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Reflection on design decisions

This is the self-reflection through this study journal according to brochure and poster design with a fixed topic. I appreciate every critical section in class or self-thinking to follow and manage the limited working time before the deadline. I found my strengths parts and weaknesses parts after this journey.

Something I feel I am strength/enjoy within this project.

I am happy with the brochure surrounding the contrast layout, but it is not hard to read even with a gorgeous displaying. I also prefer the connection between the poster and the brochure, which directs to an elegant looking as I wish in the prior stage.

Therefore, I am happy with the colour selection and playing with opacity. I realise the outcome will look complicated if I select too many colours to integrate into one page. Then I chose Black, white and cyan as the prior colour selection, and only extension with hues of cyan to add gradients but all within similar colour usage.

Some critical/weakness I am going to train myself.

This is a project that I could criticise myself mostly about time management, which affects every subject as well. I spent too much time focusing on the poster at the start and did not work on the brochure, which is an essential part of this project. It influenced me to rush the time for making brochures and reduced my chance to receive a critical reflection in class step-by-step.

Therefore, the other thing to be aware of is the displayed colour within the physical copy. The colour will always be different between the screen and the display in reality. It required further printing experimentations and comparison several times. This skill is improving with every failure experience and required more time spent, risk-taking and also self-progression.

Next stage.

After this project, I learnt and warmed up with more skills in the Adobe system. It is required for deepened researching and training for me to deal with any projects. Overall, I am happy with the outcome of this project. It helps me to see what skills I have used well recently, and also something I need to keep progressing through this design journey in AUT. I will decide to make a timetable for myself to critic with time management, and keep everything with further advice and on the right track in each stage. These will enrich my study journey in life.

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To the final - physical printing and slight modification

The first trial printing and fail

At this stage, straight forward to the final, I sent the document to the Warehouse Stationery and selected the A2 plan printing. Therefore I receive the first copy in actual size. Unfortunately, the printer gets an error from Warehouse. The ink is messy and influences the contents. However, this is also useful as a self-critical session to see the visual problem and modified slightly at this stage.

The first problem that is easy to see is the actual colour difference between the display on the screen and the physical copy. They look more blue them the cyan I wished. This is affected by several elements even though I use the CMYK, which according to the paper and ink quality depends on the printer. The paper used for plan printing is also too thin for this ink usage to surface. It slightly penetrates to the back page.

Therefore, the second failure I see is the opacity of the decorative letters on my brochure side, especially on the timetable pages. It is too disturbing the contents and dash lines I used as timetable grids. It also affects the hierarchy between the background colour and the main contents.

Additionally, I did not add the actual bleed distance into this copy, then the size of entire copy is not accurate at this stage.

Progress to final

Afterwards, I realise the paper quality is influencing the colour difference. For the best reading quality I could do at this stage, I chose to print it on poster paper which is thicker than plain printing paper. Even though the colour difference still exists, it displays better than the previous one. The words are all laying in the correct place without printing errors or penetrating the back page.

I reduced the opacity of the decorative letter for timetable pages for the progressed view before the final printing.

The actual bleeds from the document setting have been added to this final copy for accurate size.

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Work in progress and note - Parent page and decoration

The meaning of selected alphabet and opacity

The parent page is a function similar to the paragraph style and helps manage the page background even though we only have two pages maximumly according to this project. There is a point out for the parent page on the brochure side. I played the contrast with Graphite Std and picked letters in each sub-page. These letters only remain in around 30~60% of opacity to prevent it will affect the displaying of content, which act as the supporting role at this stage. They are all containing meaning for content accordingly like below:

The reading order from up-left to right:

C and E for Conference pages.

J for Joseph Churchward.

T for Tobias Frere Jones.

V for Verena Gerlach.

N for Nadine Chahine.

C for Carol Twombly

V for Veronika Burian

J for Jessica Hische

J for Johnson Witehira

Double T for Timetable

M for Map

The actual view after applied the parent page

I lay out these selected letters backwards the images and contents and only play some overlay to others for the gradient differentiate with background colours. The advantage of Graphite Std is it contains some liner strokes for each letter and emphasises the grid at this stage. I randomly select the font size and opacity, then make them align to something and get involved in the entire brochure.

