15/05/2024 - 21/06/2024 / Week 4 - Week 9
Joey Lok Wai San / 0350857
Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Task 2: Key Artwork & Collateral
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cCzqflwT6NvbTAEatqyIiA5lEIOiAcOM/preview
Finding Inspiration & Visual References
To start the task I did some research on key artwork designs on Pinterest. I explored different styles since I did not have a preference for one particular style. While searching, I found I was more drawn towards blocky and structured designs.
Fig. 1.1 Inspiration and Visual References, Week 5 (18/05/2024)
I then made a mindmap about myself before starting to sketch out some ideas. I listed out some ideas that represent me and the things I like.
Fig. 1.2 Mind Map, Week 5 (18/05/2024)
Sketches
I created a few sketches of my name for the key artwork. I also tried different variations of my name for the wordmark such as 'Jojo' - my childhood nickname, and 'San' my last name. I intended to create a clean and simple design with the names I had.
Fig. 1.3 Sketches, Week 5 (18/05/2024)
Fig. 1.4 Shortlisted Sketches, Week 5 (18/05/2024)
Digitization
Digitisation #1
Fig. 2.1 Wordmark #1, Week 5 (22/05/2024)
Fig. 2.2 Wordmark #2, Week 5 (22/05/2024)
Fig. 2.3 Wordmark #3, Week 5 (22/05/2024)
Digitisation #5
Fig. 2.5 Wordmark #5, Week 5 (22/05/2024)
Fig. 2.6 Wordmark #6, Week 5 (22/05/2024)
Fig. 2.7 All Wordmark Exploration, Week 5 (22/05/2024)
Fig. 3.1 Enlarged Gaps and Spacing, Week 6 (26/05/2024)
Fig. 3.2 Adjusting Gaps and Spaces of the Wordmark, Week 6 (26/05/2024)
I moved the lines to ensure everything is centred and vertically aligned. This adjustment improved the overall neatness and readability of the design, as all the centre elements now follow a consistent vertical axis.
Fig. 3.3 Center Aligning Lines - Before and After, Week 6 (26/05/2024)
Fig. 3.4 Wordmark After Refinement, Week 6 (26/05/2024)
TASK 2A: Key Artwork
We are tasked to create a key artwork using our first name or
pseudonym. The key artwork is a wordmark/lettering, but it is also
an artwork. A wordmark/lettering is used to identify a person but
it is also used as an artwork that might adorn a lapel
pin/T-shirt/poster
(collateral).
We are required to explore and compose as many permutations and
combinations of our name in the form of a wordmark/lettering.
The final key artwork must be an elegant solution, well balanced
and composed, not complicated or confusing that leads to a
functional and communicable key artwork.
To start the task I did some research on key artwork designs on Pinterest. I explored different styles since I did not have a preference for one particular style. While searching, I found I was more drawn towards blocky and structured designs.
I then made a mindmap about myself before starting to sketch out some ideas. I listed out some ideas that represent me and the things I like.
Sketches
I created a few sketches of my name for the key artwork. I also tried different variations of my name for the wordmark such as 'Jojo' - my childhood nickname, and 'San' my last name. I intended to create a clean and simple design with the names I had.
Fig. 1.3 Sketches, Week 5 (18/05/2024)
I have a lot of concepts that could reflect me in various ways. I shortlisted some of the ideas I liked before starting the digitalization process. I chose ideas that have some meaning behind them and that could influence the design.
Fig. 1.4 Shortlisted Sketches, Week 5 (18/05/2024)
Digitization
Digitisation #1
For the first idea, I thought of what I wanted my personality to be like. I aspire to be a more bubbly and soft person because I look dead 24/7 and have very negative emotions. The stars in the letters show there’s some light in my life to look forward to.
Digitisation #2
I like the idea of using simple shapes to form letters. For this digitization, I based it on pixelated fonts, using square shapes but spacing them out. To me, it signifies how life is just a bunch of random things grouped together; we’re just a bunch of squares and blobs hanging about on a floating rock.
I like the idea of using simple shapes to form letters. For this digitization, I based it on pixelated fonts, using square shapes but spacing them out. To me, it signifies how life is just a bunch of random things grouped together; we’re just a bunch of squares and blobs hanging about on a floating rock.
Fig. 2.2 Wordmark #2, Week 5 (22/05/2024)
Digitisation #3
For this concept, I wanted to convey the idea of being organized and simple, even though I'm not a simple person. I was inspired by the phrase “putting myself in a box” - sometimes I would rather not
try or experience new things than accept that I might be
bad at something; fear of failure or judgment. The uncompleted lines signify learning to go outside of the box.
Fig. 2.3 Wordmark #3, Week 5 (22/05/2024)
Digitisation #4
With this design, I expanded on the concept of idea #3. Blocky characters suggest that it is capable of withstanding challenges. The vertical alignment signifies growth and upward movement, suggesting progress and reaching new heights. It reflects the idea of constantly striving for improvement and looking upward in life.
