pattullo is one of my favourite artists, I found a few of her exhibition posters and I really loved what she'd done with them to make them interesting. Since she makes her prints via screen printing I am not surprised that a lot of her designs are in black and white (its easier to do only two shades with one dark colour than it is to layer up lots of colours). 

The two posters above are particular favourites- I really love the cluster of objects in the London Thames print. I think doing something similar is definitely an avenue to consider- possibly using digital objects to create a crowded scene. I like the use of black and white and having a lot of objects since its more interesting to look at- the black and white also help to keep the design bold although I would like to include accents of colour to add a bright edge. Im not sure if I'd need a thick block shape running through the design either-  since the block river above helps to divide the poster in two and provide some directionality.

I really like the shaded of green in the square poster above- and the squares. Again the poster is crowded with various objects but there is a sense of order introduced via the squares which I think is a definite consideration. The shades of green are incredibly complimentary all of which are bright and contrasted only with speckled texture and dark brown.

The poster above is one I have included to display how type looks within a poster and how it can be made interesting a fun. Bold colours and thick fonts make up the poster but it is the introduction of elegant swirls and layered shapes that helps to make the poster look more detailed and interesting. I also lik the little dainty label at the bottom which integrate the hand drawn touch and how the entire poster has been filled with ensures visuality,

This is perhaps my favourite Pattullo print- I love the jaunty shapes of the shells which dominate the print- they are lovely hand drawn and carefully accent the shape of the building. The building is made softer by texture and I like how you can see the bricks. The Pink turquoise and brown make for a constrasting colour scheme but it works well together particularly the pink accents which lighten the turquoise.

Inspiring Artwork...

I love the poster above- the papercut type was the initial draw- I  really love the solid jaunty edges. The wonderland instantly grabs the attention whilst the smaller contrasting blue and pink text draws the eye downwards into the bottom landscape itself. The foreground house has a lovely quirky silhouette- the walls slant inwards and I like the facebook and twitter signs which have been disguised as windows. I also like how the slogan has been incorporated into the sun- a contrastingly swirly "petite pencil" has almost been etched in. Again this poster manipulates a limited colour palette which is something I plan to take into consideration.

The desert scene above is one of my favourites its a print from the university of Bournemouth. I love the oranges and blues evident within the piece there a great sense of softness despite the block contrasting tones which is made apparent through the feathered white smears on the orange background. The cactus' are my favourite element I love their shape and how they break up the vast orange, The transparent letters integrates the phrase but I really like how its been placed on the sign - possibly something to consider.

The texture drew me into the Guardian print- I really like the speckled colours and the angular content which gives the poster a sharpness. The dolphin and the water in the palm of the hand instantly draws the eye and I like how this is balanced by the text below. The poster has a grainy quality to it and it almost looks like lighting effects have been used to keep the centre the focal point (since its lighter than the edges)

I really loved the typography on the suitcase above, Its a nice self contained little design- the chalky texture of the type combined with the black and white colour scheme reminds me of a blackboard- which gives the design a vintage feel. The thick travel type instantly draws the attention but the curvy hand drawn swirly writing below is just as legible and words well. I like how the suitcase has been outline using a soft chalky outline which keeps the design coherent.

The picture above is that of a book cover but I thought the hand drawn type (with the softly textured paper background) and the vibrant real life 3d petals worked beautifully together.  I like the idea of incorporating something real into a  type piece it helps to convey depth.

I really love the paper cut out abovr- its made entirely form painted pieces of paper that have been cut and raised to create this collage. The colours are lovely and soft and all the different papers and strokes give the whole piece a nice texture which softens the harsh angle of the building. There is a clear sense of light and dark and I really like how the sky has almost been scratched into to provoke contrast.

Other Graduate Posters...

I began by researching other graduate posters to get ideas for my own branding. I tried to find posters that were advertising Illustration/ Graphics/ Media/ Art since I felt like they would probably be the most inventive and visually appealing.

The poster above is typography based- something I plan on avoiding but I love the styling and the colours in the poster-  the jaunty angle of the text matches the cut out styling and I like the smaller text with the white rectangle background. The splatter effect helps to create a more interesting background.

I love the black and white cluster of objects I like how theres a lot to look at and how the cluster of shapes fill most of the poster which is effective in provoking interest and filling the page. I like the shape of scissors and the sunglasses which have a lovely rounded edge and slight gradient.

This was the wolverhampton university graduation poster. I really love the colours- the pink and green are especially vibrant and I love how the pink really draws the interest. The scratchy textural brush strokes help to give the flat shapes some three dimensionality. I like how the colour palette used has a hippie feel. 

I really love the astronaut in this poster- I actually really the sense of scene- theres a landscape theres background stars, a foreground character all of which give the poster a sense of story.  The black and white keeps the poster very clean although I think a hint of colour could have looked more striking. I also like how the dot to dot title has been integrated into the scene which make the poster more balanced. The main title has been framed by all the drawing which also helps to ensure interest.

