OUGD603. Extended Practice. Brief 6: MUSIC TOUR CONEPT/DESIGN.

i started by doing a spider diagram to lay out my ideas and potential design paths.

retail and promotion is an area i have some understanding and experience in. i have undergone a number of briefs relative to the area and think i have developed a basic design process. the themes have varied and so i decided to explore potential new choices. i thought trying to visualise different abbreviations and sayings retaliating to consumer deals/offers would be a really fun and interesting project but would not really be applicable to a real world situation as cost of design would not be warranted by the nature of product deals. a series of film posters would be an interesting style exploration but it has been done to death and i didn't think the brief would have much realistic impact.

from as long as i can remember I've listened to music, and from an early teenager I've been going to music events and its something that i don't think i could give up. i think a lot of people would agree. i really like music artwork; album covers, logos, flyers, posters, and often see really clever ways of promoting musical events. i think it would be really interesting to come up with a concept, relative to a band/artist, that would house a tour in a clever and original manor that would appeal to the audience.

i then went on to write the brief:

BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN	Level	6
Module Code: OUGD603	Module Title: Extended Practice	Learning Outcomes:

BRIEF TITLE: MUSIC TOUR – CONCEPT AND PROMOTIONAL DESIGN.

Brief: Music is something that affects us all. It is hard to find someone who does not have a vested interest in some type of music. Most people, at some point, have gone to see a band/artist/DJ live in concert and, so, understand the drive and attraction to that sort of music experience. Generate the concept for a music tour by an artist/DJ of your choice in line with their genre. The concept must be strong and thematic and relevant to the artist and their work. You must also design and produce the relevant promotional ephemera to accompany the tour.

Background: Music has been in existence since the dawn of man, attracting crowds wherever it is heard. As talent has progressed, so has the following of types of music, cumulating in what we know today as a ‘gig’ or ‘night’. Music tours today are multi-million pound industries generating global fame for artists playing in cities across the world. Themes/concepts for tours, contemporarily, is what drives them and what, inevitably, attracts the audience. Concerts are what separate the live performance experience from the recorded artist/album.

Considerations: ·       Who will the artist be? What album might the tour be based around? ·       What genres are associated? ·       What concept for a tour might be appropriate/exciting? ·       Who listens to the music? ·       What aesthetics and design attributes will best accompany the tour/artist? ·       What name will the tour have?

Mandatory Requirements: 1.     Tour concept and naming for a specific artist. 2.     Tour branding and identity with basic brand guidelines. 3.     Tour promotional ephemera designed and printed or digital where appropriate. 4.     Tour implemented?

Target Audience: The target audience will be driven by the chosen artist/music genre involved in the tour.

Tone of Voice: The tone of voice should work in line with the artist, genre, and tour concept but should generally be inviting, interesting, mystical, engaging and cool. The tone of voice should resonate with the audience that will be attracted.

Deliverables: ·       Research into existing tours, taking note of the most successful and with consideration of why evidenced on your blog. ·       Brand identity design. ·       Promotional material designed and printed. ·       Exploration of further design outcomes.

i hope to gather some interesting primary research from this brief and experience some good music. i think this brief will give me a chance to focus my design skills and improve my selection of relative and useful design tools in order to reach the intended audience successfully and with impact.

OUGD603. Extended Practice. Brief 5: BOULDERING INFOGRAPHICS PACK.

last year one of the project i produced was 'an introduction to bouldering' which aimed at delivering info graphically based user information about bouldering and the techniques and skills involved. it used visual explanation to teach the audience how to climb in bouldering environments. i really enjoyed this project because it gave me a chance to embark on extensive primary research in practicing bouldering. infographic design is also an interest of mine. although i feel as though i answered the brief relatively successfully, the extent to which i took the brief, regarding information presented, level of professionalism, and quantity of outcomes, was not to my full potential. as bouldering is a sport that i enjoy and am interested in, i decided that a more thorough re-do of that brief would give me a chance to really complete it. 

prior to coming to this conclusion, i decided to do an info graphic based brief because it is a practice that i really enjoy and am interested in. i started by doing a spider diagram exploring the theme possibilities.

the suggestion to do an infographic design based on way finding in a carpark or library environment was based on an interest i have in public traffic and movement through a space. i decided against this brief mainly because it would involve a lot of mathematical planning and because it would be less likely that the brief would come to final fruition, being that finding a space to really house the outcomes would be difficult. so i chose the bouldering brief.

i then went on to write the brief properly:

BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN	Level	6
Module Code: OUGD603	Module Title: Extended Practice	Learning Outcomes:

BRIEF TITLE: INTRODUCTION TO BOULDERING – INFOGRAPHICS.

Brief: Bouldering is a subsection of climbing that has become a sport in its own right. Focussed on technical traverses, bouldering encompasses considerable muscle capability and controlled finger work. Many people are attracted to bouldering but are often disadvantaged by their lack of understanding or experience, in terms of technique and movement. Design and produce a calculated, highly educational, and engaging series of info graphics designed to help the audience become better at bouldering. Consider the most appropriate format they should come in and how the various components should be housed for accessibility and transport. The set will work best if it is accessible during the users climbing sessions so this should be taken into consideration.

