Yesterday we had our mid-way crit session for our current OUGD405 100 things brief. We each had to lay out our current work and sheets were handed round with guided questions that we would answer about another member of the groups work. We then took another sheet and answered the same questions based on our own work. I found the crit session really useful and it helped me to re-focus my idea and take it further forward. Here are images of my sheets from the session:

I decided to now focus on my post design. Creating a series of 'three' which work well and compliment one another. In one of my previous crit sessions, I picked up on how people were interested in how one symbol can communicate the same thing/meaning to many different people. Here are my poster design which communicate this, I have kept the same colour theme as earlier products to create consistency:


(This version still has the ruler/guide lines in place to show how I have lined everything up. However the final design will not include these)

For my poster designs, I have taken the same colour theme as my previous InfoGuide design, as I want all the products to relate to one another and work as a series or set. Here I have taken some photo's whilst creating my designs using the symbols I created earlier in Adobe Illustrator and importing them into photoshop. 


I then looked into different languages and countries which use these symbols world wide and defined a list of 10; England, China, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Persia, Portugal, Romania and Russia. I tried to select a range of countries not jut languages we are generally familiar with. I them translated the meaning of the symbol and used these translations to communicate how one symbol can be understood by many different countries and languages universally. Here are some screen captures;


I kept the designs simple, straight to the point as this informed the audience quickly and effectively. Using my green pantone colour as the background also drew more attention to the design, and to make the symbol the focal point as opposed to the text I changed the tone of the text slightly compared with the background to make it much more subtle.

Here is the final design of my first product, the colours format and typeface all work well together and are very complimentary:

Last week I produced a range of symbols using Adobe Illustrator and created an 'Info Guide' to show which one is which. I hope to create a similar design throughout all 10 of my final products. Here is my InfoGuide design, inspired my Infographics.

Here is the final print out of my hotdog booklet: 3 course meal, 3 ingredients. (Based on the word 'three')

Below is the final version with the cover on:

I was really pleased with the overall appearance of the books when completed:

I have now collected the results for my questionnaire to gain more information and knowledge from a direct primary source. Here are some of the results:

I have chosen to base my designs around symbols that we see everyday around us. One of my products will be in 'InfoGuide' a guide life system which demonstrates exactly what each symbols represents and what it means to us when we see it. I created each of these designs by created hand drawn visuals on my design sheet before scanning in the sheet and using this to create vector images of icons we see everyday. Here are some shots I took whilst creating the design in Adobe Illustrator; I created them all as simply as possible because this is how they are presented in everyday life, and used a high contrast black and white to give them a greater impact. I will now take these designs and input them into my InfoGuide, my posters, and my stationary brand.

I have now decided on my exact pantone match. This will be the basis colour of all my products. It has a very 'deep' and 'dirty' tonal appearance which works well with my browns, black and whites along with my focus on eco-friendly products. 

Now that my idea is becoming more and more refined; I have mocked up some rough design sheets for initial idea's based around certain products; posters, an InfoGuide and sticker series (to be used as both a sticker set but al on various stationary products as well). These designs sheets, although I wont be taking all aspects forward to create final designs have really helped in my idea's generation and for the first time I have really appreciated the importance of this working format. 

^^ Design sheets based upon sticker designs around the feedback from the questionnaire. Simple shapes are effective as they don't draw away from the centre piece and purpose of the sticker - the facts, figures and icons. 

Initial idea's design sheet ^^

^^ Poster Design sheets; experimentation with layout and format. Although I have maintained a simple structured style 

^^ Design sheets for InfoGuide looking at structure and format as well as layout. I have kept all designs very formal, this allows the information to be read and understood easily.

I have now decided to focus my colour theme on 'green', although my other OUGD405 brief is also based on the colour green, I think this is appropriate for a stationary brand that is based around eco-friendly products. Along with black and white, this limited colour palette works really effectively and draws attention from the audience to the designs. Here are some experiments with the specific pantone match as I am still undecided on the exact tone.

Here are some more designs sheets I have created for the intended promotion of an infographics exhibition: These are initial idea's that I will later develop into final products as part of a series or range.

^^ Leaflet Designs