Publishing Design | Project 1

15/04/2020 -27/05/2020  (Week 1 - Week 7)

Yeo Ava (0340222)

Publishing Design

Project 1

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Lecture Notes

Briefing & Formats

15.04.2020 | Week 1
We started class with a Facebook Live session with Mr.Vinod. He briefed us about the module, the projects and exercises that we would be doing for class. Moreover, we were briefed on about our project 1, he showed us some of our senior's works. We should be starting our content gathering by next week. He also posted a lecture video about "Formats" on Youtube for us to watch at home.

In the video, he explained about the different formats that have been used by different civilisations around the world. He explained about how the formats have changed over different periods of time. The civilisations that were looked into were Mesopotamian civilisation, Ancient civilisation, Indus valley civilisation, Han Chinese civilisation and European civilisation.

 

History of Print

22.04.2020 | Week 2

We started class with tutorial class on Facebook live, we did a few exercises.

This lecture was about print history, where it focused primarily on how printing evolved from the early days and the various techniques employed.

Typography Redux

29.04.2020 | Week 3

The Grid

06.05.2020 | Week 4

The Elements

13.05.2020  | Week 5

Today, Mr Vinod gave us a lecture about elements, elements is also important while designing a book, which is visual elements like picture, imagery, illustrations, texture elements like heading, subheading, body text, pull quote and color.

Next when coming to the process of designing a book, first create a grid, which able elements to move around within the grid created. Second is select a typeface, selecting a well-functioning type family would be useful. The third is then started to creatively arrange all the elements. The exercises done before is to help with the process of this. In the end, we need to make sure that the outcome is visually impactful, strong, aggressive, unique so that us not predictable, and the engagement of reader experience.

 

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Instructions

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Project 1

Content generating
For the content I have decided to write about my mother. She passed away in the year 2017, it has been 3 years and to be honest I don't think I have fully accepted and grief properly. Throughout the process of writing this content, I struggled a lot on finishing my words because I would just end up in tears and lost of words. But I'm glad to say that this project has definitely helped me a lot on my grief and I definitely feel a lot better now.

15.04.2020 | Week 1

We were asked to generate content for our book, it should be 3000 words minimum. The write up should have minimum 3 chapters and it must also have 3/4/5 subtexts (sidebars) and one pull quote per chapter. Below is the draft for my 3000 words.

 Draft 2 & Visual References 

22.04.2020 | Week 2

After we were done with the writing, I had to add more subtexts and highlight the pull quotes from the body text. Below is the amended draft :

For my visuals, I wanted it to be abstract with bright colours. And also I've decided to add a character to my visuals, the overall style is a mix between realism and abstract. Below are the visual references I've collected.

Fig 1.0 Visual References

Sketches 

29.04.2020 | Week 3

Fig 1.1 B&W sketches

Fig 1.2 Trying out with colours

06.05.2020 - 20.05.2020 | Week 4 - Week 6

After a few consideration, I decided to change my direction into using old images of my mother and family.

Fig 1.3 Visual Images choose

Mr Vinod suggested that I use duotone style and also adding a halftone effect because I cannot use the pictures as it is.

Fig 1.4 Visual Reference

Fig1.5 1st attempt

Mr. Vinod said that I should crop my images and subjects out. To not just use the squarish images, as it seems repetitive.

Fig 1.6 2nd Attempt

Final attempts of 16 Visuals:

Fig 1.7 Visual #1

Fig 1.8 Visual #2

Fig 1.9 Visual #3

Fig 1.10 Visual #4

Fig 1.11 Visual #5

Fig 1.12 Visual #6

Fig 1.13 Visual #7

Fig 1.14 Visual #8

Fig 1.15 Visual #9

Fig 1.16 Visual #10

Fig 1.17 Visual #11

Fig 1.18 Visual #12

Fig 1.19 Visual #13

Fig 1.20 Visual #14

Fig 1.21 Visual #15

Fig 1.22 Visual #16

Fig 1.23 Visual #17

Final Visuals in Thumbnails : 

