Picture book cover design!

So this is the cover for my picture book design. Let me know what you think?

xo

Picture book progress!

Picture book progress!

Picture book progress!

Here are some of the spreads I have put together so far! The text isnt formatted yet so try and look past that! :)

Character Designs Cont.

Here is the basic design for the Dad character... not too sure about his face...

Character Designs

I've just added some designs I have come up with for the characters in my picture book. The book is aimed at a young audience from the ages 3-6 years old.

I wanted to make the characters simple and have a go at making them with digital collage of textures and patterns.

Let me know what you think :)

xx

Online Design Basics - News Online

1. What is Pacing?
Pacing relates to all elements in an online news story and the way that they lead a reader through the story. Pacing helps to keep the reader interested and ensures that they do not get overwhelmed or bored with too much or too little information. If pacing is not achieved, the reader may decide to leave the site as it is too difficult for them to find what they need or get to where they want to be.

2. True or False: A reader spends more time with a print edition than they do with an online news presentation.
FALSE. Research undertaken by the Poynter Institute suggests that consumers are more likely to read an online news presentation for longer then they would with a print edition. I believe that this may be due to to the fact that these days many people are work in office environments where they are faced with the Internet up to 8 hours a day. Also, in reading news online the reader is offered a lot more interactivity, allowing them to venture to other stories and websites.

3. What are some tools that online designers create in layouts that help readers remember key information?
Some tools that designers are using to help readers remember key information in news stories consists of things such as: Q&A, timelines, fact boxes or a by-the-numbers box. Having these interesting and different techniques to communicate with readers keeps them interested in and tern helps them to remember key information.

4. What is the simplicity equation?
The simplicity equation refers to the following suggestion:
Clear links + identifiable location = happy readers.
This equations talks about how important it is to have clear links on the navigation panel to help the readers identify where it is they want to go.

5. What is the first thing someone sees and the most important element of your site when the viewer first logs on?
The most important element of a successful online web design is that of the navigation bar. When a viewer logs onto your website the navigation bar is the first place they go to find what it is they are looking for. If the navigation bar is unclear or hard to use the reader may be tempted just to leave the site due to it taking too long or being to hard to find what they are looking for.

Typeface Research: Baskerville

THE HISTORY OF BASKERVILLE





The Baskerville font was designed by type designer, writing master and printer, John Baskerville. John was born on the 28th of January 1706 in Wolverley England and died in 1775 in Birmingham England at the age of 68. He spent many years perfecting and improving existing fonts such as Caslon, however in 1730 John began developing his own style of font which was to become the beginning of Baskerville. John studied the ease of reading various faces and found that fine-stroked types were actually easier to read when printed in smaller sizes- a characteristic essential for books. It was this finding that lead to the design of Baskerville, a font that is characterised by its finer strokes. John Baskerville designed and first published the Baskerville font in 1757. Baskerville is a typeface that still to this day reflects John’s ideals for perfection, simplicity and quiet refinement.

During the time when the Baskerville font was designed, many other type designers throughout England claimed that John Baskerville’s font was too thin and stark in contrast to the fonts present at the time (such as Caslon). John’s fellow contemporaries believed that the typeface was going damage the eyes of anyone who try to read it. Despite this the Baskerville font was much admired overseas by the likes of Benjamin Franklin.

Baskerville fell out of use in the early 1900s with the onset of modern typefaces such as Bodoni. However in 1917, Baskerville was revived by a man named Bruce Rogers, for the Harvard University Press. In 1923 Baskerville was again revived, although this time in England by a man named Stanley Morison, for the British Monotype Company. The most recent revival of the Baskerville typeface was in 1996 when it was used as the basis for the design of the typeface ‘Mrs Eaves’, designed by Zuzana Licko.

Baskerville is still widely used today with many modified versions being created since its design in 1757. The refined feeling of the Baskerville typeface makes it an excellent choice when you would like to convey dignity and tradition. Baskerville is a typeface that is and will be continued to be celebrated as one of the best ever typefaces for printed books thanks to its traditional thin and start lines.

e-book review 2

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes


Typography:

1. What typeface is used (serif or sanserif ) and is the typography
clear and easy to read on a screen?
Again the designer has used a simple serif typeface throughout this e-book. The choice of a serif font has made the text very readable although as the document is long after some time the reader may start to experience sore eyes from the intensity of the white background.


