OUGD504: SB4- Evaluation

I was genuinely exciting by the idea of studio brief 4, augmented design was always something that interested me, unfortunately I think I only realised the full potential of it after I had created everything and when it was way too late to back track and start it all again. I think it would’ve been better to categorise the brief as ‘interactive design’ as opposed to augmented, I was rather fixated on the idea that the audience had to use a phone, or an app and produce some ‘virtual reality’ when really it could’ve been anything that physically engages the public and causes them to interact with the advert. Still, I did enjoy my final outcome eventually.

Of course I had my major mistake moment, like I always do with every brief ever. This one came with the physical production of my designs, like it usually does. I was really pleased with my concept and my ideas (like I usually am) but for some reason I had it in my head that I was going to use a photograph to create the dank and full of flowers landscapes. See, if I had had more time, over the course of a year I would take two photos of the same field, one full of wild flowers in the height of summer and the second with the barren and empty landscape in the autumn or winter. But seeing as I didn’t have the time frame to do that I simply caused myself endless frustration trying to Photoshop flowers into an empty field. No matter how hard I tried the flowers looked fake and just didn’t fit with the landscape. However, I’m glad I had this major mistake because it caused me to change my approach and style. I ended up producing a vectorised cartoon style image that I really like. It suits the family and children demographic I had been aiming for much better than the photograph idea and it feels more ‘my style’.

I do have one major problem with my final designs though, and it’s that the ‘before’ image looks really boring (that and I wish I had put something like ‘download the app or scan QR code to see a transformation’ instead of ‘Use your phone to interact’, so clunky). In comparison to my field full of flowers with a happy little bee it just feels so dull. I suppose that was the point but I don’t think it would grab anyone’s attention; no one would interact with it. I think a better choice would’ve been the positive image that becomes animated once you interact with it, or that the poster smells of wild flowers. This is the problem with my concept though, I’ve tried to give the scary shock factor common with most conservation posters but also leave people with a positive feeling at the end. The vectorised style suits the happy ending but the photograph I feel would’ve best suited the dull start- perhaps a combination of both styles would’ve worked? Who knows?

I have one more hiccough with this brief and it’s my seed paper. The seed paper was a key part of the physical side of the campaign, something people could plant, something to hold. But annoyingly, despite ordering the paper 2 weeks ago and paying for first class delivery, it still hasn’t arrived which is really frustrating. It feels like a key component of my idea is missing and that’s genuinely sad. I can add it later yes, but by then it’s too late.

Overall, I do like what I’ve produced, I could do better, I always can, but despite a few problems and a lack of seed filled paper I think the campaign works. It’s not so much about advertising the website as it is about encouraging people to engage in home conservation and providing information about bumble bees and I think that’s what it’s achieved.

OUGD504: SB4- Further Development and Final Designs

So I've had a complete change of idea… as we all do sometimes. Not with the concept of my idea but the style of it.

After staring at my photographed masked image I realised that I hated it. It didn't fit in with the look and feel of my website and as far as my target audience is concerned (young families being the key demographic) it would't be something that got their attention. I needed something I felt proud of as well as something parents would feel their children would be interested in and children themselves would want to engage with. 

So I decided to play on my strengths and go for an illustrative/vectorised style for my posters. Going for a cartoon look would not only give a more professional look and feel in comparison to the photograph one but it would also appeal to children and parents and give the family friendly feel I'm looking for.

So I began by searching for images of British wildflowers and sketching some very simplified versions to get a feel for how the design would look. I then digitally reproduced them in illustrator and created a simple vector background.

I then produced a simple vectorised (and incredibly adorable) bee and added text and the logo. The final result of it all is something I'm very happy with. I feel it suits not only the context and the audience better but fits in with the style of the website and my style as a designer. 

The first image will be the printed and visible version and the second will only become visible once viewed with a smart phone.

 Once the billboard version was created it was simple to adapt the design for the portrait bus stop poster and magazine sizes. 

To add a more physical element to my interactive design I decided to make some little bumble bee fact cards with facts taken from the website. I believe this will engage audiences more with the cause and add an educational element for children. When someone can hold or touch something they become more connected with the design and more attached to the cause, it also gives the campaign a physical presence (along side the seed paper). 

OUGD504: SB4- Development

For my development I began by heading out to a field in the back end of no where to take some pictures for my 'empty field images'. I was very specific with the kinds of images I wanted; although I needed a sunny day with good lighting I still wanted a barren and muddy looking landscape to give the full dramatic 'world without bees' shock for my audiences. I chose this photo to develop into my billboard image.