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Feedbacks

Week 1
General Feedback : Keep updating your blog and feedback sheet. Your blog should be ready by next week. The pictures taken should be clear and presentable and also not to forget to put a caption for it. Content generating 3000 words should be done by next week and also look out on the facebook group for lecture updates


Individual feedback: Mr Vinod said that the size of my book is good. He also reminded me that I have to have a single cutout spreadsheet apart from the one with measurements and the compiled book 

Week 2
General Feedback : Please start with the visual references and include the links into the reference list. And also update the visual references into the blog. Keep updating your blog and include the lecture notes. We have to read at least an article a week. Amendments to the content generating should be done at uploaded, exercise from today should be uploaded into blog as well. Feedbacks for the exercises should be in the exercise blog and vice versa for project 1. The illustration/visuals for our book should have 3 levels of intensity (low, medium, high)

Individual feedback: Please add in further reading. I have to fix some errors for my formating and start on the visual/Illustrations, at least 3-4 next week.

Week 3
Individual feedback: While creating my illustrations, it is important that I keep the 3 levels of intensity in mind. Need to further develop my visuals as it is still a rough sketch, needs more detailed illustrations in 10 out of 16 illustrations.

Week 4 

Individual Feedback : Interesting, can't wait to see more of the visuals next week. Try to complete the visuals by next week. 

Week 5 

Individual Feedback : Don't use the photos as it is. Try editing the photos into monotoneor duotone and crop it in a way that it is not so direct. The pixelate halftone effect adds a nice touch to the photos and also it is like a cheat for bad photos.

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Reflection

Experiences

Week 1
Woke up pretty early today to attend the Facebook Live tutorial class. This was the first time not going to Mr Vinod's class physical. Other than that, I was pretty excited for the project 1 content generating.

Week 2
Did most of the exercises with Mr Vinod on Facebook Live instead of waiting for the recorded version. I was struggling a bit to follow up as the internet that morning was unstable. We did something fun on Zoom Meeting today. We screen shot Mr Vinod's image and made it as our virtual background, everyone was in on it.

Week 3

I struggled a lot on trying to create the visuals on my iPad as illustrating is not my forte.

Week 4

I flew back to my home in Kuching, and I had an idea that would help in my visuals . I found a big bag of my mother's old photos and decided to use that as my visuals.

Week 5

Changing the colours of the photos really made it consistent and unique. 

Week 6

Cropping the key images out of the photos did improve the overall visual, it looks more interesting.

Observations

Week 1
I noticed that online class and learning from home is not as difficult as imagined.

Week 2
Although we are separated in our own home, we can still have fun together and make the Zoom meeting less intense.

Week 3
I realised that I had a hard time re creating illustrations based on my visual references.

Week 4

I realised that using old photos for the visuals looks much better and the readers can relate more to it.

Week 5

I observed that looking on Pinterest for visual references has helped me and influenced e alot on my ideation.

Findings

Week1
I found out that during this time self discipline and time management is a challenge. Learning and doing assignments at home has made me feel unmotivated and lethargic. I can't wait for classes to be back to normal again.

Week 2
I realised that this new normal thing has slowly grown on me. Although I still can't wait for this to be over (meaning found a vaccine for covid-19).

Week 3

I found out that illustrating the visuals is very difficult as I was in an Art block. But it eventually worked out after taking a nap.

Week 4

I found more inspirations through the old photos I found at home.

Week 5

Working the visuals with the old photos was so much fun compared to illustrating the visusls

Week 6

I found out that cropping the visuals out looks so much better.

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Further Reading

Week 1 - Week 2

This book provides inspiration through hundreds of well-crafted, real-life projects that have succeeded for their clients. It also teaches the fundamentals of complete and hardworking layouts. It also features all the basics of layouts, as well as dozens of mini case studies from professional studios around the globe whose layouts are proven winners. Here are some pictures of the content of the book.