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Work in progress and note - Conference information (brochure side)

Become informative and persuasive with only types

It acted as the introduction of my brochure, and it is in the middle space between my front cover and back cover. I am dealing with it in a simple, informative version because the front cover and back cover are both complicated to display. Then I only used to play with the weight of the Gill Sans family, which referred to the speakers' detail below it. Then to deal with the style of the brochure, I select two alphabets 'C and E' laying in the background to add texture accordingly. It referred to the first and the last letter of the word 'CONFERENCE'.

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Work in progress and note - Front page + Back page (brochure side)

Referred to the poster side and simplify

This is essential to deal with the front cover and back cover on the brochure side, which means it will be the first impression if the reader gets a physical copy and fold them in order. I am playing with the colour contrast oppositely because I chose the deeper colour for my brochure side to deal with the better reading quality. For the word 'TYPOGRAFIKA', I used black in lower opacity on the poster side. I change it to white for my brochure side. It created a different version of my poster as my front cover.

Therefore, to deal with the back cover which contains less information, I retain the colour allocation for my front cover and play with another type of layout. Contrary, the text of my front cover is all at the centre and leaves a blank space surrounding it. The back cover only remains a blank space in the centre.

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Work in progress and note - Icon drawing

FB and IG icon selection and process

The icon is an additional element for the poster side to add iconic information. As the two popular social media, the icon could be shown independently without any explanation. The recent people will notice the meaning when they see them. This is how brand image and visual motif work over time. I chose the version with fillets in each corner and put them into Adobe Illustrator for redrawing. The reason for my selection is to link back to the background font from my poster, which is the cyan base with the number '24' in Chantal. The Chantal is a soft display font with circular strokes, which could link them all together. The colour selection also refers back to the entire body. Aim to keep them simple and readable.

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Work in progress and note - Timetable

Start with word document management

This is brand new knowledge that I learn from Adobe InDesign. I am first time dealing with table use for InDesign. After receiving some basic knowledge from the previous class, I start working on the Word document. I added the column title for each one and merged cells which repeated information, such as the course name of the workshop.

The prototype of timetable layout/line choosing

There are two types of timetables, which refer to the speakers' events and workshops. I still have three spaces for these contents at this time. I decide to use two pages for the speakers' events, and another for the workshop, because the words count between these two is different.

I extended the outline for the date column, which was used to send the time and place columns into the beside bracket. It avoids the issue when we need to fold the brochure physically, and the word will be folded within the creases.

I chose the dashed line between two colours with the same weight to leave the negative space for tables while still gridding the contents. It also created a simple and soft mood within the brochure.

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Work in progress and note - The text layout

The prototype of speaker text layout - crossing

This is an early stage of this project. I start with the trial of layout for speakers' contents with the image and text first. From my first inspiration, the irregular layout could add visual aspects, and still create the reading hierarchy for readers. I start with laying each speaker crossing each other such as below, which follows the original grids and laying within each bracket.

The reflection from class

After the critical section from the physical class, I realised there needs further focus on the other essential knowledge 'proximity', which refers to the reading orders that readers will link automatically from their eyes.

It means the reading orders might not be successful as I wish from my last stage. For example, Joseph Churchward's description might be connected to the Tobias Frere Jones photograph, and vice versa because they are nearby each other. I also realise the content is not enough to enrich the space. It is bland recently.

The progress through to final

Afterwards, through the final, I started with separating these contents into separate parts as 'Name, Sub-title and Information', which all use different paragraph styles to create visual aspects via text as well as image.

The only thing I did uniquely is I use separate directions for the speakers' names to become vertical and align right to make a sharp angle in up-right corners. It is my strategy to link all the relative content into a rectangular shape, they will be nearby each other with the correct proximity and align the centre of each bracket. I gave up on the original idea of crossing each other and focusing on making it both informative and persuasive.

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Work in progress and note - Supportive tools

The typefaces selection

Graphite Std - Decorative usage, which act the character to enrich the brochure with background colour.

Gill Sans family - Informative usage, this is a Sans serif typeface which contain flexibility within its typeface family. (The weight, the condensed version and italic version.) Which also enriched the contents in each bracket.

The several usage of paragraph styles

This is the function to manage the typefaces for the whole brochure easily. At this stage, the brochure could be separated into the parts below. For the colour scheme I chose for the brochure background, I made the colour difference to the paragraph styles accordingly. For an example of the second image: There are two types of speaker's names in different colours but the same typeface family (Gill Sans in different weights). It is also playing with the positive and negative spacing.