Of course the brightness of the image didn't really give the strong sense of doom and gloom that I had wanted to convey so I had to add an element of depression to the image by desaturating the colours and washing out the brightness. This wasn't too difficult, the difficult bit came next.

Because the key element of my augmented design relied on the same field empty and then full of flowers once you interacted with it, and seeing as the time of year it is meant I wouldn't be able to photograph the same field empty and with flowers it, it meant I had to improvise.

I took my image, brightened it up and then searched for some flowers I could add into the field. This was an awkward time consuming stage in itself, I needed British wildflowers for a British audience, I needed a high quality of photo as well as a large photo that would cover the entirety of my field. And most annoyingly I needed an image that matched the depth of my existing photo; it needed to blend in as if it were already there so it needed to be set at a similar distance. Still after many tweaks to google's advanced search options I finally found an appropriate picture.

I decided the best way to integrate my found image into my snapped image was to use a layer mask. Now I love and hate layer masks, yes they are useful, yes you can add or remove elements to and from an image, but when it comes to highly detailed pictures it becomes fiddly and it's very difficult when something is so detailed to make it look genuinely a part of the existing picture.

There's also a particular problem I have with layer masks and it's that if I stare at one for too long it will never look right. This happened to me with this image, no matter how much I zoomed in and out, tweaked and… twerked? The image didn't look right. 

Happily though I took a break, got some outside opinions and it was agreed that they had merged together well, with a few issues regarding colour which were easily solved. 

In order to make the entire 'after' image look bright colour and full of flowers I needed to add some leaves to the bare trees. This was something I hadn't done before and so with every new technique I attempt I looked for a tutorial to guide me through it.

According to the tutorial I found it was actually pretty easy, using a brush tool, messing around with the  jitter, painting and then overlaying the image I managed to turn bare tree into full leaved ones. Although close up it was quite easy to see the brush marks, once zoomed out they looked rather realistic.

I now have a before and after for my billboard, for the text I want to use indesign to get the alignment correct, so next will be the bus stop and magazine images. Knowing I can either crop the existing image or repeat my techniques on other images will save me a lot of time when it comes to producing the others.

OUGD504: SB4- Research Part 2

Knowing that I want hand made paper filled with seeds to be a key part of my printed campaign I thought it would be best to find out if seed filled paper can be bought or how to make it. 

Instructables gives step by step instructions on how to make paper, but it requires a mild and blender. I want to see if there are easier ways to make this.

Botanical Paper Works not only seek seeded paper with wildflower seeds at a reasonable price but also ones in many different colours at 8.5x11" size. Depending on the delivery time this may be the easiest way to get the stocks I need.

Paper Slurry also give instructions on how to make handmade paper. This method too requires moulds and a blender which may be an annoyance but the rough edges look so very pretty and I think there's something charming about the idea of it. Its just weather it's practical to do so.

The David Suzuki Foundation gives instructions on how to make handmade seed paper, which is wonderful. It also says that a blender isn't necessary so that's certainly an easier method by the looks of it. The instructions give clear direction when it comes to the types of seeds to use and gives the option of using an old picture frame as the mould. 

OUGD504: SB4- Initial Ideas

For studio brief four we have to create printed adverts for our website that include an element of augmented design. They need to be interactive and interesting so here are my initial ideas about it.

I want to create two different sides of the printed campaign.

The first uses billboards, magazine ads and large posters that contain the bee aware logo and a barren landscape with the worlds 'a world without flowers/bees- use your phone to see more'… or something like that. When an member of the public uses their phone with the advertisement sudden the message changes 'simple actions can save bees' or something like that... and the landscape becomes filled with flowers.

The second is printed materials such as leaflets and business cards that will be made out of handmade paper containing seeds. Screen pretend type and logos over the top will contain the website, and basic instructions 'plant me to save the world'… or something like that. When a smart phone is used with the leafless it will show you the potential flowers blooming out from the card but also take you through a guide on how to plant the flowers and maintain them. 

I also had an idea of an 'eco box' made similarly out of the seed filled paper but a flat design you fold into a box, fill with soil and bury. This might just be an awkward version of the little cards and leaflets but I still like it.

Hopefully the leaflets could contain a loose page of seed filled paper or in magazine ads the little 'plant me' cards could be attached to the page. This will scare people with the harsh truth but then give them a simple and easy answer to the problem. 

Though this campaign I want to make people not only care or sympathise but also take action and actually do something and I believe providing them all the tools for doing so will encourage people to participate.

OUGD504: Study Task- Print Finishes

This session we were set the task of finding out about print finishes. I was lucky to be given a book to flick through call the production manual, it had an entire chapter on finishing which included folding binding as well as the all important finishes applied to print.

