Screen - Idea development

Idea 1

Problem = for when you're stuck in a music rut/have no plans for the evening.

- an app with subscription that gives random free music, live music ideas/ concerts and discounts on tickets. For music fans, or people that want to broaden their music horizons. The distance can be adjusted by users to span a few cities/ towns, or focus on just one and then can be sent notifications for any concerts/gigs that are happening in that radius. The subscription charge will be put towards a discount on tickets for the chosen gig.

Similar concept to bandsintown except the concerts generated aren't just based on tracked artists. The app will send all concerts within a set radius to the user for the user to choose from and expand their music taste. Users can also be sent free songs (fortnightly/monthly) and get discounts on tickets due to subscription fee. 

Idea 2

Problem = youth not voting/being interested in learning about voting. 

- app to encourage people to vote. Education on the voting system, parties, policies, how the system affects people, how to make a difference. Young people are most under represented age group when it comes to voting so app could make it easy to find what party to vote for. (global limitation - would be aimed at UK population)

Teens have the resources to learn about politics. If they wanted to find out more about the system/voting they could get on the internet and research. However it has never been compiled together for youth to look at easily - they don't think it affects them so aren't inclined to learn. An app would put all information in one place to educate and encourage them to vote.
Would need to reach youth (adverts on youtube, Spotify (both would need audio), as well as Instagram, snapchat, facebook, tinder etc...
Creating an app would be easiest if the adverts are all on mobile based applications as it would require less effort and be more convenient, instead of getting out a laptop you can just go to the app store, download and learn.

1. audience = youth
2. adverts to draw in young people from social media)
3. neutral colours (avoid party colours)
4. fun/ less serious approach/aesthetic
5. collage
6. animation
7. simplified
8. links to outside websites (e.g register to vote)
9. include relevant news
10. constituency map and local MPs
11. quizzes/games (educational)
12. profile on each party
13. top trump layout (basic facts)
14. share with friends
15. comedic aspect (non satirical)
16. concise explanation of the system
17. animated timeline
18. comparison of each party and values
19. community for discussion
20. ways to get involved with local politics
21. flat design
22. the Guardian research (graphs)
23. information is beautiful (infographics)

feedback - 

research the Guardian and the way in which design explained Brexit to people as even economists were confused. Also research information is beautiful for infographics

stick to one basic idea for now - quiz on which party to vote for. Idea may get too complicated to start with.
colours - balance between fun and neutral, avoid political party colours as that may show bias. Could use party colours as long as they are different tones?
make relevant to youth.

Screen - Idea Generation

idea generation
my own problems:
- saving money
- time management
- stress/anxiety
- vegetarian limitations
- ticket buying

ideas
- an app with subscription that gives random free music, live music ideas/ concerts and discounts on tickets. For music fans, or people that want to broaden their music horizons. The distance can be adjusted by users to span a few cities/ towns, or focus on just one and then can be sent notifications for any concerts/gigs that are happening in that radius. The subscription charge will be put towards a discount on tickets for the chosen gig. 

- an inspiration app that will send a set of random facts/ideas/tips/news daily based on individual tastes/ requirements. For example, the user can tailor what subjects they are interested in (art, design fashion, music, science etc) and a set of articles/news stories/random stored facts/designer profiles will be sent daily. Ideal for morning reading before you start your day.

- a vegetarian/ vegan community app/website that includes recipes ideas (I struggle with what meals to make), what foods are and aren't veggie, good and bad brands

- an app that would make it easy to buy concert tickets quickly. The user could enter which artists they were interested in seeing (could link from Spotify/iTunes artists) and notifications could come up with their events (too similar to bandsintown? could be a sister app). Pre sale links/ info could be given prior to event and card information could be stored on the app to reduce time and make chances of buying tickets higher.

social issues
- immigration/ asylum seekers. App/website to connect asylum seekers with other seekers, local community, job and housing opportunities and also educate children and adults about difficulties asylum seekers are facing and how to help.

- mental health app aimed at younger people. 

- app to encourage people to vote. Education on the voting system, parties, policies, how the system affects people, how to make a difference. Young people are most under represented age group when it comes to voting so app could make it easy to find what party to vote for. (global limitation - would be aimed at UK population)

Design for Screen

create an immersive and engaging user experience for website/app/streaming service etc.

consider
client
problem
target audience
aim of project

role of communications: deliver digital experience that engages audience, how do you maximise the potential of digital devices

considerations: must be global, digital formats are viewed on a global scale this just inform your approach and design decisions

use mixed media: a combination of image audio and video

processes & procedures

relationship between designer and developer

research - what already exists, how innovative can you be


identify a problem
app/ website/ game that could help an existing problem in every day life


UI and UX

interface - meeting between two different things. navigation, menu, passwords etc
experience - people, happiness, solving problems, convenience, productivity

Embossing/ Debossing induction

Embossing and debossing are the processes of creating either raised or recessed relief images and designs in paper and other materials. An embossed pattern is raised against the background, while a debossed pattern is sunken into the surface of the material.

