husker du logo - sliced

 These images are sketches of further ways i can layer shapes, in whatever physical form most relevant, to create the Husker Du logo. This could be created using card, layers of ink (silkscreen), digital layering of vector shapes or a  variety of other materials.

The stripes could even be made of imagery cut into strips mixed with stripes of colour or texture.

Ideas for my Digital Book design...

After over hearing a man in bookshop disregard Manga as complete nonsense - simply because it is designed to be read backwards - I think that creating my book backwards would be a good way to make it individual but to challenge perceptions of how we view print media in the western world.

I have also been thinking about how I can incorporate my love for Zines into my book. To replicate the DIY aspect of independent cut and paste publication yet creating my own visual style.

I think I am going to separate my book into sections that relate to the types of media I have been looking at. Books, Magazines, Posters, Album Art, Website, Exhibition etc. As well as doing this I need to assign each section some kind of visual cue that can remain consistent throughout  to differentiate between the sections, as well as staying in keeping with the overall design of the book.

More thoughts and ideas to follow on this one...

Marketing & Branding Lecture Notes

Nigel Aono-Billson Monday 17/10/11 9:15

marketing & branding

we have to be aware of these things - USP, marketing, branding etc.
before we respond to a brief.

to deliver a good brand and establish good visual communication connects target audience and motivates the user and buyer

Maslow's hierarchy - USE IT!

Apple's original logo alluded to the eureka moment -  enlightenment. self actualisation and allowing the user to be the author.

first apple prototypes = AWESOME!!!!

updated the logo to rainbow apple -  Apple Macintosh - clear & concise. had to differentiate between apple records.

took the bite out of the apple. the possibilities of the future

updated to more plasticised and 3d version. bondi blue imac. marked a real revolution in their designs - came with developments in microtechnology.
faster computer in a smaller box. updated logo to go with updated technology.

they maintained the rainbow apple for peripherals and kept various colours for things like literature.

returned to flat version for ease of use on hardware. simpler than extruding plastic etc.

adobe - use initial as opposed to legend. legend = distinct piece of typography used as a recognisable brand name - often made to be unique and trademarked - and often reduced to a single letterform.

brandmark can often be reduced from the name and trademark to just the trademark, when the logo has become recognisable on it's own - a symbol (semiotics).

nike swoosh - is a global cross cultural piece of communication.
it transcends words.

you can also use texts and terms/payoffs/headlines and phrases with out the brandmark i.e just do it.

they use a version of the typeface to keep it recognisable as well as a colour scheme. other methods include use of colour schemes/shapes/

when you create a brand mark you need to own it/ register it.

also you need to patent it - can simply be done by a drawing.

people buy into brands - change in a brand can disillusion customers - it can challenge their allegiance and even cause them to leave.

support and strength for customers.

zeitgeist - things in culture at a particular time.

similar things happen at the same time - fashion/competition.

coca cola - colour scheme/logo/shape of product/

like other brands - they will create celebratory/one-off/promotional versions of their products. however, they will still retain their identifiable qualities

barry deck -  designed fonts for Emigre  - rather than just being a magazine it became it's own brand as a type foundry with it's own look and feel.

Armin Hoffman, his work, quest and philosophy (1989)

Armin Hoffman, his work, quest and philosophy (1989)

An update on my vinyl boxset...

So I've had some new ideas. I've been thinking about layers, and how information, i.e text or symbols, can be built and taken apart using them. I've also been thinking about the sleeve could be something built of separate components that come together to represent the band. This can be done using layers or even interlocking pieces.

I also intend to get some records to use for the final piece. A charity shop hunt will begin.

Hmm Beatles in mono.Wim Crouwel Posters are getting going.This is a good afternoon.Old fashioned but fun.Any opinions? http://pic.twitter.com/aGrEcMP3

notes on marketing/SWOT analysis

marketing/target audiences/product/service/placement in relation to creative practice.

Nigel… Monday 10th October.

When you're  working as a designer and  working on marketing, you will normally have an account handler/project manager. interface between the creative and the client.

Maslows hierarchy of needs. - marketeer/sociologist.

identification of what the human society needs - arranged into layers on a pyramid.

without society - there are no needs. no society-no culture

how do we analyse where a product sits in the market and whether it will be successful?

(look into semiotics?)