Perforation

Perforation comes from the Latin word “foramen” and means hole or opening. This is a process that creates a cut-out area that can be detached from the page. Potential uses include mail out packages, or contact information that can be torn out and kept.

Duplexing

When two stocks are bonded to form a single sheet this is called duplexing, it's a technique used mainly on business cards or invites. 

Thermography

This print finishing process produces raised lettering using powder fused to the page in an oven. It gives the overall look a bubbly and mottled surface that is very touchable and eye catching. This can be used in any statement piece such as cards, high end promotion materials such as leaflets, and decorative posters.

Foils

Foiling an image adds a 'shiny' layer to the page and is produced by pressing a heated die to the paper. Also named foil stamp or foil emboss it is a widely versatile finished process and can be used on leaflets, book covers and promotional materials such as leaflets or business cards. They can also be used as watermarks for samples.

Embossing and Debossing

Both embossing and debossing involve a mounted plate being pressed into the stock to produce the finish. The difference between the two is that embossing creates a raised impression on the paper where as debossing creates an indented look. Both have many applications including watermarking, book covers, adding a textured dynamic to business cards or letter heads, invitations etc. If doubled with a foiling technique it adds a really interesting look to printed material.

Die Cutting

Die cutting is a process where shapes are 'cut out' from the stock using blanks or templates; blades formed into the desired cutting shape; and a press. When manufacturing mass amounts of one cut out product die cutting is the easiest method to use, however producing a new design takes time and effort and if it is for a small number of jobs it becomes more effort than it is worth.

Laser Cutting

Similar to die cutting; they both remove shapes from stock; but more flexible with what you cut. Laser cutting is all set up digitally and then produced with a laser cutting machine. For smaller numbers of cutting products this is the tool to use, however is mass production is your thing then die cutting is the better option. It takes less time to set up, once a digital 'cutting' file is produced but takes longer toy cut; vice versa for die cutting.

Varnishes

There are many types of varnishing finishes for many different effects. They are: gloss for a shiny look, making photos and images look sharper and the colours brighter, matt for the opposite of gloss, neutral for an almost invisible look useful for quick turnarounds as it dries very quickly, pearlescent for a luxurious effect, satin and silk for that midway look between matt and gloss, textured spot UV to apply texture to paper such as leather, crocodile skin etc, and UV varnish a form of varnish that will dry when exposed to UV rays, a page with this varnish on it will be shiny and a little sticky. 

Laminates 

Like with varnishes, there are many different types with many different effects. Matt, diffuses light and reduces glare, satin for somewhere between matt and gloss, gloss, a shiny highly reflective laminate, sand, for creating a subtle sand grain on a design and leather, to give a leather texture to the page. 

A shape with foiling and UV spot varnishing.

 A two colour image with foiling.

A three colour image with spot varnish. 

OUGD504: SB4- Research

Printed Advertisments

Found on 25 creative designs- From up North

From Creative Bloq's- 100 Brilliant print adverts.

I've been keeping an eye out for conservation related adverts seeing how my site is a conservation related site. However, I am yet to see an advert that doesn't attempt to scare and shock audiences; it's still a powerful message but one that I feel has been drastically overused. I also feel the smaller scale of my project (UK based) and the simplicity of the actions required to make a difference will make it easier to produce a positive friendly campaign as opposed to a fear mongering one. 

I had to include this design because it's a great example of a digital campaign translating itself into a printed one. The iconic style used in dumb ways to die works just as well in printed physical version. I think because of how ingrained the animation has become to audiences you can't help but hear the song as you read. 

For a bed and breakfast, brilliant isn't it?

This one just makes me smile. It's also very clever taking real life and turning it into a single colour. Quirky ideas with strong ties to the product or brand seem to be what makes my favourite printed ads the strongest. 

Augmented/Interactive Design

The capabilities of augmented design range widely. Using technology it seems the possibilities are endless when it comes to what can now be done with printed media. 

Adding an interactive element to it's catalogue Ikea engages it's audiences with the products and allows them to visualise what furniture could look like in their homes. It gives virtual tours and 3D examples and immerses the customer in the ikea world. 

Sometimes it's easy to assume that a smart phone is the only way of adding augmented elements to an advert, however Pepsi manage to turn a bus stop into something special without a smartphone being needed. This advert gets people exciting and makes them interact with the camera and video. And most importantly it makes people look on the other side of the bus stop and view the large poster for Pepsi Max. The combination of enjoyment coupled with product placement makes audiences connect those positive feelings with the soft drink as well as photograph, film and share their experiences ultimately sharing the campaign with the world.