Statement of Intent by Kimberley Sandford

BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN

LEVEL

Module Code

OUGD303

Outcomes

Module Title

FINAL MAJOR PROJECT

FINAL MAJOR PROJECT STATEMENT OF INTENT Name: Kim Sandford Blog Address: www.kimsandfordfmp.blogspot.com

Rationale Concept driven promotional designs ultilising type, layout and photography -

My style within graphic design conveys modern simplicity yet conveys the message clearly and functions within its context. I want to keep the message at the focus of my briefs and also fit the function of the design deliverables to the brief. I plan to experiment and research more into print, to therefore extend my knowledge of the possibilities which could be applied to publication design and build a bigger experimental piece using the processes. Also making a friend with a printer and asking questions such as what things went wrong, as to prevent them happening, and also by talking to the printers providing more experimental range for ideas and something new to try. I also want to include experiments of manipulating type and looking more closely into fonts and font families to then create my own and apply this also to my practice. Fashion is also a focus of my practice and I intend to make the subject my main research point and look into the social acceptances and trends of which are both past and present to inform my style of graphic design. I also intend to strengthen my branding, layout and publication skills within a brief relating to fashion. Also as I would class my design work as simplistic/minimalist I do want to strengthen my style in which I do so to convey the idea that keeping the designs simplistic yet the message clearly expressed works best (in my own opinion) Also my love of black and white stems from this, as colour is not always in focus within my designs. Although my work is most definitely focussed on print I also want to research and experiment more with design for web, as I am interested in applying my designs to web and creating designs of which will also be strong digitally. I also think animated designs within retail spaces will be a good aspect to look into and how and interactive shopping experience could work to sell more products.

Subjects / Themes

Consumer psychology, psychology behind retail spaces, selling a products personality, relating a product to the consumer, retail experiences, timing and trends within fashion, how photography makes something more reliable as it seen as more ‘real’, social acceptance (what is right/wrong in the eyes of society), shock & guilt factor – ways of selling a product, what makes up a brand? Semiotics, pre-digested information, subtle ways of signage, cultures influence on trends. High end printing, luxury, bespoke, hand crafted, minimalist, simplistic, binds, materials, stocks, printing. Promotional techniques, whats new and old, what entices the public, relation between customer and product, other promotions, succesfull creative promotions.

Design Disciplines / Creative Development Typography – Looking at form and creating new font family Photography – Using photography as image to use within publication design Layout – Experimenting more with more creative layouts and legibility Branding – Using the type element of my interests manipulate type and create message/concept driven branding Promotion – Using the branding aspect I then want to promote and create promotional graphics to enforce and strengthen branding. Web – I want to develop my skills to be able to apply designs to the web Animation/video – I want to make a small animation to apply within retail designs and retail spaces Print Processes – I want to develop my knowledge within print to more clearly understand the process and prevent any unnecessary mistakes

Practical Skills / Workshops – what, why and when? I want to go to printers and spend time understanding the process of a publication going to print, and understand the way in which design processes such as varnishes and die cuts are applied. Along with looking into stock more closely and using this more as a design attribute. Also book binding, I want to go to workshops to be then able to create a hand bound special one off publication before I begin to create designs for the book as then the binding could open up more creative ideas. I want to improve software skills especially in Illustrator, as this was one of the main programs used at my placement of which I felt I was weakest in. This will be obtained purely by using the program more within the creative process, especially when creating my own typeface. I also intend to create as much design ideas and development in the time I have as possible and make the decisions which needs to be made, test them decided quickly if they work or not, if so carry on if not cut it and focus on something of which is working and you are passionate about. I want to also look into web more closely and have a website up and running as soon as is

possible to then look more professional when contacting other professionals for feedback or placements. I would also like to attend more lectures/networking events from professionals and listen to as much advice from a variety of designers as I can to have a stronger more informed way of entering the ‘real world’ Brief 1: Fashion Branding

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Rationale: Using my interest in type, photography, branding and promotion I want to create a high fashion brand for 20 – 30 year old women. This allows me to play with type to create a logo and also use my own fashion photoshoot as imagery to create promotional material and instore graphics. Also maybe look into video/ using the photography to make an instore animation/promotion

Brief 2: Publication Design – Fashion Yearbook

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Rationale: I want to create a publication and explore the print processes and also develop book binding skills. Also take a lot of care and attention to layout and the copy within the book for legibility and function of the book.