Fig. 2.4 Wordmark #4, Week 5 (22/05/2024)
Fig. 2.4 Wordmark #4, Week 5 (22/05/2024)
Digitisation #5
For this idea, the concept is to use my last name, 'San'. It has multiple meanings to the name. In Cantonese, it translates to mountains - I see
it as my life is one big mountain to climb and fall. In Mandarin, it translates to the number 3 - I think of repetition and the saying 'third time's a charm'. I developed the idea of repetition using lines, aiming to use simple shapes but making them complicated.
Fig. 2.5 Wordmark #5, Week 5 (22/05/2024)
Digitisation #6
My last concept was experimenting around with the word 'Jojo'. I like the fact the letters are repeating but I couldn't make a design that I was satisfied with. These are the results after experimentation (when making this I realized it looks like boobs and I can't unsee it now).
My last concept was experimenting around with the word 'Jojo'. I like the fact the letters are repeating but I couldn't make a design that I was satisfied with. These are the results after experimentation (when making this I realized it looks like boobs and I can't unsee it now).
This is the entire wordmark exploration process from start to finish.
Refinement
After getting feedback in class, I chose this key artwork sketch to proceed to the refinement stage. In my first attempt at refining, I enlarged the gaps of each letter and increased the spacing to enhance readability. However, the gaps are now way too big which makes it look really blocky and awkward.
After getting feedback in class, I chose this key artwork sketch to proceed to the refinement stage. In my first attempt at refining, I enlarged the gaps of each letter and increased the spacing to enhance readability. However, the gaps are now way too big which makes it look really blocky and awkward.
Fig. 3.1 Enlarged Gaps and Spacing, Week 6 (26/05/2024)
I tried a different method to enlarge the gaps. This time I used guides to keep each spacing the same size as one another. I only widened the original gaps a little, as compared to the initial original refinement where the gaps are too large.
Fig. 3.2 Adjusting Gaps and Spaces of the Wordmark, Week 6 (26/05/2024)
I moved the lines to ensure everything is centred and vertically aligned. This adjustment improved the overall neatness and readability of the design, as all the centre elements now follow a consistent vertical axis.
Fig. 3.3 Center Aligning Lines - Before and After, Week 6 (26/05/2024)
This is the wordmark design after adjusting and refinement.
Further Refinement (After Feedback)
In Week 6, Mr. Vinod provided us with feedback on our wordmark. While he liked my design, he commented it needed more individuality to make it unique from other blocky letterforms, since they more or less look all the same. I was inspired by some of Mr. Vinod's ideas when further exploring my design such as adding 'chinks in the armour' or adding some round ability to enhance the readability.
Exploration #1
In my first attempt at giving the blocky design more individuality, I tried curving out the edges of the shapes. From left to right, these are the explanations of the design choices:
Fig. 3.5 Rounded Shapes, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
Exploration #2
The second attempt is inspired by Mr. Vinod's idea of 'chinks in the armour' which made me think of removing some parts of the letters. From left to right, these are the explanations of the design choices:
Fig. 3.6 Removing Parts of the Wordmark, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
Fig. 3.7 Details of First and Second Design - Rusty Edges and Shattered Effect, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
Exploration #3
The third attempt is a further exploration of the pixel design from Fig. 3.6. The fading pixels can signify a transition or change from one phase to another. From left to right, these are the explanations of the design choices:
Fig. 3.8 Pixelated Idea Development, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
Fig. 3.9 Curved Edges Details, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
In Week 6, Mr. Vinod provided us with feedback on our wordmark. While he liked my design, he commented it needed more individuality to make it unique from other blocky letterforms, since they more or less look all the same. I was inspired by some of Mr. Vinod's ideas when further exploring my design such as adding 'chinks in the armour' or adding some round ability to enhance the readability.
Exploration #1
In my first attempt at giving the blocky design more individuality, I tried curving out the edges of the shapes. From left to right, these are the explanations of the design choices:
- An attempt to add roundness but the degree of the curves was too much, taking away the structured and blocky design
- Adding a smaller degree of the curve to the corners of the letters, and trying to add character by adding circles to the gaps of the letter.
- I tried to make the letters form a slightly rounded square. The design looks quite good to me, but the letters O and E side by side instead of stacked on top of each other don't symbolise upward movement and reaching new heights.
- Adjusting the gaps between the letters to have a curved appearance instead of the outside of the letters. However, it takes away from the overall structured design too.
Fig. 3.5 Rounded Shapes, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
Exploration #2
The second attempt is inspired by Mr. Vinod's idea of 'chinks in the armour' which made me think of removing some parts of the letters. From left to right, these are the explanations of the design choices:
- Mr. Vinod suggested making the sides look rusty or uneven, I did this effect by adding the same colour border around the shape and then changing the texture of the border.
- A shattered effect on both the top and bottom of the wordmark represents chinks in the armour. However, I feel the shatters are too small to be noticed and not something I like that much.
- Drew inspiration from pixelated games, thus omitting small squares from the design
- Attempted to remove anchor points to achieve a sharp-looking shape in the spaces of each letter. The form looks interesting but readability suffers.
- Instead of removing parts of the letters, I decided to add to it by adding a gradient that is sort of fading away.
