Avoid DC comics when designing with the initials "dc". Whether the use of "dc" is even acceptable in such a similar market is still up in the air.
Calligraphy driven concept is appropriate for a new digitally driven graphic novel company. Try a few other techniques (play with "digital" being a san-serif w/ large kerning).
When mentioning the need for a third concept, a character driven design comes to mind. Perhaps a mad scientist or doctor character.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Project 2 Proposal
VWS Applications Tutorial Usability & UX // UX Design
Background:
Van Winkle Studio's mission is to deliver fun, quality, and wholesome entertainment for the whole family. Their interactive stories are more than just digital books, they engage the reader with artwork, story, animations, and games. Each VWS product opens with a tutorial that teaches users how to use the patented menu technology.
Goals:
Create the most efficient tutorial for said products using as few words (if any) as possible. Successfully teach the user how to open the menu, navigate the side bars, and close the menu.
Timeline:
WEEK 4: Refine proposal and sketch flow
WEEK 5: Propose usability flow
WEEK 6: Results of first round of usability tests
WEEK 7: Result of second round of usability tests
WEEK 8: Final tutorial
Background:
Van Winkle Studio's mission is to deliver fun, quality, and wholesome entertainment for the whole family. Their interactive stories are more than just digital books, they engage the reader with artwork, story, animations, and games. Each VWS product opens with a tutorial that teaches users how to use the patented menu technology.
Goals:
Create the most efficient tutorial for said products using as few words (if any) as possible. Successfully teach the user how to open the menu, navigate the side bars, and close the menu.
Timeline:
WEEK 4: Refine proposal and sketch flow
WEEK 5: Propose usability flow
WEEK 6: Results of first round of usability tests
WEEK 7: Result of second round of usability tests
WEEK 8: Final tutorial
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Unit 2: How People Read
100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People (Voices That Matter) by Susan Weinschenk, Ph.D.
Chapter 2: How People Read
The way people read, isn't as fluid as one might think. Ours eyes move in quick jumps from word to word with short periods of stillness. These two patterns are called saccades and fixations. Saccades are the jumps that occur roughly seven to nine letters at a time. Fixations are the moments of stillness that occur for about 250 milliseconds at a time (Weinschenk). In addition to these two reading patterns, people use their peripheral vision to read ahead about fifteen letters.
Anticipating what is to come is more important than the exact spelling of words. Fro empaxle, msot msipllsed wodrs are sltil liglebe as lnog as the frsit and lsat lteters are in the rghit psotoin. This is because the brain has an easier time anticipating and interpreting than deciphering every word.
The rest of the reading goes on to discuss the importance of headlines, font size, pattern recognition, and column width. Mostly review, but equally as important.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Unit 1: How People See
100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People (Voices That Matter) by Susan Weinschenk, Ph.D.
Chapter 1: How People See
Susan starts her book off with what she defines as the most impactful of our senses: vision. People see differently than most would expect. What we see, isn't always what we get. For example, take our ability to see negative space as a shape (Image 1). Our brains, without the aid of a defining element, produce a triangle. The chapter makes similar points throughout its duration and relates it to design with topics like: central vision versus peripheral vision and how peripheral vision has more weight when determining the gist of a scene, how people recognize object by using shapes and how the topic relates to iconography, how our brain uses fusiform face area (FFA) to recognize faces faster than objects, etc. The topic on canonical perspective was not well supported in my opinion. Susan makes the point that most people would draw a coffee cup with a specific angle and perspective, and questions why more people don't draw it in a way that is more often viewed in everyday life. I would argue that people gravitate toward the angle that offers the most visual information. The reading goes on to discuss visual cues in the real world like door handles, and expresses how they can mislead users to push or pull. This, of course, can be related to the web. Visual cues tell a user whether something is a button or a hyperlink, etc. The positional relationship between objects, a topic we should all be well versed in at this point, tells the viewer what information belongs to each other. Color, which can vary between cultures, can hinder or improve a website. When targeting a specific audience, knowing how they perceive color can make or break a design.
Overall, this reading was a good review and introduction to the course reading.
Chapter 1: How People See
Susan starts her book off with what she defines as the most impactful of our senses: vision. People see differently than most would expect. What we see, isn't always what we get. For example, take our ability to see negative space as a shape (Image 1). Our brains, without the aid of a defining element, produce a triangle. The chapter makes similar points throughout its duration and relates it to design with topics like: central vision versus peripheral vision and how peripheral vision has more weight when determining the gist of a scene, how people recognize object by using shapes and how the topic relates to iconography, how our brain uses fusiform face area (FFA) to recognize faces faster than objects, etc. The topic on canonical perspective was not well supported in my opinion. Susan makes the point that most people would draw a coffee cup with a specific angle and perspective, and questions why more people don't draw it in a way that is more often viewed in everyday life. I would argue that people gravitate toward the angle that offers the most visual information. The reading goes on to discuss visual cues in the real world like door handles, and expresses how they can mislead users to push or pull. This, of course, can be related to the web. Visual cues tell a user whether something is a button or a hyperlink, etc. The positional relationship between objects, a topic we should all be well versed in at this point, tells the viewer what information belongs to each other. Color, which can vary between cultures, can hinder or improve a website. When targeting a specific audience, knowing how they perceive color can make or break a design.
