OUGD505 / STUDIO BRIEF 02 / VEGANISM?

So. What is veganism?

vegan

ˈviːɡ(ə)n/

noun

1. a person who does not eat or use animal products.

This includes meat, dairy, eggs & in most cases honey. There are many reasons why people choose to adopt a vegan lifestyle but the main three are:

For animals

Animals are exploited for the human's gain in so many ways. Veganism is a way to avoid contributing to the industries which kill over 50 billion animals per year. Veganism views animals as equal to any other being, and rejects the idea of speciesism. 

For health

Not only can a vegan diet help preserve the lives of so many animals and lower the demand for produce, but it can have wonderful effects on the human body. Cutting out meat and dairy can make your stomach and digestive system much happier, as meat and dairy struggle to be digested by our organs and can be in our systems for a long time. Vegetables and fruit however are much easily digested. Animal produce is also known for increasing the risk of many serious diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart problems. 

For the environment

Animal agriculture is responsible for up to 91% of Amazon destruction. It is also the leading cause of climate change. Veganism responds to these facts and is a way to cut down on carbon emissions and water usage. It not only helps the animals but it helps us all. 

OUGD505 / STUDIO BRIEF 02 / IDEA GENERATION

With a problem detected, I started making a more ambiguous mind map regarding veganism:

Problems lie within products, services and information. There is not enough information provided for the wider public, with documentaries such as Earthlings and Cowspiracy being exceptionally informative (yet graphic), this could only really attract a particular audience, usually those who are already interested in veganism or transitioning to veganism. The use of graphic imagery is truthful and honest - it's what's happening - but sometimes this can really put people off the lifestyle, as it induces a lot of guilt which is a method that does not work on everyone. I could produce a resolution that gently reminds people of the ways veganism improves health, the earth and morality.

There are products that are vegan on the market, but the non-vegan products vastly outweigh them. With cosmetic brands such as Lush which has made its way into mainstream marketing and has proved to be a success, this is proof that a cruelty free brand can appeal to a wide range of consumers and be a big competitor to other brands. Clothing is a problem for vegans as it's difficult to find out what clothing brands are ethical in this sense, if a brand was to specify that the clothing range was cruelty free and ethical, this would be a lot easier.

Cooking vegan is relatively easy when you know how to cook and what to buy, but what about those who can't cook or don't have time? Eating vegan was extremely hard for me when I first came to university as I couldn't boil an egg. This forced me to eat a non-vegan diet out of health reasons. This is a problem that could be rectified by convenient vegan food, such as microwave meals and quick snacks. A vegan/vegetarian supermarket would be ideal for people who just want to buy more ethical foods and make it a lot easier to find what they need without reading 50 food labels.

Veganism is on the rise, and this is reflected by the increase of vegan options within restaurants today. However, when going out to eat with friends, it becomes very hard to find somewhere you can actually enjoy a good meal and not a bowl of chips. If there was a specific vegan/veggie restaurant, in a similar fashion to places such as McDonalds and KFC, that was established into society and enjoyed by vegans and non-vegans, this would make such a difference to the way people can enjoy food on the go without struggle.

This seemed the right choice for the brief, I've identified a problem (one that I personally face and understand), and generated a response and solution.

To begin, I wanted to brainstorm potential names for the restaurant, which included random words to get the cogs going:

The ideas I found the most informed was:

Lo / Low:

Well, it's my name to go with my potential creation. It also reflects how the food will be low in animal produce and in correlation, low in fats, saturates, and cholesteral. Potentially lower in calories too and nutritious. For this I could use 'Lo', as a shorter snappier twist, or Low, which also has my last name initial and is the literal term low.

Erdenbürger:

This word is the German term for Earthlings. The burger part relates back to fast food, but has a fun play on words.

Circle Pit:

The term for a type of mosh pit which brings a crowd together by running in a circle. This idea relates to the earth (the circle), and the unison which comes with being in a crowd of that nature, alongside the 'pit' aspect which refers to an urban style dining.

OUGD505 / STUDIO BRIEF 01 / FEEDBACK

To develop my current idea, I needed to get feedback in order to see what can be improved/changed, and alternatively what actually works:

I asked individuals in the class what they liked most and least about the design:

"I like the fragile nature, but could there be a background somehow?"
"The symbols flipped look nice and contemporary. Try it all inverted"
"I love how the constellation looks, it might stand out better in black though"
"You definitely need another element to this but I really like the name of the currency, really relevant to what you're doing"

This feedback was refreshing, and helped me a lot as I had been struggling with how to work with this idea. I felt the design was too empty which was addressed in the feedback, so I will take this on board and experiment with subtle backgrounds and elements to give the bank note more dimension however it is important not to overcomplicate this as it may distract from the other elements on the note already, or contrast with my aim to modernise the Zodiac.

