How do different business contexts impact on the design process?

The context of any business always has a substantial impact on the design process, as different kinds of businesses at different levels of industry have different design needs. For example, a small starter business would have no branding or guidelines in place so it requires broad research and for the designer to create the guidelines for future designs. In contrast a big global corporation would have strict regulations and limitations that the designer would have to follow and as a result wouldn’t have much room for research or creative flare.

What the business does is also another thing that can dictate the designer’s choices when it comes to things such as colour, font and imagery. Businesses such as fashion boutiques would call upon feminine, sometimes expensive colours such as deep purples and pinks where as a plumping company would probably want blue. Fonts for a boutique would be elegant, chic and most likely script, while bold, modern, san serifs are most fitted to plumbing businesses. Different areas of industry hold different stereotypes when it comes to imagery, font and colour and although it is always a good idea to do something more creative and different to standout, these stereotypes are there for a reason and your work will always appeal to the right target market if you work with these stereotypes. A simple example of this is recycling companies using the colour green and the renewable circle icon. 

A lot of the time the design process relies heavily on research and locating the right kind of information. The research stage of the design process can take many forms; mainly internet research is favoured for its speed. When I am looking for information I search for business of the same context as the one I am designing for. This is usually really helpful as it gives you an idea of what the target market for that business, however you can sometimes fall into the trap of creating similar designs and not pushing boundaries and creating something new.

Creating a Brochure in Freehand

One of the projects I have worked on recently has been a brochure for a florist shop. The project involved me working on a variety of software’s to produce the final outcome. 

To begin with I set out the layout in Freehand using the rulers to measure borders and page layout. The customer wanted the brochure to be mainly images with a few captions put on to summarise her business. The photos that she sent over were quite dark and some had a glare from the sun reflecting on them so I took these photographs into Photoshop and adjusted the brightness and edited the shadow and highlights. When the pictures looked equal I then cropped then down so that they looked there best.

Then in Freehand I used the square creator tool to lay out a collage of how I wanted to pictures to sit and I then imported the edited images into Freehand and cut and pasted them into the boxes. When I had got the layout right I worked on the aesthetics of the design. I wanted to use the flower part of their logo blown up in the background. To do this I took their logo into Photoshop and cropped out everything that I didn't want. I then used the magic wand tool to select the background and delete to so that it was transparent. After that I turned the image into grey scale and saved it as a TIFF file. When I then imported the flower into Freehand I could go into the object settings and tick the box to make the background become transparent. Then when I select a colour it only colours the object. 

The client wanted the brochure to be printed on rustic looking, recycled paper. Because of this I had to make sure that the colours stayed vibrant as because the paper has no gloss finish the colours can end up looking slightly dull and muted. This meant that where I normally would of used a darker tint of the colour I used a slightly brighter on instead. 

The client was extremely happy with the outcome and how her brochures looked, as was I.

Creating a website in iweb

I have worked on a variety of different jobs that encompass the use of different software and tools. When I was making the ‘enjoy’ website I used the Mac programme called Iweb. It allows me to fully design a working website without the need for coding. For some of the images I had to take them into Adobe Photoshop and adjust the brightness and contrast as the images that the client had provided were quite dull, I also had to change the hue of the photo as it was shaded pink. For the content of the website I used the pricelist that we had created for the client in Macromidia Freehand. Freehand is design software that is like a combination of Indesign and illustrator, it acts as a desktop publisher and is great for creating layouts but also allows you to create vector, trace images and shapes and manipulate fonts. I selected the bits of text I wanted to use on the website and exported them to my desktop as generic EPS’s. I then dragged and dropped these onto my page on Iweb where they then convert to PDF’s and appear with a transparent background like a png. The other way of doing this would be to copy and paste the sections of text into Photoshop and ‘save for web’ where this then would save them as a png file and these could also be dragged into Iweb with a transparent background.

 Iweb also allows me to add in ‘widgets’, things such as contact forms and google maps. For the enjoy website I inserted a google map onto the contact page. To get an exact colour match between the printed brochure created in freehand in CMYK and the website that would be in RGB I copied and pasted a section with all the colour on into Photoshop and used the colour selector tool to select each individual colour, I could then click on these colours where the CMYK number mix and RGB number mix are displayed, I then just mimic these numbers into the colour box in Iweb. Within Iweb there is a tool box, shown as ‘inspector’ that allows you to control and edit most things that you do in you design. It allowed me to highlight the email address and create a link so the when the address is clicked it generates an email to them in your email software. As well as this I could outline things with an ordinary line and then change this to one of the many different line options such as scratchy, chunky or chalk looking. For the pictures you can use a tool called ‘mask’ this is effectively like crop except that the mask is fully editable at all times and you only mask bits of the image instead of getting rid of them completely. Another way of masking is to create a frame for the picture by drawing a square, or whatever shape and size you want the image, and to drag the image from your desktop directly into the shape, this then crops it to how it feels it looks best.