Brief 3: Type Design

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Rationale: Using the ISTD brief ‘City Types’ as a theme I want to create several different font families from the environment around me, and then apply this to an outdoor campaign about taking in your surroundings. This will allow me to create new fonts and experiment with editing and manipulating type and also apply it to printed media. Using these fonts create an event to promote designs from around Leeds Brief 4: Woven

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Rationale: Need to talk with Paul Young of whom will tell me of what he wants from Elliot and I as to create for his brand.

Brief 5: Flatland

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Rationale: I want to create a small publication design and cover for the book along with poster designs to promote the new version of the book. This will allow me to focus in on my type and layout skills and make copy creatively laid out yet function as a bulk text.

Contextual references / Designers / Studios / Companies (specific) Sawdust – A London based graphic design company of which have create some inspiring designs using both type and photography within the fashion aspect. Koko Moloko – A design blog of which inspires the simplicity of design and message stripping the visuals right back to create really effective designs in black and white. Johanna Bonnevier – A graphic designer whom has done a lot of work for Topshop I really love her style of using photography type and pattern to promote the Topshop personality. Rosie Lee – Another designer of whom works very much type based and creates informative message driven and functional designs. This Studio & Collate – both styles within branding and type inspire me as they think about creative ways of layout, and how layout impact and creates interest into something which may not actually be an interesting subject.

RESEARCH ACTIVITY: Case study

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Details Create a case study of how people react to designs for retail, what do certain designs imply to them, what attracts and doesn’t attract them to a product with a design aspect RESEARCH ACTIVITY: Interview branding company

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Details Ask questions of the way in which they approach a brief, what do they ask the clients to get the answers they need to create a functional logo? How they apply their design style to that of various different company needs/asks. RESEARCH ACTIVITY: Research Psychology in retail design

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Details How people are manipulated by design to believe in the product, how they follow the signs subconsciously and act like that is the norm. What and how are the consumer society manipulated within retail spaces and what is it within design that does this? RESEARCH ACTIVITY: Print Visit

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Details I want to visit a printers to widen my knowledge of print to inform my design of the possibilities I have within print and how creative I can be once I know how to apply it within the print process. And also strengthen my knowledge of sending work of to print to be confident that the designs will be printed without any fault of my own. Also to look into costing of such designs when we leave university.

RESEARCH ACTIVITY : Attending Events Deadline Details I want to attend creative events and fashion events of which I can see the type and style of graphic design going on within the industry I’d like to be in. Also look at what they have done, how I can do it differently and improve on this.

BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS / TEXTS - (Harvard Refernced) Beyond Logos The Arcades Project – Walter Benjamin Non space/Non places – Mark Auge The Cultural logic of the late Capitalism – Fredrick Jameson Virtual Worlds – Benjamin Wooley Retail Graphics – Giles Calver

MAGAZINES / JOURNALS / ARTICLES – (include publication date and details) Creative Review – Monthly design magazine IDN – Monthly design magazine Vogue Numero ON LINE REFERENCES / WEBSITES / ARTICLES (include specific urls) Koko Moloko http://koko-moloko.tumblr.com/ A design blog dedicated to the simplistic designs stripped right back to minimalist black and white design Dripbook – www.dripbook.com A huge design website where designers upload their work to promote themselves and it includes a variety of design aspects and themes alongwith various styles September Industry Folch Studio No legacy Six Collate This Studio OTHER REFERENCE MATERIAL (Films, events, exhibitions, conferences) Fashion shows/ events – Hebe media create events promoting leeds of which I would like to get into.

ACTION PLAN – use this section to identify specific tasks that you need to complete in order to resolve the brief. Brief What do you need to do? 1

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