Brief 3/ Decorative Type/ Jessica Hische

Following on from my previous research into decorative type, I've looked at the work of Jessica Hische as I found her style quite relevant to what I have been creating in the type tutorials I have been doing, and what I aim to do with my book.

These business cards show how this style of type can be applied to products, and with the use of colour, and choice of stocks can really help it to look special. These cards look like they have been letter pressed, and I think the choice of a print finish would really help this decorative type to stand out.

The style of joining up the letterforms in as many places as possible and linking all the text together is something I have done in a few tutorials, and I think these are really good examples of how it can look as a finished product. As always, while these quotes need to look good, legibility is key.

This style of ribbon text is something I have been focusing on, as it is an effect I tried out in a tutorial that I particularly liked. By creating the shadows and adding highlights the text really stands out, almost looking 3d. These examples make me think that it my next attempts I need to spend a lot more time on getting it perfect and really concentrate on the positioning of the shadows. Also, considering how it will work against a background will help me to think about how my final piece will look.

 

Here are some more examples that have got me thinking about what I will actually include with the decorative type. I don't know whether to include a patterned background, some form of imagery or to keep the background simple to let the text stand out so this is something I will have to play about with.

Brief 3/ Breaking The Rules of Type

David Carson

When I was in the process of creating my quotes based on what I learnt in the type tutorials I had done, I thought about how I was creating rules, but in the way I was doing so, I was basically ignoring the rules of type I had just been reminding myself about. I decided I liked this, and so wanted to look at David Carson's typography, so I could play on this.

He is a really obvious example of breaking the rules of typography, as some of his pieces are on the verge of being illegible. I think sometimes people have mixed feelings about Carson's work, but I think a similar style could work for me. It would maybe be easier to read and less busy, if I used my decorative text quotes against a plain background.

Similarly to the type I have been creating, a lot of the letterforms Carson uses are touching and linked to the other letterforms in ways that they naturally shouldn't be. I like this style and think this is something I will keep in my quotes. I may consider linking the words as well, as Carson has, so that they flow better. 

 

I need to consider what background I apply my quotes to, as for example, I think with Carson's typographic work, the text with a simple but coloured background behind it works best to add something more to the image. I need to start playing about with layout of the text and the other information that will be on the page as well as just the typography.

Brief 2/ Stationery Design

The examples of stationery here are from: I Heart Stationery - Charlotte Rivers

Despite digital media taking over with emails, social networking and blogging, the stationery industry is still booming. There is still a huge market for these products, with companies like Paperchase doing exceptionally well, as well as people continuing to buy hand made goods from Etsy.

Here are some examples of stationery design which I like, and I would aim for my set of stationery to be similar to these.

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Paper & Type 

These examples have made me think about when I come to creating my notebooks for the stationery, I need to think about the details of the inside pages as well as the cover. I need everything to be consistent. 

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Allison Cole Illustration

I need to think about how I will package my products, and I think maybe a simple bellyband as shown in the example on the left would work well, as I don't want the packaging to take over the product. I need to consider not just stock, but things like the binding.

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W+K Studio Goodness

I've included this example as while the designs are based on cross stitch designs, I like their simplicity and think they are quite like the pixel theme I am going for to relate to the internet. I like the idea of creating patterns just from the pixel squares and using a simple colour scheme.
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Heart Zeena

Another beautiful stationery example; I'm seeing lots of printing on to natural brown paper and screen printing as a method of printed through this book. Like the birds here, I should think about how I can create the products in a different shape than just a standard notebook.

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Snap & Tumble / Natasha Mileshina at Bubbo

After looking at this book I realise there is so much more to think about than just the actual design of the pattern. There are lots of finishing touches to be created, and nets to be made. I like the idea of keeping the outside of the envelope plain, but including the pattern inside.

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Jesse Breytenbach / Brie Harrison for Galison

The fabric covered notebook on the left could be an idea for how I cover one of the notebooks, if I could print on to fabric first. This could make a more expensive looking notebook than one with a digitally printed cover, but would mean a lot more work. I particularly like all the stationery on the right, and the mix of the busy pattern with just a simple colour inside which works really well.

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Redstar Ink / Scout Books

Some more examples of stationery printed on to brown paper, I like these designs as they are mainly type based. I haven't decided whether my designs will be type or image or a mix of both, but these examples show either can work. 

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Corrupiola

This packaging for the set of notebooks is clever, as sections are laser cut out, so that the pattern of the notebook inside can be seen in glimpses from the outside. This shows that packaging for stationery can be as creative as the design of the stationery inside.

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Brief 2/ Product, Range & Distribution/ Stationery Retail

Carrying on from looking at the range of products available at Paperchase, I've also looked in to other well known stationery retailers, to see what other products are on offer, and I have found there are even more than what are being sold in Paperchase, so I have included these to the list, where I am counting how many possible outcomes I could create for my stationery range. I don't think the designs are anywhere near as good as at Paperchase but this task has been less about the design aspect and more about considering product, range and distribution, which will be an important part of this brief.

Wilkinsons

WH Smiths

Urban Outfitters

M&S

Tesco

Rymans  The Works  Staples

67. Mouse mat         68. Stationery clips        69. Office folders        70. Stamps 

71. Set of drawers    72. Desk tidy                 73. Letter rack             74. Page markers

75. Letter in tray      76. Storage boxes          77. Calendar                78. Paper bin

79. Ruler                  80. Ribbons                   81. Art Supplies          82. Disc Storage

83. Book covers       84. Labelling set            85. Storage tin             86. Portfolio

So all in all... nearly 90 products that I could apply my designs too. When I consider making these products in different colours and sizes as well, there are hundreds of possibilities. And I've also found out about prices and seen examples of how the products have been packaged so its been a useful task.

Brief 2/ Pixel Design: Images, Icons and Patterns

Continuing on from looking at pixel based fonts, I've had a look for pixel images, icons and patterns. I want to think about how I can develop this idea of communicating the internet through these images. I think the results of my stationery range will be quite different from what is already out there.

I want to start playing about with creating my own icons and images now, making images that are relevant to do with the internet, such as these below on the right.

This is an example of a product from a 'pixelated floral' range at Paperchase, an example of how pixel based designs can enter the mainstream stationery industry. It is an idea for how I can bring colour in to my images and make them more exciting.

These graphics are a possible idea for backgrounds for my designs, showing how the use of percentages of a colour shown in squares can actually look quite good.

I think this style will also work better in print when applied to a product rather than just the image file itself. A pixel themed pattern which could be applied to anything from fashion to stationery.

This pixel paper is the cover paper for a book for which it is quite a relevant pattern to include.

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Pixel design applied in a stylish way to branding and stationery design.

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