Colour scheme management and flexibility

In the prior stage, I chose only black, white and lighter cyan for the poster side. This time I realise the colour scheme is limited for the brochure side. The original light cyan is too light with a white background, but it will not be obvious enough if I use black as the background. I need another suitable colour to 'compromise' if I wish to play contrast but remain easy to read.

Therefore, I record another deeper cyan into my colour scheme for the content with white background. It worked with a softer view but still displayed well as the content. Therefore, I chose to lock the colour scheme with these four colours to prevent the brochure too complicated and use the opacity with Graphite Std to create the contrast in the decorative section.

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Work in progress and note - The shape of speakers/Workshops portraits

This is the stage which focusing on the visual aspects according to the speakers' photograph. Here are something I start with:

1. Managing the colour scheme.

From the photographs I collected from several web pages, there are all different colour schemes depending on each speaker. Some remain black and white, some almost in black and white but slightly in a reddish hue, and some with full colour. I changed and managed them all into black and white, which is the easiest way to control the mood of photographs. This is also referred back to my colour scheme for the poster and whole brochure to represent them in an elegant mood.

2. Using a brush stroke image to create irregular frames.

As I chose the Graphite Std to be my decorative font according to this project, I am thinking about how to emphasise the texture which could be referred back to the hand-writing font and enrich the spaces. I started by finding a brush stroke from Unsplash and creating a layer mask for the speaker photographs. This makes an irregular shape for the image and also represents a view which looks like the speaker's photographs have been 'painted' with a special brush.

Material reference:

Unsplash. (2021). Photo by Luca Nicoletti on Unsplash. Unsplash.com. https://unsplash.com/photos/O8CHmj0zgAg

The reflection from class

After the class critical session, we figured out the frame shape of the brush stroke might be unnecessary for the brochure. At this time, I think back to the process of image-making. This is a challenge to manage each photograph's shape in the same size and same layout. The brush stroke is also slightly messy after removing the background. The focal point might be missing according to the gaudy frame.

The progress through to final

To manage the shape and represent it with the chosen style. I finally remain every photograph in a square. This is also supportive of the typeface/paragraph layout. Therefore, I turned to face my original thinking, which is adding texture to the speakers' parts. I finally use the Graphite Std for hand-writing decoration, and also playing the soft contrast with lower opacity. This is used to involve the background for each sub-page within the brochure, and also become decorative in a clean style.

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SDL - Direct research to the workshops in TYPOGRAFIKA_24

Jessica Hische

Jessica Hische is an American lettering artist, illustrator, author, and type designer. Her style of artwork is vibrant with a light colour scheme which presents a lively mood. She used the hand-writing or displaying fonts around illustrations for enriching the project.

She has a project named 'The Daily Drop Cap' which created several alphabets in the decorative figure on her blog daily. A new hand-crafted decorative initial cap is posted for the enjoyment and beautification of blog posts everywhere. Throughout the project, she is illustrating twelve alphabets in total, each letter unique.

The images attached:

The Daily Drop Cap

Her book 'Tomorrow I will be kind'

Reference(text + image)

Coyne & Blanchard, Inc. (n.d.). The Daily Drop Cap. Communication Arts. Retrieved April 6, 2023, from https://www.commarts.com/project/19782/the-daily-drop-cap#:~:text=The%20Daily%20Drop%20Cap%20is

Hische, J. (n.d.). Jessica Hische - Home. Jessicahische.is. https://jessicahische.is/

Johnson Witehira

Johnson Witehira is a Maori type designer and artist, he is an expert at collaborating his artwork and typeface and representing the Maori culture.

Differentiate from Joseph Churchward, his style of Maori style typeface is simple within any space left, and well at using the illustration, or the relative colour scheme supportively. He is good at condensed typeface making and all of his typefaces are available to be used when typing Maori.

The images attached:

The font 'Wharakare Display'

The font 'Wharakare Display' typographic detail.

The Māori Alphabet blocks, a collaborative project between Johnson Witehira and Pete Bultman

Reference(text + image)

Witehira, J. (n.d.-a). https://twitter.com/johnsonwitehira?lang=en. Twitter. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://twitter.com/johnsonwitehira?lang=en

Witehira, J. (n.d.-b). Johnson Witehira. Johnson Witehira. https://www.johnsonwitehira.studio/

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Work in progress and note - Map redrawing

At this stage, I redraw the map that according to the event, I chose the dark cyan and white as my colour scheme to fit into the background colour softly, and only point out the linked buildings for the event and the road name beside them, which used to create an clear version to the map.