Process
Soak paper in a shallow bath of water - handmade paper will absorb more water which means soaking for a longer period of time, 20 minutes for example. Cartridge paper will only need about 5 minutes.
Create your stencil - cut out shapes from cereal packets etc. 

On the etching press lay a sheet of newsprint and the stencil on top. Then lay your soaked and dried paper on top (the way up depends on whether you want your stencil embossed and debossed), as well as tissue paper and another sheet of newsprint. Finally lay the blanket over the sheets and roll the press over the layers. The pressure of the press imprints the shapes into the paper.

debossed

embossed

In this case the debossed print worked more effectively than the embossed print, possibly because of the colour of the paper and the '8' in the stencil wasn't the same thickness as the other letters.

I was intending on using this process for my publication as it linked well to the grooves in vinyl records and would've looked effective pressed into the sleeve or the cover of my publication. However after doing the process I don't think I will be using it, soaking the card I intend to use would potentially leave it crinkled as it has with the white paper I used in the induction. I want my sleeve to look clean and any crinkles from it being soaked in water would affect the overall look of the publication.

Instead I am thinking of laser cutting my sleeve. Using a kiss cut will score the paper without cutting it, still leaving a textured and imprinted effect onto the sleeve.

Print - content hand off

For this project, our content and research is handed off to another person in the class for them to design. I was paired with Mike who has come up with a concept about vinyl records, specifically a book about how to care for the records.

Brief title/ working title:
Record Maintenance (may change with time)

purpose of publication: 
An audiophiles guide to maintaining the quality of your records. Looking at the different styles of vinyl, the equipment you can use, and what not to do.

Target reader/ audience:
Middle aged audiophiles, disposable income, bourgeois

Genre:
guidebook

competition: 

A Beginners Guide to Vinyl: How to Build, Maintain, and experience a music collection in analog – Jenna Miles

Dust & Grooves: Adventures in Record Collecting - Eilon Paz

positioning (USP, points of sale etc)

Corporate bookstores as well as independent

High quality printed book, very few readily available (USP)

price point
£15 - £20

Along with the brief he sent me a text copy containing all his content along with photos.


Despite being one of the most durable physical music formats around, neglect your records and you risk introducing surface noise, scratches, even warping. This book outlines how to store a record collection properly. For many years now, the top issue brought up by the anti-vinyl brigade is the noise that vinyl makes when it is playing. The snap, crackle, pops, the background hiss, the clicks and more. People who dislike vinyl point their fingers at this issue as if its a design flaw. It’s also an old chestnut that ignores many factors which largely result from a lack of basic cleaning and proper storage. If you don’t store your vinyl properly, then it will affect playback sound quality very quickly. Its easy to prove the point yourself. Just buy yourself a clean, new vinyl record, hear the silence from the first few plays then leave the record, out of its sleeve, open to the elements, pick it up with dirty fingers, use it as a frisbee and a beer mat and, well blow me down, you’ve got yourself one noisy record. It’s not rocket science, is it? That’s not all, of course, if you don’t store your records properly, you also open up the possibility of excessive wear, warping and abrasion. The record itself is not the only target. Part of the joy of buying vinyl is the sleeve, often holding beautiful artwork plus readable and informative sleeve notes. Without correct storage, your sleeves can be bent, creased, affected by scuffing, water damaged and more. You pay a lot of money for a new piece of vinyl. Take care of it and it will reward you with a lifetime of pleasurable use

Coloured records have been around for a while but there are a few differences between these and a regular black record. As far as reselling records, if there is a coloured pressing, these sell for more and are usually seen as being more rare (in some cases a colour edition has sold for more than first pressings. Additionally there is (supposedly) a sound quality difference.
General consensus states that black vinyl will sound better over time and will last longer. This is due to the carbon that is added to the PVC that is then added to the wax. As far as the sound quality compared, in most cases black records sound better due to higher quality materials but in some cases people have said that white vinyl can be just as good if not better.
Another thing to take into consideration is that picture discs have to be made by hand, and while they are technically made from the same pucks as a regular record but is surrounded by paper (that holds the image) and then a thin sheet of clear plastic surrounds that which actually holds the pressing. And the reason picture discs can be more expensive is that each disc has to be made by hand and can't be manufactured at a huge rate.
While there are lots of factors to consider when looking at different colour vinyl records, there is no way to be certain of sound quality and each different pressing plant is different and there is always a chance you could get a slightly worse quality vinyl with them being such an analogue product.