The Value of a Proof

A proof is an exact mock up of the design you have done that you then send to the client either for them to check and change or for them to sign off as finished. Proofs are a key part of the design process; there purpose is to get feedback from the client. From a proof they can see exactly how their finished artwork will look and if they need to make any changes, once them changes are made the design is then sent back for another proofing. Another benefit of a proof is that it acts as documented proof of the changes you have made and how many revisions of the design you have provided in case there is a dispute about this. When the final proof has been sent and the client approves this completely this is known as signing off. This is another benefit of a proofing system as it allows for a final design to be documented and signed off

Formal Elements

There are several types of elements in design, ranging from the overall colours of the design to the way it feels, to the rhythm in which the emphasis of the design is placed on the page. These elements make up every piece of design.

Rhythm is the way in which each section of the design is positioned upon the piece of work, how it flows through the canvas in which it is placed upon. When rhythm works well, the viewer will not get confused about where to go, merely follow the course of the design, when it doesn’t work well, the design becomes confusing, and the viewer becomes unaware of where they go next, causing miscommunication of the art work.

I feel one of the main elements is texture. Texture really brings the piece of work to life, gives the image feeling and a sense of personalization. It’s what makes a plain boring piece of work into something that jumps out and snatches the readers attention, draws them to the piece of work, and keeps them fixated up on it. Texture can range to a simple gradient background, to a handcrafted piece scanned in to a computer and edited to be in the back drop of your design.

Another element that works well in design is volume. Volume can really make a piece of work emphasize its message. Adding a lot of volume to an object can really make it stand out of the page, for instance, using a lot of volume on one word of a sentence really brings out that the word is the centre of attention.

Although I feel texture is very important, I feel colour is by far the most vital of all elements. Having the right colour and tone in your design can be a make or break deal on whether it will work or not in its given market. Simple mistakes such as trying to perceive something to be warm and comfortable and having a dull dark colour can instantly turn the viewer of the design away. Colour is pivotal to all design, and quite often with great designs, they work just as well in black and white, as they do in colour. Sometimes it is best to go through tones of the colours in which you/the client wish to use can help find the perfect colour for the design.

Keeping proportion in your design is also essential. When different objects or type are not in proportion with each other (not purposely) the design can look very unprofessional. If the designs proportion is purposefully set off, it can look abstract and interesting, however not done properly can completely ruin the design. Keeping objects generally in proportion with each other, works a lot better.

Unity within a design is extremely important in a design as it is what pulls all the design elements together. Unity looks at how the elements work in contrast with each other, whether they sit closely together in the design or whether they are spaced apart. The closer they sit the stronger the unity is, this is affected by layout and spacing of areas of image, line and text.

Every design has emphasis, whether it is on logo, wording or image there will always be a definite emphasis on a certain bit of any design. This is especially apparent in design for advertising as the emphasis is always on the element they are trying to advertise.


Event though there is always emphasis a good design will always have balance.Balance can be simply each half of the page being symmetrical to each other or it can be 2 parts of the composition that are placed together to give the design unity. In some cases balance can be obscure and the two halves of the composition can be contrasting and asymmetrical, yet still create some kind of balance on the design. 

Line is probably the most common element of any design. Most smooth, professional designs have, objects, shapes and text that are kept in line. It makes the design sharper and you read it better when things are lined up. However, more sporty and `’bouncy’ designs, look more towards rhythm and randomly placing the objects around the page.

Formal elements comparison

I have selected two pieces of work, one by Peter Saville and one by Neville Brody. I have chosen an album cover that Peter Saville created for OMD and a Nike advert created my Neville Brody. Both of these design pieces use many of the formal elements.

First of all, the OMD album cover uses lines to create a strong image upon a bright orange background, emphasising the shape created upon the page. Because the artwork is not set into equal proportions there is large area of negative space that is created by the shape of the lines, this navigates your eyes to the logo. This is a clever way of making you focus on the thing with the highest visual importance. The colour of the lines set on a bright orange background create a nice unity to the piece, they are all flat basic colours with no tone or texture and because of this the artwork is really eye catching and bold.