Fig. 3.7 Details of First and Second Design - Rusty Edges and Shattered Effect, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
Exploration #3
The third attempt is a further exploration of the pixel design from Fig. 3.6. The fading pixels can signify a transition or change from one phase to another. From left to right, these are the explanations of the design choices:
- Instead of removing pixels from the wordmark, I decided to add pixels to the wordmark, combining the second and fourth ideas from exploration #2. However, there are too many pixels and they are too small.
- I made the pixels larger and more visible that they are pixels, as well as reduced the amount there is.
- Since the letters are more rectangular in nature, I made the pixels have a more rectangular shape to reflect that.
- Adding pixels on both the top and bottom part of the wordmark to balance it and not make it top-heavy.
Fig. 3.8 Pixelated Idea Development, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
Fig. 3.9 Curved Edges Details, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
This is the entire wordmark refinement process from start to finish.
Fig. 3.10 All Wordmark Refinement, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
Colour Palette
Fig. 4.1 Choosing Colours for Key Artwork, Week 6 (26/05/2024)
Fig. 4.2 Chosen Colour Palette, Week 6 (26/05/2024)
Fig. 4.3 Different Colour Combinations with the Wordmark, Week 6 (26/05/2024)
I chose a colour palette from Colour Hunt for my brand. Initially, I was just browsing through the most popular palettes and found a variety of colour palettes I liked.
I decided to narrow down the colour choice to red because I wanted my key artwork to be bold and compelling. The red and beige colours work best together because of the strong contrast, it is also one of my favourite colour combinations to use. I also added a dark blue colour to add further contrast as well as a darker colour to the palette.
After deciding on a colour palette, I tried out some colour combinations using key colours with my wordmark and the background.
Fig. 4.3 Different Colour Combinations with the Wordmark, Week 6 (26/05/2024)
Final Task 2A - Key Artwork
Summary of Wordmark Concept
- The vertical alignment signifies growth and upward movement, suggesting progress and reaching new heights. It reflects the idea of constantly striving for improvement and aiming higher. This orientation also encourages viewers to look upward, aligning with aspirations and forward-thinking.
- A blocky, geometric font conveys strength, solidity, and reliability.
- Fading pixels can signify a transition or change from one phase to another.
- Bright, contrasting colours make the key artwork to be bold and compelling.
Fig. 5.1 Final Key Artwork - Black wordmark on white background, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
Fig. 5.2 Final Key Artwork - White wordmark on black background, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
Fig. 5.3 Final Key Artwork - Colour palette, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
Fig. 5.3 Final Key Artwork - Colour palette, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
Fig. 5.4 Final Key Artwork - Wordmark in actual colours on lightest shade of colour palette, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
Fig. 5.5 Final Key Artwork - Wordmark in the lightest shade of colour palette on darkest shade of colour palette, Week 6 (30/05/2024)
TASK 2B: Key Collateral
Task 2B is a continuous task from Task 2A. We are tasked to design a t-shirt, lapel pin, etc. an animated key artwork and an Instagram account (or as instructed in class) transforming the key artwork into a brand. The output must result from in-depth exploration and must communicate both visually and textually the desired message and mood set by the key artwork and its function.
Expansion of Wordmark
From Task 2A, we needed to expand our wordmark and create visual identities. I looked at my wordmark and identified key elements that stood out to me. It was kind of easy to expand the key collaterals, especially because the blocky typeface made it easier to stack on top of each other like blocks of bricks. I attempted to use the first letter of the wordmark 'J' - repeated the letter, alternating with outlines and filled shapes, which then created a pattern.
Fig. 6.1 Expansion of wordmark, Week 6 (31/05/2024)
Using the key colours from my colour palette, I added them to the pattern that was created. The red and beige create a strong contrast against each other. The red outline, with a lower stroke width, is still visible thanks to the colour contrast.
Fig. 6.2 Expansion of wordmark with colour, Week 6 (31/05/2024)
Collaterals
Fig. 7.8 Creating the coffee capsule design on Adobe Illustrator, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Fig. 7.9 Coffee capsule collateral, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Self-Portrait
Fig. 9.1 Self-portrait explorations - Attempt #1, Week 7 (02/06/2024)
I took new pictures and edited them with different designs and layouts in Adobe Illustrator. I wanted to use the pattern in Fig. 6.1 again but instead of making it the entire background like what I did above, I decided to only use the outline to better show the background.
Fig. 9.3 Self-portrait explorations - Attempt #2, Week 8 (13/06/2024)
Fig. 9.4 Self-portrait explorations - Attempt #3, Week 8 (13/06/2024)
Instagram Layout
We then have to create an Instagram account to showcase our collaterals and brand identity. To get an idea of how to create a good Instagram feed, I looked for some inspiration on Pinterest and found layout designs.
Fig. 10.1 Animation - Attempt #1, Week 8 (14/06/2024)
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Fig. 10.2 Animation - Attempt #2, Week 8 (14/06/2024)
Fig. 10.3 Final Animation, Week 8 (14/06/2024)
Fig. 10.4 Progress for animation, Week 8 (14/06/2024)
Fig. 10.6 Animation keyframes, Week 8 (14/06/2024)
Final Task 2B - Key Collateral
Below are the links to the websites I used for mockups:
- Unblast: https://unblast.com/
- Mockups Design: https://mockups-design.com/
- Mr Mockup: https://mrmockup.com/free-mockups/
All of the mockups were done using Adobe Photoshop with the patterns and design layouts done in Adobe Illustrator. I downloaded the collaterals from the websites above and inserted my design into the files.