OUGD505 / STUDIO BRIEF 01 / FINAL SCREEN PRINTS

These are my final screen printed notes, for this I used the Peregrina Majestic in Anthracite 120GSM. The black stock was used to represent the stars where the constellations lie; the stock has a glittery  The thickness of the stock was practical, durable yet not too thick, and not too thin that it would become easily damaged. It would also be practical if the user was holding a large sum, the money would still easily fit together in a wallet or purse. 

The white has a great contrast with the darkness of the stock, bringing out the main elements such as the constellation and the currency. The sign is in dark grey to keep it more subtle and dimensional as too much white could be overfacing. Originally I worked with gloss, however through printing and experimenting found that the gold printed much better and visably, and also communicated a 'timeless' aesthetic which also has a connotation to wealth and money, fittingly. 

I'm surprisingly pleased with how the notes finally printed, as I am not a confident screen printer and work much more efficiently with the digital side of design. Screen printing experiments also lead me to my final note design which was actually different to what I had in my mind and on screen - through the use of stock choice and trial and error with different inks. 

For the exhibition this image shows both sides of one bank note, the 50 stars note which features Libra and Scorpio. It was impossible to fit all 12 designs on one exhibition display, so I made the choice to use this as an example.

OUGD505 / INTERN WORKSHOP

The task set by Intern was to create a magazine with a concept, strategy and aesthetic which fit a particular audience:

ARCH is a magazine which aims to remove the stigmas and misconceptions surrounding feminism, and explaining and demonstrating what feminism is by sharing experiences and overarching issues and intersections.

Feminism has become a 'dirty' word to some people in society today, who only have a warped idea about what it entails and stands for, to reclaim the name as a positive, ARCH plans to educate and express opinions in a relaxed way.

The crossbar in the masthead is removed to signify an arch, bridging the gap for issues regarding feminism, and the overall aesthetic was kept minimal and stripped back in order to bring about a level of focus onto the issues and images included in the publication. 

Implementing high profile celebrities and relevant photography and artwork on the cover.

OUGD505 / STUDIO BRIEF 02 / FINAL MONEY SET

For the exhibition, it would be unrealistic to print all these, each pair is the front and back, celebrating each star sign while displaying the full wheel, drawing us all together. For the exhibition I will be screen printing two examples, front and back of one example, so Scorpio and Libra, as there is a limited amount of space on the stock that will be included in the exhibition. 

The stock choice I will be experimenting with is:

Peregrina Majestic in marble white 120GSM

Peregrina Majestic in anthracite 120GSM

Mohawk options in 100% PC White smooth 148GSM

Mostly these are white, however I also will be using black and inverting the design, to see if this stands out more. The wheel will be experimented with gloss and gold.

OUGD505 / STUDIO BRIEF 02 / DEVELOPMENT

One idea of mine was to use the individual constellations on each side of the set, as there are 12 star signs for each month slot, this makes 6 notes. I split the notes into 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 and 100. The currency is called Stars, to represent the origins of Astrology. It's short and catchy, meaning it would be memorable as a currency. Stars are also seen as magnificent, so this correlates with the value of money. The example I will be showing in the exhibition is Scorpio and Libra, so I have worked on these and developed the overall aesthetic and layout of the currency firstly, before creating the rest. The sizing of each note will be the same, and be similar to a british note. This is to help the note efficiently be stored into the wallet or purse, as other sizes and shapes may be less convenient.

As the constellations may be quite intricate, I felt it important to strip back the elements of the note at first, which essentially goes against the current look of a UK banknote now, which has many complex details and effects. I wanted to keep the colour scheme very minimal, only using black and white for now, and thinking how I can incorporate another colour or finish later on.

This idea splits up the constellation, and gives it two different appearances, bringing out the grey in the black area and subtly existing in the white area. The Currency is in each corner, flipped so that it can be read at both angles. This composition is not very suitable because the black area is too heavy, and it does not compliment the thin shape.

Here I have shown how the wheel will appear hypothetically when using the gloss, split up into both sides of the note, again to further demonstrate symmetary. Symmetrical patterns and layout creates a harmonious structure which frames the composition. 

