OUGD505: Evaluation

Overall, I have really enjoyed the whole OUGD505 module, both of the briefs were fun to complete as I feel I really got to grips with creating my own intention and how I wanted both of the end designs to turn out. Studio brief 1 was really interesting in terms of both the research and production, choosing a micro genre that I was keen in listening to anyway meant the research didn’t become boring as I was able to learn more about the genre that I had only vaguely heard of before. Choosing to create two embroidery hoops, as my outcome was something quite risky as they could of gone very wrong but I am really pleased with how they turned out. Embroidery was something that I got really into during last summer so to have an opportunity to use these skills for a studio brief was really exciting, especially as it was something I had never done/completed for a brief before. Although not all of the design was completed by hand, I did use machine embroidery on some small detail in order to keep it really neat and to speed up the process. As these will be put up in the exhibition I wanted them to be presentable and something I was proud of, these are definitely that. Moreover, my final outcome for studio brief 2 is also something that I think has been really successful. I have enjoyed being able to research and produce something about an issue that I feel very passionately about which is why I feel I made the right decision to raise awareness of animal cruelty and encourage people to shop cruelty free. Like I said in my brief 2 evaluation, I would of liked to have had enough time to create a physical product, yet I don’t think I worked on my time management very well when it came to near the deadline. 

This module has been an all round success as it is not often that I am always pleased with my end product/design. It has also given me inspiration for my future projects, as I always like to create pieces with a meaning behind them or to bring alight an issue in the hope to make a small change. 

OUGD505: Tote Bags and Evaluation

'Checklist Tote'

'Bee' Cruelty Free Tote'

These are the two final front and back designs for the studio brief 2. I am pleased with how these have turned out and I think they relate to the brief that I intended to respond to when I set out making these bag designs. The strong point is defiantly the catchy typography slogans that are on the bags as I think these will instantly catch the attention of both the consumers who want to buy the bags but also when they are out and about wearing them. Keeping them very minimal with the main focus on the slogans was a good idea. Again, it was important to have the cruelty free logo somewhere on the tote bag in order for people to be made more aware of what it looks like, I think if people saw the logo on the bags when they were being sold it would instantly make them aware and think about shopping for cruelty free products.

However, I would of loved to expand on this brief further and to have had the time to produce these tote bags, sadly this has let me down as I think I spent too much time on the research and brief 1 to properly turn these into a physical product. Despite this, I have enjoyed creating a product that has use for the consumer whilst also bringing awareness to a problem that I take very seriously and I would definitely consider producing these tote bags in my own time, perhaps to sell.

Overall, I have enjoyed this brief because I have been able to look at an issue thats incredibly close to my heart and something that I am really passionate about, I do think this has been reflected in my thorough research and my outcome (despite not producing them physically). Creating products with use and meaning has been something enjoyable and it has definitely made me relate this to my COP 3 for Level 6 as it is something I would be quite keen in looking into.

OUGD505: Development Of Tote Bags

Typography Measurements:

Typography height: 2.7cm

Spacing: 1/2 cm

It's important to have my typography all of the same height and spacing as its going to be transferred onto a tote bag because I want the type to be neat and even.

Checklist Tote Bag

Using the grid and rulers in Photoshop to make sure all of the spacing and alignment of the typography is even

Chosen tote bag shape- bag fits more in it

To keep the back of all of my tote bags the same, I am just going to have the cruelty free logo on them. I also considered changing the colour of the type but I want the type to be easily readable and bold so people can quickly read what the bag says and take in the slogans quickly.

It's cool to be cruelty free

I have decided to use the majority of the same lettering by just using the magic wand tool on Photoshop in order to maintain the same consistency of typography with all of the tote bags. This is important because they are part of a set so I want them to all look consistent.

Adding a small pop of colour to the bee on this design makes it that bit more fun for the consumer instead of the bee being all monotone.

Final design mocked up on the same tote bag, again I really like this typography design because I think it fits in really well with what I am trying to portray and the problem I am bringing to light.

OUGD505: Studio Brief 1 Evaluation

Studio brief 1 has been incredibly enjoyable within both the research aspect and the design aspect. It has been rewarding to create a piece of work to be proud of, especially as it will be presented in an exhibition therefore being confident about the work that will be shown is a great positive. Enjoying the research aspect of a brief is something important because without that interest and enthusiasm from the start, it becomes incredibly difficult to maintain the work ethic and be excited to produce an outcome, this was certainly not an issue with this brief because every aspect was enjoyed. Choosing to create two embroidery hoops was something new, it was a brave idea but something that has been incredibly successful. The outcomes relate to the micro-genre research and the briefs intentions of creating a design piece with a narrative alongside it. The embroidery process was something also enjoyable and this is reflected within the quality of the final outcomes. 

OUGD505: Final Embroidery Designs + Exhibition Presentation

Finished Embroidery Hoops

These are the final embroidery hoops, I have photographed them against a white wall in order for all of the detail to be seen, the physical item will also be handed in for the deadline. I think these are some of the strongest outcomes I have produced and I am incredibly happy with them and how they relate to my intentions in the brief. These embroidery hoops defiantly bring about narrative imagery when you look at them and they allow you to create a story in your head whilst listening to them. To save some time and in order to keep them incredibly neat, there were some more felt additions added to them and I did some further machine embroidery for the small details that were too complicated to do by hand and made the design look quite messy. However, this does not distract anything away from the indie-folk theme of the embroidery hoops.