My initial idea of the collaterals was to base my brand identity around a cafe. Specifically, because the term 'cuppa joe' means a cup of coffee, and joe is the first 3 letters of my name. However, in hindsight, I definitely did this entire thing wrongly. The collaterals I chose initially are a coffee cup, coffee bean bag, napkin, and coffee capsule.
Collateral #1 - Coffee Cup
I made two attempts at designing the coffee cup collateral. In the first variation, I found a mockup that featured just one cup. I changed the cup to feature the pattern I created using the letter 'J' of my key artwork, and then coloured the cap the peach shade from my colour palette to match the red and white colour scheme. I really liked the colours on this coffee cup, and it may be one of the better aspects of this initial round of creating collaterals.
Fig. 7.1 Creating the coffee cup collateral on Adobe Photoshop, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Fig. 7.2 Coffee cup collateral - Initial attempt, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Fig. 7.3 Coffee cup collateral - Second attempt, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Collateral #2 - Coffee Bean Bag
Focusing on the cafe theme I was going for, I chose a bag of coffee beans as my next collateral. For this, I simply added my key artwork on a red background to stand out from the brown bag, as well as added the pattern on the side for extra pizzazz.
Fig. 7.4 Coffee bean bag collateral, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Collateral #3 - Napkin
I tried out a few variations for the napkin design until I found one that worked. My initial attempt at creating it as shown below, was to use the key artwork (how unoriginal) in the napkin square and then surround it with the pixel border expanded from the pixels on the key artwork. This design looked quite poor, especially with how fake it looked on the mockup, especially with how the key artwork just looked slapped on.
Fig. 7.5 Napkin collateral - Initial attempt, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Fig. 7.6 Napkin - Second attempt, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Fig. 7.7 Napkin - Third attempt, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Collateral #4 - Coffee Capsule
I made an additional collateral as a backup in case one of the others got rejected (ha, all of the collaterals were changed in the end). This time I chose to feature a coffee capsule to go with the coffee theme I had going on in my mind.
I placed the key artwork on a red background again and surrounded it with text that said "have a cuppa joe", to honour the cafe theme and parts of my name. However, once again, there is barely any expansion of the key artwork whatsoever.
I made two attempts at designing the coffee cup collateral. In the first variation, I found a mockup that featured just one cup. I changed the cup to feature the pattern I created using the letter 'J' of my key artwork, and then coloured the cap the peach shade from my colour palette to match the red and white colour scheme. I really liked the colours on this coffee cup, and it may be one of the better aspects of this initial round of creating collaterals.
Fig. 7.1 Creating the coffee cup collateral on Adobe Photoshop, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Fig. 7.2 Coffee cup collateral - Initial attempt, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
I found that having just one cup made the design and background not much for people to look at. Therefore, the second variation of the coffee cup collateral featured two cups instead. I kept the same design from the first collateral for one of the cups; for the other cup, I placed my beige key artwork on a red background to emphasize the design and added a top and bottom border of beige pixels to expand from the key artwork.
Fig. 7.3 Coffee cup collateral - Second attempt, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Collateral #2 - Coffee Bean Bag
Focusing on the cafe theme I was going for, I chose a bag of coffee beans as my next collateral. For this, I simply added my key artwork on a red background to stand out from the brown bag, as well as added the pattern on the side for extra pizzazz.
Collateral #3 - Napkin
I tried out a few variations for the napkin design until I found one that worked. My initial attempt at creating it as shown below, was to use the key artwork (how unoriginal) in the napkin square and then surround it with the pixel border expanded from the pixels on the key artwork. This design looked quite poor, especially with how fake it looked on the mockup, especially with how the key artwork just looked slapped on.
Fig. 7.5 Napkin collateral - Initial attempt, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
To improve on my first attempt, I increased the opacity of the borders and the key artwork. I also added a red border around the key artwork so as to not make it look so out of place on the napkin. I still do not really like this design, there are quite a few flaws with it such as (1) the beige outer border blends in with the background colour, (2) the design looks uninteresting and does not have much expansion, (3) the other elements of the mockup look really fake, and so much more.
Fig. 7.6 Napkin - Second attempt, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
I made another design variation for the fun of it. I placed the key artwork in the same place, left the border around it and placed the pattern from Fig. 6.2 around the napkin border. This creates a very geometrical look with lots of square and rectangular shapes.
Collateral #4 - Coffee Capsule
I made an additional collateral as a backup in case one of the others got rejected (ha, all of the collaterals were changed in the end). This time I chose to feature a coffee capsule to go with the coffee theme I had going on in my mind.
I placed the key artwork on a red background again and surrounded it with text that said "have a cuppa joe", to honour the cafe theme and parts of my name. However, once again, there is barely any expansion of the key artwork whatsoever.