To experiment with detail, as featured on tangible currency, I added the name of the star sign, which would also be printed in gloss. This is a subtle way to add dimension and detail, however I felt this was overkill, and perhaps the sign and constellation was enough to signify each individual zodiac sign. For this brief I wanted to simplify the existing artwork surrounding the zodiac and present it in a neater and more stripped down manner, so this amount of detail felt inappropriate.

The black rectangles bring attention to the currency amount, but seem to contrast and stand out too much with the overall composition and deliver a certain amount of inbalance. 

Experimentation with a black border on the top and bottom. This allowed the note to look more like an authentic ticket, and draw attention to the currency and symbols. The black bars also frame the design. Here I have utilised the wheel and also the name of the star sign, since this is split into two sections, I think this works better than the previous, as there is space in the middle. 

For this, I have simply used the constellation and experimented with the how the wheel would look in gold. I feel this is the most balanced design, utilising the space appropriately and creating a great level of symmetary with the currency and sign. The overlap of the wheel and constellation works well as it shows how they join together and if the wheel was printed with gloss or gold, this will create a great finish behind the black.

OUGD505 / STUDIO BRIEF 01 / RESEARCH

To ensure that I select an appropriate subject for this brief, I decided to research into things I am personally interested in that I feel could be relevant and developed into a banknote.


ASTROLOGY

Astrology is a study that is deep rooted into history, dated back to at least the second millenium. Predominantly considered a traditional academic practice, it concerns the movements of astronomical objects in order to define personalities and terrestrial events. Intricate paradigms have been created by cultures to predict seasonal events and divine communications, such as the Indians, Chinese and Maya.

The natal signs, as conveyed in symbols in Western Astrology. These have a simplistic and bold quality to them that is easily recognised as celestial and eternal, even if the person does not believe in the accuracy of horoscopes.

Traditionally star signs are deemed as dreamy and conventional, and perhaps are not seen as modern in terms of aesthetic. Illustrations related to Astrology are usually ornate and detailed, and do not adhere to contemporary principles. 

A banknote that celebrates this divine and extraterrestrial practice would be an appropriate resolution to the brief which could help me explore print techniques, whilst experimenting with a modernisation of the horoscope. Since there are an extensive collection of themes such as the 12 signs, alongside the planets, this gives me plenty of visual material to start off with.


TIBETAN / BUDDHIST ART

Tibetan artwork is the artwork originating from Tibet. It involves paintings, furnishings to murals in religious locations. Visually, the artwork is extremely intricate time consuming, usually featuring religious symbols and themes.

Influences include Mahayan Buddhism, which includes the focus on bodhisattvas, (sanskrit for anyone who, motivated by great compassion, has generated bodhicitta, which is a spontaneous wish to attain buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings) Tibetan Buddhism inherited this tradition. Other influences include Tantric Buddhism and Bön, the shamanistic religion of the Himalayas. A lot of artists from this time who were commissioned by religious establishments, are unknown monks and artists.

Contemporary Tibetan art refers to the art of modern Tibet, or Tibet after 1950. It can also refer to art by the Tibetan diaspora, which is explicitly political and religious in nature. Contemporary Tibetan art includes modern thangka (religious scroll paintings) that resemble ancient thangka, as well as radical, avant-garde, works.

OUGD505 / STUDIO BRIEF 02 / CHANGE OF IDEA

The other day, I was trying to find something to eat before boarding a train. I was already aware of how difficult it is finding food to eat that I haven't prepared myself, as not enough independent cafes and restaurants provide hardly any vegan options. It is both long winded to scour out a specialist vegan eattery than it is to start googling what options you have in particular restaurants. Not to mention when you're out with your non-vegan friends who want to go somewhere fast and not mess about.

With this in mind, I began to verbally discuss how there's a real gap in the market for a low cost vegan fast food/food restaurant which would operate similar to Mcdonalds. I began to think of this project and how I could take it into my hands to attempt to come up with a product to answer this brief, which I think will be more appropriate, and also is something I'm passionate about myself, as I'm really tired of Subway's Veggie Delites.

The next step will be to research into veganism, vegan cafes, menus and perhaps contact people who work in relation to this to gain a more indepth knowledge.

OUGD505 / STUDY TASK 03 / DISOBEDIENT OBJECTS

Background:

Understanding the needs of specific layouts for specific jobs is key to your development and practice. There are many times as a designer that you will have to consider differing formats for layout due to clients’ needs and also the need of information.

This one week task is a practical exercise that will highlight layout skills and understanding of application of text, point sizes, columns, margins, gutters, image, page size, bleed, scale, format, pagination, fluidity, audience and composition.

You will be given dummy type / text / images to work with during this task that is studio based. You will be given instructions per layout requirements and also a context to help you decide how information should be positioned and organised.