Exhibition

These are the way I would like the hoops to be positioned once they are hung up in the exhibition.

OUGD505: Design Developments

I decided I wanted to create my own typography for the tote bags because there was a certain style in mind that I wanted to experiment with. I am going to use the standard bunny logo on the bags because these don't need changing, its something that I want people to be able to recognise straight away on products

Cruelty Free Bunny Logo

Typography Experimentation:

Various materials I will use for type experiments 

INK: the image shows that ink will not be the best way for me to produce any typography because its clear it does not work at all and has been a fail.

BRUSH PEN: These are much better type designs and are a lot more bolder and legible for use on a tote bag

BRUSH PEN: The variation of the brush side of the pen and the small nib of the pen is my favourite typography style. 

OUGD505: Product, Range and Distribution

Product:

Tote Bags

Distribution:

These tote bags will be distributed within shops that promote the use of cruelty free products, Superdrug, Sainsbury's, The Body Shop and Tesco, all of these have their own brands that are cruelty free and most of them have created a campaign in the past to promote it. It would be unrealistic to say Lush would sell the tote bags because they have their own which is incredibly popular so the likelihood of that happening would be very slim.

OUGD505: SB2 Finalising Ideas

TOTE BAG:

'I shop cruelty free'
'This bag contains cruelty free'
'I shop for the sake of animals'
'This bag does not test on animals'
'Shop cruelty free like me'
'No animals were harmed in the making of this bag'
'Keep it cruelty free'
'No animals suffered to make me look this good'
'It's cool to be (bee illustration) cruelty free'
'Look for me *bunny logo* to be cruelty free'
'If it's not cruelty free, it's not for me'

Check list
-Look good
-Smile
-Clear conscience
-Cruelty free

Check list
-Phone
-Purse
-Lipstick
-Cruelty free

* All bags must have the cruelty free logo on them, from doing the questionnaire this is the one thing people were not 100% sure on.

Karin Akesson

OhHappyDay and Paul Ferney

Image found on Pinterest couldn't find artist

Having done some research into existing canvas tote bag designs, I have decided that this is the best product for my final outcome. I think I can keep these bag designs quite fun and include some catchy slogans on them.

After speaking with Simon, I think these products need to be targeted at people who already shop cruelty free or are in the process of because trying to get these out to a large audience may prove difficult in terms of limitations to where they could be sold/advertised. I will still include the cruelty free logo because again, this came up in my questionnaire that people did not know what it was.

OUGD505: SB2 Product Ideas

Ideas:

-Tote Bag
- Leaflet
- Postcard
- Poster
- Social Media Campaign
- Animation
- Branding (logo, gifs etc.)
- T-shirt
- Guidebook (online/physical)

OUGD505: SB2 Ideas Feedback

-Focus on distribution
-Target audience, who wants to be shopping cruelty free
-Cant distribute in shops that sell non-cruelty free products
-Cant distribute for example in boots and not superdrug or the other way around

OUGD505: Embroidery Development SB1

Felt outlines

Although this doesn't look like much yet, the felt shapes of the birds will really add the definition to the piece as it will be a lot easier to add in the smaller detail afterwards. So far I think this has been the right idea to apply felt onto the canvas material as this is going to be presented in an exhibition its important to make it stand out.

Again I am really pleased with how this has turned out, the branches especially which I used my sewing machine skill for look really effective and its ensured the piece has remained really neat and precise in order for the embroidery to be applied on top of it.

Hoop instalment 

Adding the material into the hoop, again looks incredibly effective and I can see them coming together really nicely.

OUGD505: Final Designs SB1

This is the final design that I am going to transfer onto the embroidery hoop, I really like how the birds are positioned as it looks like they are flying alongside each other and the small illustrative detail will be embroidered onto the birds. I think to make the design more effective, it might work best to create the bird shape out of felt and then add the embroidered design on top of it, this will mean the design will be more refined. In terms of colour, I think using lots of warm autumnal hues will work nicely as these colours are used a lot within the works of artists I have looked at for inspiration.

The second embroidery hoop will have this design on it, I think again the face should be made out of felt to add definition to the design so it doesn't become lost with all the smaller detail around it. I am also considering doing some sewing machine embroidery, especially for the tree branches because I want them also to be very defined and filled in with colour.

OUGD505: Design Development SB1

Initial design sketches

These illustrations are just simple sketch ideas of symbols that could be used on the two embroidery hoops, I have drawn things related to the micro-genre's theme and tried to decide what will work best in terms of creating a narrative or telling a story. I think the bird motifs are definitely something that I want to have on an embroidery hoop because they create a good sense of narrative, positioning them like they are flying will also be incredibly effective as that will reflect the sense of movement like the noises of the music. I also like the idea of the illustration of the head with the branches coming out of, I could develop this a lot further by adding smaller detail into the design and that would work nicely alongside of the birds. They could be positioned with the birds slightly above the other hoop so it looks like they are flying away.