Not a whole lot of magazine design going on in the last week! It's kind of a weird feeling, but this next week-and-a-half will be a handful. I will be doing Music department designs, logos for the Sports Journalism Institute and getting started on creating our Plaid Dad publication.
So this week I thought I would critique some other designing I have been working on this semester, which is for an iPhone application. (Yes, I am actually on a team developing an app this semester - so exciting!) Here are some basic screenshots of the first pages of the app:
Designing an iPhone app is very similar and different from designing a magazine. The biggest challenge is working on a small layout due to screen size. The concept "less is more" plays a very significant role in this project. The main challenge is figuring out how to get a lot of information into a small space, and the most minimal amount of screens/navigation for the user. Also, trying to design a completely unique app for a phone that uses such a distinguished template is very difficult. I am learning to really think about icons and deciphering what information is absolutely necessary or just in the way. Thoughts on improving icons, color or layout?
RESPONSE:
Since we are in the midst of logo designing this week, a word to the wise - designers need dirty and offensive minds just like editors.
Yesterday The Guardian reported that Iran has threatened to boycott the 2012 Olympics if the logo is not changed. The Iranian government has said that the letters could be rearranged to form the word "Zion." It was designed and introduced in 2007, and there have been comments that it could also be mistaken as a swastika or a sexual position. The International Olympic Committee has said it represents nothing but the numbers"2012". I personally see nothing wrong with the logo, but I am not a huge fan. It resembles graffiti to me, which is not always a positive thing with its vandalism associations. Also, I think the neon pink and yellow will be hard to work with on merchandise that is marketable to every gender, race and religion on the planet. Do you see it and think "Zion" though?
YOU CAN'T MISS...
HOLY COW this is the coolest cookbook ever!! Check out IKEA's "Homemade is best" cookbook created by Forsman and Bodenfors. They wanted something to go with their kitchen appliances, but that wasn't the same old cookbook full of the same old pictures...well they nailed it. (In the actual book there is a list of ingredients and instructions written in the top right corner - click on the link to see.)
That is really awesome that you're making an iPad app. I think it looks really good so far and very accessible. I literally feel like I'm learning a different language when I hear anything about apps, which I should probably work on very soon since that's becoming a major part of design.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the logo, I didn't initially see Zion, but I see it after you wrote about that. I also don't think the colors they chose are very marketable. I was really surprised by the logo because usually olympic logos are so clean and fresh. It seems sloppy or something.
The cookbook you featured is AWESOME. I'm obsessed.
I don't think that the Olympics logo is legible, which is the big thing a logo really needs to be. If people can't read it, they aren't going to know what it represents. Also, someone created a version of it that spells "shit." http://apple.copydesk.org/uploads/2011/03/110301OlympicsLogo03.jpg
ReplyDeleteIt's a little crazy what people can do with a little rearranging of the elements designers create.
I think you're doing a great job with the iPhone app. The logos or the pages are well-designed and very clear as to what they are. I would maybe suggest making the text just a little big larger. I know when you're driving in the car and trying to use your phone to look something up at the same time, having larger text to read can make things a lot safer for you and the cars around you.
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