SWOT analysis.

strengths

weaknesses

oppurtunities

threats

works with any service/products.

involves the objective of the project and analyses the internal workings against its targets/objectives

techniques credited to Albert Humphrey, Stanford University.

may be incorporated in strategic market planning to get ahead of the competition.

key factors to consider when designing.

by doing a SWOT analysis you may come up with the idea/spark to make the design/product a successful one, as you assess the product from an outside point of view from all angles.

SWOT is used in a wide variety of environments to assess areas for development.

SWOT ANALYSIS

Helpful

to achieving the objective

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

Internal origin

(attributes of the organization)

External origin

(attributes of the environment)

Harmful

Peter Saville

Savilles work with Factory Records produced some fantastic modernist artwork, from the simplistic pieces used for the New Order covers to the more in depth work produced for the Durutti Column, where he produced intricate pieces of art that involved laying a variety of materials and then photographing them.

This work is a great example of how a designer shouldn't limit themselves to the confines of computer software and digital imagery. The raw analogue feel of this kind of art has a certain quality to it that is difficult to create in the realm of computer based art. I intend to explore this hands on approach in my work for the packaging brief.

Grids: Creative Solutions for Graphic Designers

 I also picked up an unbelievably useful book on grids. Rotovision, 2008. Grids: Creative Solutions for Graphic Designers, Rotovision. It demonstrates how the grid can be useful to the graphic designer in pretty much any situation they can encounter, as well as how it does not mean you work is restricted by using one.

 It provides examples of these situations too, from the minimalist typographic approach...

To the use of complex layers that obscure and reveal select pieces of text, imagery and colour.

This book also came with a DVD containing a wide selection of grids to use with InDesign. Some thing I'm sure will help to inspire me to come up with my own grids for future work.

Best Of Disc Art 1

 This book, Rivers, C., 2008. Best of Disc Art 1: Innovation in Cd, Dvd & Vinyl Packaging Design: v. 1, Rotovision; features a wide variety of innovative and attractive packaging designs for music releases on both vinyl and CD.

 This fold out poster idea is something I have considered designing for my packaging design project, I think it's a clever way to package music as it is a clever way to maximise the amount of surface area available for printing on and gives the owner a lot more to look at when they're listening to the music. Something I always do when I listen to a new album is read the book that comes with it and pore over the artwork, in an attempt to create some sort of link between the sound and imagery that provides a greater understanding of the overall package.

 I particularly like the use of cut outs on these records, they give greater depth to the packaging and add a sense of intrigue.

 This Against Me! release works particularly well because of it's simplicity. The stark contrast of black and white and the use of a palm tree gives a sense of of depth and emotion to this artwork.

 I love the classic styling of this Pipettes boxset, it reminds me of the old Capitol Records sleeves.

Music Graphics

This book was a great discounted find at the UCA book sale. It's a Japanese book published by Pie Books in 2006 and has some brilliant examples of music cover art and innovative packaging ideas.

There is clearly a modernist approach to the design, with the use of a simple type based logo and the typographic design of the cover and rest of the CD inlay. I also like the use of black on black to create a restrained professional look for the band.  This is particularly clever considering the musical style of the band in question, The Mad Capsule Markets, who mix hardcore punk with electronic dance/drum and bass....

Packaging toys to represent the band and their music videos is a fantastic product for the collector and for the avid fan of the artist in question.
The other aspect of a well packaged musical release that is apparent in this book is that there will be a graphic theme that dominates the overall item and any information that is included or required will be arranged to fit into this theme. For example, the publishing and copyright information.

the understanding of value.

Record Manufacture

This company seem to uphold the idea that the vinyl record and it's packaging are a form of art.  A view which coincides greatly with my project. The website has videos and template files to help understand the processes used to create the vinyl record and it's sleeve.

The Vinyl Factory

brave monster - glueless cd packaging

A really effective design, the ostrich works well as a visual cue. The part of this I like the most is the fold  out glueless packing, made with 100% recycled stock. Ethical cd packaging is something I wholeheartedly believe in, with the bonus that for certain designs the texture and colour of recycled card is visually more appealing.

The Dieline - beautiful album art

The Dieline - 2 Crown King album artwork

The overall package of this release comes together to form a visually interesting piece with a varied but balanced colour scheme.