End of module evaluation

Throughout this module I feel like I have learnt a great deal and gained a lot from it. As well as knowledge about print and processes I have improved my use and skills on software like Illustrator and InDesign. Before hand I would always avoid using Illustrator anyway I could because I hated it but even using it for basic things in this module has improved my confidence on it. I feel like I have been more practical with this module too, trying new skills like embossing, foiling and screen-printing.

I don’t think my research is that strong actually for this module, although I have tried out and experimented with techniques I am aware that my primary research could be extended a great deal I just found that I wanted to get making and be more practical with this module which is the wrong approach because you need to be informed. Although I did find myself looking at a great deal of existing product ranges, and printing and finishing techniques for my secondary research. Looking at existing ranges really informed the decisions I made for my range because it motivated me to try and create something which could exist in the real world, even if it didn’t turn out that way.

I think my strengths have been trying out new techniques, trying out things I was possibly ‘afraid’ of using, the likes of Illustrator.  Also I think I have kept on top of my work in terms of blogging and documenting. Where I maybe have been more weak is in ideas, I tended to come up with an idea vary this a little bit and I spend ages coming up with the best e.g. embossing, I spent ages coming up with the most suitable logo to emboss, another mistake I made was changing my stock at the last minute, I decided to bring in some silver and without even testing this out the screen printing and foiling basically went wrong leaving me with no time at the end to re-do them so consequently I ended up unhappy with some of my final products. I know for next time I need to make these kinds of decisions earlier on and test things out before going ahead with it.

Next time I will hopefully put more effort into primary research, expand on a range of ideas and not just focus on one, improve crafting skills, I believe these can be improved greatly and make decisions earlier on, leaving time to try and test things out. Lastly I would like to maybe work on a more fun concept although I did like the fact that I did something different as last year everything I did was a light hearted approach and this was more of a sensible and professional outlook even if it doesn’t look that way.

From this module I have gained a clearer direction of the work I like and would like to steer towards. I have loved learning as well as designing and making, it has made this module a lot more interesting and enjoyable.

Attendance- 5

Punctuality- 5

Motivation- 4

Commitment- 5

Quantity of work- 3

Quality of work-  3

Final Boards

ARTWORK

Boards

Nets

Magazine

InDesign grid for magazine layout. I've included one main photograph of the range, a column of text down the side, the logo, name of the range and a small description so that the main focus is the image.

I then placed the double page spread inside an existing magazine and photographed it to look like it is part of the magazine, magazines that you would find in store in places like Waitrose and Harrods with delicatessen food sections inside their stores.

Products

Screen printing

 I used a silver paint for the descriptions on the black stock, I really like the way these have turned out especailly in the small font and serif typeface they look quite sophisticated. Again this didn't work so well on the silver stock with black paint, some smudges were made.

 

 

Sandwich boxes

 I'm really dissapointed with the way the black foil has turned out on the silver stock but it's too late now to redo them. I would ideally just like to go with my initial idea and use all black stock.

Drink labels

Production

 I foil blocked my nets, turns out the black worked best however unfortuntaely I'd already made the decision to use alternative colours, black and silver. Obviosuly I should have tried the silver out earlier but it was a last minute find and I just really wanted to use it

 My embossed logo on the triangular boxes, I like the embossing on the silver stock it's more prominent, shame the foiling doesn't work so well. Going to have to just photoshop it for my magazine page etc to improve the quality.

 Quick mock up of a drink label, I'd like to use a long label like this so there is a lot of black covering the glass.

More embossing

I attempted to make a 3d stamp to emboss in the print room using the wheel with raised letters on card, however I don't think the letters were raised enough in order to produce a deep enough emboss.

I've been trying out more variations of my logo as using the whole two words "1st class" is proving to be too long and difficult to get accurate when cutting out. I am contemplating screen printing the 'class' underneath the 'st' or leaving it as just "1st" because I do quite like the look of it and it fits a lot easier onto each net

Descriptions

Originally I centrally aligned the text on each net for the descriptions but with playing around and looking at things like this on my design context how it looks good arranged to the side, then I tried aligning it to the right and much preferred the look of this.

 This one was a bit of a struggle and kind of put me off the idea of aligning to the right, however I tried to arrange it so it works, I still prefer it to the centred text

Descriptions ready to screen print

Typeface for descriptions

I initially thought Times New Roman would work best because it is traditional, universal but also has a sophistication about it. I am also considering using Cambria bold because this would be consistent with the typeface used for the lettering on the front of the packages. I don't want to use more than two typefaces on the overall packages but I would like them to all be serif typefaces.

Typeface: Cambria

Position of text too high on the net

Position not suitable as price and barcode would be positioned at the bottom

Typeface: Times New Roman

I prefer how the Times New Roman works on the box, I have split up the text where pauses are taken, like we learnt in the type workshop with Graham. I also like that Times New Roman 12pt is smaller