You will be expected to add your own design flourishes upon these designs, where appropriate.

You will share visual representations of your work with a partner / small group.  

Layout 1 – Minimal Text / image: A5 Flyer

Layout 2 - Text Heavy / Imagery: Concertina spread (10x A5 pages)

Extended Practice: Any other relevant deliverables

LAYOUT ONE - FLYER

Brief:

You are asked to produce a simplistic flyer design for a 'Disobedient Objects North' Exhibition at the People's History Museum (www.phm.org.uk) using the instructions below.

Specifications:

Format: A5 – Portrait

Title: Disobedient Objects North

Sub-Title: In Association with the V&A

Date: August 3, 2015 - August 29, 2015

Location: People's History Museum, Manchester.

Contacts:

www.phm.org.uk

www.vam.ac.uk                                                                         

Image: Single exhibit-based image, People's History Museum logo, V&A logo, 

Use of two colours only: Black and white

For this layout the brief specified that the image must only be in black and white, with this in mind, I selected an image from the exhibition that I knew would have an impact once edited into black and white. In order to keep it dynamic and contemporary, the image was flipped 90 degrees so it became portrait, framing the composition of the portrait flyer. Outlined text for the title separates the information from the rest of the type, bringing attention to the name of the exhibition in order to create an impression which could potentially be memorable to the user. The rest of the information is framing the image again keeping the composition fairly contemporary and on trend, instilling the fact that this exhibition is current. The brief also specified that the V&A Logo and People's History Museum logo must be within the layout, therefore each one is split up in separate corners, creating symmetary and balance.

LAYOUT O2 - CONCERTINA BOOKLET

Brief:

You are to layout and design a 10-page concertina folded brochure for a forthcoming exhibition titled ‘Disobedient Objects North’ at People's History Museum, Manchester. All images, copy and branding are included. You have to create a visually stimulating layout that showcases the artists’ imagery but does not sacrifice important information in this process. The images and information must flow harmoniously and offer a taste of what is to be expected during the exhibition. One further consideration may be whether you emphasise the 'North' aspect: whether the materials need to offer a distinction between this and the V&A (London) exhibition from 2014-2015.

Branding elements must be kept to black and white. Images must be unaltered and in colour.

Considerations:

Headings, headlines, body copy, grid, type, colour, image sizing, bleed, margins, flow, audience, narrative, language, purpose, size, external print methods, preparing for print, stock, distribution.

Specifications:

Format: A5 x10 – Portrait – Concertina spread (front and back).

Title: Disobedient Objects North

Sub-Title: In Association with the V&A

Date: August 5, 2016 - August 31, 2016

Location: People’s History Museum, Left Bank, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3ER, United Kingdom

Keeping with the same font choice of a serif, this keeps a sophisticated aesthetic combined with the modern feel of the exhibitions. Images are layed out to flow with the text, and also communicate the disobedient aspect of the exhibition, as you can see images are touching the edges and not really adhering to any rules or consistent layout. First page resembles flyer in terms of positioning of text, whilst keeping the included grid in mind. This creates a sense of continuity and consistency.

Images are kept in colour as specified. 

EXTENDED PRACTICE - TICKET 

Utilising the same image and type as the flyer and booklet, however for the ticket I chose to incorporate a splash of colour with bright blue.

OUGD505 / STUDIO BRIEF 01 / CULTURE

The notion of wealth itself is a cultural construct. For example, indigenous individuals work in a "gift economy", which is essentially the notion of giving valuable goods or services to another without an explicit agreement or confirmation of future repayments. "Wealth in this case is derived as much from distribution—be it money, time, or knowledge—as it is from accumulation."

In Latino/Hispanic societies, it is the church who has responsibility for acquiring and distributing money. Alternatively, in Asian countries, it is a 'clan', a group of families or households, who make the decisions about the financial welfare of the community, determining the resource requirements and allocations. 

"However, in black communities, the number of individuals who can make large-dollar or sustaining contributions as board members is small in proportion to the population.

A 2010 study from Brandeis University reported that the typical white family is now five times richer than its African-American counterpart of the same class and that black wealth was largely stagnant from 1984 to 2007." source

Despite this, African-Americans have a history of generosity and giving to others, funding mutual aid communities in the early 19th century to help fund hospitals, schools and finance businesses. 

OUGD505 / STUDIO BRIEF 01 / SIZE & STOCK

Size:

Before designing my bank notes digitally I needed to determine what size the bank notes would be. There would be many different ways I could complete this brief, I could design a note that is completely new and differently shaped than the existing currencies, or I could choose something familiar and already integrated into contemporary economies.

