Well, considering we have had two snow days and have now been informed we get a third, not much has been going on this week! I have been snowed in at my friends house since Monday without my computer so it's been impossible for me to get to do any designing.
This past Sunday was my first weekend of designing for my department at VOX. I am one of three designers for the music department and am very excited. This page below is for the 2/3 issue, and the only content for my page was a profile story on DJ Z. If you think looking at a blank page is challenging, try looking at a page with one quarter-age ad in the corner. This spread is very simple but it did take a little playing with until I was able to find a layout that worked well and allowed the story to flow smoothly. Overall I am happy with the page!
Earlier last week we also had our second competition for the semester - the Spring Preview competition. We were challenged with developing a unique theme for the feature, along with a cover and splash page. I decided to go the literal route and use illustrations I created of actual springs. (And yes, I was very proud of myself for making these! It was my first time) The bright colors were lively and helped the pages come to life. The most challenging part of the competition was coming up with two designs for the cover and splash page that worked on the same theme. I also worked a lot with the top right corner of my spread. I couldn't decided if this was awkward white space or good breathing room for the page.
RESPONSE:
This week I would like to respond to this picture I found online on a website titled "Social Design Notes". The photograph is of a poster being held by a protester in Egypt; it is actually a chart the man created. Even though I can't read the language on the poster, the symbols indicate that it is a flowchart showing the results for different choices. Just goes to show that design is everywhere you look though!
A protester breaks down the algorithm: “Mubarak leaves. Yes: Parliament dissolves. No: Protests, disobedience. strikes.”
YOU CAN'T MISS THIS:
Labels are something you look at everyday, but sometimes we get so used to them we don't pay attention! Of course as a designer, I start to realize that I notice them way more. It's nice to see companies, especially food companies, incorporate fun designs on their labels. Not only are they pleasant to look at, but they're always something I want to keep. On the blog I follow each week there is a post about fruit juice labels. This one below is my favorite. I left it XL so you could see the detail on the fruit of each bottle. They appear to be squeezed! I thought it added a very unique perspective and added dimension to the gray label. Love it.
I love how you have the key to show what each event is. I think it's a great device to help readers that still fits into the design well.
ReplyDeleteI like your overall concept. It's similar to what I came up with, only I used Slinkies. Good job making those illustrations, too. Your design looks very polished, but I'm a little concerned about the cover. I think it looks really nice and professional, but I don't think that it expresses the issue's theme of "spring preview." I'm not sure who those guys are, but I assume they're featured in one of the previews. If the issue's overall feature was about them then this would be great. However, focusing on them when the theme is "spring preview" as a whole might be hard to justify. Anyway, like I said, the final product looks pretty clean, but it might have some thematic issues. Oh, and good colors :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you also chose to critique your department page. It was interesting to read what you had trouble with since the pages are designed with a template. I imagine that it will take some getting used to since many of us have never had to design around ad space before. Overall, great job on your first department page.
ReplyDeleteI know the photo placement for your department page was not as you originally wanted it, but the final page turn out great! Also, for as many people chose the "spring" idea, I'm surprised I didn't think of it myself...I really liked your spring illustrations -- you must show me how you made them. I saw the individual illustrations in your folder on the server and was very interested in their construction. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI think this is one of the only spring preview designs that featured the photo of one specific event. Although I'm not sure if the photo was the best choice from an editor's perspective, I think it makes for a really interesting design. Great job finding and working with publicity art — I'd definitely want to pick up a magazine with that image on its cover.
ReplyDeleteYour spring preview turned out so well. I love the splash page. I think you made a good decision using black typography and then the colored springs. I saw how long those took you to make, so kudos on that because they turned out really well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Theresa, I haven't seen any other Spring Preview covers with just one image as the focus. I actually think it was a good decision. It gives the cover a focus and makes it easier to understand what is going on.
Nice job with the springs! Every time I open up Illustrator now I have flash backs to the Missourian graphics closet days. Also, I thought you did a nice job with the DJ Z story. Working with those awkward quarter page ads can be very difficult, but I thought you pulled it off.
ReplyDeleteThat photo you found of the protestor's sign was so interesting. I think it really speaks to the power of visuals and their impact on comprehension. Although it's written in a different language, your assumption about its overall gist was absolutely right. Funny how that works.
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