I included this poster because its very random idea- the headless faceless people are are unique concept and I really like the swirly handwritten type which intergrates well into the poster. The concept is what caught my eye initially and I do really like the styling which is quirky and has a painted look.

Branding Research Other Exhibition Posters...

Before designing any branding for our student show, I opted to look into other exhibition posters and leaflets- I focused mostly on the more illustrative exhibition posters since they relate more to our area. I loved the illustrative colours and playful nature of the posters below, the text based one is the only poster that isnt advertising art and you can certainly see the difference. Avoiding lots of text and using lots of stylised imagery is probably my best option. I like the idea of making something that doesnt have dots and im keen to create a response thats not typography based. Obviously the type would have to match the poster but I dont want it to dominate. As to what to draw for a more illustrative response- I have no idea- the dots per inch doesnt provide any specific images (other than dots but I think that is unoriginal) which is actually really good because it means that I can draw anything- hopefully something playful and digital.

 I liked the cut out nature of the of the top posters below- the first works particularly well because of its limited colour palette. The bold yellow background contrasts well against the main red content- whilst the accents of pink provide an extra tone that elucidates the spiked explosion shapes. The piece is incredibly dainty in its detail which I like, I also like how the design is very self contained - the main body- draws attention to the central name and keeps it fairly neat- its only through the introduction of the pink shapes that make the design fill more space.

I love the textural element in the poster above- its very organic and paper cut which I think contrast well against the smooth white background. Im reminded of a storybook when looking at it and I love the playful handmade quality which really links to the rest of Kate Slaters work. I love the handmade typography which has the same cut out feel - but its incredibly swirled which works well against the thick blocks of brown on the bear. 

Overall making something illustrative seems like my best bet- something thats fun and playful!

Making the name fun...

Before I started designing any branding for the end of year show - I tried playing round with the chosen name to make it more fun- and interesting.

I came up with:

Lots of Dots Per Inch

Dots per inch- thinking outside the dots

Dots per inch - Thinking inside the dots

24 dots per inch (the number of students - foundation and BA just to give it something)

I like including the number of students somewhere so I might present this in my own branding and see what anyone says- I also need to confirm the number of Bas- I know there are 13 of us and I went with 11 for them but im not entirely sure on numbers.

I also like the thinking outside the dots and thinking inside the dots (thinking inside the resolution) so I plan on including this slogan within my branding poster- I just want it to be a bit light- a bit fun and a bit playful which is what the course is about: experimenting.

Choosing the name..

In order to get started quickly one of the first things we did as a group was to allocate people to certain jobs and figure out a basic timing- now we have a brief with proper dates on we have since adhered to the timing in the brief- but each person has been allocated a vague area in which to focus. I have placed myself within the printing and branding sections- printing because theres a catalogue to design and I think that could be fun and branding because Dan Mole (person in charge of branding) said that since Connor and I had to print everything and design a catalogue it would make sense for us to have input in the branding. Having said this everyone has to produce a branding poster idea anyway so Im not sure if it'll effect this anymore.

The second issue that we came across was that of a name. After a long discussion we had about 5 names:

Luma (I thought it was a bit random but perhaps a random word would work better because it has no meaning)

RGB (an acronym for something I jokingly suggested really good bullshit which people seemed to like)

Room 301 (since we operate in room 301 I liked the reference) people thought that this was overdone and wanted to get rid of the room but I argued that this would get rid of the little reference and it would just be a number- others found that this was a good thing because it was less cheesy- but I think that as a parallel to room 101 the room filled with your worst fears that using this reference would have been amusing. Sadly I was outvoted on this one.

Dots per inch (I'm not convinced on this one)

Children of the Resolution- Noone really like the idea- or got the reference- Ive included it because it was one of my favourites - I liked the fact that it paralleled the 70's T Rex song Children of the Revolution, but I also liked that it referenced us as students- we are children (students) of the resolution (the screen) but noone really got it so I didnt push this option.

After much debate we opted to whittle down choices and in the end we had two:

Dots per inch
RGB (standing for something)

Whilst I didnt like either I fought for RGB because I didnt like the other option. Sadly RGB lost to Dots per Inch- im still not convinced - it sounds a bit boring and a bit unoriginal - I think we are better than that but I also think that the name shouldnt matter too much as long as its branded well - Im hoping to make it sound more fun somehow!

End of Year Show Brief...

Just received the new brief for our end of year show, as I understand it we have to produce:

Our own responsive website or brochure- with business cards/postcards - I think im going to build a website as much as I hate coding I think it would be useful to have one.

A branding poster to pitch to the group - to brand the show

Put forward 2 printed ideas and 2 movs to go into the show- each student gets one guaranteed piece of work in the show

we have to manage the show and have input in pretty much all aspects whilst remembering that the show is also for the bas

overall what we have to produce individually doesnt seem too bad- the website has me worried but thats because its not a strength, but as a group we have to work together on a lot of aspects so I imagine that there is going to be a lot of long discussions. Working as one big group also means that individual styles and voices may get lost but I think its important for everyone to engage and be happy with branding choices and work submission choices.