2. How could the designer improve the readability of the text?
The designer could improve the readability of the text by increasing the the contrast between the colour of the font and the colour of the background. The designer could possibly have used an off-white colour to dull down the intensity of the background.


Interactivity:

1. What techniques has the designer used to allow you to quickly navigate through the book?
The designer has used a sidebar hyperlink list to break up the document for easy navigation. Each chapter is listed with the chapter name and page number and allows for the reader to click on the chapter name and be taken to the first page of that chapter.


2. What further interactive features could be added to make it even more accessible?
I think, although this document is very unattractive, that its navigational qualities are quite well designed. The body text is also better subdivided in this e-book which makes it easier on the readers eyes, giving them a chance to look away from the screen.

e-book review

The Imperial Dread Sea Scrolls.


Typography:

1. What typeface is used (serif or sanserif ) and is the typography
clear and easy to read on a screen?

A simple serif typeface has been used throughout this e-book. The readability of the text is easy throughout the e-book although as the document is around 90 pages long the large blocks of text make reading the text on screen become quite hard the further you get into the document.


2. How could the designer improve the readability of the text?

The designer could improve the readability of the text by breaking it into smaller paragraphs or sections. By doing this the text does not begin to run into one long document giving the reader the chance to rest their eyes throughout the document.

Interactivity:

1. What techniques has the designer used to allow you to quickly
navigate through the book?

The designer has broken the document up into chapters that are broken down for the reader in the contents page. The breakdown of the doument is also found in the side bar with hyperlinks that can take you to which ever section of the document you choose.

2. What further interactive features could be added to make it even
more accessible?

The only suggestion I could make in regards to this design is that the designer could make the document more appealing to the reader with more interactive headings and pictures.

'Collected Poems' - Synopsis

Banjo Paterson was one of Australia’s best known and most popular poets, famous for his verses on the Australian outback and his experiences in the bush.
‘Collected Poems’ contains well over two hundred individual pieces but what is most compelling about this collection is the opportunity to delve into the mind of Paterson beyond his ‘outback’ label. Be prepared to be taken on a journey where you will cry, laugh, learn about Australia and begin to understand the mind of Australia’s most loyal poet.

'A Town Like Alice' - Synopsis

Back Cover Blurb:

Jean Paget, a secretary in a shoe factory in England has come into a vast inheritance from an uncle she never knew. In exploring the many decisions that come with money Jean decides to build a well in a Malayan village, where she spent several years during WW2. It is this decision that sends Jean on a journey into her past and takes her to Alice Springs Australia in search of long lost romance. Throughout her journey in Australia, Jean visits the town of Willstown and discovers that quality of life in ‘Alice’ is just an anomaly, and life for women in the outback is elsewhere very rugged. After falling in love Jean remains in Willstown and endeavors to used her inheritance to help improve life in the outback for women.

Book Cover Critique 3

GOOD COVER DESIGN
The Seven Days of Peter Crumb – Johnny Glynn
Designed by: Gregg Kulick




• Is the text in a logical ordering (i.e. title, subtitle and authorʼs name).
The text on this cover is in a very logical order with the title stated first followed by the authors name. The text has been placed in a very cleaver and effective way, being used as the ‘image’ on the cover also.

• Does the font used suit the subject of the book?
The font that has been used is suited to the subject of the book. The placement of the type is used to convey the storyline of the book. With the text being placed as a list that has been crossed off suggests that this is a list of victims.

• Is the text clear and easy to read?
Although the text is crossed out with a hand-drawn line it is still very clear and legible. The choice of a san serif font has been very effective.

• Does the image used on the cover correctly convey the meaning of the book?
There is no ‘image’ as such on this book cover. The text has been creatively used in place of an image. The text image very effectively conveys the meaning of the book, as mentioned earlier it suggests a list of victims or something to that likeness.