Background: Bouldering, as a sport, has existed for over 50 years and is now a globally recognised sport with world cups, national and international competitions, and a vast array of indoor centres and natural sites. It is recognised for its use in strengthening and acutely toning muscles and developing, in particular, upper body strength. Due to the fact that bouldering requires a supple body and good manoeuvrability, along with a practical understanding of the body movements required to complete a problem, many people struggle at first. It is important that you understand the different moves and techniques in depth, so to pass on the information most successfully.

Considerations: ·       What does the audience need to know to improve at bouldering? ·       What different moves and techniques exist? ·       How should the information be presented? ·       How understandable and useful is it? ·       How will the outcomes be used ‘in the field’? ·       How could they be transportable? ·       Should they be text or image based? ·       What colour might be involved?

Mandatory Requirements: 1.     An info-graphic pack (various components & transportable) that successfully informs and instructs the audience about bouldering. 2.     The involvement of considered working colour.

Target Audience: ·       Those interested in starting bouldering. ·       Bouldering novices. ·       Bouldering intermediates that seek further knowledge and practical understanding.

Tone of Voice: ·       The tone of voice should be highly informative yet simple and understandable. ·       It should aim to verbally/visually illustrate the themes and contents of the info-graphics fully and simply. ·       The tone should be inviting and encouraging.

Deliverables: ·       Primary and secondary research into bouldering and its themes/components evidenced on your blog. ·       Visual exploration into how to illustrate different moves and techniques. ·       Layout and format exploration to achieve the most suited outcomes. ·       The mandatory requirements and final outcomes.

i want to explore every potential outcome possible with this brief. i aim to really understand the needs of the audience and find the best methods of delivery possible. i intend to incorporate the themes and aesthetics related to bouldering to make the project fully relative. 

OUGD603. Extended Practice. Brief 4: CALLIGRAPHY PUBLICATION.

i decided that a design topic i would like to engage in was publishing and editorial design. it is a topic that i worked with last year on a number of briefs but i feel as though i achieved only a familiarity with it. i understand the basics of grid system but want to further understand and recognise their importance. i also want to work with appropriate production methods and better my binding skills.

so i went on to draft a spider diagram exploring the potential topics i could relate to my brief theme.

the asterisks represent the preferred brief topics and the circle the final choice. i liked the idea of doing a retrospective exploration and categorisation of 'sneakers' because i like and am interested in trainers and trainer culture and felt a visual expose would be an interesting publication. i decided against that one because i felt that trainers were something that i was quite familiar with and that the topic wouldn't lend that much to learning something new. etymology is an interest i hold because i like language and communication. the derivation of words is both historical and social in study and these also appeal to my interests. i decided not to do this because my dissertation topic also relates to language and communication and so i felt another topic would allow a greater variety of learning. so i decided to base my publication around calligraphy. disregard the specification of blackletter, although it will be included. the publication will include a range of calligraphic schools and will enable me to practice different forms of calligraphy (something that i have wanted to try for a long time) and my publishing skills.


i then went on to write up the brief in word:

BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN	Level	6
Module Code: OUGD603	Module Title: Extended Practice	Learning Outcomes:

BRIEF TITLE: CALIGRAPHY GUIDE/TUTORIAL PULICATION.

Brief: “The making of letters in every form is for me the purest and the greatest pleasure, and at many stages of my life it was to me what a song is to the singer, a picture to the painter, a shout to the elated, or a sign to the oppressed.” - Rudolph Koch Calligraphy has, for a long period of history, been the record of time and events. Furthermore, it has become a skillful art and is renowned for its beautiful aesthetics and glyph make-up. With the rise of digital technology, the need to write things by hand/with a pen is becoming less and less. Calligraphy is, hence, becoming a lost art form. Gathering extensive research into the art and history of calligraphy, you must design and produce a focused and engaging publication aimed at teaching the audience about how to do calligraphy and what it entails. You must consider that the audience may not know anything about calligraphy (or have little artistic background) but that the publication must successfully instruct the reader in a step-by-step format with visual aids. The layout and composition, along with contents, are up to you and should be chosen with contextual consideration. This will be informed by extensive research and physical exploration of calligraphic themes/components.

Background: Calligraphy is a practice that has existed for many thousands of years, serving kings and peasants alike. It was once the main means of recording history and, as such, became a highly skilled practice. Across the world different methods, using different materials and processes, existed in different languages. However, the same basic outcome occurred each time. Calligraphy is a practice that requires a steady and confident hand and stroke. It is a mix of calculated, mathematic movement and artistic flow arriving in beautifully constructed letterforms.

Considerations: ·       What is calligraphy? ·       What types of calligraphy are there? ·       How is calligraphy done? ·       How should this be presented to a first time reader? ·       What do they need to know about motion and movement? ·       What do they need to know about the history? ·       What form should the publication take? ·       What graphic elements should it include?