Fig. 7.8 Creating the coffee capsule design on Adobe Illustrator, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Fig. 7.9 Coffee capsule collateral, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Collateral #5 - Menu (Not Used)
I tried my hand at creating a menu for my supposed 'cafe', but it did not go out the way I wanted to. Initially, I planned to use the pattern and feature it at the bottom of the menu with my key artwork. However, it looked very messy and too busy for a menu design.
Fig. 7.10 Menu collateral - Initial attempt, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
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Fig. 7.11 Menu collateral - Uncompleted second attempt, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
I tried my hand at creating a menu for my supposed 'cafe', but it did not go out the way I wanted to. Initially, I planned to use the pattern and feature it at the bottom of the menu with my key artwork. However, it looked very messy and too busy for a menu design.
Fig. 7.10 Menu collateral - Initial attempt, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Still trying to make the menu work, I made a second design as shown below. This time I simply added the pixel border again to the top and bottom of the menu, in order to mimic the key artwork pixel placement. It looks kind of alright to me however it could still use a lot of improvement. I would have liked to see where this collateral goes, but unfortunately, I did not have time to create the rest of the menu and its items.
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Fig. 7.11 Menu collateral - Uncompleted second attempt, Week 7 (03/06/2024)
Refinement of Collaterals (After Feedback)
After the feedback provided by Mr. Vinod on Week 7, I decided to change all my collaterals as he stated I'm not supposed to be running an F&B brand. I also thought I could do much better with the collaterals, and the key artwork and identity on my first attempt could be expanded on by a mile.
I chose new collaterals to work on and expanded on them with different styles. The collaterals I chose include a t-shirt, tote bag, water bottle, and calendar. I also found some mockups of collaterals from Pinterest to use as a reference when creating my design.
Refined Collateral #1 - Tote Bag
For this collateral, I found some reference pictures of tote bag designs that I could use. I liked the idea of stacking the letters on top of the other with alternating colours, as shown in the image below. This inspired my first design of the tote bag. Blocky characters and vertical designs on merchandise create a strong visual impact and make a bold statement.
Fig. 8.1 Designing pattern based on reference, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
I placed the pattern created above on the tote bag, creating an effect where one side of the design looks visually heavier than the other. In terms of colour scheme, I used dark blue from the colour palette for the handle, and beige for the tote bag.
Fig. 8.2 Tote bag collateral - First design, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Fig. 8.3 Tote bag collateral - Second design, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Fig. 8.4 Pattern design using key artwork, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Fig. 8.5 Tote bag collateral - Third design, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Fig. 8.7 Water bottle collateral - First designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Fig. 8.10 T-shirt collateral - Attempt, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Fig. 8.11 Pattern design using key artwork, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Fig. 8.12 T-shirt collateral - First designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Fig. 8.13 T-shirt collateral - Second designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Fig. 8.16 Shortlisted collateral designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
I chose new collaterals to work on and expanded on them with different styles. The collaterals I chose include a t-shirt, tote bag, water bottle, and calendar. I also found some mockups of collaterals from Pinterest to use as a reference when creating my design.
Refined Collateral #1 - Tote Bag
For this collateral, I found some reference pictures of tote bag designs that I could use. I liked the idea of stacking the letters on top of the other with alternating colours, as shown in the image below. This inspired my first design of the tote bag. Blocky characters and vertical designs on merchandise create a strong visual impact and make a bold statement.
Fig. 8.1 Designing pattern based on reference, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
I placed the pattern created above on the tote bag, creating an effect where one side of the design looks visually heavier than the other. In terms of colour scheme, I used dark blue from the colour palette for the handle, and beige for the tote bag.
Fig. 8.2 Tote bag collateral - First design, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Even though I was already satisfied with the tote bag design, I still wanted to experiment with more designs. In my second design, I kept it very simple. I placed the key artwork in the center and then made the handle look very busy by using the pattern created in Fig. 6.2.
Fig. 8.3 Tote bag collateral - Second design, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
I wanted to do more experimentation with the key artwork. This time around, I stacked the key artwork to form a square shape, alternating between using a filled letter and the outline of the next letter, as shown below. I really like how this one turned out, especially with the repetitive design, I chose to use this concept for another collateral instead.
Fig. 8.4 Pattern design using key artwork, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Fig. 8.5 Tote bag collateral - Third design, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Refined Collateral #2 - Water Bottle
The water bottle collateral was chosen because I wanted everyday items that can be a daily reminder of the themes of resilience and progress. For all the collaterals, I used dark blue as the body of the water bottle, then the warm colours of the colour palette to create a stark contrast with the cool background.
I made a few expansion variations I could use for the water bottle design.
Fig. 8.6 Variations of expansion of key artwork, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
The water bottle collateral was chosen because I wanted everyday items that can be a daily reminder of the themes of resilience and progress. For all the collaterals, I used dark blue as the body of the water bottle, then the warm colours of the colour palette to create a stark contrast with the cool background.
I made a few expansion variations I could use for the water bottle design.
- Variation #1: Using the pattern design in Fig. 8.1 with the letters of my wordmark, I stacked them on top of each other. I changed the colours of the design to red and peach as well as incorporated the white pixel design on top.