• Is the image engaging (ie. would it make you want to pick this book up in a book store)?
The fact that this cover only uses typography as its image makes it very appealing to me. The fact that it is black, white and red also makes it striking and very eye catching. If I were in a bookstore I would pick up this book.

• Is this a text or image dominant layout?
The text is definitely the most dominant in this layout as it is what creates the image. If it were not for the text the cover would not be effective at all.

• Do the image and text work well together?
The text creates and works as an image very well. The only suggestion that could be made was to make the font one that appears more like handwriting. This could give the feel of a ‘hit-list’ more depth.

Book Cover Critique 2

BAD COVER DESIGN

Sexy Librarian – Julia Weist
Designed By: Kristian Bjornard





• Is the text in a logical ordering (i.e. title, subtitle and authorʼs name).
The text on this cover is in a logical order although the subtext below the book is in a different perspective and look very out of place.

• Does the font used suit the subject of the book?
The text does not really suit the subject of the book. The font does not suggest anything ‘sexy’ at all and quite harsh and bold. If I was to create a cover for this I would use a serif font that was a bit more feminine and soft.

• Is the text clear and easy to read?
The text is very clear although with the fish net texture behind the text the readability is hindered as the text starts to appear a little blurry.

• Does the image used on the cover correctly convey the meaning of the book?
The image on the cover is very simple and literal of the meaning of the book. In some instances this could be effective although I don’t think that this image says enough about the story line of the book, leaving too much to be imagined.

• If the image does not convey the meaning of the book; what would you suggest
as a better alternative?
I would suggest better treatment of the type and a more intriguing image to make this cover more effective.

• Is the image engaging (ie. would it make you want to pick this book up in a book store)?
I don’t think the image on this cover is engaging at all. The fish net texture is a quirky addition although I think it still needs a lot more to make me want to pick it up in a book store.

• Is this a text or image dominant layout?
The image and the text again battle for dominance in this cover although I woud have to give it to the text as the most dominant in this layout. They have used a very strong bold font which is difficult to miss.

• Do the image and text work well together?
The perspective of the text that has been placed on the cover of the book in the image is not in the same perspective and the book which looks quite awkward and out of place.

• How could the ordering be improved?
The ordering of the text and image could be improved by using better treatment of the type so that it works with the image.

Book Cover Design Critique

GOOD DESIGN

Columbine – Dave Cullen
Designed by: Henry Sene Yee



• Is the text in a logical ordering (i.e. title, subtitle and authorʼs name).
Henry Sene Yee’s design for this novel is simple, clean and mysterious. The only text that has been used is the books title COLUMBINE. Only having this one word on the cover draws the eye directly to the title stimulating interest in the book. I don’t think that not naming the author hinders the design as the simplicity of the text is what draws in the viewer.

• Does the font used suit the subject of the book?
The simple font used for the title suits the subject of the book as it is somewhat haunting creating a sense of mystery around the events that occurred in the school on that day.

• Is the text clear and easy to read?
The only text on the cover is situated towards the top and right in the middle of the empty space. Although the text is in a very predominant position, its colour can make it fade into the background making it difficult to read. However, this suits the look and feel of the book and its content.

• Does the image used on the cover correctly convey the meaning of the book?
The image on the cover is excellent in correctly conveying the meaning of this book. The book is based around the events of the columbine school shooting and the distant photo of he school on the front cover is powerful and confronting.

• Is the image engaging (ie. would it make you want to pick this book up in a book store)?
The way the image is only in the bottom third of the cover makes it eye catching and appealing to the viewer. This cover makes me want to pick up with book and it is very mysterious and engaging.

• Is this a text or image dominant layout?
The text and image battle for dominance on this book cover. Although the image is the first aspect that is seen by the viewer, the text, once noticed, is very dominant and intriguing.

• Do the image and text work well together?
The image and text work very harmoniously together on this cover. If there was any more text the cover would not work as effectively as it does.

• How could the ordering be improved?
I think the only thing that could be improved on this cover is the contrast of the background and the text. Although it is effective how the text fades into the background I think a little more contrast would still be effective.