Mandatory Requirements: 1.     One publication including the history of calligraphy and a hands-on guide to how to do some of it.

Target Audience: ·       Those with an introductory/no knowledge of calligraphy who want to learn. ·       Those with an interest in typography/lettering. ·       People without any knowledge but who are still interested.

Tone of Voice: ·       The tone of voice should be friendly and inviting with an informal yet educating edge. ·       It should inspire and motivate the audience, keeping them captured in learning and progression. ·       It should offer a professional and knowledgeable aura (as one would expect from a teacher) but without the fearing failure aspect often instilled within the education relationship.

Deliverables: ·       Extensive primary and secondary research into calligraphy evidenced on your blog. ·       Practice into different calligraphies with note of technique. ·       Design exploration of the layout and contents of the publication. ·       Print/stock exploration. ·       Final publication printed and bound.

this brief will allow me to develop my practical and contextual design skills. it demands a large amount of primary research which will take the form of developing a first hand understanding of the different calligraphic processes. i am also looking forward to practicing and identifying different methods of publication binding, a practice that i know about but would like to become more competent in.

OUGD603. Extended Practice. Brief 3: CLOTHING COMPANY BRAND.

i wanted to base each of the remaining briefs i wrote on the topical separations of graphic design. i wanted to involve topics that i am interested in and that i do not currently know much about. i thought this would enable me to maintain an interest in each brief through not exhausting previously visited topics. not knowing much about the topic will encourage me to find out more, meaning that my drive to research will be stronger.

i have always been interested in clothing branding and logo identity and like collecting different clothing for aesthetic, design and crafts purposes, and obviously to wear. having done quite a lot of branding in the past year, and having really enjoyed it, i feel that another branding based brief would help to improve my skills and understanding in the matter.

i began by doing a spider diagram of potential topics and how the deisng briefs could take shape.

having come up with a few ideas i then chose the few best as final considerations. the asterisks indicate this. i decided against the intel rebrand mainly because of the large time scale and the considerable size the brief would likely be. upon further consideration, i also decided that i wouldn't like rebranding a large corporation like that. i decided against the green party rebrand for similar reasons but also because political branding doesn't really interest me. and so i chose the clothing company brand because it would also allow me to become familiar with clothing design.

having established my topic and brief focus i then went on to write the brief.

BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN	Level	6
Module Code: OUGD603	Module Title: Extended Practice	Learning Outcomes:

BRIEF TITLE: CLOTHING COMPANY CONCEPT AND BRAND IDENTITY.

Brief:  “The finest clothing made is a person's own skin, but, of course, society demands something more than this.” - Mark Twain. Clothing was, historically, a necessity good, made to aid heath and comfort. With the increase in quality and affordability of production, clothing has become much more of a consumer good, bought to communicate one’s affiliations/styles. The vast oversupply of clothing, mainly to western markets, has encouraged a culture of blind mass consumption. Supply is met with a considerable disregard for ethical and ecological production considerations/methods. Some manufacturers, however, are able to capture style and originality while still maintaining sustainable practices. You will develop a considered and focussed research methodology, carried out to inform you of the target audience, their interests and aesthetic associations. Use this information to establish a strong brand identity and company ethos. Then develop and produce a range of clothing designs, taking into account the ethical and ecological impacts.

Background: Apparel and Sportswear companies have been operating since the early 20th century and have each had their turn at the top, however, in the 90’s and 2000’s many smaller and more focussed brands (often associated with specific sports) have emerged. New, more environmentally and economically friendly materials and manufacturing methods have been developed in the 21st century. These offer a more ecological solution to the over use of synthetic materials and enable companies to maintain production without harm to the environment.

Considerations: ·       What name will the brand have? ·       What aesthetics and logo themes might it involve? ·       How might products be produced? ·       What company ethos should exist? ·       Who should the target audience be?

Mandatory Requirements: 1.     Clothing company ethos/manifesto and brand name 2.     Brand identity design accompanied by basic brand guidelines. 3.     Clothing range complete with design ideas. 4.     Samples of clothing produced in line with ecological considerations/processes.

Target Audience: The target audience should be procured in line with the aims and associations of the clothing company. These will be derived from the research gathered and the information taken from it.

Tone of Voice: The tone of voice should be inviting and intriguing, in order to attract the target audience. A professional demeanour should be adopted to communicate the company’s dedication. The target audience and the relevant aesthetic associations will, ultimately, dictate the visual tone.

Deliverables: ·       Company manifesto ·       Brand logo ·       Brand identity + guidelines ·       Printed samples of clothing designs ·       Exploration of potential ranges and designs ·       Design development evidenced on your blog

 


having spoken to will about his briefs, and finding out that he too was interested in doing a clothing based brief, we decide that this could be a good collaboration for us to engage in. our styles are somewhat similar and we share the same clothing interests and design interests.

i feel this brief will give me a chance to develop my drawing skills along with my digital rendering abilities. it will inform me about clothing and responsible production and allow me to develop my printing and self production skills.