Evaluation

Evaluating the Design Process

The first part of the term was spent learning how to generate ideas through experimentation taking into account the various workshops that we did, i.e: using layer masks, defining custom brushes, making different selections and adding textures and lighting effects to text. We also created a popplet plan for clarifying and identifying a target audience with a view to creating an appropriate design for a target group.


We then looked at formal design elements by examining examples of work by Neville Brody and David Carson, comparing how they communicate their ideas and how they differ in style and content. We also related the styles and techniques used by Brody and Carson in order to come up with a few ideas of our own (see experimentation, famous quotes), to further develop our skills and techniques.We also looked at typographic portraiture and attempted a few designs of our own which I believe will help me to develop my typographic skills further in the future.


I decided to come up with a project idea for a product which could be produced at my place of work using a machine called the "zund" which cuts stencils from plastic and card. Attempting a project of this nature will help me to improve my understanding of creating designs for this machine as I am often asked to do at work.
After generating a few basic ideas for my stencil project  and T-shirt prints (sketches, vector images and header design), the ideas were presented to the class for further development. As a result of this a different font was used for the header design and various other ideas for stencils were added. I was also given some very useful feedback on how to design an instruction sheet for the stencil pack. The importance of collecting peer feedback was underlined by this experience as it brought me to conclusions which I wouldn't have come to alone.


Final Design

After completion of the stencil project:

The instruction sheet was designed to fold small enough to fit in a pocket, leaving hands free. The instructions were broken down into simple stages and are easy to follow.

The designs were cut out on the "Zund" machine quickly and easily and are suitable for fast production in a factory and are applicable to the target age group. They are easy to pull out and when sprayed into they hold their shape and are re-usable.

The waste material is always re-cycled.

The screen prints

After mixing the drawings with various vector swirls, patterns, backgrounds and Fonts in Illustrator for the "Jones"  T-shirt label I produced two final designs. I learned how to print a detailed photographic image onto a black shirt by inverting the image and using the halftone dot filter in photoshop. I also learned how to develop a scanned drawing further using photoshop and Illustrator as a mixed medium. These are skills and techniques which can be developed further with tutorials and future projects.


Skills to improve

In order to further develop my skills in keeping with the needs of my employer I need to continue with:

-  typography development

- tutorials on post script files

- tutorials on basic and more advanced functions in Illustrator and Photoshop including colour swatches, understanding pattern maker, colour separations ready for print, understanding file types, design and layout.

Final Designs

Final Stencil Product 

Instructions:

The idea for the instructions was to keep it simple and concise so as easy to breeze through the craft project without having to read a lot of small print with complicated stages. It opens out, (as above) has 6 steps and can easily be folded and put into a pocket.

The finished packaging:

The packaging is a familiar presentation used at my place of work. The bags are known as collage bags, fitted with a euro-slot they are designed to be hanged from displays.

Final Designs for T shirts

The above design was printed onto a black shirt with white ink, I had to inverse the design in photo shop so as to print only the white in 5pt half tone dots.

Ideas

Popplet idea generation for stencil design\screen print

After discussion I decided to incorporate my design work with the facilities I have at work.

Having explored possible areas for design I've decided that the target audience should be for children

between 5 and 15 as this is a proven target market at my company.

First Visuals

intial sketches for possible stencils aimed at the very young (about 5 -10)

fashion stencils for girls ages 10-15

Looking at combining portraits with vector shapes. These are ideas for t-Shirt stencils for girls.

I will aslo produce a stencil kit for boys

Ideas for Stencils and screen prints for boys aged 10-15

Using my own Illustrations the above could be used as a trace for  stencil which I believe 

will appeal to boys

I will be combining illustration and vector images to produce the final designs. The skull and crossbones has a possible brand name "Jones"

Ideas for headers (stencil kit)

The above headers are ideas taken from the Sex Pistols artwork. I liked the homemade random feel

to the style and it reflects the idea of stencilling.

development

Production plan for ideas development

Developing the T-shirt\screen print proposals

The following are a group of stages leading to a screen print idea.

The above is a scanned image of a drawing which I made using an ink pen

Brought into Illustrator and using 'make and expand' made an outlined vector image, I could possibly cut a stencil using this method of simplifying and outlining drawings.