The Nike advert is a great contrast to Peter Saville’s simple and stylistic piece. There is a minimal use of colour in this piece just using volume to create a collage of words. There is slight proportion in the artwork as it is set into clear half’s, however there is a distinct lack of line and proportion as the text is placed randomly in different directions and angles. The works well as the words have the biggest emphasis as they are the clear focal point of the work and they hold the most visual weight. Because of how the artist has sectioned the work and created a negative / positive style using black and white there is a good harmony and rhythm as everything seems to flow with a nice continuity.

Overall both of these pieces cover the majority of the formal elements but I think Peter Savilles album is the strongest piece.

Copyright & Design Rights - Design
The design rights are typically owned by the creator of the design,
except if you was under employment within a company or commissioned to
create the work, then the company or commissioner owns the rights to the
design.
The design rights protect the shape and configuration of a design and
are used to prevent copying and distorting an original design. It is
possible to buy the rights to a design in the same way you can buy
copyrights. Design rights are separate to copyright, the copyright
protects the details of the design as well as anything else included in
the final product; such as separate literature or marketing materials.
Where as the design rights focus more on protecting the shape,
configuration and construction of the final design. Unregistered design
rights are automatic and in the case of a later dispute or legal claims
you only have to show proof of the date and content of the
work.Copyright works differently and only protects from copying of the
design within the countries where the application for copyright applies.

Moral Rights - Design
Moral rights were introduced by the Copyright Design and Patents Act
1988 and exist alongside copyright. They include:
The right to be identified as the author of work (the paternity right).
The right to object to derogatory treatment of your work (the integrity
right). Treatment is derogatory if it amounts to mutilation of the work
or is otherwise prejudicial to the honour or reputation of the author.
This may arise is the artwork is subjected to addition, deletion,
alteraton or adaptation for exampe.
The right not to have an artwork falsely attributed to you.
The right of privacy in certain photographs and films commissioned for
private and domestic purposes
The paternity and integrity right last for as long as the copyright
lasts. Moral rights belong to the author of an original work. They can
be passed to the artist/creators estate on the death. Moral rights
cannot be sold or passed on to another person. Artists are frequently
asked to give up their moral rights in a written document. However it is
unadvisable to ‘waive’ your moral rights as then you would not obtain
any of the benefits of having the paternity rights such as being
identified as the author of your own work.

Intellectual Property - Design.
Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind: inventions,
literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs
used in commerce.
IP is divided into two categories: Industrial property, which includes
inventions (patents), trademarks, industrial designs, and geographic
indications of source; and Copyright, which includes literary and
artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works,
artistic works such as drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures,
and architectural designs. Rights related to copyright include those of
performing artists in their performances, producers of phonograms in
their recordings, and those of broadcasters in their radio and
television programs.

Marketing

 Key Principles of marketing:

-Market Research -  Data collection – Establishing target audiences – Market segmentation

-Promotion

-Branding

-Advertising

The importance of branding and corporate identity in marketing.

Branding and corporate identity are the most crucial aspects of marketing in any company. Getting a strong and recognisable brand identity can make a company successful. As soon as you become a recognisable name and brand then people start to buy into the name not just the products. Branding is extremely important to get right as it is the first impression your audience get of you company. It can project the right image just with a simple logo or choice of a certain font or colour. The branding reflects the values and personality of a company.  Innocent smoothie company are a perfect example of this, they’re branding reflect an organic earthy theme and this is the whole personality of the business. Their marketing technique, such as the knitted hats suggests a home grown recycling personality that suits what the company is about.

Brief Sheet

Sketch Book Comparison.

Out of the three sketch book examples I liked the typography sketchbook the best. It was very tactile and had a lot going on within it. Each page had been made interesting with a lot of different backgrounds and textures and this is why I liked it so much. I think the use of different textures was really clever, the maker of the sketchbook had even used pieces of material and tied them into the sketchbook. I also liked how raw the sketchbook was, not much had been done on the computer and the majority was handwritten and drawn.  The size of the sketchbook was also really nice, it was small and landscape as opposed to the bigger A3 portrait ones and this made it easy to look through.

Digital Portfolios

There are many advantages and disadvantages of having an online portfolio. A major benefit of having your portfolio online is that you can send it to anyone, in any office, anywhere in the world. You are not limited by size and weight like you would be with a traditional folder portfolio. Sometimes they are a lot more appropriate to use when it comes to job interviews for certain roles, mainly web based jobs, as it shows you can use the latest technologies and move with the times. In my opinion an online portfolio can look more sleek and professional where a traditional portfolio can get tatty and dated quickly. They are easily updatable by just the click of a mouse and because of this they can be different for each client/ job offer / educator you wish to see you work, you can change the work to better suit each role.