_Keep the whole album in a protective sleeve so that the sleeve doesn't drag the value of the record down.
_always ask to listen to a second hand record through headphones in store, this will help you determine the quality and whether it’s actually worth buying.
_usually if a record is in a bad state you can tell by looking at the inner circle at the end of a side to see if the grooves have been worn by leaving the needle on the record after a side is done.
_don't use a dry cloth to wipe the record as this creates static which attracts more dust, very slightly damp is better
_use distilled water if possible but non distilled won’t be the end of the world
_if a record is actually damaged, it's unlikely you can fix it. If you can feel a scratch on the surface then it's beyond repair.
_when wiping the record or when using a brush, don't apply pressure. (The aim of using these isn't to clean the grooves, but instead get anything off the top)
_don't touch ever the grooves.

Print - layout

Considering the content given to me as well as the specified dimensions, I have created a layout and order for the publication.

front cover

page 1 - photo

page 2 - blank (ever even page)

page 3 - intro (possible photo)

page 5 - photo

page 7 - photo and first paragraph

page 9 - photo and second paragraph

page 11 - photo and third paragraph

page 13 - photo

page 15 - photo and tip 1 and 2

page 17 - photo and tip 3 and 4

page 19 - photo and tip 5 and 6

page 21 - photo and tip 7 and 8

back cover

The pages with just photos on act as content breakers - they split up the content into sections, with the intro as the first section, general information about records as the second and the maintenance tips as the third and final section.

Every even page beginning from page 2 will have nothing digitally printed due to printing limitations. I cannot print double sided on any size bigger than a3 and considering my pages will be 12in or 304.8mm, they will need to be printed individually on a2 pages.

Therefore I will need to find something to fill these blank pages. I am considering creating screen prints either with patterns or illustrations, so that the pages will not be blank.

After consideration and feedback I have decided instead of creating a 12" book, I am scaling the book down to 7", the same dimensions as a smaller record. By doing this I can print double sided onto the pages, which keeps the professional aesthetic of the book and I will not need to consider screen printing. The new size of the publication will still fit in with record collections as some vinyl records are 7", the book will just be scaled down in order to avoid the issue of double sided printing. This means I will have to rearrange the layout to reflect this adjustment. I still may be able to keep the same number of pages if I space out the text more and add in more photos, which will make the book richer in content.

front cover

page 1 - photo

page 2 and 3 - photo and intro

page 4 and 5 - photo

page 6 and 7 - photo and first paragraph

page 8 and 9 - photo and second paragraph

page 10 and 11 - photo and third paragraph

page 12 and 13 - photo

page 14 and 15 - photo and tip 1 and 2

page 16 and 17 - photo and tip 3 and 4

page 18 and 19 - photo and tip 5 and 6

page 20 and 21 - photo and tip 7 and 8

back cover

Considerations

• in order for the book to stay 7in x 7in whilst being perfect bound, the inner pages will need to have an allowance to be glued together. I will need to allow a few millimetres for this.
• the spine of the book will depend on 1. the number of pages and 2. the thickness of the stock I use. I cannot create the outside cover until I know how the thick the stack of pages stuck together will be - so will need to create prototypes using the stock I will use in my final process.

Print - binding research

My concept for the publication ideally would be a hardback book.

The book is made of sheets bound together with saddle stitch. Hardback books are sewn together in sections, a few pages at a time. The sections are then glued together onto a piece of fabric or card the length of the spine and slightly longer in width so the join of the hardback with the pages does not look messy. 

For the book to have a professional finish, the binding of the book requires many separate parts. My issue is that the cover of the book would need to be covered in cloth. Seeing as I may need to print onto the cover this may not be ideal - I would not be able to give the book a title or design the front cover at all. I may be able to design something to avoid this problem but I will also look at paperback binding.

Paperback binding 
Paperback stitch options for this publication include saddle stitching and perfect binding. Any other stitch options for this book would look messy as the stitches would be showing on the outside of the book, for example, coptic stitching.

Initially I was going to bind my book using saddle stitching but after researching into saddle vs. perfect binding, saddle seemed to be the less professional option.

Saddle stitching is usually used to lower costs. The pages are easily bound together using thread or staples, and lies relatively flat. However, the limitations of this bind lie in the way the stitch affects the pages. As the sheets of paper are laid inside each other, the very inner page will protrude from the edge of the booklet. The stock I want to use for this publication will be of a heavier gsm so the additional thickness of the paper will make this problem even more pronounced.

The alternative to saddle stitching will be perfect binding, where the pages are glued together rather than sewn or stapled, and then glued into a separate cover. This technique is generally used for publications with more pages (general rule of thumb “under 48 always stitch” and “over 96 perfect bind”) however since I want my publication to be printed on thicker stock, this may eliminate this problem.

perfect bind vs saddle stitch

The other advantages of using a perfect bind is that the overall appearance is far cleaner, and the way the cover is wrapped around the pages gives the option of having a spine to print on. Also, the way the pages are glued allows me to use different stocks at different points in the book, if I was to use my earlier idea of using textured paper on some pages.

To adhere the pages and cover I will need to use a hot glue gun. I will make some prototypes to experiment with the bind.