A blog for Fall 2015 NEiA Advanced Layout class with instructor, Coni Porter. The purpose is to offer faculty and peer feedback in a timely manner, allowing and encouraging the students to progress in a focused and productive way.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Dianna|Design Brief
Hey all, I totally revisited my name and design for my digital print shop and came to the conclusion of PODhub (Print On Demand Hub). Below is my design brief for this company. Feedback?
Hey Dianna, I like the new direction you're going towards, the name really flows well and has a strong presence. I can see you've taken the time to justify the letters to fit well under one another, but the "hub" in minuscules feels a bit weak—perhaps you could try it out in capitals, or just the "hub" in a larger size so you won't have to track the letters as much. Another alternative could be to use a slightly heavier font!
Kind of a fun/strange suggestion: the name you chose has very symmetrical letters (except the P), especially when all in capitals, maybe there's something fun you could try with that? POD HUB
Diana – good for you, your redesign is starting to make a lot of sense. The logo is readable, and clever. Did you consider all caps? You should at least take a look at that, as Tania has suggested above – but in the end this could also be the finished design. The strength of it lies in the vertical alignment between vertical strokes in the 2 lines… and the almost, but not quite, attachment of those letters. The tiny bit of neg space that separates them is echoed in the thin lines that separate the blue hexagonal sections of the background.
These blue interlocking sections makes me think that you are already planning your unusually folded brochure (I’m sure you are - based on that book). So – here is something to think about when designing type to sit inside these sections:
You have 2 options in terms of how to handle this.
1: You can ignore the shape of the panel completely (which is what I see you have done to the panel that holds the 2 fonts). Or, 2: you can honor the angled sides by creating the same shape text frames, allowing the edges of the contents that fill the text frame to mirror those edges. I see that you are doing that with the PODhub blurb (attached to colorful rollers).
But… you can’t do both. I’m guessing that you’ll choose the later because the results will be worth the effort. To make this approach completely successful, though, you need to create text margins that create a consistent margin of negative space on all sides of your text. You may need to justify your body text to it hugs those angled edges. Be very aware of your negative space on those panels. The example I mentioned above (PODhub blurb) is an example of not paying much attention to the negative space that cushions that type.
Logo – you have a logo! It is your first panel – almost. I suggest you use white type, sitting in a bold, blue perfectly hexagonal shape. That’s it. You don’t need more hexagons that dwarf the type. You don’t need anything else – your printing process is pretty simple. Keep your logo a simple, familiar geometric shape with clever typography inside. I see your best logo…. And it sits at the front of this brief!
Colors – I question the dark 4/c grey (it is 4/c isn’t it?). It’s too dark, and too warm. And it challenges the blue for dominance. I suggest you use that great dark blue and add cool blue/grays for your palette (for mid and light tones). Notice the blue/gray in the office pictures. Sample those shadows for your neutral colors. The blue is the bright color… do you need another? If you really think so – after the grays have become very cool… maybe the yellow will work. Not sure. Currently – the warm grey and yellow really mix poorly, and the yellow has taken on a visual tint of green – like sickly green yellow (not a great addition). What about magenta?
Good photos – giving us the modular feel of an office space filled with clean machines and artistic work by creative people. Good.
This is making great progress – after revising some of the decisions you have made, apply this design approach to your brochure, etc.
Hey Dianna,
ReplyDeleteI like the new direction you're going towards, the name really flows well and has a strong presence. I can see you've taken the time to justify the letters to fit well under one another, but the "hub" in minuscules feels a bit weak—perhaps you could try it out in capitals, or just the "hub" in a larger size so you won't have to track the letters as much. Another alternative could be to use a slightly heavier font!
Kind of a fun/strange suggestion: the name you chose has very symmetrical letters (except the P), especially when all in capitals, maybe there's something fun you could try with that? POD HUB
Symmetry example: http://bit.ly/1Mj0Uzn
Diana – good for you, your redesign is starting to make a lot of sense. The logo is readable, and clever. Did you consider all caps? You should at least take a look at that, as Tania has suggested above – but in the end this could also be the finished design. The strength of it lies in the vertical alignment between vertical strokes in the 2 lines… and the almost, but not quite, attachment of those letters. The tiny bit of neg space that separates them is echoed in the thin lines that separate the blue hexagonal sections of the background.
ReplyDeleteThese blue interlocking sections makes me think that you are already planning your unusually folded brochure (I’m sure you are - based on that book). So – here is something to think about when designing type to sit inside these sections:
You have 2 options in terms of how to handle this.
1: You can ignore the shape of the panel completely (which is what I see you have done to the panel that holds the 2 fonts). Or, 2: you can honor the angled sides by creating the same shape text frames, allowing the edges of the contents that fill the text frame to mirror those edges. I see that you are doing that with the PODhub blurb (attached to colorful rollers).
But… you can’t do both. I’m guessing that you’ll choose the later because the results will be worth the effort. To make this approach completely successful, though, you need to create text margins that create a consistent margin of negative space on all sides of your text. You may need to justify your body text to it hugs those angled edges. Be very aware of your negative space on those panels. The example I mentioned above (PODhub blurb) is an example of not paying much attention to the negative space that cushions that type.
Logo – you have a logo! It is your first panel – almost. I suggest you use white type, sitting in a bold, blue perfectly hexagonal shape. That’s it. You don’t need more hexagons that dwarf the type. You don’t need anything else – your printing process is pretty simple. Keep your logo a simple, familiar geometric shape with clever typography inside. I see your best logo…. And it sits at the front of this brief!
Colors – I question the dark 4/c grey (it is 4/c isn’t it?). It’s too dark, and too warm. And it challenges the blue for dominance. I suggest you use that great dark blue and add cool blue/grays for your palette (for mid and light tones). Notice the blue/gray in the office pictures. Sample those shadows for your neutral colors. The blue is the bright color… do you need another? If you really think so – after the grays have become very cool… maybe the yellow will work. Not sure. Currently – the warm grey and yellow really mix poorly, and the yellow has taken on a visual tint of green – like sickly green yellow (not a great addition). What about magenta?
Good photos – giving us the modular feel of an office space filled with clean machines and artistic work by creative people. Good.
This is making great progress – after revising some of the decisions you have made, apply this design approach to your brochure, etc.