I then brought in a scanned pencil rubbing and adjusted the appearance in photoshop using

the filter gallery. The background was placed into illustrator 

Another scanned pencil rubbing brought into photoshop, adjusted in the filter gallery, areas were selected to define a new brush and I painted the background with the new textured brush.

Vector swirls are added for further decoration

I copied the clown, outlined with make and expand, filled it with white and added a 14pt

stroke. I placed the original clown in front, I did this to make the clown stand out. I

also added some text with bevelling and shadows.

I cut out the background with the top-hat skulls, added a textured background with a textured brush made from the pencil rubbings, then added swirls.

  I finally decided on this image,  for one of the screen prints. It has a curved circus font, a curtain backdrop which has been posterised in photoshop and swirls added from illustrator. The background images were then filtered so that the shading is made of 5pt half tone dots and the image is inverted so that the shirt will print white on black.

Development of the T-shirt stencil kit

Further to the group discussion my ideas for possible header designs were adjusted, making the

font using "Pauls Ransom note" download from the "dafont" website. I kept the sex pistols influenced colours and feel but re-organised the shapes so as to read better.

further development of a stencil design

 

I converted an Illustration vector image to a DXF file export, opened it in impact 5 which is the software for the Zund machine below. I then cut the image out of polypropeline on the zund, this has proven to be the best material for stencil making as it holds it structure after use and can be re-used. It can also be wiped clean after use, previous experiments with card have shown a weakness in the material making it unsuitable for retail.

It was suggested in group discussion that I could broaden my range of stencil ideas and simplify the designs for ease of use by any potential consumer. The above images are aimed at boys 5-10 years.

Above is an instruction sheet to be included in the pack, it was suggested that I make clear and concise instructions which should open up in panels

The above is a sprayed design for girls shirts, the stencil was cut on the Zund in polypropelene. This is a simplified design which comes out of one piece of polyprop and proved to be a successful process.

research

Neville Brody

Neville Brody (fig 1)

Comparing these two images the colours Brody uses are bold and the colours are

random , Brody sends the text off the page, plays with

extreme scaling and runs the text both vertically and horizontally.

 Also, the text in both of these illustrations are treated as shapes rather

 than fonts.

 These images challenge the idea that text has to run left to right, also fonts can

be manipulated into shapes.

 The colour pallet in these are restricted to 2 or 3 and the contrasts in the photos are adjusted.

The simple colour pallet can be utilised in my projects as examples of how two or three

tone images are ideal for stencilling or screen printing

David Carson

In contrast David Carson uses layers and adjustments to opacities, giving a rough and

natural feel to his work. His images appear aged and worn as a result, in opposition to

Brody's bolder approach. They are similar in that they both play with sizes in font and

different fonts for emphasis or subtlety. They also both run their type in any direction.

The above David Carson images give off a particularly tribal feel, they give off emotions of action, the outdoors, youth and rebellion in that some of the text is drawn roughly and without formal structure. The top image is chaotic and the message is nearly lost in the effort to portray energy and movement.

Typographic Portraits

Above and below are examples of typography which explore shapes, colour, positive, space, negative space and texture.

 An example of how photography can be used along side typographic design, pushing the boundaries of what designers see as typography.

Banksy

In my opinion the top image is a social statement about human evolution and how 

fast food is bad for us.

2nd image, a play on words or a pun "bent copper"

The 3rd image is a statement about homelessness and again a play on words but

with actual words this time.

The 4th image doesn't say too much in itself but but still has impact because

 the stencil is very strong, just a few simple shapes, something which can be applied when producing my own craft work.

All of Banksy's work is either political or a social comment on modern life. Most of his stencils use

simple shapes and a limited colour pallet which is also something I'll consider when designing.

Banksy on a kids shirt

The above illustrations demonstrate that this style of work by Ed Hardy appeals to even the very young.

This is more of Ed Hardy's work, he uses imagery that I like to use in my drawings all be it in a more monotone pallet. I believe this style of design would be ideal for my future screen prints and stencil kits for boys in particular.

The above Sex pistols art work, was mostly designed by the sex pistols themselves. They
liked to control their own image using photocopies and torn or cut out text. I think the homemade
appearance might be a good idea for headers for my stencil kits.

Tutorials

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5wW_65iAiU

The above tutorial gave some really good tips on how to draw vector images