I enjoyed the beginning of the project when we were collecting and compiling our own research on our chosen topic over the summer period. As the subject I had chosen was something I was very interested in I think I managed to gather a substantial amount of research including detailed writing on the subject as well as lots of photographs. Presenting this was really helpful as I got a lot of constructive feedback on the subject for ways I could continue the project onward. However the project was turned around when we were told that we would be paired up, swapping content and creating a publication based on our partners idea/content. This I think threw me off balance a bit, but after creating a detailed brief and discussing our ideas with our partners I was more enthusiastic about the project.
The idea generation at first went really well, helped along by peer critiques and input from tutors, so I was enthused about the project. However after over a week of illness, I fell behind on work and from then on struggled to catch up, especially when the new project was set as well. As a result I did not finish my publication when I planned to and had to do the project alongside studio brief 2.
I also had problems with the content I was given by my given partner. I chose to do my own research into the subject as I did not have the knowledge I wanted to create the publication. I also did not have a lot of the content I needed to create the publication and had to chase them up for it multiple times. When the content was finally provided, most of the photographs were ones I could work with well - but there was not a wide enough variety to work with. I asked my partner for more photos of the items he had written about in his text copy, so that the publication would be better rounded and the photos would have more relevance in relation to the text content. When these photos were provided they were of a far lesser quality than the other photos, especially in terms of composition, like they were hastily taken. As a result I had to edit all the photos in a way that would make them look more consistent. (see figure 1 and 2).
I think the strength in my publication lies in the concept - where I have taken inspiration from my research into the structure and design of records and record sleeves to create my final product. From the beginning of the project I knew I wanted to make the overall design relevant to the content and I think by creating a sleeve for the book, replicating a record sleeve adds to the overall production and possibly the value of the book too.
By considering and using processes such as laser cutting and vinyl cutting too I have managed to incorporate more elements from my research into the design. Researching into the way vinyl records work - by using texture and grooves in the vinyl to record and play sound - gave me the idea to add texture into the publication in some way. My first idea was to use embossing as a process but after testing this and establishing its unsuitability, laser cutting was a viable alternative and I love the engraving effect it had on the sleeve. The vinyl sticker also hails back to the material and design of records. (see figure 3). The design for the content of my book vastly improved after utilising feedback from various peer critiques, and I feel as if I was able to create a design that fit the brief well and suited the specified target audience.
The downside of my publication comes down to the physical construction and binding method. After researching into binding methods I knew that perfect binding was the best method for me to gain more of a professional and clean outcome, as opposed to stitching. The process of perfect binding was very simple, quick and straightforward. However, I made an error in not test binding my prototype earlier on in the project to establish the right allowance for the bind. In the end I left far too much of a margin when creating my pages in InDesign and as the photos spanned more than one page, they were misaligned and the overcompensation caused a repeat in the middle of the book (see figure 4).
The biggest factor for me in not being completely satisfied with the outcome of my publication was the time frame in which it was completed. As stated previously, after being ill, I struggled to catch up and juggle both projects simultaneously. If I had applied myself more and created/ printed and bound my book earlier on in the project I could have adjusted the error with the alignment of the pages, reprinted and rebound to create a final product I was happier with.
 |
| figure 1 |
 |
| figure 2 |
 |
| figure 3 |
 |
| figure 4 |
No comments:
Post a Comment