First Written Brief & Thoughts

Thoughts based on choosing the briefs:

• Picked all of them down to typographic possibilities.
• Interested in designing a publication, not necessarily posters.
• Information graphics is something that also interests me: breaking down complex statistics into understandable form.
• Really interested in the subject matter of the ESPN brief, sport.  Despite this, haven't designed for many sport-related themes.

The Barclays Premier League is one of the most watched football leagues in the world today.  2012 is its 20th anniversary, in which I plan to design an informative publication that will be used for leisure and entertainment.  

The session with Fred after the written brief helped me narrow down exactly what I want to communicate, who my target audience is and most importantly, focus my initial brief down to a finalised version.


5 problems I want to solve:

1. Typographic - choice of typeface for purpose.
2. Layout - breaking down text into easily manageable sections.
3. Transferring publication to web.
4. Limited understanding of the subject.
5. Outdated information - existing publications won't be up to date.

5 things I want to communicate:

1. A product to be desired.
2. Special information on subject matter.
3. Statistics & figures in a graphical way.
4. Publications are more enjoyable to read than web pages.
5. The best bits of the Premier League 1992-2012.

5 reasons why:

1. Personal design interests.
2. Something that I would personally like to exist.
3. Access to target audience.
4. Make the content accessible to younger audience.
5. Will give a broader understanding for my target audience.

5 facts about content/concept:

1. The Barclays Premier League is 20 years old.
2. The football season is the most active between August-May each year.
3. The Barclays Premier League is one of the most watched leagues in the world.
4. 20 teams, 3 relegated a division and 3 new teams are promoted each season.
5. 45 teams have been part of the league since its establishment in 1992.

5 facts about target audience:

1. Fathers tend to influence the sport and their team on their children.
2. Predominantly men.
3. Interested in football.
4. Global audience.
5. A big conversation starter between men.

5 distinct products:

1. Publication to be sold in book stores.
2. Magazine.
3. Online presence.
4. Card game (top trumps)
5. Mobile app.

Elements to turn into range (publication):

• Teams
• Era
• Players
• Positions (goalkeeper, striker etc.)
• Historic matches
• Prints
• Size formats

Analysing Briefs: YCN

YCN: ESPN

[Link to "YCN ESPN brief"]

5 reasons why I chose this brief:

1. Have a passion for sport.
2. I am part of the target audience.
3. Can be typographic if desired.
4. A range of possible deliverables that can be mocked up.
5. Designs will have context & will look good in a portfolio - including company brand.

Personal reasons:

• Interest in subject matter.
• Personal motivation.
• Belief that it will bring out my best work.

Practical reasons:

• A lot of possibilities to mock up.
• Type work - InDesign.
• Experience with type layout sketches.
• Scalpel & folding work.

Possible processes:

• Printing processes.
• Web designs.
• Mock ups.
• Primary research.
• Screen printing.

Possible products:

• Printed materials - promotion
• Typographic posters
• Magazine ads
• Mailshots
• Facebook ads

Context:

• Mailshots
• Billboards
• Editorial
• Publications
• Web

Analysing Briefs: Graphic Competitions

Graphic Competitions: World Standards Day 2012

[Link to "World Standards Day 2012 Brief"]

5 reasons why I chose this brief:

1. Open to interpretation.
2. Popular topic for design that I have yet to explore - environmental.
3. Not many deliverables, could focus on making an effective design without worrying about transferring to other media.
4. Worldwide audience - a challenge to design on an international scale.
5. Agree with what the brief is about.

Personal reasons:

• Agree with message.
• Possible to use typography - my strength.

Practical reasons:

• Can develop skills in all of Photoshop, Illustrator & InDesign - learning potential.
• Possible to mock up designs on a big scale - thinking of the BIG idea.

Possible processes:

• Printing processes.
• Mock ups.
• Screen printing.

Possible products:

• Poster

Context:

• Colleges & Universities
• Ad shels
• Train & bus stations
• Shop windows
• Sides of buildings

Analysing Briefs: D&AD

D&AD: Publication Design Brief


5 key reasons why I chose this brief:

1. Possibility to do a type publication.
2. Will enhance type skills and give experience for yearbooks next year.
3. They will have a lot of image-based material to use.
4. Digital work - opens a new practice for me.
5. Will allow me to revisit printing processes.

Personal reasons:

• Have a passion for type.
• Allows me to explore new techniques.
• Always wanted to create a publication, will be motivated.

Practical reasons:

• Cutting work.
• Exploration of book production.
• Comfortable with InDesign.
• Typographic layout work.

Possible processes:

• Printing processes.
• Web design.
• Book construction.

Possible products:

• Publication
• Web page(s)

Context

• D&AD exhibitions
• Web

Analysing Briefs: ISTD

ISTD: Putting On A Fresh Face


[Scan in brief]


5 key reasons why I chose this brief:

1. Type driven.
2. Rebranding work.
3. Creatively open.
4. A range of media, can get experience designing for web.
5. A pre-determined grid means designs can be focused down easily.

Personal reasons:

• Passion for type.
• Confident I can produce a visually effective outcome.
• Will be motivated to do the work.

Practical reasons:

• Will enhance my cutting skills.
• Improve my type work, both hand rendered & with software.

Possible processes:

• Both print & web - open outcomes.
• Screen printing.
• Laser cutting.

Possible products:

• Booklet
• Typographic posters
• Webpage
• Branding & Identity

Context:

• Publications
• Billboards
• Posters
• Shop displays

Product, Range & Distribution: Intitial Personal Thinking

For the final part of the current module, OUGD203, we are free to construct our own briefs in response to existing ones.  It helps us make the transition to the third and final year, where our practice becomes heavily constructed from our own interests and reflects on the work we want to produce.  The sessions with Fred really opened my eyes to the process of writing briefs, how difficult the process is and the amount of possibilities that need to be explored to end up with a fully functioning, solid brief.

This series of blog post will document the process I took to reach my specialised brief, from initial thoughts to the final outcome:

5 things I want to do:

• Explore typography in an editorial form.
• Work primarily for print, double page spreads.
• Investigate how print translates to the web.
• Display any statistics in a clear, easy-to-break-down way.
• Look into the placement of imagery in a double page spread; how it interlinks with the typography.

5 things I need to do:

• Manage my time effectively - the old favourite.
• Research existing typographers.
• Look into any printed products that relate to my target audience, and the context it is placed in.
• Research magazine layouts & typographic posters.
• Encourage my target audience to read the textual content in my design.

Why?

• To get the most out of my project.
• To strengthen my type skills - begin to specialise.
• To develop an understanding of the relation between image and type.
• To effectively communicate the content.
• To gain an informed, well documented project.

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What personal skills do you want to develop?

• Confidence in my ability as a designer.
• Ability to effectively manage workload.
• Better evaluation skills, through blogging and documentation.
• A healthier sleeping pattern.
• Earlier starts.

What practical skills do you want to develop?

• Scalpel & folding work: professional outcomes.
• Typographic.
• Software: InDesign, Photoshop & Illustrator if necessary.

What processes do you want to develop?

• Printing processes.
• Screen printing and/or lasercutting.
• Research skills.
• Web processes, basic coding.

What products do you want to develop?

• Magazine layouts.
• Web designs
• Information graphics.

What context would they be in?

• Editorial or Publication
• Web
• Mocked up billboards, building banners.