INITIAL VISUAL RESEARCH - SECONDARY
I started my research by collected images of calenders, I focused on the the balance between type and image, as the pages of our calender will need space for illustration and the dates. Moreover, I also looked at how the pages of the calender were fastened together and presented.
This hand printed calender shows a good use of layout as the print and text are well balanced.
Basemint Japan-inspired 2012 Year of the Dragon hand-screened calender
The composition of this calender leaves a large space for illustration, similar to what we want to achieve with our calender. When thinking about the design considerations I will suggest using similar dimensions.
The dimensions of this calender leave a large amount of room above the dates of the month. If we produced our calender with similar dimensions the tasks could fit within the space left.
In this calender the months are presented on one sheet of paper forming a striking detailed poster. Presenting our project in this way is not practical because of the tasks that would be set each day.
The calender uses a binding technique that you cannot see from the front. Moreover, it also leaves a loop in which the calender can be hung. A binding technique like this is practical for our target audience as they could pin it on their university notice board or hang it on the fridge.
Moreover, this design has a hole so that the pages can hang or be pinned up. Producing something like this would save money when binding the calender.
This handmade calender uses paper clips and the mechanism from an old binder to hold the pages of the calender together. This would be cheap to do when binding our calender, and would also allow the audience to easily remove pages. However, if the product was to be reproduced, binding the calender this way would not be financially achievable.
I chose to feature this lunar calender in my research as it uses a limited amount of colour, a restriction set by the brief stated that we can only use two colours when printing our outcome.
While reviewing the calender research I collected I came across a problem. We want to create a product that provides the audience with five tasks to complete each day, in turn these tasks will build up the creative skills and knowledge of the reader. However, we cannot presented our tasks in this format if we choose to create a calender, as calenders are created in a monthly format.
To overcome this problem we need to either focus on creating a magazine, or create a calender that works on a daily format. If we created a calender which used a daily format it would have to be created on a monthly basis like a magazine.
I will discuss with the group if our outcome should take the form of a calender or magazine tomorrow.
Moreover, I also collected a body of visual research into magazines and publications.
PRIMARY RESEARCH
These pictures of a magazine created by Martin Oberhauser is a good example of a publication balancing illustration and text. When designing the pages for our product I will make sure we use a grid system.
After collecting a body of visual research to present to my group, I started collecting focused research relevant to the concept of our idea.
I started by collecting primary research from venues and universities where the product could be displayed. I photographed places were flyers, leaflets and magazines were kept as these would be a prime position for our product. Moreover, I also photographed advertisement space, where posters were displayed. I looked at venues that attracted our target audience - creative students.
Nation Of Shopkeepers
Leeds College of Art - Vernon Street
Advertisement space
Around A6 in size, we need to consider what dimensions our publication will be.
Leeds City Museum
Moreover, I while documenting the venues I also collected flyers and leaflets. I collected some for aesthetic purposes and others because they had information in that is relevant to our project.
Flyer from Leeds College of Art - Vernon Street advertising Saturday art school, this is something that would be of interest to our target audience.
Leeds City Museum infomration
This flyer is advertising an event at the White Cloth Gallery. There are constantly exhibitions and shows on here that would be of interest to our target audience.
Up-coming exhibitions at Leeds College of Art - Blenheim walk gallery.
Leeds Art Gallery information.
I also collected information on other creative events, such as the 'Leeds Young Filmmakers Awards', our audience may be interested in multidisciplinary events such as this. Therefore in the events section the magazine will list creative events similar to this.
We could also consider advertising book stores and other creative outlets as this is also relevant to our target audience.
Henry Moore Institute - Events information. This can be included in the local events section of the magazine.
PUBLICATION RESEARCH - SECONDARY
Moreover, after further discussions it was decided that the outcome will take the form of a magazine. I started gathering research on magazine design from a book called 'The Art Directors Handbook of Proffesional Magazine Design' published by Thames and Hudson.
Over-sized heading leaves negative space on the page, the grid system is apparent through the positioning of the text and vertical line created by the heading.
This double page spread achieves balance by opposing two columns of text against a full bleed image.
The grid system can clearly be seen on this double page spread. Two columns have been used to layout the type, leaving a nice amount of negative space to compensate for the lack of image.
Moreover, I also collected magazine layout research from Huck, a contemporary skateboard and surf culture magazine.
This spread opposes a composition of images across from two columns of bulk text. Due to the comoposition of the images your eye flows to the start of the article.
Moreover, I chose to feature this spread due to the placement of the heading. It has been placed at the bottom of the page, from there the eye reads up and across. When designing the outcome I need to think about how I will layout pages to guide the audiences eye, and how this can be adapted to make the spread more functional.
INTERVIEW RESEARCH - SECONDARY
This research was collected to help me develop my tone of voice, and help me generate a list of questions in preparation for my interview with Drew Millard on wednesday.
Interview with Illustrator 'French'
WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE - SECONDARY
On Monday we divided up the work load, one of my tasks is to research into different ways designers and artists stay inspired and creative. We will use a selection of these techniques in the magazine to help people stay creative.
The digital book above shows a selection of images taken from a tumblr blog, the blog lists 365 different ways to stay creative, some of them are useful others are not, I have posted the useful techniques below and adapted them to suit the tasks we want to put in the magazine.
http://365waystostaycreative.tumblr.com/page/5
http://365waystostaycreative.tumblr.com/page/5
TECHNIQUES
- Write with your left hand, I am creative five times.
- Draw your breakfast for the next five days.
- Search for shapes in the clouds, draw them.
- Draw 5 people that you see today.
- Write down as much of your dream as you can remember for the next five mornings.
Moreover, I also found this animated video called 29 ways to stay creative
The video gave techniques which can be adapted into task form for the magazine.
- Free write for 50 seconds.
- Read 5 pages of the dictionary.
- Write down 5 ideas.
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