OUGD504 - Design Production - Evaluation

1. What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them: 

The Design for Print brief allowed me to research fully in depth into different print processes, finishes, costings, formats and stocks. This was something that I really enjoyed and useful information that I will carry with me for the rest of my career. It's made me realise that graphic design is more than just sitting at a computer, and learning about these processes also gave me the opportunity to try some. I experimented with different binding methods, different stock finishes and embossing for this particular brief. Mike's Software sessions also allowed to pick up vital knowledge such as how to properly set up your documents for print and also applying spot colours just to mention a few. These are skills that every designer needs to know, and has really helped build my skill set to a much higher standard in the second year. 

For the Design for Web brief, the Dreamweaver Software package is something that I have never even thought about using. Simon's sessions were really useful and explained in a very simple way in order for me to finally get my head around coding. I really enjoyed coding the website for this brief and even went on to make another website for the Design For Print & Web brief which is constantly helping to build my skills in this area. The more websites i created, the better I will start to become. 

As for The Design For Print and Web brief, this was probably my favourite brief as It allowed me to be a little bit experimental. I delved into areas and processes that I haven't properly tired before. Embossing, Laser cutting, Foiling, applying Spot Varnish, working with Glossy Vinyl and also creating three dimensional products that have applied design to them instead of working flat 2D, with publications and prints. Its important to learn how design for different products, not just something flat, so this is where a lot of gained knowledge might be underrated but it has definitely strengthened my skill set and will make me think a lot more about format and product range in future projects. 

2. What approaches to methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process 

During this module the most important thing I have learnt is to push the design and product range as far as I possibly can. I have learnt that it's important to try and apply a brand or design to as many different possible outlets. This could be a larger product range and/or making a smooth transition with your brand or product through print and web, so it covered in all areas seamlessly. It's also important to consider future technology, such as app design as this is where the biggest market is currently at.  I also feel that I have learnt different techniques that will be of great use to me in the future. It's important to use the correct process for the particular project, so this will help me do si in future.




3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?

I feel that particularly in the Design For Print and Web brief, Branding is something that I has been particularly successful for me. Following on from my end of year evaluation last year, Branding is an area of design that I have been interested in before but never really had the chance to explore, So I am happy that this module has given me that chance, and I have really felt comfortable in creating a brand and applying to a larger product range. I think this Design for Print & Web brief is the one I have enjoyed the most, and in my opinion, the most successful. 

I am also pleased that I have started to experiment more with processes and I feel that this has been a strength for me throughout this module as it has helped give my work that extra touch This could also  be a bigger strength for me in future projects, when I can apply the correct processes at the right time. 

I feel that I'm also starting to present my work in a much more professional way this year. Both when presenting to a larger group, or doing a spoken presentation and also through the use of design boards. Presenting work to a professional standard is so important to me as this could be the difference to get you a job or win a pitch in industry.




4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future

Although I have thoroughly enjoyed Web Design this year, I feel as though I need to really push my skills in this area because it is a possible area that I would like to work in in the future.  I will build my skill-base by using the 'HTML Coding' book that I have bought and keep setting myself tasks, monthly to build different websites using different HTML, CSS and Javascript. 

I will also continue to experiment with product range and processes throughout the second year whilst i still have the chance to.




5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?

I will split my time equally throughout each brief in a module. I feel that particularly in this module, I got a little bit carried away with the design for print and web brief, and as this is good to explore and enjoy, it's also important to spend equal amount of time on each brief. 

I feel that printed products are important. An idea is nothing unless it has been made into a physical form. Physical Mock-Ups are also important as these give allow you to see how your design is going to translate from screen to print and allows to amend anything before it's too late. It's also easy to proof read copy this way. 

Carry on with more processes and printing techniques. I need to do this n the second year more while I still have the chance to experiment. This will give me more options in the future. 

Carry on working on my preparation skills and presentation skills to help become more professional when it comes to pitching my ideas or designs. I think this one of the most important things in the industry. You need to have confidence and you need to believe in what you present. 

6. How would you grade yourself in the following areas;- 


(5 = excellent, 4=very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor)


Attendance = 5
Punctuality = 5
Motivation = 4
Commitment = 4
Quantity of Work Produced = 4
Quality of work produced = 4
Contribution to the group = 4

Mutton Quad - Design Boards & Presentation

____Presentation

Create a concept and branding for a contemporary English-Italian Restaurant with a strong focus on Typography. This will include a brand, an identity, a logo and a range of primarily print based products with some web based deliverables and a proposal for interior and exterior design. 

The Restaraunt is called ‘Anatømy’ and is named after the produce it serves. The Restaraunt is contemporary but homely and it should emphasise the qualities of an enjoyable dining experience. The Restaraunt is aimed primarily at young proffesionals, particularly male, and in the age range of 26-36.

Presentation boards via scribd...

____Design Boards

Design For Web - Presentation Boards

The Final Presentation Boards for the Design For Web Project...

Design For Print - Presentation Boards

The Final Presentation Boards for the Design For Print Project...

Design Production - Design For Web - Across Platforms

Iphone / Ipad Mock Ups

I mocked up how the website and app might look across different platforms. In this case, on an Ipad and an Iphone....


Website

Iphone

Ipad

App

Iphone App

I decided to mock-up an Iphone and Ipad App that would be an alternative to the actual website.

The US/O App will be available for the Iphone and is designed to fit in seamlessly with the Apple product.

The App will contain the same amount of content as the website and more and will be an on-the-go, quick acess app that updates users on court schedules and news as well the background information and history of the company, if needed.

You can see the App Proposal Design Boards below via scribd...


App Proposal

Screen Grabs (Close Ups)

Design Production - Mutton Quad - Web Across Platforms

Full Stationary Mock-Up

Website Mock-Ups

I mocked the website and app up onto an Ipad and Iphone to show how it could work across platforms...

