DESIGN PUBLICATION
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Decisions based on the crit: Today I began working on the design of the book. At the crit we had recently with Amber I asked a few questions about the aesthetic of my book as most of the information I had locked down was based on content. Firstly I wanted to know about the structure of my book. I had considered creating a book in 3 different sections - One for luxury, One budget and the last sustainable. I wanted to, aesthetically design the sections to reflect the components I had learned about each packaging type, for example print and producing in the colours and materials that represent that section. For example sustainable paper and screen printing with green ink.
However I had concerns that the book would look too mis matched by using so many different materials and production processes. It was suggested at the crit I should consider cutting my publication into 3 books, this will solve the issues with inconsistency.
It was also suggested how If I created 3 different books I should keep consistency throughout the 'series'. Although the books would differ in production processes, consistency could come in reference to other design elements such as layout, image style and typeface as well as other aspects such as front cover design. I think such considerations will work well to allow the 3 separate books to work consistency. As there will be three books I want to package them together, this seems logical as I want them to be kept together, and the subject of my publication is packaging, I also enjoy producing packaging.
Layout ideas:
I started thinking more about the layouts inside the book and how I could compose the information. The information I have can be split into two sections. for example colour - can be split into what I have learned about colour for each type of packaging - and the piece of packaging I learnt such information from with a description from its designer. I have found that looking at precedents is something I left out of my methodology, but is really something that happens very frequently when in the initial stages of my design work. Therefore it seems appropriate that I document this in my design publication. Showing what I have learnt in my own words and reflecting upon this in context and industry with precedent examples, which echo what I have learnt about colour etc.
How the layouts/content reflect my methodology:
My design publication interior development has focused on figuring out how to separate this information in a clean and simple format. My thinking began with a very simple set of double page spreads. Each double page spread is devoted to a certain component I have looked into for example - production, tone of voice, audience etc. The left page gives the number associated of the section which will be associated with the contents page, followed by the component title and a description about what I have learnt about that component. The facing page will show a full page size image of the precedent design I learnt this information from, overlaid with information given about the work from the designer. I find this reflects my methodology towards packaging projects well... Whilst I am researching into the components listed in my methodology, I am choosing to included a precedent for every section as I feel already existing design is where I turn to frequently for inspiration.
I played around a bit more with the format of the layouts. Working in a 3 column, 3 row grid is what I am finding easiest in terms of layout. I don't do a lot of editorial work and so such layouts don't come particularly natural to me.
I thought about splitting the pages even further into sections by halving the size of the left page which will contain information such as the name of the page spread eg 'colour' and what i have learnt about colour in regards to that packaging type. This will act as an overlay section overlapping the page behind, which will be the full image of precedent work and information given by the designer.
I thought that this layout would be just as successful as the previous as both are very simplistic and modular, however they are going to be quite think books already and i think minimising this page size might compromise the format of the book.
I started playing around with the left page format a bit more, Im happy with having full page images on the right with smaller amounts of information. I thought about incorporating small illustrative icons that represent the component being spoken about, however I didn't know if this would just be an add on. I played with the positioning of the title text and icon element. Im unsure about adding extra information and might play around with this at the later digital stages.
Production:
I have also since the crit started thinking a bit more about the production of each book. Although I want to keep the books consistent by elements such as:
- Size
- Typography
- Page format
- Photography
- Front cover design
I want to produce each booking using what I have learnt, so that the luxury book appears more luxury, the sustainable is produced more sustainably, and the low budget produced for the lowest cost.
Stock:
Luxury - For the luxury book I thought it wasn't only important and vital that I use a heavier weight stock, which would obviously cost more and appear more expensive, but also something thats a bit more tactile. Increased tactility with heighten the story of the paper, giving the idea that more effort and money than normal has gone into producing the paper. A stock that I have printed on before which works really well is Somerset paper which Is available to buy in house at uni, I want to see how good this is at printing images as this will be a lot of my content. I know that quite a lot of my peers have printed on the stock and so I will endeavour to get their opinion.
Sustainable - I think trying to produce sustainably sound work is going to be a hard task in uni and so I am going to have to do the best I can with what I've got. Obviously using minimal stock will be best, and recycled paper where appropriate. For the main section of content I want to make sure that the paper is at least FSC.
Budget - In terms of budget stock - producing a book with minimal stock again will ensue a lesser cost. My process in doing this will be to find out what is cheapest for me to print in uni and using this to print. Something such as news print would have been good as this is very low cost! However i know i am unable to print this digitally and so i might have to search further, I know there is a bulky newsprint, and therefore i want to look into the print possibilities with this.
Binding:
In terms of binding I was originally going to try and do an overarching bind where I could do them all the same way. To do this I would need to implement something that would be considered sustainable, be low cost but also have the ability to look luxurious. I wanted to mainly keep a consistent bind so that the books worked well together and looked like a set. However after speaking with Tony Broomhead in the crit he assured me that something as simple as giving the series a consistent name and and shape would allow them to work cohesively.
Sustainable - I know that from my COP project I did in first year that doing a bind that involves as little glue as possible if not no glue is considered to be more sustainable. Using materials to attach the pages together which can be reused or recycled is a better method. Therefore it seems a bind such as screw post or even securing the content with brass split pins could be possible. However ultimately screw post would past long and so it seems that will be most appropriate.
Luxury - In terms of a luxury bind I think it is all about something that looks well crafted, clean, polished and minimalist. Therefore I want to leave no evidence of the bind, no exposed materials, bits of glue or metal bolts and so I think the best way to move forward is to create this book with a perfect bind.
Low cost - Lower budget design calls for something that is relatively cheap to produce. Such binds could be easy fixes such as a simple staple bind or saddle stitch.
Printing:
Luxury - Printing will differ dramatically across the books. In terms of luxury I will seek to print all the context via inkjet a more expensive print process that will give much better quality results in response to others such as laser. I also plan to detail the book in its pages with some foil details, reiterating the idea of craftsmanship, mostly using a possible black on black colour scheme, eluding the idea of privacy and exclusivity.
Sustainable - Inkjet would not be a good idea in terms of printing a sustainable book. It is more expensive, uses lots of ink and overall has a more negative impact. Creating a book that uses alternate processes such as laser printing would be better. To further the process, printing with vegetable inks would be a sustained posibility, however for large jobs where it can be outsourced. I am printing in house, and only one copy, so it seems that laser printing is going to be the best way for me to go.
Low cost - Lower cost printing could also equate to laserprinting. It is the cheapest type of printing to do at uni and it still prints satisfactory results for its low price. I am having to remember as I have been taught in my research that lower cost doesn't mean it has to look bad.
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