Content and Audience

&&CONTENT AUDIENCE

Intro

Project 1

Project 2 Project 3

Project 4

Colophon

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POSTCARDS

IDENTITY SYSTEM

PACKAGING

WAYFINDING

Content & Audience | CONTENTS

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Content & Audience | INTRO

This advanced course expands upon the design skills acquired in the introductory courses by emphasizing conceptual thinking as the basis of the design process. Students are asked to develop their conceptual, formal, and technical abilities through projects that explore the creation of meaning through form, image, methodology, and experimentation. Projects involve research and analysis in relation to specific audiences, contexts, and production criteria. Relevant aspects of design history and theory are examined in relation to course projects. Prerequisites: ART 051 and 052, or permission of instructor.

This 3-credit studio course is the second of 4 sequential graphic design courses that build one upon the other. Content and Audience is a continuation of the conceptual and formal issues covered in Form and Concept, but through concrete and applied projects. Content and Audience concentrates on developing solutions to visual communication problems through research and the analysis of a message through the lense of the audience for whom it is intended. Class activities will include lectures, demonstrations, discussions, readings, practical exercises, applied projects, and class critiques.

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Project 1 | POSTCARDS

The function of these postcards are to give possible employers, designers and people in general a little insight into my design skills, photography, and personal life. These designs serve these purposes and are successful because they each showcase a personal aspect of my life and things within it and how those aspects can relate to design. I am highlighting my ability to put type and personal photography together to create a unique design.

My postcards address this through using and mixing different typefaces to work together and evoke what each of the postcards are saying. The fronts of my cards are related to the backs because of the use of the typeface, Carton and the backs also include the grid pattern that is include on the fronts. The fronts are dependent on the backs because of the photo that is on the backs is also on the fronts. The grids also compliment each other, and it’s easier to see on the fronts because of the smaller scale and positioning on a white background. They inform each other.

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Project 2 | IDENTITY SYSTEM

I think that my system is successful because it is very clean, yet has a unique touch with the textures. I decided to go with a cleaner logo and I feel like all the elements are connected as a whole. The information/typographic elements across all of the pieces of the system are treated in a similar way, and I feel like that really helps tie the project together.

I really wish that we had a little more time to work on this project. I feel like I could have done so much more, but with all the revisions I did, it took a lot more time than I expected. Another thing I would change is the light type, I would change it to futura book, because although it looks nice on screen, it’s a little harder to read when printed out, especially on the textured charcoal paper I chose to use.

Overall, I think that this project turned out well. The brochure is probably my strongest element. It’s very clean, original, and interesting aesthetically. I think it was a good choice to carry over the gradient from the poster into the brochure. Also, my decision to change the gray fabric to a steel texture was a good choice to show differentiation between the materials. They contrast well. Also, I think that using charcoal paper was a good choice. There is a nice textured feel to that, that goes well with the idea of texture + materiality that I was getting at. I wish it was just a touch thicker though. The business cards are a little too lightweight. I wanted it to be cohesive though, but I think it would have been ok to use my heavier weight acrylic paper for the business cards and the posters.

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I think that the packaging I created for both of these things are very successful. They are cohesive with the rest of my overall system for Ookay by using one the of textures I’ve been working with, including the new, simplified logo, and by adding new elements such as allowing textures to overlap. Also, the use of the wood for the box of the pico once again highlights the textural aspects of the company and my designs. The cut-out letters of the word Pico is very effective because the layers are a great contrast.

As for the cutting board label, I think that the shift from the horizontal label to a vertical label was a good choice. It balances the space and typography fits running vertically. Since the type is so large, it’s still very readable. I also like the logo being smaller and the white stripe being wrapped around to connect the front and back. The diagonal shape works well to connect both the pico packaging as well as the cutting board. Both of the labels also use the same texture and similar type treatment. I think that designs are very clean and recognizable.

Project 3 | PACKAGING

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I feel as though this book came out successfully because it is very cohesive. The whole system utilizes the same color combination, which translates into the book well. I used stripes of the color to add a little visual appeal and decoration to the cover, and then decided to utilize it on all the pages with a lot of text. I think that the contrast of Futura bold and book create a really nice balance within the whole book and really showcases my understanding and love of typography. I used the same typeface as the new exterior signage of Drake, and I think that it translates very well internally.

Also, I think that the signs I created would make finding your way around FAC a lot easier. Visitors will have more guidance the moment they reach a door, or walk into an entrance. Also, it would be a whole new and better experience with the walls painted and being enveloped by inviting colors. Speaking of the colors, the maps are color coordinated the same way that the walls are painted, and I feel as though that makes it easier to navigate as well. They are also successful, because they are more simplified and easier to follow than the older ones, which were just blueprints that were posted up and having them next to each door and on the walls of each of the entrances would help out a lot. I’m very proud of how everything turned out.


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Project 4 | WAYFINDING

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Content & Audience | COLOPHON

This book has been designed by Meanz Chan, under the direction of John Fender as part of th course Content & Audience at Drake University in Spring 2012. It was designed using Adobe InDesign CS5.5 on a Macintosh Computer. It is set in Futura, a sans serif type face designed by Paul Renner in 1927 as well as Baskerville, a serif type face designed by John Baskerville in 1757. This book has been produced in an edition of one.

Meanz ChanMay 9, 2012

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CONTENT & AUDIENCEMeanz ChanSpring 2012

Documents

Content and Audience