Overall, this reading was a good review and introduction to the course reading.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Project 1 Proposal
Digital Chemical // Branding Project
History:
A startup company specializing in the entertainment industry, specifically graphic novels and games. Digital Chemical differs from its competitors by provided each piece to the puzzle. Authors, illustrators, and developers working together to make kick-ass work. Digital Chemical expects to release their first product for the iPad by the end of 2016.
Goals:
Define brand for Digital Chemical. Create identity to visually communicate said brand. Provide brand style guide to further define brand. Provide collateral as discussed to visually represent brand aesthetics to consumers.
Timeline:
WEEK 2: Research, brainstorming, and sketching
WEEK 3: Three comps
WEEK 4: Proposed final logo design
WEEK 5: Final brand and style guide
History:
A startup company specializing in the entertainment industry, specifically graphic novels and games. Digital Chemical differs from its competitors by provided each piece to the puzzle. Authors, illustrators, and developers working together to make kick-ass work. Digital Chemical expects to release their first product for the iPad by the end of 2016.
Goals:
Define brand for Digital Chemical. Create identity to visually communicate said brand. Provide brand style guide to further define brand. Provide collateral as discussed to visually represent brand aesthetics to consumers.
Timeline:
WEEK 2: Research, brainstorming, and sketching
WEEK 3: Three comps
WEEK 4: Proposed final logo design
WEEK 5: Final brand and style guide
Thesis Response 2
Brand Experience and Marketing: applies to cafe experience by Minhye Kim
Minhye's thesis was good. Once reading the title, it contained an expected flow. Defining experience, cafe culture, brand experience/story, and how all of those work together in a cafe environment. She made good points like about how consumers paying for more than just a cup of coffee, but for the brand experience. Her data was pretty straight forward and her topic was decently explored. The whole cafe branding integrated with experience thing has been around for quite some time. I would be very curious to know how these businesses are learning to reach out to customers outside of the cafe. Branding, experience, and brand experience are all very important, but how does one get customers into a coffee shop? This is another interesting topic that mingles with the previous thesis I reviewed.
Minhye's thesis was good. Once reading the title, it contained an expected flow. Defining experience, cafe culture, brand experience/story, and how all of those work together in a cafe environment. She made good points like about how consumers paying for more than just a cup of coffee, but for the brand experience. Her data was pretty straight forward and her topic was decently explored. The whole cafe branding integrated with experience thing has been around for quite some time. I would be very curious to know how these businesses are learning to reach out to customers outside of the cafe. Branding, experience, and brand experience are all very important, but how does one get customers into a coffee shop? This is another interesting topic that mingles with the previous thesis I reviewed.
Thesis Response 1
The Paradox of Street Cred by Rebekah Webb
Rebekah's thesis was well constructed and proved to be well informed. Her research involving brands and "street credibility" was brilliant. As her title explains, the paradox behind the subject: brands speaking to a niche market entering a market without losing loyalty of its audience, was foreign to me. Put simply, a brand that reaches to a specific audience that then expands to be accepted by a larger audience, often loses its "street cred". Not only was the concept new to me, but so was the scenario in reverse. Converse, or Chuck Taylors, have only been advertised as basketball shoes, yet have found such a definite space in its counter-culture market, that it has continued to sell uncontrollably. Rebekah makes it known that a brand that can withstand and retain street credibility, is one that is authentic, credible, trustworthy, and strives for a relationship with its audience. I especially like the quote: "Brands only exist in the minds of consumers."
Rebekah's thesis was well constructed and proved to be well informed. Her research involving brands and "street credibility" was brilliant. As her title explains, the paradox behind the subject: brands speaking to a niche market entering a market without losing loyalty of its audience, was foreign to me. Put simply, a brand that reaches to a specific audience that then expands to be accepted by a larger audience, often loses its "street cred". Not only was the concept new to me, but so was the scenario in reverse. Converse, or Chuck Taylors, have only been advertised as basketball shoes, yet have found such a definite space in its counter-culture market, that it has continued to sell uncontrollably. Rebekah makes it known that a brand that can withstand and retain street credibility, is one that is authentic, credible, trustworthy, and strives for a relationship with its audience. I especially like the quote: "Brands only exist in the minds of consumers."
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Week 1 Contest Research
HOW Regional Design Competition:
Posterheroes Social Communication Contest:
AZ Awards 2015:
World Illustration Awards 2015 Competition:
RSA Student Design Awards 2015 Competition:
Penguin Design Award 2015:
SEGD Global Design Awards 2015:
ADC 2015 Awards:
Adobe Design Achievement Awards 2015:
Poster For Tomorrow 2015:
http://contestwatchers.com/poster-for-tomorrow-2015-competition-open-up/
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