- Variation #2: The same pattern design but repeated/ stacked on top of each other twice to give some height to the design as well as show upward growth. I used the red and peach colours from the palette and added more colours in between to create a smooth gradient.
- Variation #3: An adjustment of the second variation. The second variation's colours were too similar to each other so I changed it to a shade that showed a gradual gradient, as well as added the beige colour from the palette.
Fig. 8.6 Variations of expansion of key artwork, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
For the first two designs I made of the water bottle collateral, I used the first variation expansion design. In the start, I imported the design onto the water bottle and zoomed in on it. I then realized it looked way too big and not very appealing, which led me to make it smaller and outline the bottom of the bottle.
Fig. 8.7 Water bottle collateral - First designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
The second design I created was using the second variation expansion design. For this round, I did the same thing as the first designs, which was making it really large and then really small. I really like the enlarged version of this design on the bottle as it looks very vibrant and contrasts against the background.
Fig. 8.8 Water bottle collateral - Second designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Fig. 8.9 Water bottle collateral - Third designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Finally, for the last water bottle designs, I used the third variation of expansion. I noticed from the second design that the red and the colour above were too similar to each other, which did not create a very nice gradient. This time around though, the design does look better. The extra stacked letter in beige adds some unevenness to the design as well as shows the meaning of upward progress.
Fig. 8.9 Water bottle collateral - Third designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Refined Collateral #3 - T-Shirt
The t-shirt collateral apparel was chosen to spread the message of the key artwork and serve as a personal statement to the person wearing it.
In my first attempt at creating the shirt design, I simply used the patterns already created beforehand and applied them to the shirt as seen below. However, I did not really like them and I did not want to use the same designs multiple times. This led me to create new patterns and new shirt designs.
The t-shirt collateral apparel was chosen to spread the message of the key artwork and serve as a personal statement to the person wearing it.
In my first attempt at creating the shirt design, I simply used the patterns already created beforehand and applied them to the shirt as seen below. However, I did not really like them and I did not want to use the same designs multiple times. This led me to create new patterns and new shirt designs.
Fig. 8.10 T-shirt collateral - Attempt, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
The patterns I created were using the same ones from Fig. 6.1, and incorporating the key artwork to it. I made a few attempts at making a design that looked visually appealing to me. When adding in the key artwork, I wanted it to stand out from the rest of the design, which led me to use a darker blue shade from the colour palette. I am quite happy with this shirt design, but I still wanted to experiment a little more.
Fig. 8.11 Pattern design using key artwork, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Fig. 8.12 T-shirt collateral - First designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
The second design I made used the pattern from Fig. 8.4. I wanted to still use this design someway somehow, which led me to use it on this shirt. I did a few variations, one was placing it right front and centre of the shirt, and the other was to make it like a tiny pocket-size version.
Fig. 8.13 T-shirt collateral - Second designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Refined Collateral #4 - Calander
I chose to use a calendar to present an expansion of my key artwork because the calendar serves as a constant visual reminder throughout the year. By displaying the words "Resilience. Progress. Growth. Everyday.", it can serve as a reminder to keep going and progressing in people's daily lives.
The first designs of the calendar featured the pattern in Fig. 6.1 but this time in beige against a red background. I placed the pattern to look like a staircase going upwards, then surrounded the calendar in the full pattern. I also tried to stack the letters in a way that resembled the staircase going upwards, but it looks really messy and I'm not too sure how much I like it.
Fig. 8.14 Calendar collateral - First designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Fig. 8.15 T-Calendar collateral - Second designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
I chose to use a calendar to present an expansion of my key artwork because the calendar serves as a constant visual reminder throughout the year. By displaying the words "Resilience. Progress. Growth. Everyday.", it can serve as a reminder to keep going and progressing in people's daily lives.
The first designs of the calendar featured the pattern in Fig. 6.1 but this time in beige against a red background. I placed the pattern to look like a staircase going upwards, then surrounded the calendar in the full pattern. I also tried to stack the letters in a way that resembled the staircase going upwards, but it looks really messy and I'm not too sure how much I like it.
Fig. 8.14 Calendar collateral - First designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
The second designs is similar to the designs above. The only change made was that instead of having the entire pattern surround the artwork, I continued the staircase display throughout the calendar, so it stacks up smoothly from end to end. I think I like this much more as it looks a lot neater and put together.
Fig. 8.15 T-Calendar collateral - Second designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Chosen Collaterals
Fig. 8.16 Shortlisted collateral designs, Week 8 (10/06/2024)
Self-Portrait
I used a self-portrait of myself and edited it to become black and white. I then added the key artwork and some expansion of it on my self-portrait, experimenting with different layouts, placement and colour. I struggled with the self-portrait part a bit because I couldn't take a picture that looked good, let alone create a design I was very satisfied with.
Below are my first attempts at incorporating the wordmark with the self-portrait. After showing the first two designs to Mr. Vinod for feedback, he did not really like them, which led me to explore more options.
Below are my first attempts at incorporating the wordmark with the self-portrait. After showing the first two designs to Mr. Vinod for feedback, he did not really like them, which led me to explore more options.
