Cardiff Met Blog 2018 – Current
Sending my work to the tutors. My feedback was very positive but with only one major tweak. It was suggested earlier that I should add other characters and I was reluctant because time was limited. So with a smaller amount of time – 3 days – I created six singing fruits.
Applying these to the pre existing designs are easy so I went and made it harder by adding depth with block shading to make them pop.
As well as the R and D file, I had to submit an outcome document which lays out my designs for the client to look at.
After sending a simple slides to the client of the work so far they liked the idea of each raindrop having a spotlight each.
Keeping with the same theme I developed the social media for an online presence as well as physical mockups to be seen across Cardiff.
I decided to add onto the raindrop concept applying it to a variety of different things.
24th March – Feedback on 3 main concepts
This design I believe is the weakest and people did not react at all to the designs, which is not great. So going forward I scrapped this idea to push forward one of my other designs. I needed to add the fact that all is welcome no matter what capabilities or lack of experience. Also I should of added the starting date or plan to start by October, if we are allowed back out.
With the feedback I then created a better version of the original draft. This version having a less dumped but but a nice hierarchy of text to image – drawn in and teased my the bright food then reading and quickly realising its a choir where you can eat as well.
By having the feedback they thought it would be better if the drops had some context and have a playful nature to them. By taking out the logo and moving it the faces became more of the forefront and the eye is taken along the rainbow of faces landing on the logo. I still kept the st-david hall’s logo in the raindrop to not over power or take attention away from the main Arts Active logo.
I struggled to find the right balance for the clouds and ended recreating them 3 times and the last time worked well with the simple lines and shadowing. I decided to add shadows to the drops as well for depth and texture. This makes them look 3D and brings them to life. I added more changing the sizing to really fill the page as feedback suggested to take it further and see what will happen. Pushing more I added the music notes to have that extra clarification of yes it is music that voices create.
Going forward I need to pick one and create applications ready for the clients first reactions.
Week 2 – Creating my first designs
Having all the information I need, I fell ready to start creating and confident in what I will make. Using my initial sketches I created the singing person and then realised I could integrate the st-davids hall logo in the arms.
I placed these in a banner style with a simple back and white image from unsplash. After some simple feedback the people looked angry so I added music notes around the heads as if they were singing not yelling. I struggled with the colour choices on this one as we have been asked to use the purple tones throughout.
Moving onto my next idea I created a basic music stand with some snacky lunch items. Developing it to the purple undertones and added better detailing to the drink and crisps.
I remembered when talking to the client they liked photography a type so I thought to be wacky add the snack items to group of people singing. The image is from unsplash so free to use and I played around with the tones and shading. At the moment my least favourite part is the typography so that needs more and to change.
My final idea was just a create a shape and pop the face already created into it. After creating a few random shapes I most liked the water drop. I created a rainbow effect with the purple in the middle so that the logo can shine. This looks more enticing and friendly.
I then went to create a version that could go on their social media accounts. I am happy with the colour scheme and shaping. I might need to work on the hierarchy and flow of the images.
Week of the 9th March – putting ideas to paper
From a previous group activity I already had some wacky ideas. For instance the team came up with the idea of a singing sandwich and having food singing together. Then with little research I drew the rest as I did not want to come up with things that were already out there.
Week 1 – mood boards/ research
At first I wanted to look into designs and logos that exist. These are all to do with people coming together with music notes. The weaker ones I feel have only music notes or books. The ones with quirkier outline symbolism I believe work better such as the riverside logo with shapes becoming a collection of people.
I then looked into actual marketing designs that have already been used. Being an admirer of Gareth Malone I looked into what things he uses But there was not much available or it just wasn’t the best. From this I branched out looking at other choir organisations but none of these are the most creative. Thus I want to go out of the box and be a bit wacky with my ideas so that its not boring for the client seeing the same classic styles of a singing photo or music notes and nice text.
Task 3 – Writing our Creative Brief
Starting this I have no idea what one was nor that they were essential part of the communication between our client and ourselves. The brief forms creative boundaries that a designer or myself can follow within the creative process.
By creating this brief it sets guidelines of what we understand the client wants/ needs are. It sets a time scale, what we aim to do and how we are going to do it and so forth. Through having this clearly written in front of me it clarifies whats in my mind so that I am ready to go forth and create ideas. This also helps the client understand our work process so that we can take them on a journey with us.
Task 3 – Client Briefs + Brainstorm in a Box
Looking at the long list of clients and work i quickly pinned 3 down all with the over arching mental health platform. Having a lot of personal/ family experiences with difficulties in the field I felt a stronger pull and connection. But reading the briefs in greater detail I felt Art Active would be a better fit as their aim is to boost wellbeing without thinking you are through being/ joining in a choir. Singing helps the mind stay focus and being in a team helps stay connected, thus boosting personal moral.
The main presentation opening our minds went on about how we can create ‘good design’ to help for positive causes. But we need ‘good’ social responsibility by understanding and researching. The main thing what we need to know/ understand is the need of the client. I learnt that there are different needs and understanding these will help in the future.
The over arcing theme was the question – “How might we persuade *** [who] to do ++ [what]?” Meaning what process and actions do we have to go through to get connections in an optimistic manor. Creating 10 framed questions we then moved on to listing 50 things on what we know can help us answer these questions. There were 5 categories what we can bring, persuasive words we know, knowledge about the target audience, then client and finally about the subject/ message. The did the opposite to what we don’t know. All of which is in the following photos.
By having a list of what we don’t know raised questions and we became confused on what the final outcomes will be – meaning we can think of ideas but without talking to the client in person and finding out what they want/ need from us it is had to move forward.
Fiona Fraser's Graphics 