More merchandise

Again, I've been thinking about what other merchandise I could apply my book cover designs to. I thought it'd be interesting to see what they look like on balloons. I don't think balloons and mugs would appeal as much to my target audience, but I do think it would still be a good idea. I reckon a small group of my audience would potentially be interested in purchasing these items.

They look a little strange, but I reckon they'd look pretty bloody cool if they were actually made!

Merchandise

Since deciding on the posters being available for purchasing, I've been thinking what else could be sold in shops which promote the book covers.

I've been playing around with mugs which I'm really starting to like the look of.

I think they work really well, and I can certainly see them in a shop and potentially selling.

Store ads

I've enlarged my book covers to create posters which can be used as advertisements for book stores.

Amazon?

As I mentioned before, the books will be available to buy online; one site in particular.. Amazon!

Digital distribution

I've been working on my book cover brief some more, and I've been tackling the methods of digital distribution. I'm enabling the books to be accessible via iPhone and iPad, as well as various online stores. The way technology is expanding, I think it's important for products to be available for as much as possible.

I was thinking about what the app would look like, but realised the books would just be on the book app on the iPhone/iPad. I don't really need to touch on that, unless I were to create a completely new app purely for these books. To be honest, I don't think that's necessary. It'd just be an excuse to do something else, but wouldn't really have much meaning behind it unless it had the wow factor.

As well as online distribution, the books will be available in high street shops.

Museum presentation boards

Progress crit

I'm really chuffed with how the crit went. I've definitely come away with a bit of a smile on my face.

I was paired with Mitch, and together we took time to look at other's work and gave them feedback. He kindly took some notes down whilst other people in our group commented on what I'd done so far..

-Butt loads of work. Impressive

-Compass looks better as star

-Work on blog is all there

-What stationary? Be specific - pen, pencil, rubber, ruler, pad

Range - things instead of leaves - acorns, seeds, nuts, fruit, sticks

Books - simple is good

-Make owl more ''owl-like''

I had asked a few questions which I hoped could be answered during the crit. They were:

1. Does my museum logo work across the stationary?

2. My museum posters will work across the topic of the 4 seasons, are there any other topics that you can think would work?

3. I want to keep my book covers simple.. but are they too simple? If so, how could they be ''improved''?

4. What flowers would you associate with summer and spring?

5. Museum posters... what other information should I include at the bottom? Should I make the website smaller etc?

The answers I got were:

1. Works well, integrate more with design.

2. Poster- different trees? Different leaves? Seasons?

3. Book covers- good look and work well together. Two books with the same colour background though?

That was more or less it, from what I can remember anyways. The last two answers to my questions weren't written down!

The last edition

It's done, it's allll done! :D The final poster, finished, ready to be put with the others. Aaaah... and breathe. :)

It looks a little busy, but I think I could kind of afford to be as the others aren't. I still think it works really well. Again, with the other posters (especially the one with the violet typeface), there's a lot of detail, and you need to be close enough to see it. It's the same with this. If the quote was shorted, the typeface would be larger therefore detail would be able to be seen easier; this isn't what I was going for.

Final alphabet

So here we are, the final piece of the puzzle; the final typeface for my museum brief.

I thought it would take years to edit, but it really didn't, and I'm happy I went through with it 'cause I love it!

I done the best I could with the editing. I used the curves option, and the colour range tool in 'Select'. I had to pen round some bits, but it was generally quite straight forward.

The only thing left to do is to apply the typeface to a poster! :D

..Keep a look out.

Spring poster

Since I've decided to use a different typeface for the autumn poster, I've used the original typeface for the spring poster instead.

I think I prefer the longer quotes. It fills up the page a bit more, and looks a bit more interesting. I do think it's a little too big. I'll get on and make it a wee bit smaller. :)

New addition

I've created a new typeface for my museum project; twigs! I've made a boo-boo though. Can you spot it?

After looking at the autumn poster I've already made, I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't really look autumny. It's too bright and full. I'll still be using that typeface though I think I'll use it for a spring related quote. It's quite fresh-looking. It's not too bright and happy to be used for a summer quote, so yeah, spring it is. :)

I'm really happy with how this has turned out. It looks autumny, what with the skeleton-like look.

Phone advertisement

Following the bus stop, I made a vector template of an interesting phone-wall thing. I thought it works better than a normal phone box as they're quite grubby looking.

I like how there's room for an advertisement above the phone, as well as on the reverse of the wall. Good job I already had the landscape version of the poster too. It fits nicely! :)

In context

I've been having a go at putting what finished posters I have in context. I've picked an interesting looking bus stop, which I've taking into Illustrator to create a vectored shape.

I'm thinking of using my typeface actually on the bus stop itself. I'll have to see what I can do!