La Zuppa Soups

1.What audience is the advertisement trying to appeal to?
The advertisement for La Zuppa Soup looks to be aimed at a general middle class audience with busy lifestyles. This is made evident through the use of words like ‘home-made’ & ‘Guilt-free.'

2.How is the product positioned in the Ad? Does the company use a photographic image of the product?
In comparison to the champagne advert, this advertisement positions the product right in the middle of the page as the main element of the design. The product has been photographed although the quality of the image fairly poor.

3.How is the taste and texture of the product communicated?
The taste of the product is communicated through the images on the product packaging. The packaging shows images of the ingredients and flavours of that particular soup. The texture is something that is not really communicated through this advert.

4.How do the headline and tagline of the advert help to draw in the viewer?
The headline in this advertisement is very eye catching and simple, making it draw in viewers. The simplicity of the tagline intrigues the audience to look and read further into the product and advertisement.

5.In your opinion is the advertisement effective?
In my opinion this advertisement could be a lot more effective if I showed the actually contents of the packaging as a hot bowl of soup. In doing this, the advert could be more appealing as the audience will create a need to soup!

G.H MUMM Champagne

1.What audience is the advertisement trying to appeal to?
This advertisement is trying to appeal to an up-market, affluent audience. This can be seen by the use of an image where the people are dressed in expensive evening ware drinking champagne.

2.How is the product positioned in the Ad? Does the company use a photographic image of the product?
The product is positioned in the lower right hand corner of the advertisement and it seems to be a part of the image that takes up the entire page. Although there are other things in the image the product has been positioned just the correct amount of distance away from the other elements in the image to make it sit on its own and stand out.

3.How is the taste and texture of the product communicated?
The taste and texture of this product is communicated through the big band of red bubbles that take up the entire middle band of the advertisement. The bubbles represent the bubbly consistency and taste of champagne. The use of the red to display these bubbles is consistent with the brand logo as they use a red ribbon band across the middle of their bottle design.

4.How do the headline and tagline of the advert help to draw in the viewer?
There is no real headline is this advertisement although the tagline reads: :The art of Improvisation.” This tagline helps to entice the target audience as it describes the champagne as an art… art being one thing that may be an interest to this type of audience.


5.In your opinion is the advertisement effective?
In my opinion this advertisement is relatively effective. Although, more emphasis could be placed on the message and placement of the product within the advertisement.

Twinings Traditional Tea

1. What audience is the advertisement trying to appeal to?
This advertisement is aimed at an audience that enjoys drinking tea. The tagline “the tea for every taste” suggests that this product is aimed at a very wide range of audiences.

2.How is the product positioned in the Ad? Does the company use a photographic image of the product?
The product is the main focus in this advertisement, being placed in the middle of the advert leaning on the side of a glass. Having the product placed here makes t stand out from, especially as it is the only thing that includes colour within the advertisement.

3.How is the taste and texture of the product communicated?
The taste and texture are not a big element of this design, as they have not really been communicated at all. The use of a lot of white space actually suggests the opposite of the tea being a hot beverage; it makes the product come across as cold.

4.How do the headline and tagline of the advert help to draw in the viewer?
The headline “Break with Tradition” is a cleaver play on words making it appealing to the audience. Having the headline in a relatively small text and placed below the product also entice the viewer to keep reading the rest of the text.

5.In your opinion is the advertisement effective?
In my opinion this advertisement is quite successful and effective although the colour scheme could change to make the product and colours match a little better. The simplicity of the advert is very nice and creates a clean and modern feel for the product.

Child biscuit brand

Arnotts Tiny Teddy’s







1. What symbols/colour has the company used to persuade their target audience (children or Adults)?
Arnotts have used a lot of different colours and symbols to persude the target audience, this being children. With the use of a lot of bright colours this packaging appeals to children as it stimulates their mind. Also with the use of a cartoon image on the packaging is very appropriate when marketing to a young children audience.