The chosen font is Graphite Std which is the same font as the front page to link them all together. It also created a beautiful hand-writing texture to the map.

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28/03/2023 class note - colour and composition

How the colour might be applied?

Hue and Saturation - 100% Hue -> 0% Saturation

RGB, HSB and LAB

suggest website: color.adobe.com

Monochromatic - One colour/same colours within different saturation

Analogous - Similar/close colour

Complementary - Opposite/contrast colour

Split Complementary - lower-contrast colour

The printing/packaging to artwork

The rotation will not affect to the actual printing dimension, and be easier to check the content need to be upside down.

Be aware to the fold line, preflight (if in red light) and the actual PPI + effective PPI according to image resources.

Tips and Reminder:

Press Quality

Crop mark and bleed

Colour system (B&W and CMYK)

All the section check check and check

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Work in progress and note - Colour scheme and space

Drafts, variations and layout - Poster side

At this stage, I tried things below:

I laid the number '24' with the font 'Yu Gothic' and 'Chantal' in the background with an opacity of 50%. This is used to enrich the background colour. The reason I chose these two fonts to start with is that I am able to leave space for the main title (Yu Gothic) or try to retain some handwriting strokes as a decorative element (Chantal).

I laid the words 'TYPOGRAFIKA' in the font 'Graphite Std', this is one of the hand-writing styles of font I prefer to use because it contains the solid hand-written stroke such as marker painting, and it still could be varied with different weights. This is the reason I chose it for the event name and play with font size.

Colour scheme and layout

There are some advice received below after the reflection from class in week 4:

The layout of the event title has been changed to narrower for the hierarchy of letters. I have been advised 'do not to try to "fill" all the space.' This is one of my weaknesses in this project because I usually try to fill all the space informatively, and it is also a good opportunity to experience and progress from a critical reflection.

Therefore, I found the original colour scheme from the last stage is slightly too strong between each other. I changed the opacity to the event title from 100% to 80%, to remain the prior hierarchy of the title but better to fit within other colours. It also created some visual aspects that all types overlay each other.

For the layout for the brochure side, I am planning to place all speakers in the middle of the page, and all the supportive messages placed around them such as the conference, event timetable and the map. This is still in the planning stage and it may be shifting depending on the space management.

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Work in progress and note - hand drawn layout variation

In the first stage of the brochure, I planned to do the variation with the contrast between the event title 'TYPOGRAFIKA' and '24'. There are variations focused on the layout of 'TYPOGRAFIKA' with the layout, which is from the up-left to the right. I managed to use the number '24' to leave space in the background with blue/cyan to enrich the colour scheme and refer to the colder and more elegant mood.

In my opinion, the event 'TYPOGRAFIKA_24' is presented with a knowledgeable and professional mood. There are plenty of outstanding typography designers as a speaker to enrich this event. This is also the reason I chose blue as the colour selection for the brochure.

There are variations focused in the layout of 'TYPOGRAFIKA' with the English layout which from up-left to right. I managed to use the number '24' to leave space at the background with different colour.

I chose blue/cyan to vibrant the colour scheme and refer to the colder and elegant mood.

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21/03/2023 class note - Critical Feedback and Illustrator

Remember to add the crop marks before actual printing

What is good for using Illustrator

Vector-based, the image will not be pixel when it being scaled.(no need for resolution)

Anchor point - Not always need to re-draw something if something went wrong.

The use with Pen tool+option key+shift could make the shape varied by Reset the stroke. (from curve to straight line, vice versa.)

Illustrator powerful 'pen' tools

Pen tool - Managed the stroke for straight line and curves.

Curvature tool - The easier used tool for curve line and shapes.

Pencil tool - Drawing freely without managing anchor points.

The usage of Template layer

This function could make a layer with lower opacity and lock itself as the base layer for trace or any other usage for referencing. This layer will not been print out when release.

Tips for redraw a stylish map

This function could make a outline for stroke, and use other tools for linear drawing project.

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Colour contrast ideas

Play with contrast is one of the method to catch the eyes of a poster. It is more suitable for the audience at younger ages for the complicated outcome. There is no need to pick too many different colours to play with, which used to prevent the outcome become too complicate.

This technique could be played in background colour and typeface enlargement, which created variations even in the limited colour scheme. It also could be played within the decorative shapes as well.