I really like the shape of this bus stop. Even though it's only showing what the posters will look like, I think this adds a bit more character.

I decided to try out a ''normal'' looking bus stop, just to see what it looks like.

I think it looks fine, though it just looks like a very generic example.

I'll probably end up using the circular stop. :)

Bus stop vector

More?

Another poster finished for my museum brief! Wahay!

Just like the autumn leaf poster, I've changed the format to portrait, which'll make my life easier when it comes to putting them into context.

I've finished..

..one poster for my museum brief!

I've constantly been thinking of a strap-line to use amongst my posters which would tie them all together. I wanted to include the museum's name, so people would know what it's about, but also have something to do with the year. I wanted a simple message which informed that the museum is open throughout the year, and as I've been focusing on the four different seasons, I feel using these in my strap-line would work really well.

My initial response when working with hand-made type is to use a landscape format, which I've now come to realise wouldn't work or look as good if used in...... a phone box advertisement space for example. I thought I'd try out my work in a portrait format. For an advertising poster, I think it works a lot better- especially now I've got a working strap-line.

I'm happy to now have both landscape and portrait formats. It gives me the freedom to use my work throughout so many other advertisement spaces.

Stationary

It was suggested to me to look at what can be sold at museums. This would enable me to use the new logo across a range of products.

Tag design

I'm trying to get these tags done, so I can get them printed, photographed, and move on.

I want to include the museums logo, but I'm struggling to position it. I'm trying to not just place it in the middle, but as it stands, that's the way I'm headed.

I've tried warping the logo in photoshop, to fit with the shape of the tag. I'm not liking it though.

And a few others I've tried, but I'm just not liking them!

I did try rotating the logo so it fit along the stick, but that'll be going in the ground and won't be able to be seen so I thought that'd be pretty pointless!

More tags

After seeing what my violet typeface would look like on the plant tags I'm designing for the Museum of Garden History, I've now tried my leaf typeface.

Aesthetically I don't think it looks as good as the violet type. I think it's one of those things I'm going to have to print out and see what it looks like to scale, so I'll do that some point soon so I can work out exactly what I'm going to do.

I've also tried filling in the shape with colour.

I've yet to include information on the tags, but I thought it might be a good idea to have a few tags attached to something which can be torn off and taken away. Perhaps this could be some kind of free-bee for the customers who visit the museum? If I were to do this, I'd still like to create tags which would be used in the museum.

Type on tags

I've had a go at using one of my typefaces within the plant tag template I've made. I'm still unsure as to the shape, but I'm only starting out and I've got a few other ideas ticking away which I've yet to try out!

I think the larger leaf works better. The smaller one looks too cluttered. I want it to look clean, crisp and clear. Perhaps I could enlarge the stick piece on the larger one.

These are also just quick mock-ups. I'm yet to decide what writing will be used. I've had a look on the museum's existing website, and have seen some of the plants which are grown there. I may use a handful of these and would then propose what everything else will look like.

Experimenting

I bought some generic tags which I've been playing around with. I want to be imaginative with these; I don't want no rectangles yo!

Although I've already used a leaf shape within my logo for the museum, I still feel it appropriate to use it for the tags also (or at the very least, experiment with it!)

As it stands, I'm finding this shape really interesting. I've applied a ''stick'' to the leaf shape, which would be used to hold the tag sturdy in the ground. At the same time, I wanted to keep the leaf in a position which could potentially look real. I wanted it to be on an angle, instead of up-right.

Action plan

I WILL stick to this..

To do 2

I managed to get a lot of the to do's done during the past couple of days I'm happy to report! I've decided to make another one, though it's not as long.

-Collect money owed from technician

-Finish printing final book covers

-Presentation boards for book cover brief

-Book printing slot for next week

-Print book marks on card to scale

-Book lasercutting induction

-Lasercut bookmarks

-Lasercut cards

-Packaging for cards brief

-Print book cover presentation boards

-Photograph stationary ready for editing

-Photoshop stationary

-Presentation boards for cards brief

I've managed to get a few bits done this morning, so I'm fairly happy. I want at least 4 more done by the end of the day! WOO!

New leaf quote

I've re-visited my leaf letters and have created a new quote relevant to the season I've allocated the typeface.

Again, I think it works quite well. I really do ne

ed to work on the positioning of the logo and decide upon what other information to display.

Another poster

I've used the newest addition of my handmade typeface collection to write out the quote I have previously used.

I think it looks really good. The typeface certainly fits the quote a lot more than the leaf typeface did.

Another typeface complete

Woohoo! It took a little while to get them photographed and edited, but it's done. :)

Though what I've used is thin and detailed, I still think this works. I don't think the letters need to be chunky at all to look good; though this could potentially make them look more interesting. I like the idea of having to be up-close to see the detail of the plant I've used.