Fashion Label development

I got feedback today on my logo design for the fairtrade fashion label..the concept was good but the heart in the logo weakened the design. The heart aspect can be overdone and it was suggested that i use the name of the company in the hanger rather than a heart - also it was felt that a heart may be too feminine for a clothing label that will have both menswear and womenswear..

I will be experimenting with sewing the final logo design and also screen printing. I need to finalise the logo before i do any of the secondary design but i am happy with the direction that it is taking im just concerned that the logo maybe weakened when it is made a lot smaller..? needs further development but i should have this finalised by the end of the week..

African Music Awards Media Pack

I have been working on some freelance work for the African Music awards to create a media pack to promote the event next year..my first draft can be seen here:

http://issuu.com/ilonabridges/docs/amasmediapack1

Tags and Labels

This weekend i have been doing some research into the design of different clothing labels and branding. This research has helped me develop my direction for the fairtrade fashion label. Also i have been trying to brainstorm a good strap-line which will be meaningful, effective and descriptive.

Suggestions are: Consciously beautiful. Conciously fashionable. Have a concious - wear Fairtrade.

My best idea so far is 'Hand Picked For You' as this suggests exclusivity aswell as the fact that it makes the consumer think about where their garment has come from.

My final logo idea at the moment is below..

it shows a clothes hanger..a well recognised fashion symbol in the west - and it has a heart bent into the shape of it suggesting that the consumer should be thoughtful, the designer is responsible and supports fairtrade. It also reflects the strap-line suggested above..

i am experimenting with the shape of the heart and the typeface used - as well as considering colours that could be used. The main concept is that the logo will be stitched into the label of the garments..

Plantation re-branding

Today i had a meeting with Bev, the owner of the Plantation restaurant in Bristol. As an option for my project next erm i am considering doing a re-branding for the restaurant. I went to the launch party of the restaurant on Friday evening and although the premises have been rebranded the identity of the restaurant needs re-branding. The project would include extending the identity to cover a cookery book and food jar labels for the retail of homemade sauces.

The next stage will be to write a brief for the project to show my tutors for approval..

White Gold

Today we finalised the name choice for the Fairtrade cotton collection for next year's fashion show.. below is the email i sent to the designers explaining our choice. My next step is to divise a project management plan as the timelines for this project are limited especially considering the extra research ill need to carry out regarding fashion labels..

White Gold

Hi girls,

Just to let you know that we have decided on the name 'White Gold' for your collection for the Fairtrade fashion show. This based on the fact that cotton is referred to as white gold as it is a precious trading commodity for cotton farmers.. We envisaged the collection being made of cotton after talking to you on Friday so wanted to focus on this theme..

The name also communicates that the clothes will be of a high quality and worth as you explained it will be a limited collection and the designs themselves look elaborate and pricey!

The strap line for the label will be 'Cotton. The Fairtrade Currency' or something similar.. To tie the name to the fact that we are raising awareness of Fair-trade.

I was hoping you would be able to email me some of each of your designs for both the male and female shirts so I can consider this when I am designing the logo? If you could send this to me before the end of the week that would be excellent as I want to start doing the logo over the weekend in time for Monday.

Will you all be in next Monday as well?

Thanks for your help guys,

Ilona

Fairtrade Fashion label creation

My new project involves creating a new Fairtrade fashion label for a line of Fairtrade cotton shirts that are going to be on the catwalk at the next Fairtrade fashion show in Bristol next Feb.

The emphasis for the brand is that it is going to be placed with the ethical clothing ranges at Harvey Nichols - we want it to be exclusive and raise awareness of the issues surrounding Fairtrade.

Initial ideas for brand names were:

1. Utopia 51 - because Utopia would be a world where all trade is fair and poverty is eradicated, to be certified as Fairtrade the cotton must be at least 51% Fairtrade.

2. Cotton on - cotton on to the issue of Fairtrade - unfortunately this has already been used in Australia! : (

3. For cot ten - derived from forgotten cotton - trying to emphasis that we shouldn't forget the cotton farmers and be aware of Fairtrade.

website launched

it is still subject to change as my identity hasn't been finalised yet and not all of my work has been uploaded but it is important that i have an online presence to start approaching employers for work experience..

www.i-lona.co.uk

feedback very welcome...thank-you

Exit strategy

I have been researching in detail how i want to structure my exit strategy and career progression from this point. I want it to be focussed and detailed. I have made a hitlist of the employers that i would like to gain work experience with and potentially work with - i have limited this to agencies and studio's that focus on the type of graphic design work that i want to develop my skills in.

Also, i want to display my current list of contacts that could be used to gain work experience and employment opportunities.

This information is going to be displayed as an information graphic..in a linear format that represents a timeline divided into 3 sections: exit strategy to next 5 yrs, 5 - 10 years and 10 years plus..

some inspiring images i have seen are:

Editorial crit

today we had feedback on our editorial magazines - i got some good constructive feedback on my magazine layout and have some amendments to do to my design as well as doing the contents page. I want to get this done asap so i can move forward with the next project which i have started researching for the beginning of next week.

further thoughts of my final project was to design a clothing line in partnership with a charity such as T shirts and create my own label to support the charity. The latest Creative Arts review magazine that i bought was discussing how to launch your own label and this seems like a good way to communicate design and also ties in with what we have been learning about in creative cultures where design is re-produced and distributed via clothing and fashion among other things. This is a concept i would like to explore further - does the reproduction of design make it more or less valuable?

i need to put together a 60 second pitch for my final project and think that the re-branding idea is more feasible to be success in terms of producing a strong project..but the charity clothing line is something i want to include for my career plans..maybe 5 years down the line as i way of giving something back..

Color me in

today we had a lecture on colour and it was explained how process and spot colours are used in design. This is something i was keen to learn about as i haven't known how to use colour properly or control how colour appears when it is printed as it can appear very different on screen.

Initially, i found the concept hard to understand without knowing how the printing processes work and have now got a book that explains this is more detail. Also i am going to invest in a PAntone bridge colour chart so i have a better choice of color for my work.

Following this lecture i have decided to experiment with different colours for my personal identity and see what works best..

23rd November

Frustrating day...booked printing of the magazine in plenty of time but couldn't print as i didn't export the fonts i had used in my InDesign file properly so when i tried to print from the uni printer all my fonts were lost or replaced! argh... lesson learn't always keep a copy of fonts for printing!! I have now saved the font files to a separate folder to load to the uni computer..take 2 tommorow morning!

Also, got introduced to the last project of the term which involves doing a brand for a fairtrade fashion label..i was involved with the fashion show last year so will be good to have the opportunity to get more involved this year and possibly have my design used in the show and for the work to count towards my work.

Been thinking about what i want to do for my final project next term.. Initial ideas was to do a magazine but on second thoughts this may not give my prtfolio a strong variety of work so i have decided to research doing a branding project as this appears to be the bread and butter of a graphic designers work.. i have arranged a meeting with the owner of a Carribean restaurant in Bristol called Plantation to see if i can use this restaurant as a case study for re-branding,..this interests me because it has a strong culture and potential for a strong brand and this particular restaurant has been on TV etc..up and coming..there are lots of elements to the re-branding not just a logo..to be continued..

Solvo Magazine

..continuing to develop the Solvo design magazine..i have one more article to complete which is surplus to requirements for the assignment but i was really inspired by the work of Rankin and used a Rankin inspired image for my front cover and therefore would like to link the cover to an article showcasing some of his similar images..

19th November

Personal tutorial today with Nick - it was good to talk to him about what my personal plans are. I am 99% sure that i will be going straight into industry at the emd of this academic year as i can't financially afford to stay another year. I feel ready to go into industry and excited..also i think i will learn more this way - although the learning will be different.

For our CP2 work we have to write a personal dev plan for our careers and next steps..for this i have decided to create a large A2 size information graphics to display this information..for the following reasons - it is more fun than writing a word document!..also more interesting for the reader!? Info graphics is a large part of graphic design and i haven't yet had the chance to explore this type of design so this will be my chance. This will be another piece of work for my portfolio and a great talking point for interviews..

Therefore, i have started to research info graphics that i like and inspire me.. and started to construct a HITLIST of companies in the Bristol area that i can approach for work...

18th November

I have developing my identity further. Ive decided that using my hand painted tea typography isn't strong enough so i have opted to just use the tea ring stain for the effect. Ive been experimenting with different colours as a palette of only tea 'browns' seems too bland.

I have been putting together the structure of my website to get my portfolio online so i can start approaching companies for work experience. I was inspired by this website: http://werkstette.dk/ because i like the good use of space to that you have maximum space to show off your work and it is very simple but dynamic.

However............i find it very frustrating not being able to develop what i want to do..i have just completed an extra-curricular Flash course so i can build my portfolio in Flash as i believe this looks better - but my skills aren't what i want them to be!! argh... but im getting there..

11th November

I have been developing my personal identity today. I have decided to focus on the concept of tea with the slogan "Refreshing Design". I created a logo which i painted and edited in Illustrator however, on reflection it didn't compliment the tea concept and was too distracting trying to incorporate the arabic typography theme. Therefore, i am now using "Refreshing Design" as the logo - my business card will be a coaster that can actually be used by clients. It won;t be designed to fit into a card holder as i want it to be on display.

The concept of refreshing design can be extended further to cover lemonade and beer etc for different marketing pieces. I will still operate under i-lona.co.uk

I was trying to create the tea affect in photoshop but have opted for painting with tea for a more natural effect which can be sharpened in photoshop.

Also, i have started constructing my online portfolio following the same branding idea..to be continued..

6th November

Marie Hendrickx

Sonya Suhariyan

I have been developing the masthead for my magazine today. I have reached a final choice. I have decided on a contemporary design which includes an icon which can be used on its own to identify the magazine amongst all others..the masthead reflects the slogan for the magazine..creativity for the fertile mind!

I need to go to the bookshop tommorow to look at yet more magazines...

I want to do more than one double page spread and have been thinking about what other topics to cover - ideas include:

- illustration - pomme chan is an amazing illustrator and would perhaps like to feature her work. I have found an interview with her online so i can do an interview as opposed to another article?

Also, ive noticed that lots of designers do interesting compositions with the prism shape - i want to research what this stands for and maybe feature it..

At least one of the articles will be more than a standard double page spread and possible fold out, origami prehaps..fold into a prism?

Pomme Chan

5th November - Photoshoot

Today i did a photoshoot to get some shots to use for the editorial project. I wanted to use my own photography so that i have more control over the composition and the subject of the images. It was quite challenging to get the shots that i wanted for the magazine. Here are sample of images i am developing for the magazine.

2nd November

I have been looking at different graphic designers to see how editorial design has developed. David Carson. This is my first point for starting my research. I have seen some of his work in the past, especially his Beach Culture magazine that he designed. I didn't like it. The layout and lack of a grid made me feel uncomfortable and didn’t see any aesthetic in the design. However, i really like the concept of what he was aiming to achieve. To produce an unconventional magazine. Especially in the design world, more emphasis is placed on the images, typography and layout than the content of the words. Personally when i read a design magazine i rarely read the words from front to back - i look at the images to be inspired.

I want Solvo, which means ‘Free’ in Latin to stand for ‘Creative Freedom’ / ‘Free your creative mind’. A magazine that breaks the rules of editorial design but inspires the reader to push the boundaries. A magazine that shouldn’t be read from front to back but opened at any page.

Taking this approach to the brief will push me to think more creatively and take advantage of creating something that i would be too constricted in the ‘real world’ to create.

23rd October

Today we were given our new project. I am looking forward to starting it as i enjoy editorial design and am considering doing editorial for my final project.

First steps are to:

1> Devise project management plan to get the breif finished in the next 4 weeks - deadline - 27th Nov

2> Dedicate the first week to research and deciding what type of design aspect i want to take with the design..research editorial designs and publications.

Crit..following the crit this morning i am happy that the typographic poster and postcard are complete in terms of design. There are some technical errors i need to correct before i can print to add it to my portfolio.

Identity - today i have been doing some more research into what direction i want to take for my personal identity. I want to incorporate arabic typography because it is elegant and interesting, with illustration aspects to add more detail to it and not make it too arabic.

I want to experiment with painting with different types of tea! to make the design - as i love tea!

Some inspiring images i found today: Stina Perrson - beautiful watercolour illustrations.

different shape business card so that it can be used as a coaster and play on the tea! theme..?

Using arabic typography to draw a logo..interesting concept to be explored..

22nd October

Completed my typographic project and displayed it ready for our crit in the morning. I am happy with the results and the underlying concept i think is strong although following print there were some fundamental errors that will need to be corrected before hand-in.

1> The reflection on the bottom of the poster under each letter does not look crisp and detracts from the clean crisp image. This was suited to on-screen rather than flat print

2> Technical error which i have come across before - i used a different black in photoshop for the image to the black i used in indesign for the black background and because the two black values didn't match there is slight difference in the colours which is obvious when printed out. Black should always be absolute: 0,0,0.

My postcard shown here is effective. The stencil spells 'Love Me' from the front. This has two meanings - on a postcard you write 'Love from me' and Helvetica is famously either loved or hated so it's asking - Love me. I wanted to use this stencil and spray it in random places so show its application.

Also by cutting out the shapes it gave me appreciation for the craftsmanship that was needed to create the typeface in the first place.

19th October

this is the final week of the typography project and ive been developing my final concept. I had to re-arrange the layout to make it more visually interesting and decided to add the alphabet. I have decided to do a series of posters, as the letter element on the page is now smaller and letters such as i will now look better balanced. I was opting for the posters to spell a descriptive word of helvetica but on second thoughts im going to spell helvetica as the concept on its own is strong enough without over complicating it.

I have experimented with different layouts and like the dimensional angle but unfortunately it doesn't support the concept of flowing milk - so my composition shows the letter upright.

Given more time the other concepts i started could have been taken further, in particular the bath letters i think could work well.

Next steps are to perfect the graphic in photoshop and design the layout for the postcard which will be either a stencil design or a mock-up of a Letraset to show the idea of 'take-away' typography..to be continued tommorow.

16th October

I have decided on my final concept for my design museum poster. A black and white poster showing helvetica as an essential ingredient for design showing adding milk to a character... I think designers will find this witty and interesting. The poster will be part of a series, each poster put together will spell a word (to be decided!) that will represent helvetica eg clarity, love, perfection, max miedinger?..tbc

The postcard will be a stencil..matching the chosen word it will enforce the idea of spreading the typeface you can take it away and spray it. Also it makes the postcard more interesting than just printing as normal..

Next steps for the final crit next week is to find printer suppliers as i want to print on glossy black paper, and research stencil art to create the postcard..starting with of course...Banksy!!

15th October

I have been exploring another idea to try and combine contemporary design which i want to focus on for my final design with the use of a grid. Bathtime foam letters on a tiled bathroom wall..

I experimented in photoshop by manipulating the letters to look like helvetica..the concept is that helvetica is absolutely everywhere..even in the most unusual places..

One of the aspects of swiss style that appealed to me was the use of blurred imagery to constrast with the clarity of the typeface..with the help of my daughter..i used her hands in the composition - slightly blurred to show movement..

the tiles in the background can be made into a white grid..and the colour of the letters can be made more dramatic by possibly using black, white and red? I want to develop this idea although i dont think it will be my final concept..

14th October

I have been collecting and creating a scrap book to give me ideas on what to use for my identity. I currently have a business card and stationery and this is my starting point. I need to change my logo. I want to use my name as it represents me and it is unique. The meaning of ilona is 'beautiful' so i could play on the idea of beautiful design.

I have started looking at different types of typography and would like to create a custom typeface for myself. I really like arabic type fonts as they are bold and elegant - also they can be used well to form illustrations.

I like the work of Mehdi Saeedi from Iran:he uses elegant typography and uses a grid structure to layout his work..

I also like the work of Oded Ezer who experiments alot with type and pushes it to the boundaries like torturing type and looking at the link between type and biology. One piece that caught my eye is use tea to create a design..i love tea and this is something i was going to play around with...