2. What sort of message do you think the colours are trying to convey? Do the colours the company has used for the packaging indicate taste/flavour?
The use of bright colours on this packaging convey a message to children that these biscuits are ‘fun and exciting.’ Along with using the bright colours in the graphic on the packaging the use of brown for the tiny teddy in the picture indicates that the flavour of the biscuits is chocolate.

3. What style of typography has the company used (serif/san serif/italic/bold) and what does this say about the brand?
Arnotts has also used a san serif typeface although, unlike ital, it is very bold and has rounded edges. This typeface is very fun and juvenile, suiting the audience the biscuits are aimed at. Using this type of font conveys the brand as a very fun-loving way.

4. What materials/construction has company used to package the biscuits? In your opinion is the packaging functional?
Like ital arnotts have used a cardboard to create their packaging and again like ital the biscuits are being kept fresh in an airtight plastic bag. In my opinion the packaging is very functional and easy to use. They have used a tab system on the top of the box to tell the audience where and how to open the box properly.

5. In your opinion is the packaging eco-friendly and/or sustainable? Why/why not?
This packaging is 95% recycled so in my opinion it is eco-friendly and sustainable. The cardboard can be recycled and the brand actually asks users on the packaging to recycle the cardboard and dispose of the plastic wrapping thoughtfully.

Adult biscuit brand

Ital Classic European Choc Hazelnut Biscottini






1. What symbols/colour has the company used to persuade their target audience (children or Adults)?
Ital has used a very simple box design although the use of dark chocolate brown is what helps persuade adults to purchase their product. They have used a simple image of the product on the front of the packaging, another feature that appeals to the audience as they can see what they are buying.

2. What sort of message do you think the colours are trying to convey? Do the colours the company has used for the packaging indicate taste/flavour?
The use of chocolate brown and white on this packaging design creates a very clean look for the product. As the biscuits are a choc hazelnut flavour the use of the chcoclate brown helps to evoke the taste of the product. Brown stimulates the senses and conveys indulgence making this product appeal to those adults who wish to ‘treat’ themselves or indulge in something they may not always purchase for themselves.

3. What style of typography has the company used (serif/san serif/italic/bold) and what does this say about the brand?
A thin San Serif typeface has been used on this packaging. Using this type of font supports the clean, modern feel the brand is trying to convey through the use of the brown and white colour scheme. Making the font very light gives the product a very elegant feel, again supporting the notion that this brand is very indulgent for most adults.

4. What materials/construction has company used to package the biscuits? In your opinion is the packaging functional?
The packaging for this brand is made from cardboard and is constructed in a simple box design. Although to make it a little more interesting and different from other biscuit brands they have ran a sliced edge down the left front corner of the box. This curved slice also conveys the consistency of chocolate making it again appeal to the audience. The packing design is very functional and easy to use and understand. All that needs to be done is for the top flap to be opened by separating it from the under flap.

5. In your opinion is the packaging eco-friendly and/or sustainable? Why/why not?
In my opinion this packaging is quite eco-friendly and sustainable. The packing is only made up of cardboard which can be recycled with the biscuits being kept fresh in an airtight plastic bag.

Letterhead Design

My final letterhead design is very simple and clean. I wanted to leave alot of white space for the company to be able to utilise the most possible space they can.

Envelope Design

Above is my final envelope design. Again i went for a clean modern approach with my design to match my business card and letterhead.

Business Card Design

These are my final business card designs. I decided to keep my design simple and clean to evoke a modern, 'hygienic' feel.

Text Experimentation

This is a logotype i created just using text with no symbol...

Final Logo selections

These two options are the same logotype with differing colour schemes:





This a a differnt logotype design although has a similar colour scheme:

Experimentation

These are some different angles i could take with the same logo design...

Colour experimentation

These are some experiments with the colour palette i chose...

More variations

I have created a few variations of my original logo design by playing around with the distortion of the opera house triangle designs...

More logo brainstorming...

I have been playing around with my original logo design and came up with this..



I also came up with this new design sing the opera house as inspiration.. Now im just confusing myself! haha

Below are just some basic block colour options for my logo design. None of these are sticking out to me yet but I am leaning towards the deep red/ochre colour to depict the Australian barren land.