Fig. 9.1 Self-portrait explorations - Attempt #1, Week 7 (02/06/2024)
I took new pictures and edited them with different designs and layouts in Adobe Illustrator. I wanted to use the pattern in Fig. 6.1 again but instead of making it the entire background like what I did above, I decided to only use the outline to better show the background.
Fig. 9.2 Incorporating key artwork with the self-portraits, Week 8 (13/06/2024)
The second attempt designs I did are more or less similar, with just some minor changes between each variation. At first, I did not add any pattern design to the background, which looked a little plain in my opinion. Once I added the pattern I lined it up with the wordmark on each other. Each letter has a different colour and looks too busy, so I changed them all to one red colour. Finally, I expanded on the pattern to not fit a grid, but take up the entire square.
Fig. 9.3 Self-portrait explorations - Attempt #2, Week 8 (13/06/2024)
I created another variation for the fun of it and used another self-portrait. I used the same background as the previous design, but this time with the wordmark placed on the side of the self-portrait. I also did another variation using the same self-portrait but with the design layout from Fig. 9.3, with the wordmark on. The design on the right most is my final chosen self-portrait.
Fig. 9.4 Self-portrait explorations - Attempt #3, Week 8 (13/06/2024)
Instagram Layout
We then have to create an Instagram account to showcase our collaterals and brand identity. To get an idea of how to create a good Instagram feed, I looked for some inspiration on Pinterest and found layout designs.
Fig. 9.5 Types of Instagram feed, Week 6 (29/05/2024)
Fig. 9.6 Chosen Instagram layout feed type, Week 7 (04/06/2024)
Fig. 9.7 Creating Instagram feed layouts in Adobe Illustrator, Week 7 (04/06/2024)
Fig. 9.8 Instagram layout variations - Initial attempt, Week 7 (04/06/2024)
Fig. 9.9 Evolution of Instagram post design variations, Week 8 (13/06/2024)
Fig. 9.10 Instagram layout variations - Attempt #2, Week 8 (13/06/2024)
Fig. 9.11 Instagram layout variations - Attempt #3, Week 8 (14/06/2024)
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Fig. 9.12 Instagram profile, Week 8 (15/06/2024)
Following the sample reference of Instagram grids, I started assembling the collaterals and brand identity expansions on Adobe Illustrator. I planned to follow the feed type shown below and use primarily 3 colours only.
Fig. 9.6 Chosen Instagram layout feed type, Week 7 (04/06/2024)
Fig. 9.7 Creating Instagram feed layouts in Adobe Illustrator, Week 7 (04/06/2024)
These are the initial outcomes of the Instagram layout I created:
Fig. 9.8 Instagram layout variations - Initial attempt, Week 7 (04/06/2024)
Refinement of Instagram Layout (After Feedback)
After receiving feedback from Mr. Vinod on Week 7, I changed my Instagram layout since my collaterals changed as well.
For this refinement process, I wanted to polish up the post designs I intend to use as well as create a variety that I could experiment with. Below are the designs I came up with using the pattern from Fig. 6.2. I had to stretch some of the shapes in order to fit the Instagram post square properly.
For this refinement process, I wanted to polish up the post designs I intend to use as well as create a variety that I could experiment with. Below are the designs I came up with using the pattern from Fig. 6.2. I had to stretch some of the shapes in order to fit the Instagram post square properly.
Fig. 9.9 Evolution of Instagram post design variations, Week 8 (13/06/2024)
Below are a few attempts at using the new collaterals to create an Instagram layout. They look kind of messy and all over the place, especially when using the pattern design variations #1, #2, and #3. There is some layout structure but it is still an overwhelming look to the design.
Fig. 9.10 Instagram layout variations - Attempt #2, Week 8 (13/06/2024)
These are my latest attempts at creating the Instagram layout. I had to take a break from looking at all the collaterals and designs put together before attempting to make another layout. I decided to put all the grey images on a diagonal line in the centre and expanded on that. This time around, I used the design expansion pattern variations #3 and #4, which looks a lot cleaner in my opinion.
Fig. 9.11 Instagram layout variations - Attempt #3, Week 8 (14/06/2024)
I think the initial attempt I made definitely looked messy for me because there were too many things happening on the feed and the incorporation of the food elements made no sense. The refinement does look slightly more clean in my opinion.
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Fig. 9.12 Instagram profile, Week 8 (15/06/2024)
Animation
Lastly, we are required to make an animation using our key artwork to represent our brand. I decided to use Adobe Illustrator and then import the layers into After Effects to create a simple animation.
The first attempt of animating I did was to stack the letters and make them fall on top of each other. I like this animation quite a lot, however, it may be too simple. This led me to create another variation.
The first attempt of animating I did was to stack the letters and make them fall on top of each other. I like this animation quite a lot, however, it may be too simple. This led me to create another variation.
For the next attempt, I did masking to make the letters appear and form the shape. I'm quite pleased with how this one looked as well, but I wanted to make it a little longer and expand slightly more on the animation.
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Fig. 10.2 Animation - Attempt #2, Week 8 (14/06/2024)
To further expand on the second animation, I thought of another idea which is to show the key artwork changing in colours of my colour palette. I think this is a good way to showcase the brand more and display the key artwork on different backgrounds and colours.