  However I can see why an online portfolio can have some disadvantages. They are not tactile, you can only see what is onscreen and you don’t get to experience the textures. Technology can prove another downside to keeping your portfolio online, one minor technical hitch and your portfolio could be unavailable or not able to view at a crucial moment. Clients and employers won’t want to wait around for this to be fixed.

info graphic

Making colours work...

When it came to selecting the colours for a local florist 'fleurti' there was so much choice. The client specified that she would like to use green but was open to suggestions. We tried lots of different colour combinations including using shades of the same colour to pick out certain sections. Using a yellowy green and a shade of yellow is an example of using 'analogous' colours that sit next to each other on the colour wheel. They do work very well together and in my opinion looks very fresh. Just to give the client some alternate options we tried using a very bold red against a beige background so it stands out more. In the end however we used a combination of analogous colours of green, yellow and orange. These work really well as they are natural and flowery colours so a perfect for a florists. They really compliment each other well but the orange is also a nice contrast and gives some interest to the mainly text logo.

Making colours work...

Choosing the colours for 'Creative Beauty' s website was quite challenging as the clients original  brief didn't outline any colour specifications. She had sent some pictures of the salon with the brief and it had a vintage 'shabby chic' feel so I decided to use browns and mink as these are very relaxing colours and fitted well with the salon image. However, the client then decided that she would like to go with a hot pink and black theme. I wasn't very happy with them colours as they aren't very therapeutic and don't really suggest 'salon' when you see the, but tried them out anyway and added in grey as well to make it a little brighter but this didn't work very well as it looked too basic and not very sleek and stylish. The final design was all black with highlights of hot pink. Despite what I first thought it actually looked really chic and did look like a salons website. Both me and the client were happy with the outcome of the final website.

Colour in Culture

Colours can be very symbolic and hold lots of different meanings in different culture. When using colour it helps to be aware of your audience and how they perceive certain colours. For example in Western countries  red symbolises ‘stop’, ‘no’, or danger and green symbolises ‘go’, ‘yes’, and nature.  Black is the colour of mourning in the Western world whilst the Eastern countries use white. Another example of how different societies view colour would be that in China receiving a red envelope would symbolise good luck and fortune, People in China give red envelopes containing money. However, in many western countries, mainly the UK, a red envelope would be bad news or a bill and is not used as it is viewed as an unlucky colour. Colour can represent feelings, moods, countries and cultures and when selecting colours to use in design it is important to be aware of all of these meanings and connotations.

Colour in brand identity.

‘Bimbo design’ is a perfect example of how designers use colour to distinguish their work. People become familiar with the colours as well as the logo and text and this can be much more recognisable at a glance than having to read text. Because of this is it so important for companies to keep the same colour / colours consistent throughout all of their branding. Bimbo design is hot pink and white and the colours have become a brand in themselves. Another good example of this is the mobile phone network and company ‘Orange’, the companies colours are so recognisable and distinctive that on advertisements they only need to show a block of the orange colour for people to know what company the advert is for. Coca Cola is another good example of a company / brand that heavily rely on their colours to advertise. In the diet coke advert they use a cartoon thats mainly silver, white and red so you instantly know that it is an ad for coca cola.

Colour Theory

Colour theory is a design method of finding out colour harmonies using the colour wheel.  The colour wheel can range from a basic wheel of just primary colours to an in depth wheel consisting of every shade of colour imaginable. It is used by designers to show colours in relation to each other and how they work best and what is most pleasing to the eye. The wheel shows that colours that are directly opposite each other are the most compatible for example, orange and blue. And colours picked off random areas of the wheel may not work together for example, red and pink.  However the colour wheel can also be used to illustrate analogous colours, a selection of colours and shades of that sit next to each other on the wheel but work well together such as yellow, yellow-green, and green. Colour Context can also be placed into colour theory.  This explains how colours work in relation to each other but also in relation to shape and space. For example the same size and coloured square could look bigger or smaller when placed on different coloured backgrounds. When going into different shades and hues of colour, the colour theory becomes much more complex. Sometimes a block of the same colour when placed half and half on 2 different shade backgrounds can make the block look like it is different shades of the same colour.

Colour Theory does however have some limitations.  For example the colours, despite being complimentary, may not be effective together for what the designer needs. For example, green and red are complimentary colours on the colour wheel but using them on a design piece would give connotations of Christmas. For maximum impact red would happily go with yellow but according to the colour wheel these shouldn’t be used.