PRD Boards

Creating the Main Infographic & Applying to Publication

I felt after all the data that I was covering, that I was missing out on the core of the 20 seasons - how many points do you need to win the league, and how many do you need to survive?  I aimed to answer this in the best way possible by creating a bar graph that communicates this.  I didn't make it too complex - just presenting the key facts.

I also applied the many pie charts that I had been constructing to my work and created effective infographics based on time - inspired by the icons I had previously made.

Creating a Range Development - Positions & Players

The next step after the teams were sub categories such as players and positions.  For the positions, I had 5 to differentiate - so I chose to categorise them by colour.

Each had their reason, Goalkeepers often wear bright unsightly colours to avoid clashing with the outfield players - orange.  Defenders either get the ball clear or concede a goal - very black & white.  Wingers cover a great deal of the pitch during the game - green.  Strikers are the danger men of the starting 11 - red.  Midfielders are a hybrid of all three so I chose blue to separate from the others.

I decided after experimentation that an opaque block of colour over the image would darken it and allow for the white text to stand out.  Again, the layout of the cover reflected on the team covers - replacing the team icon with a letter to associate with the position.  For example, GK would correspond to the Goalkeeping position.  Player specific publications would be coloured in their most successful club's colours.  In this case, Les Ferdinand for Newcastle.

Creating A Range Development - Team Editions

The possible ranges of my publication(s) are tremendous - there are so many teams, players, managers, positions etc. that I could create numerous specialist publications based on them.  One for every team would make sense - to be handed to season ticket holders for example.

I decided to approach it in the same way as I did with the general publication - by using stadia.  Each team has a home ground that symbolises the team.  I changed the image to monotone, to their club colours, and arranged it to reflect on the main front cover.  There is consistency, but each one differentiates - creating a range.

I had problems with Leeds United, I chose to explore this team as it has 3 club colours - including blue and yellow.  For this, I made it a duotone image, but found it difficult to get the balance right.  I got an even balance in the end, and created a cover that resembled the original well.

Front Cover Development

One of the main criticisms I received during the crit was my front cover.  Albeit unfinished, designed to give people an idea of the structure of the publication, it was still something to take on board.  The fact that it didn't replicate much of the content in terms of style was something that I was determined to fix. 

I picked a general football stadium and made it into a monotone image - much like what I had in my content.  I played around with the hierarchy of the image to the type and eventually settled on a layout that complemented the type on the image nicely.

Player Information - Developing the Pages

My original layout for the final crit was okay, but I always felt it needed tweaking.  A good place to start would be the player bios, where the same layout would be used.  I wanted to communicate the vital facts to the reader, and to have a little information that would back it up.

After a layout was reached that I was happy with on-screen, I printed it out to get a clear indication of how it looked, how it read and how effective the layout really was.  I learned this from the type sessions and have been doing it ever since.  From printing, I identified a slight reduction of point size, wrong use of hierarchy, slight adjustments to the placement of the quotes, the quality of the icons and more.

The technique helped me polish off the layout and make it the best it could be - identifying errors that weren't so obvious on screen.

Icon Infographic Development

 

After the crit it was quite apparent that I hadn't done much infographic work.  I had worked with pie charts and other circular graphics but I thought I would go further by working in lines.  Whether this be representing the most expensive player with every icon worth 10 million, sizing the icons in relation to cost or creating bar graphs that correspond to each icon.  

It was a different way of working that has resulted in me creating a strong feature for my individual player section.

Final Crit: 16/5

Thoughts after the crit:

I think the feedback I received is helpful, it will allow me to focus down my project well.  There are comments about the monotone images not working with the icons, so I need to find a harmonious method to suit both image and vector.

Also, there isn't an evidence of range, which I need to make obvious.  By mocking up different publications for teams, players, positions etc. I can communicate this.

Material for Final Crit - Development

Final Tweaking of the Icons

Icon Development: Design Direction

Progress Crit: Thoughts

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3 questions to ask:

1. Will the simple circular forms of info-graphic fit well into the publication?  Would you like to see other types of info-graphics in there?
2. Do you think the icons of the teams would be easy to identify without the captions?
3. Would the inclusion of photographs benefit the publication?

Concept Crit: Analysis

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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.