I chose to design my money in the same size as the UK bank notes, as this is a similar size to a lot of different currencies around the world. There's a reason this is a popular shape and size of note, and it is because it works. It's familiar, comfortable, and easy to carry around in a wallet or purse. Why change it?

The currency I will be creating aims to represent the entirety of Earth,  as everyone has a star sign, whether they believe the history and knowledge around the zodiac is a different story, but a person cannot avoid being attached to one sign of the zodiac. This means the size needs to be universally usable and convenient for travel and usage. The notes will not be different sizes as I feel that would be unnecessary, there's no need to differentiate between them by size, but by design instead.

The size of my currency will be 149 x 80 mm.

Stock:

I will be experimenting with 3 types of stock chosen from GF Smith:

Peregrina Majestic in marble white 120GSM

Peregrina Majestic in anthracite 120GSM

Mohawk options in 100% PC White smooth 148GSM

The reason I will be experimenting with these choices is to ensure that I explore different colours to how the designs look on screen. There is no way to see how gold or gloss ink will look on paper and it entirely depends on how it is printed. Mohawk is a matte white stock, and although bank notes are usually around 90 gsm, this is 148, meaning it is a little thicker and more durable but less flexible which may be inappropriate for efficient use, and may be too thick when a person is carrying multiple bank notes.

The 120GSM could be a more appropriate weight for travel and usage, and although again thicker than the usual weight of currency notes, it could be more beneficial in terms of print as it will absorb the ink without it running all the way through as it could do with a thinner stock choice. 

The Peregrina stock has a shimmer to it, which will connote luxury and wealth which is essentially what currency symbolises. Due to the theme of the currency, Astrology, the sparkles on the stock can also reflect space and the constellations that will be featured on the designs, giving the content a richer meaning and simultaneously increasing appeal to the overall aesthetic of the notes.

It will depend on the printing process when deciding which note looks the most effective and relevant to the project.

OUGD505 / STUDIO BRIEF 01 / INITIAL SKETCHES

My idea is based on the zodiac signs, and how this can be incorporated into a currency. Ideas for the name of the currency were related to the theme, for example Stars, Cosmos and Signs. These then separate from each worldwide currency, and would be their own separate entity dedicated to the celebration of Astrology which can be used globally.

Taking my determined idea of basing a currency around star signs, I needed to sketch a few compositions out to progress visually and create a starting point for when I develop digital layouts.

From this exercise I had reached the decision that I needed to incorporate three key elements onto the notes, the zodiac wheel, the currency amount and name and the specific constellation, however this can still be experimented with during development.

As can be seen from the first sketch, it is important not to overcomplicate the composition. Even though 'real money' is oftentimes very detailed, this does not mean I have to follow suit. I wanted to experiment with a very minimal layout such as the second sketch, however I like the nature of the overlapping from the rest of the sketches, which adds dimension to the composition.

The wheel will be experimented with in gold/gloss ink, and could be the 'security' strip of this currency, and be the determining element to finding out if a bank note is counterfeit, similarly to the American Dollar:

This could be done with UV ink or hypothetically just be able to be detected by a machine.

OUGD505 / STUDY TASK 02 / BEETLE JUICE

The main aim of this study task was to explore ways to persuade people to consume bugs as a more sustainable source of protein. Throughout the session, ways to generate ideas was discussed, including the use of sticky notes to power through a large range of phrases and ideas.

Our ideas were all stuck on the wall and finally we decided on building on the idea of selling to individuals who have an exceptional interest in the gym, and bulding muscle and injesting protein. Through sticking more post it notes up surrounding this starting point, we came up with 'Beetle Juice', referring to the bugs and also the product, which would be protein shakes and powders. A lot of gym members use protein to build muscle, and by selling the bugs as the source of protein and eventually muscle gain, this will provide a selling point which distills the novelty of eating bugs, and can also relate to the idea of working ants. 

We put together a small presentation to communicate the brand to the rest of the class:

OUGD505 / STUDY TASK 01 / APPROPRIATION AND SUBVERSION

OUGD503 / STUDIO BRIEF 01 / CELL / FINAL PRODUCT IMAGES

In order for my product to look professional, I found a very sleek and high quality mock up which can portray my branding to a high standard. I did not choose to print my design and physically mock it up as I was sure that I would not be able to complete this to a professional standard although in hindsight this could have been a nice element to submit to D&AD. 

As you can see I chose to show a diverse range of products that appeal to both men and women.