Ipad

Iphone

Iphone App

I decided to mock up an Iphone App that would be available for free download from the Restaurant.

The Anatømy App will be available for Iphone and will fit in seamlessly with the interface design that already exsists for the Apple product.

The App will offer useful tools that can be used inside and outside of the Restaraunt to give users an eating experience that they can then take away with them. Hopefully this will bring in more custom and also increase the number of returning customers.

The app will include options to make booking reservations and to also to view and rate the seperate dishes as well as order via Iphone via our online services. It will also include access to Free WiFi instore, in built Google Maps, a Gallery and even a Tip Calculator...

App Proposal 

Screen Grabs (Close Up)

Design Production - Mutton Quad - Drinks

I decided to develop my product range further into drinks, in particular drinks that would come under the branding of the restaraunt. I figured that this would be table water and house wine. The house wine could be branded by the restaurant and the table water could come in branded glass bottles also. I decided I could use the vinyl stickers that I previously created incorporated within my bottle designs.

I decided to make a House Red as an example. I wanted my labels to be really simple and fit in with my colour scheme of beige, white and red. I decided the labels should be beige/white with Red and Black type, then the sticker applied over the top...

Lodi Rojo (Red House Wine)

To keep in with my minimalist theme, I decided to simplify the title of the wine down to two words, The place where the wine is from and the colour.

I wanted to use this long thin shape for the label itself, reason being, it tied in with the size of my menu and the whole shape of my branding. As you can see the large logo would be where the vinyl sticker will be applied.

I also wanted to use different languages to distinguish the origin. The first is the red wine. This is made in a Spanish town called Lodi and red in Spanish translates to Rojo.

I tried two different styles for the type. Keeping the corporate typefaces, Didot for the logo and Futura for the rest. I think I prefer this idea of the line separation as a pose to the dots shown above. 

Back Label

The back label contains the necessary information. Its simple and also contains the second anatomy logo. I will use this design for all three bottles, altered slightly to suit the style of wine. 

Table Water

I also went on to create the design for the table water. From research in past visit to restaurants, I wanted to use a glass bottle with a swing top, as I felt this works much better practically and ashethectically in a restaurant environment. Being a bottle of water, It has to quite plain, almost see through bottle and because of this, instead of creating a label, I decided to apply the vinyl sticker to the front. Very simple, but works. 

Making The Bottles

Table Water

House Wine

Red

Packaging

I also created the packaging for the bottle if it was to be bought to take away. From my research, I liked the look of bottle that come wrapped in paper. I think this gives an added aesthetic appeal to the wine and therefore makes it more desirable. 

My idea for the design for the packaging was simple. I took an image of a corkscrew from front view, then edited in a way that the background was bright white. I then made this black and white and halftone the image.  I then altered the handle slightly in order to make it resemble my logo for anatomy, the diagonal line crosses through the bottle opener handle. I also added the name of the wine as well as the secondary logo applied over the image slightly. 

As you can see from the images, I printed this design onto some thin white stock, then scrumpled up the paper to give it a more rustic feel. I wrapped this around the bottle and taped it at the back. 

I then tied the paper at the top, using some thick red string to help tie in with my brand and also to give it an extra aesthetic touch. 

Design Production - Mutton Quad - Take-Out Bag

from my original mock-ups and using the print that I created on tracing paper, I decided to create a 'take-out' bag which could be picked up from the restaurant or used to take home leftovers as this is quite a 'trendy' thing to do at the moment.

I decided to go with the idea of rolling the bag at the top then applying the red tab and a bulldog clip to keep it closed. 

The inside of the bag will contain the food packaging. The food would be wrapped up in the grease-proof tissue paper, then fasted at the top using the sticker vinyls. This helps tie the branding through the whole range of products and created a 'higher class' take away bag to fit with the higher class restaurant. 

You can see the full set of images below here, via scribd.

Deign Production - Design For Print - Binding

I decide to do some hand stitch binding for my print booklet final mock-ups. I was choosing between using white thread or different coloured thread to match each booklet. I ended up going for the later option and here are some images of the results...

Design Production - Mutton Quad - Posters/Food Wrap

I came up with the idea of incorporating typography more into the restaurant, as it felt like the only thing that was type was the logo and identity. I used some of the meals in my menu to create these squares of type, which i could possibly use for interior artwork...




Poster Ideas

I also used the stock images of the anatomy of meat and put a halftone filter on the image. This would work when printed at a larger scale and also when the red vinyl is laid over the top of it. Where you can see I have placed the red logo, This is where I wont print, but use the vinyl stickers I had previously created to apply a 'spot colour/varnish' look to the artwork. 

Tracing Paper Idea

I also had this idea of layering up the type to create an infinitive pattern. This pattern could be used as part of my packaging for my take out bag or even for decoration of wall decals. I will print this onto tracing paper so that this could be folded around the food and placed into a takeout bag. Again, I plan to use the vinyl stickers to seal the wrapping paper around the food, so then the customer can rip this open later, when needed. 

Print 1

Here are some images of the typographic poster that I created. I printed this out a2 in size and applied the vinyl sticker in the same place that I had planned. I'm really pleased with this result. The vinyl really makes the logo pop against the black of the type. 

Print 2

I also got the other design printed which was the stock image of the really old anatomic drawings of meat. You can see on the images how the halftone that I applied works up close. I applied the vinyl just like the first print and it worked just as well. Very pleased with these results. 

Tracing Paper 

Here is the printout of the A3 patterned type. I'm also really pleased with how his came out and thick it will look even better when wrapped up around an object. I will apply the vinyl once I have something I can mock the food up with and then also put this into context further by creating a take-out restaurant paper bag.