OUGD505: Module Evaluation

OUGD505: Studio brief 1 Final boards

OUGD505: Presentations

After completing our research books we had to then present our findings to the class, along with where we were going to take studio brief 2. Below is my presentation:

For studio brief 2 I have decided to brand and promote an event for the next Solar Eclipse, which will happen on March 20th 2015.

I plan to look into:

> Information and way finding.

> Product and packaging

> Retail and promotion.

OUGD505: Studio Brief 1 Final Book

OUGD505: Studio brief 1 - Final Research Book Photos

OUGD505: Studio brief 1 - Development

After the critique I took my feedback on board and used it to develop my book. I also remade my packaging and made it more neat and professional.

So for the main page, I changed the font and made the imagery less busy and more simple. I felt like the old cover had too much going on, and the lines were very chunky which I really wasn't feeling. Instead of round dots as stars I added actual stars and coloured some of them which added more of a space feeling.

The content page I kept pretty much the same.

I improved the content on each page, and made it acceptable for children. For the introduction page I improved the illustration, I felt it was more appropriate and worked really well. Again I kept the illustrations simple and easy to understand.

For the Moon Phases page I edited a few typos and decreased the size of the diagram so it fit more evenly on the page.

Here I changed the layout and updated the illustrations. 

This page was originally the second page, but I used an actual photograph, which really didn't fit and was brought up in the crit. Here I tried to make the page more relatable to the rest of the book. I added a rocket and an alien space ship for something extra for the kids to spot and take an interest in.

This page was kept the same, a few typos were amended. 

Here I added more starts in the sky and made the earth larger.

For this page I created the moon into a spaceship, where as previously I hadn't done anything with the moon.

OUGD505: Studio brief 1 - Final crit

We had a final crit on our research books and packaging in which we presented our work to the group, and then went around each others and gave constructive feedback.

Here is my feedback:

Strengths

> Visuals work well with content

> Text is clear and easy to understand

> Infographic approach works well

> Engaging packaging

> Colours work well throughout.


Areas of Improvement

> Quality of packaging could improve - little bit messy

> Stock

> Packaging is a great idea, but doesn't seem to work overly well.

> Practice your craft skills, the case could be more fluent.

> I'm not sure the image on page three and four works with the other imagery throughout the book.


Considerations

> Consider stock options - perhaps printing onto paper that is already black.

> Consider how you can make packaging more applicable to theme.

> A slightly thicker stock would work well. It feels quite flimsy.

> You could maybe screen print the pages onto black stock.


Evaluation of feed back:

From my feedback its clear that the illustration and colour of my book work well, and that the packaging is engaging and interesting. As the packaging and the book itself were not completely finished I understand that the hand crafted elements, the binding and stock need to be considered.

I think I need to reconsider the content of my book, and start maybe aiming the book towards kids. I'm going to look into screen printing the book, but this may be a bit to time consuming. 

OUGD505: Studio brief 1 - Development

So taking on the advice from the crit I worked on designing the rest of the book along with the packaging. 

With the packaging I decided to make it interactive by having a wheel on the front that spins around.

First of all I measured the size of the book (a5) so I could then work out how big to make the packaging so the book fits in perfectly:

I measured out the right proportions for a spinning wheel with the 8 moon phases on. I cut a hole out of the front and measured it correctly so that when the wheel spins round one of the 8 moon phases passes by the hole.

I wanted the packaging to be plain with black card, and for the middle of the disk I wanted to use a metal split pin.

After figuring out the correct measurements and creating a mock up I bought some black stock and crafted my final packaging.

After trying to find somewhere where I could get split pins I stumbled across a class mate using these metal pins. I investigated to see what they were and decided that they were more professional than using a split pin.

After getting my packaging finished I started on the designing of my book. I wanted my book to work in conjunction with studio brief 2. I wanted a very clean illustrative style with lots of detail and colour. I wanted this book to engage kids, educate them, but keep them interested.

With the front cover I kept it simple but colourful and interesting. The colours represent the colourful gases of the universe. The sharp edges and diagonal lines are to show speed and spinning. I chose a font that is quite playful but appropriate. 

I tried out several different layouts. I wanted to get across that feeling that your in space looking at these planets from a distance. When your reading it you are looking at the planets from a weird perspective.

The font I used for the body copy is called rockwell. Very 1960's space race kind of type, brilliant for my book. The contents page is simple and easy to read, giving you all the pages and titles of the chapters.

The first page introduces you to the moon, the shooting stars and the stars create the space like atmosphere.

This page shows a diagram of the moon phases, making you have to turn it on its side for you to read it. Easy illustrations to understand.

Keeping with the illustrative style I sued a similar style to the front cover, showing speed and rotation: