Book cover designs

This version is coloured in a dark colour palette, mirroring the dark, slightly adult nature of the story. I took the idea of a large bright moon from the 50th anniversary cover to contrast the otherwise dark cover and provide a focal point - the cover would potentially be overlooked on a shelf otherwise. The branches of a tree represent the tree in the book, I wanted to allude to an element in the story somewhat and thought the dark branches would work well, as they look sort of distorted and twisted.

The type on the cover is quite simple. I used a brush stroke font for the title, which is in black and placed over the moon. This makes it stand out more. The authors name is in white at the bottom right of the cover, I thought it looked more balanced here as opposed to the left. I used Baskerville for this and the blurb, lending the book a classic feel. The quote on the book at the start of the blurb is in the same typeface as the title, making the cover more consistent, however it is in lowercase as it requires less attention.

Crit feedback

unsure of choice in brush stroke type

good contrast of colours

My second version of the To Kill a Mockingbird book is more minimalist. Developing on one of my thumbnail sketches, the main element of this cover are the handcuffs. With the title in the typeface 'Perpetua' and positioned strategically in the hand hole of the the cuffs, the cover represents the criminal element of the book and the arrest and conviction of Tom.

I really liked the appearance of this cover as the incorporation of photography and otherwise simple aesthetic works together well as there aren't many elements competing for attention.

Crit feedback:

design with handcuffs could use more colour

good link to imprisonment and confinement

harper lee could be move to top for better spacing

 My third version is more of a subtle reference to the story. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the state of Alabama, in the South of the US, a state which is one of the most racist in the entire US. Since the story fits so well into this characteristic of the state I thought a reference to the state itself would work well in the cover design. I decided to use the outline of the state, and add in typography to make the cover bold and add relevance.

Crit feedback

use of red black and white represent the division well and the red suggests danger

the shape is unclear that it is the state of alabama

reason for shadows

why mockingbird split into two?

The last cover design uses a divide in the cover with black and white sides next to each other. This shows the clear segregation in society, especially the one in the deep South at the time the book was set. The addition of the pale yellow colour alludes to childhood, reflecting the young age and innocence of the children in the book. Along the bottom of the page runs a picket fence, to represent the Radley House and the type is large and capitalised so as to not get lost in the cover. 

Crit feedback

like the black and yellow design

line down the middle represents division well 

picket fence represents the radley house well

yellow type hard to read

Thumbnail sketches

For my thumbnail sketches I wanted to explore both an illustrated approach and a mainly typographical one.

In my research I discovered that the previous winners of the book cover competition had elements of illustration in their covers, so this was a focus of mine. I also wanted to give my cover a different look to others - as books aimed at adults can often be plain looking and simple. 

Top left: using the creepy Radley house in the book and movie as the main element of the cover. The colours could be dark to reflect the mood of the book.

Top right: Similar to the 50th anniversary edition of the book, the cover features a tyre swing to portray the childhood innocence of the main characters. The word Kill is placed in the middle of the tyre to add emphasis to the meaning of the word.

Bottom left: The scene in the bottom left cover shows the courtroom with Tom, the accused rapist on the stand and three children (Scout, Jem and Dill) watching on. The type is fitted around the image.

Bottom right: This cover is mainly typographical with the title the biggest feature. A rope is wrapped around the text to represent the death that Tom will face.

Top left: The focus for this cover is the moon and tree. The moon respresents the light in the darkness and the tree is a recurring prop in the book - where Boo Radley hid toys and presents for the children.

Top right: Again focusing on the law/crime aspect of the book, the image of a handcuff is aligned to the right with the title in the hand hole of the cuff. I like the negative space that the cover has.

Bottom left: This cover features a picket fence, one that would typically be seen in the era of the book, and the background is split, half black and half white to represent the racial divide in the book.

Bottom right: The illustration of a man in dungarees alludes to both the poor position of accused rapist and the childhood innoncence of Scout. Both wear dungarees in the film and I wanted to combine the imagery of the film with the imagery of the book.

Top left: Typographic focus, with the title taking up almost the entire cover, with a dagger piercing the word kill, which will be written in red.

Top right: The cover focuses again on the children, with Scout, Jem and Dill in figure forms. The title runs vertically with 'to kill' in the form of the first child Scout, 'a mocking' in the form of Jem and 'bird' in the form of Dill. Behind the children is a tree in the top left corner and a rope hanging down on the side.

Bottom left: Again mainly typographical focus with the title broken up to fit into the outline of the state of Alabama. This is powerful as Alabama is a southern state, one where racism is more prominent than most other states.

Bottom right: This cover combines typography with the crime aspect of the book, the title is interwoven between jail bars. This could be problematic as not all of the title is visible, making it less legible but I like the premise.

Type Treatments

For my type treatments I chose the typeface 'Baskerville' as I thought it was a classic font that reflected the time period of the book and looks clean - a look perfect for an adults book.

The hierarchy of information only contains the title and author. I decided to have the title above the author as this is the more vital piece of information most people need when searching for a book - most value title over author. Because of this, the title is bigger than the authors name in all treatments. This reads better. I have also decided to place the title in capital letters, and the author in lowercase. Again this adds emphasis to the title.

The first treatment I chose was a simple look with the type fairly small and aligned to the bottom left of the front cover. This is a look I have seen on many front covers - particularly on adults books as it is simple and easy to read.

The second was more out there, the type runs vertically upwards and takes up the entire left side of the cover. I have made the type large to make a bolder statement, but still kept the type aligned to the left.

The third treatment was similar to the first. I have not changed the size of the type, just moved it up to the top of the page, leaving the bottom of the cover blank.

For the fourth I placed the text in the centre of the cover, aligned to the right. This breaks the page in half, making it more difficult to place any illustration on the cover.

The fifth treatment is similar to the second with the type running vertically, however I have reduced the size so it is less obtrusive.

The sixth features the same size type however is placed 2/5ths of the way down the cover and aligned to the right. This reminds me of the Marber grid we studied in the penguin books. 

The last 2 treatments feature bigger type. The title runs over 2 lines instead of just one, making the text flow less. Both treatments are aligned to the bottom left corner, with the last in a large size. I prefer the smaller treatment as I could place an illustration onto the cover and it would not be overshadowed by the type.

Existing book cover research

50th anniversary edition designed by Sarah Jane Coleman

The cover is primarily illustrative, and uses silhouettes for the main features of the illustration. The title is handwritten, and placed in the centre of the cover - however the type merges with the illustration as the letters are placed on the branches of the tree. The tree spans both the front cover and the back cover, with bare branches on the front and leaves on the back. The cover also features two children, picket fences and the symbol of the bird. I like how the bird isn't a primary feature as it makes the meaning less obvious and the fact it is metallic as opposed to the dark cover adds to the symbolism. The nook in the tree where Boo Radley leaves the children gifts is also on the cover, but placed onto the spine to allow the tree to span both sides of the cover.

The mainly dark, yet neutral colour palette of the cover appeals to all audiences - with the large bright moon on the front lifting the mood overall.

Handwritten type is used for the title on the front, yet the title elsewhere is in an exaggerated, rounded serif typeface. This alludes to the special occasion of the 50th anniversary of the book because of its exaggerated appearance. The authors name is written in a handwritten style font - linking to the childhood innocence theme throughout the book. The blurb is in a simple sans serif typeface to not detract from the rest of the cover and to make the information legible. It wraps to the shape of the tree trunk and the boy leaning on it in the illustration.

Design by Sebastian Andreas

This contemporary cover plays on the crime aspect of the book. Featuring a clenched fist on both sides of the cover, this represents defiance and strength. It also alludes to the 1968 Olympics Black power salute in which black athletes raised their fists in a symbol of solidarity and support. This is relevant as the accused man in the book is a black man - and one of the motifs of the novel is racial hatred and discrimination. The black fist represents the accused man in the novel and the shackles chained to his wrist portray the white community who have discriminated against him and locked him up. As well as this, white often portrays innocence so this could be argued to show the innocence of the children.

The title is handwritten and I in particular love how it fits the shape of the fist. The irregular letters contrast against the sharp colour scheme and the block shapes of the illustration. On the back the fist is facing downwards, with a sans serif blurb fitting within the fist. The authors name and the quote at the top of the blurb is the same typeface used for the authors name in the 50th edition of the book above.

Designed by Ally Simmons

The illustrated cover focuses on the tree in the novel where Boo Radley left the children gifts. The sketchy style of illustration works really well as it almost looks as if it could be a childs drawing. The tight fit of the illustration and type within the hole in the tree is effective as it makes the drawing look more chaotic and interesting. The sepia colour palette evokes the classic mood of the book and gives the feeling of timelessness - one that is perfect for a classic novel.

The type is orange against the brown and cream of the rest of the illustration and it written in the same style of the illustration really makes it look at home on the cover. The bright colour makes it more legible, however on the spine the type may be less legible as it is placed against a lighter background. A simpler typeface could have been used in the same colour to tie it all in together.

The back of the cover is less strong to me. The illustration of the bird is very obvious and overdone for the book and I feel not needed as it doesn't add anything to the cover. The blurb is placed over the illustration, blocking most of the bird out anyway and the style of the blurb doesn't fit with the front cover. I think to work better as a consistent cover, the blurb could have been placed within a hole in a tree in the same style of illustration to mirror the front of the book.

To Kill a Mockingbird analysis

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel published in 1960 written by Harper Lee.

The story is loosely based on events that happened in Lee's own life living in Alabama in the 1930s when she was very young.

Characters: Scout, Jem, Atticus, Dill, Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, Mayella Ewell, Bob Ewell, Judge Taylor, Rev. Sykes 

Synopsis: Scout and Jem, the children in the book, make friends with Dill, a boy who has just joined the neighbourhood of Maycomb, Alabama. They begin to tell stories about the "creepy" recluse, Boo Radley who lives in the Radley house down the road. Boo leaves the children small gifts in the nook of a tree, but never appears in person.
Atticus, their father, a lawyer is appointed to the case of Tom Robinson, a black man who has been accused of the rape of a white woman. Other children tease Jem and Scout by calling their father a "nigger lover". Scout wants to fight them to stand up for herself but doesn't. Later on, the children force a mob intent on lynching Tom to see things from Tom and Atticus' perspective.
At the trial, the children watch from the coloured balcony, while Atticus proves that Tom is innocent and in fact the woman made sexual advances towards him, for which her father beat her for. Despite this proof the jury still convicts Tom which shakes Jem's faith in the law. Later on Tom is shot while attempting to escape prison and dies.
Later on the father of the white woman attacks Jem and Scout as he feels he has been humiliated, and breaks Jems leg. Someone comes to the childrens aid and carries Jem home. Scout realises this is the mysterious Boo Radley.
The man who attacked Jem and Scout is found dead following the struggle and Atticus believes it to be Jem, but the sheriff convinces him that the man fell on his own knife. Scout walks Boo home and imagines life from his perspective, leaving her feeling bad that the children never repaid Boo's gifts to them.

Adjectives:
thought - provoking, compassion, acceptance, innocence, prejudice, injustice, understanding, naivety, realisation, aware, divide

Quotes

'I think there's just one kind of folks. folks'

'You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it'

'You just hold your head high and keep those fists down. no matter what anybody says to you dont let em get your goat. try fightin with your head for a change

'Sometimes the bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whiskey bottle in the hand of another. there are just some kind of men who're so busy worrying about the next world they've never learned to live in this one.'

'Before i can live with other folks i've got to live with myself. the one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.

'Until i feared I would lose it i never loved to read. one does not love breathing.

'Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what

'It was times like these when i thought my father who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived

'When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness' sake. but don't make a production of it. children are children, but they can spot and evasion quicker than adults.'

'Atticus, he was real nice. Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them'

'There's a lot of ugly things in this world, son. i wish i could keep em all away from you. that's never possible'

'Mockingbirds don't do one thing except make music for us to enjoy. they don't eat up peoples gardens, don't nest in corn cribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. thats why its a sin to kill a mockingbird.'

Penguin Book Briefing

Penguin books

live brief

tuesday 7th march (closing date)

diary of adrian mole

to kill a mockingbird

in cold blood

30 thumbnail sketches

5 developed designs

1 final design

pdf

research judges

last years winners

adults books - strong idea

childrens books - scene, narrative, key moment

non poetic, clear idea/pun, conceptual trick

strong use of typography

typographic form

photographic

object

flat illustration

analyse book - sparknotes

watch film

research genre in book shop 

10 adjectives that describe the book

find 3 existing book cover designs for chosen book - analyse

produce layouts - type, grid, layout, 

mon 27th pdf of 5 designs, rationale, images of relevant research

OUGD405 Evaluation

During the OUGD405 module I have learnt how to produce work in different, previously unexplored ways. In particular during the study tasks I felt I developed a different working style. Task 1 was really interesting for me as I had not conducted research in this way before, going out into the city and interacting with others. Similarly, I had never used a video camera and creating the video was a different yet satisfying way to present our gathered research. Study tasks 2 and 3 were useful as they encouraged me to increase my work speed and produce more work in a shorter amount of time. I created more handmade work as opposed to just working digitally and I liked the different method of production, especially in the blackletter task. Learning about the objectivity vs subjectivity debate was also really enlightening.

During the last module I discovered how important research was in influencing my design decisions. I carried on this knowledge into the 405 module and by reading more books and finding more relevant sources as well as getting out into the city and even visiting museums for way finding, I believe I have created projects with a strong, well informed idea behind them. As well as reading research, the visual research conducted into the object brief made me reconsider how dull research could be at times. By researching visually, in particular creating excel drawings and photographing my object along a constraint, I learnt to look at my object differently and I drew upon and used this research when creating my final outcome.

If I were to redo any of this module I would create more physical final pieces. My sign system required that it be painted large scale within the city centre, but as I was limited on what I could do with this I did not present any physical deliverables. Thinking back on it, I could've presented some form of painted sign - not to scale and on another surface - an MDF board or wooden plank perhaps. Similarly with my object project my final piece is meant to be large scale and cut out of vinyl. To be able to present a physical piece I presented two smaller scale posters in seperate colourways - allowing for the possibilities that would occur in my proposed setting, but to create a piece out of vinyl would've been ideal. In my next project I am determined to create more physical pieces - and not just posters.

wayfinding evaluation

On the whole I believe my way finding system communicates my research and intentions. By following the rebus format suggested in an initial crit I believe I have created a strong theme throughout my system. The use of vector illustrations effectively portrays the locations in my system, whilst lending a more modern vibe to the 19th century locations. By basing my system on the industrial revolution in Leeds, I have been able to find a wealth of information as the city has been heavily affected and changed by the era. Actually visiting the industrial museum gave me a more in depth insight into the era and allowed me to develop my system in a way that correctly portrays the period. My pictograms were heavily influenced by Kendrick Kidd and his “seals”, the vector illustration was a style I wanted to use in my system to attempt to combine the older architecture with the busy modern vibe of the city. I think I managed to convey this style well as the pictograms do not look out of place in the city centre as it is today. Although the modern vibe was important in my design I still wanted to link back to the style of illustration of the period - where I had been inspired by Walter Crane and his use of frames and emblems as well as the sketchiness of the artwork. I attempted to combine the two style eras by adding in “shading” in the form of lighter weight lines - echoing the sketchy appearance in illustrations from the era. While I feel I managed to combine them well, I feel that my pictograms could work just as well without this filler detail, relying on the Rebus format to link in my research to the system.This was echoed by my peers in a crit - the lines could make the symbols appear less clear if smaller scale was used. However as my system will be implemented large scale the issue is avoided.

I think the colour used for my system is perfect as I relied on colour theory and the power of red in everyday life. The bold colour draws attention to my system, perfect for one that is less obvious and lacks text for people to follow and identify. Further more I feel my mock ups could be improved upon as I do not feel they look as realistic as they should be.

I feel that my system could be used in real life contexts, however due to its subjective nature it may be less likely to be followed - many people prefer objective symbols as they are easier to understand and follow.

object evaluation

Overall I feel my guide to help people buying a lightbulb has worked successfully. 

The concept was highly praised in my crit, as my peers could see the guide having practical applications. None of them knew what components a bulb contained and most knew very little about bulbs otherwise. The guide is made for people shopping for a bulb in a hardware or home store, with clearly marked sections with different components of the bulb contained. The design includes shape, fitting, technology, temperature and brightness sections, each containing information about the bulb. In the shape and fitting sections, the information is displayed in icon format which I think makes the bulb easy to identify and think makes the bulb easy to identify and therefore spot and purchase. Text is used to display the information in the other sections, with helpful explanations of each sub section. This informs the viewer as to the parts of their bulb and assists them in discovering what bulb they will need overall. 

In terms of information though I think my guide is fairly limited as it does not contain lots of information about each component, just the basics. If it was to be used in a real life setting, the information would have to be expanded upon, with perhaps the addition of other sections - or a larger range within each section.

The clearly seperated sections work well in the modular grid format of the guide, combining both columns and modules in the layout. This breaks up the layout and is a vast improvement on from the inital proposed layout. The layout makes the sections easy to distinguish from eachother, therefore making the guide successful on these terms.

I feel that the colour palette of light blue and yellow work well, especially within the way they are used. However the colours work best on a dark background - the grey works well to contrast the light colours, and the white less so, as the yellow can seem lost against it.

For my deliverable I printed 2 colourways of the poster in order for the detail to be clearer, but as the intended production would be in the form of vinyl, the printed poster loses the impact and sharpness that the vinyl piece would have.

If I were to alter any part of the project, I would change the icons to make them seem more consistent and better fitting with the rest of the print, perhaps creating the icons using an isometric grid similar to the work of Otl Aicher. creating the icons for the 1972 Munich Winter Olympics.

Final Poster

The lightbulb guide will be produced large scale, in vinyl. There will be no back ground to the print, instead relying on the colour of the wall to provide a background. For this reason I have created a guide with more than one colour way to provide for a light and dark background.The vinyl will look effective mounted onto a wall - removing the boundary that a printed poster has would make the guide have more impact and appear less crowded as there is a lot of text on the poster. Vinyl is not the most cost effective way of producing a print but looks sharper than printing and easier than handpainting due to the small, thin body text. Vinyl cannot really be moved once stuck down, so leaves no room for flexibilty, but it would be easier to remove and reproduce in another place than hand painting.

I have made a feature of the additional lines seperating each boxed section of the components of the bulb. Taking inspiration from the visual research at the start of the project, in particular the excel drawings I created, I included a pattern into the lines, reminiscent of a current or circuit. This broke up the straight lines, adding more interest to the appearance of the poster and also tied in with the subject of the poster well.

For type I needed to make the guide easy to read and clear to follow, so chose sans serif typefaces. I used Steelfish and Bebas Neue for primary and secondary headings, which complimented each other well. Helvetica was used for the text that people would read to get information on the bulb components, as it is simple and perfect for body text.

I have created versions of my print for a light and a dark wall - so different colourways were needed in order for text to be seen. On the white background, all text is black with icons in a dark grey (CMYK 0,0,0,80) whereas on the dark background, the text and icons are white. The two consistent colours are light blue (42,9,0,0 )and yellow (0,0,100,0) which compliment eachother well as well as represent cool and warm light - a component of the bulb featured on the poster. An additional colour was added for the energy saving bulb, green (50,0,100,0)

Kendrick Kidd

Whilst sketching my ideas for my emblems, I researched into existing icons that looked similar and found designer called Kendrick Kidd. I was immediately inspired by his "seals" created for cities within Texas, USA.

The vectorised illustration coupled with the intricate detail inspired me to create my own sketches similar to his seals.

Object rationale

Lightbulbs are not simple objects. During my initial research into my object I discovered that they contain many components and the right combination is needed to fit the relevant product, and provide the right type and amount of light. Many people experience confusion when buying bulbs due to to their complex nature and shopping for them often requires prior research to ensure the right bulb is bought.

Inspired by infographics, my proposed piece is a helpful guide to buying a lightbulb. My guide will outline each component of a lightbulb and the light it provides in an easy to follow format. These component sections will contain useful information, either in text for the parts that need to be explained, or in images for the parts that need to be shown. People often respond better to and process images easier than they do text so I thought that in particular the shape and fitting for the bulbs would work best as images.

Ideally my piece would be a large scale print put into use in a hardware or home store, where lightbulbs are sold. This would mean my audience would be consumers, anyone that would be buy a bulb. This is more likely to be adults, and less likely to be children. The colours of the poster may need to vary depending on the surroundings, so I will create two versions, with altered colourways.

Wayfinding rationale

Leeds was once known as the city that makes everything. During the 18th century industry in Leeds reached an all time high and the city grew massively as a result. As well as an influx of mills and factories, cultural buildings used for entertainment and every day life were popping up in the city centre.

The proposed way finding system is a series of images/symbols - inspired by the work of Kendrick Kidd and Walter Crane - arranged in a way similar to a rebus device. Rebus devices were often used within the 18th century, in Victorian parlour games and business cards for example. Each set of symbols will allude to the name of certain buildings and places synonymous with the period - which include Kirkgate Markets and Briggate. The use of symbols in a puzzle form as opposed to objective, definite icons or type creates an interest around the signs and buildings, as well as making the system more subjective, echoing the views of Jan van Toorn. 

The system will be implemented in Leeds city centre. Taking inspiration from the subtlety and fading of ghostwriting along with the history of the buildings, the large scale signs will be placed in seemingly places. This invites anybody who spots the signs to solve the puzzles as well as explore for themselves and find out about these places in Leeds.

Another possible use for my symbols could be scavenger hunt used in education purposes, for local primary or secondary school pupils in order to make education about Leeds or the industrial revolution more exciting and interactive. Creating a system in the form of a scavenger hunt from one historical building to another, the pupils on the trail can learn about the history of each building and how it has resulted from the industrial revolution.

Object pictograms

Instead of using photographs for my final piece I decided to include my own designs for each shape of bulb and fitting.

The guide needed a pictoral element to it to break up all the text. This stops people from getting discouraged when reading it, but photographs did not fit with the final design. Instead I created a series of icons to represent the bulb shapes and fitting.

I used an 8x8 grid to create my icons, as well as this I kept consistency through them by repeating elements. In the shape icons the bottom of the bulb is the same in all relevant and the filament is also repeated in bulbs that include them. I chose to make the filament a decorative one as opposed to a plain design, adding interest to the icon.  

The line weight was kept fairly light, as the icons are meant to help with the guide instead of just being a decorative feature. The broken lines make the icons slightly abstract and less obvious.

If I were to redesign the icons, I would consider using an isometric grid in order to make them more consistent and add interest to the design.

System in action

My wayfinding system will be produced by handpainting the pictograms. 

Using outdoor paint, the symbols will be painted onto each location. Using paint is a low cost method of production, and while requiring more labour the end effect will be visually striking. Whilst the paint used would be outdoor paint, making the sign more durable, due to bad weather like rain and wind, the sign would be bound to fade slightly. However as my signs have been inspired by the 1800’s and also by ghost signs, this is a desired effect. This makes the signs work successfully either when newly painted, or in a few years time after being worn by bad weather. I chose this method as opposed to vinyl signs as I thought the fsding of the paint would look very effective in a few years time. Handpainting is also a more relenvant method to my chosen era of inspiration, tying the production method in well together with my era of resarch. 

In feedback crits, my peers supported this idea as they thought the method worked with the idea well. Additional feedback was that the signs could be painted onto wooden boards instead of straight onto walls, inspired by traditional sign painting, however I preferred my intended placement as it gave my wayfinding system a degree of permanence. 

For my pictograms I avoided using typography as I thought it may detract from the puzzle theme of my pictograms.

The colour I chose to create my pictograms in was a bold red. The use of red is more likely to catch people’s attention and as a colour of excitement, perhaps encourage them to follow the system. 

CMYK: 15, 100, 90, 10

Pantone: 186C, 200C

Colour Pictograms

The colours I chose to experiment with have significance within way finding systems and my project.

Green is a colour that generally means 'go'. In sign systems, it is a positive colour. For example in traffic lights, green means go, and the green man at crossings symbolise that it is safe to cross the road. Using this colour could encourage my users to follow the system.

Blue is a neutral colour, and is one that relaxes many people. It is said to represent thought and intelligence - making it a good colour to compliment the premise behind my wayfinding system. In road signs, it is the colour used for informational purposes.

Purple is not generally used in signs but is often associated with wealth and luxury. This gives a contrast to the research behind my system - buildings that were created for the Industrial revolution, many that were frequented by working class people as opposed to people with an abundance of money. Another way it could work in my system is that is a creative colour - perhaps inspiring people to think creatively while working out the locations in my system.

Red was my final choice in a colour for my way finding system. While used to give warnings or symbolise 'stop' in road sings etc, it is a bold colour which instantly catches the attention of people. This makes it perfect for my system as it is one that isn't obviously placed around the city. It is one that people may notice while already out and decide to follow the system.

*

Final pictograms

After looking at Kendrick Kidd I chose to pursue the emblem style. Experimenting with a cleaner style of illustration as well as a sketchier style led me to decide to use a mix of the two drawing styles. The finished result is a mix of modern style symbols, with added detail in the form of thinner lines to add shade and herald back to the sketchy style of Victorian 
illustration.

Final Pictograms:

For each set of pictograms, I wanted to explore more than one image for each icon - varying my ideas from obvious to slightly out there. I also looked at the era representation of  the symbols - I wanted to avoid using speakers or headphones to represent music for the City Varieties pictograms for example as  they were not invented in that period. For my final pictograms I chose to use a dark red colour. Looking at colour theory inspired me to use red as it is attention grabbing, making it more likely for people to spot it and the boldness of it may encourage people to follow the system onwards. 

For my directional cues I initally created pointed arrow heads but when coupled with my pictograms, the two looked mismatched against eachother. I instead chose to use 2 quarter circles placed next to eachother. The gap between them varies with the distance from each sign to the location represented.