Fig. 10.3 Final Animation, Week 8 (14/06/2024)
Fig. 10.4 Progress for animation, Week 8 (14/06/2024)
Fig. 10.6 Animation keyframes, Week 8 (14/06/2024)
Final Task 2B - Key Collateral
Fig. 11.2 Final Collateral 2, Week 8 (15/06/2024)
Fig. 11.3 Final Collateral 3, Week 8 (15/06/2024)
Fig. 11.4 Final Collateral 4, Week 8 (15/06/2024)
Fig. 11.5 Key Artwork Animation, Week 8 (15/06/2024)
Fig. 11.6 Instagram Feed Design Layout, Week 8 (15/06/2024)
Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/l00katmejoey/
Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/l00katmejoey/
Fig. 11.7 Screenshot of Instagram Profile Page, Week 8 (15/06/2024)
Fig. 11.8 Close-up of Instagram Page, Week 8 (15/06/2024)
Final Task 2A & B - Key Collateral
Fig. 12.1 Final Task 2: Key Artwork & Collateral - PDF, Week 8 (21/06/2024)
FEEDBACK
WEEK 5
General Feedback
WEEK 5
General Feedback
Think about what your work is trying to represent or sell.
Take account of white space, don't make it too small or
big.
Specific Feedback
Specific Feedback
- Good exploration and thought processes
- Idea #1: The shape and form are interesting and
attractive. However, it needs better rationalization to
sell it and needs more gaps or readability will suffer.
While the form is attractive, the meaning of the form
could be better. To show 'going outside of the box', you
can use dashed lines and show the letters going outside.
- Idea #2: Good meaning behind the mountain. Not
very impressive in terms of form. It also needs to be
4-5 characters.
- Idea #3: Looks like something inappropriate,
but it will stick in people's minds. However,
readability suffers.
WEEK 6
General Feedback
General Feedback
- When a design is shrunk, there are always losses in certain characteristics of the design. It becomes a problem when you lose the legibility of what the letter is.
- Rationalise your decisions
- Thin lines have no presence
Specific Feedback
- Thin lines have no presence
Specific Feedback
- Good job but it needs more individuality
- For example, rusty on the side to set it apart from other forms of similar-looking letterforms. Chinks in the armour, some round ability can be introduced to give it some reliability
- For example, rusty on the side to set it apart from other forms of similar-looking letterforms. Chinks in the armour, some round ability can be introduced to give it some reliability
- The colour scheme is good
WEEK 7
General Feedback
General Feedback
- Avoid repetition of wordmark/pattern in Instagram tiles
- All the collaterals should be purposeful and justifiable.
- Expand your wordmark by using one letter or certain aspects
Specific Feedback
- Change the collaterals, you're not running a F&B brand
REFLECTION
Experience
My experience with this task has been a rather long and daunting one. On one hand, I enjoyed being able to create an identity for myself and experimenting and expanding with different designs as well as creating collaterals, which I found really fun to do. However, on the other, I struggled a lot because I did not think I had a clear direction in mind. During Task 2B, I think I must have been drunk or sleep-deprived doing this work the initial time around because I thought those were some of the worst things I've created and had no expansion of the key artwork at all. This task, while fun from the start, has haunted me since the moment I knew about it a few semesters ago.
Observations
Through this task, my observation has been that it is important to have meaning in every design choice you make, especially when creating the wordmark. We should not create a design just because it looks visually appealing, but it should also hold meaning and symbolism behind it. This is one of the things I observed from the feedback from Mr. Vinod to the class, as well as the feedback he gave to me. It is also important that the collaterals have meaning to it as well and why it was chosen in the first place. Everything needs to reflect your brand.
Findings
FURTHER READING
Fig. 13.1 "The Vignelli Canon on Design” by Massimo Vignelli
When reading this book, I found content that was relevant to the task at hand, which is all about creating a brand.
Fig. 13.2 Timelessness, Page 28
Fig. 13.3 Colour, Page 78
The book states that colour is used as a signifier or as an identifier, and not used in a pictorial manner, which is the reason why we prefer primary colours. The choice of colour should convey a message and be used as a symbol that holds meaning. Any colour can be used to express a variety of feelings and connotations, however, it is of importance to limit the colour palette to better transfer the message in a clear way. There is a right time to use the right colour, it all depends on the appropriateness.
When reading this book, I found content that was relevant to the task at hand, which is all about creating a brand.
Fig. 13.2 Timelessness, Page 28
This part of the book states the importance of a lasting design that responds to people's needs and wants. It highlights the preference for primary shapes and colours because of how timeless they are, something that is clear and simple. The author also states the design should have a message rather than just center around visuals, in order to create a sense of timelessness.
Fig. 13.3 Colour, Page 78
The book states that colour is used as a signifier or as an identifier, and not used in a pictorial manner, which is the reason why we prefer primary colours. The choice of colour should convey a message and be used as a symbol that holds meaning. Any colour can be used to express a variety of feelings and connotations, however, it is of importance to limit the colour palette to better transfer the message in a clear way. There is a right time to use the right colour, it all depends on the appropriateness.
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