Design Museum Visit

Yesterday i visited the design museum in London to get a sense of the audience for the poster and postcard that we are designing. It was a shame that most of the museum was closed to the public as they are installing a new exhibition but it was useful to see the space available, the people at the museum and the shop had lots of inspiration.

It has given me more direction with my concepts for the design..the rest of this week will be spent developing my final designs. I want to progress more than one idea.

I got a really good book called the atlas of contemporary graphic designers which has been really good to quickly see who i can research.

Also, i saw a artist creating elegant cards (www.rodgerlaborde.com)using a stencil as the face of the card. This gave me the idea of using a stencil for my postcard - the idea of 'take away d-i-y' typography.

6th October

i have been looking in more detail at the swiss style of graphic design. My initial ideas for my helvetica poster are not plausible as they wouldnt fulfil the brief - initial concepts included typographic illustration - but it doesnt represent helvetica in the form it was intended for - for clarity and clear communication.

I really like typographic art and thought this would be a great way to create a really beautiful poster to look at using photoshop techniques..here is one of my absolute favourites below:

But Helvetica wasnt specifically designed to be beautiful. It was designed to be simple, rational, harmonious and concise. The swiss style of graphic design resonates all of these attributes.

I have been looking at the work of Joseph muller-brockmann and armin hofmann, the latter produced a great poster in 1959 at the height of modernism. The image shows high contrast between the clearness of the helvetica typeface and the blur of the image.

5th October

Yesterday i watched the documentary on Helvetica to find out more about the history of the font and the viewpoint of other designers. I have started doing more research on Swiss Graphic design and like the use of the grid for the layout of the design.

This link is a good resource for great swiss style design

Seeing the movie has given me a greater feeling of what the typeface stands for..

Feedback

I need to focus more on carrying my research through to my work. I really like the idea of doing typographic art on one character of the alphabet and celebrating the forms of one character and producing a poster that is beautiful to look at but i was reminded today that this wouldn't fit the brief.

I need to focus the final piece on what Helvetica was created for..what makes it different? What is it known for..the answer is timeless, modern.. ordered, post-war idealism where design was used to re-construct. These early experiment of the 1950's were driven by Swiss graphic design.

4th October

I have sent the first draft for the design of the magazine to the client. You can see the magazine here:

Open publication - Free publishing - More magazine

1st October

Today we were introduced to the CP3 module - it will be focusing on our exit strategy from the course and looking at the career that we want to go into within graphic design..there are a few areas which interest me..in particular my first thought is editorial work but that is subject to change.

Ive found a fantastic website where you can upload your PDF documents and it converts them into digital magazine's. It's a great way to display work to clients as they can visualise more how the publication will look as a PDF can look flat. Ive created a 'book shelve' to display my designs for the editorial work i am doing. You can see it here

It's also great for seeing unusual editorial design that you wouldnt find at the high street magazine rack..

30th September

I have created my own font using fontstruct inspired by a folded ribbon and used the digital font to make a composition of the letters to experiment with how you can layout type on the page.

29th September

Today i have been researching the typeface Helvetica. Amoungst the others i have looked at i think im almost certain i will do my typographic poster on this typeface. Although i really like the Herb Lubalin typefaces (see below) - i think the history and reputation of Helvetica within the design industry will allow more creative concepts for the poster.

I was amazed to see both online and offline today what a massive influence Helvetica has on design at all levels. I cant make up my mind if it is polluting the design industry or a God send??

Have a look at it..everywhere!

Editorial Layout

Today i have been looking at editorial layout design as i am currently working on a freelance project to design a magazine for the upcoming Screen Nation awards in 2010.

In have been exploring the use of fonts and the legislation implications of what fonts we can use. I have sketched the layout in a pad and made a mock initial design in InDesign to send to the client. I want to do a few more designs before sending them onwards..to give a wider choice..

A great graphic designer who does great editorial design is Dennis Lynge.

28th September

I have started this online blog to follow my studies through the second year of my graphic design course to outline my thought processes and design ideas.

In the second year i aim to:

- get more regular feedback at earlier stages of the project

- spend more time on the research stage of each project

- take advantage of freelance opportunities to work along aside study to gain industry experience

Lot's of hard work ahead..