Ugly II

This is actually the ugliest information in the universe. If my focus was more on information design I would have spent more time on it and would have liked to have created some bright graphics to help break up the text heavy first parts of the book. This is perhaps something I could get produced in time for the show. It is a section I am very unhappy with within my book.

Upsetting

My attempt at knitted sushi




The beginnings of a scoop of soap




A dish of lawn


One of the the things I had most been looking forward to doing with this project was being able to create visual narratives from the objects I had collected but I simply haven't had the time to create them to the quality I would have liked. I tried to run through them quickly but I came against so many problems it just wasn't going to work. I have left them as type based which feels like it is going back a stage in terms of the sequence of the book. It is perhaps something I can work on in time for the show.

Packaging

 
Original with insane crop marks




The real thing with insane crop marks and my attempt to cut out a thumb hole.


Very similar to the post about the covers but this time with packaging for the cards. Even if everything else goes wrong I am very happy with the exterior of my project.

Moat

Moat


GREEN

hosiery - in ball DONE
fairy get from loft DONE
error tip ex on its own DONE
plate DONE
badge DONE
cashews DONE
sieve DONE

YELLOW
Radio better lighting DONE

PINK
Diary close up DONE
toffee sans wire DONE
peas - more of a pile DONE
chain - same but lower DONE
light bulb - same but cropped and lower DONE
toilet roll - over exposed DONE
leaves gold DONE
Irish - guiness
Movie DONE
Bra DONE
High heels DONE
or Weighted DONE
Neon?
Cuff DONE
mice DONE
lorry/car DONE
Anne Frank DONE
Tape Measure DONE


BLUE
Holly in good light DONE
CD in good light DONE
sports sock DONE
mail in better light DONE
map? further away, better DONE
Moat DONE
doily small DONE
Cuppa DONE

STILL TO DO

Hip Hop/bib
Neon
Guiness
nob

A productive morning reshooting.

Big Numerals

It took me 4 hours but I have finally typeset 0-99 with the individual illustrations I have for each number. I wish I wasn't so typographically and technologically challenged.

Narratives

As much as I like this one with the time I have left I think it is too elaborate and I want simpler and stronger imagery. I am currently using a random number generator to create numbers as inspiration rather than be inspired by my own personal information.

This Week

Cutting it extremely fine. Pretty much no margin for error from the printers who always make errors. And yes I am picking it up the day of hand in.


SATURDAY

Get paper to use as background for photographs done
Start sorting out layout done
Finish Collecting as many objects as I can done

SUNDAY

Photographing 4am - 8pm done

MONDAY

Photographing 4am - 8pm done

TUESDAY

Spy on other people done
Decide on packaging method done
Layout of body text done
Layout in general done
Finish covers to take to spot varnishers done

WEDNESDAY

Ask what time Chris is in on Monday, as I need to be in college by 11. Get new quote for book done
Find out about spot varnishing done
Go into spot varnish place done
Finish editing on photos I already have.
Update Blog done
Typeset Small Numbers done
Get rid of old food from my room and tidy up generally because my room is disgusting done


THURSDAY

Print stuff out and look at it printed done
Make amendments done
Add page of words I used as images.
Create packaging done
Decide what to reshoot, sort out objects that I do not have.
Decide on ensemble photographs.
Translate Dominic
Set Large Numbers
Set up cards for print


FRIDAY

Get any remaining objects from Bromley.
Take remaining photos
Edit remaining photos
Save all photos as CMYK
Drop photos into book and cards
Pick up spot varnish packaging and scalpel and ruler from E&C.
Create "infographics" to get rid of the ugly.

SATURDAY

Drop off stuff to printers as early as possible ie 5am.

CUSHION//
SORT OUT BLOG

SUNDAY

Check printers have not messed up

CUSHION//
SORT OUT BLOG


MONDAY

Pay for printing and hand in.

Proofs

Tired of looking at nothing but a computer screen and wanting to relive the excitement of physically holding some of my work again I decided to print and put together some proofs paying special attention to the numbers which I set individually last night. Fed up with colour correcting I have made all these photos black and white to give my eyes and touchpad some rest. Plus black and white is kind of 'proofy'.  Proofs are pretty boring to photograph so enjoy my "arty" angles.

I gave the proofs to my parents to look at. Ever keen to criticise me they found five flaws in five seconds. However I am actually extremely happy with the type; size, fonts, layout and the actual size of the book.  I only had to adjust 87 and 90. 2/100 isn't bad. There was a brief panic where I thought the cards were going to be too big in comparison to the book ie pointless but I cut up an old magazine into 85x85mm squares and it was fine.

Box Packaging Evolution

Boring I know but since I spent hours of my life working it out I decided to share it with you. In net form it looks like some kind of aquatic creature. I have sent it off to be printed and spot varnished at the same place again. Clive also said he would help me cut it out since they don't have a machine to do so and I am pretty inept with a scalpel.

Pain II

So there you have it. Three hours work and from a distance no discernible difference between original Futura and my rounded version. But it will give me piece of mind. Most are put directly over originals and then adjusted by eye. I am going to do a quick print out later to see what it looks like in reality (most likely horrific).

Reshoot

I did not think this would be this long. I have other things to be doing.

Reshoot

Diary close up
Coffee/Cuppa dilemma
Radio better lighting
Wellingtons something else smaller
Fairy get from loft
Irish something else
Holly in good light
CD in good light
Toffee sans wire
Leaves - gold
Peas - more of a pile or alternative
Chain - same but lower
Light Bulb - same but closer
Sock - Brighter - maybe more of a sports sock?
Mail in better light
Hosiery - alternatives
Toilet roll - over exposed

Still To Shoot:
Hip Hop
Movie

This is the most ludicrous list I have ever made.

Pain

This is my 'words' section at the moment




This is what I need it to look like


Can't see a difference? Look closer. The second lot have rounded edges like the bigger numbers. I now need to go through an overlay the edited versions over the originals 100 times. And it hurts. However I was panicking about setting out the larger numerals and actually using the originals as guides is a really simple method of typesetting them. Clouds, silver linings, etc.

Ugly

Look how ugly this is. Multiple forward slashes mixed with hyphens look like japanese from a distance. Not that japanese symbols are ugly. This is. Regrettably I think I am going to have to come up with some circle based (there is a a "subtle" semi circle theme throughout the rest of the graphics) "information design" which I do not really have the time to do when I have to individually typeset 200 numerals and colour correct over 100 photographs.

Covers

Original Illustrator Files 










The covers for my book and cards. I intended to capture the shine instead I am just documenting how much dust has already accumulated on them.


I thought I would take stock (subtle graphic design pun there) of the situation and update my blog which has been a bit inactive of late. Below a several posts documenting the last week of designing and photographing for my book and cards. This is my first post where I can actually show you something physically made which is really satisfying.

I took the covers for my cards and book to the spot varnishers today. I had originally intended to foil block them but it was going to require 50 overs which I simply couldn't afford. I am so glad I decided to go for a spot varnish instead. I am really happy with the way they have come out as it is quite unusual to have SO much varnish and I love the acidic yellow print. I had intended to do it on a thick matte stock but when I got there they only had 100 gsm silk available. However they used some ingenious system to thicken the paper (they essentially made a giant sticker) to make it 200 gsm which is exactly what I wanted.

Due to their fear that the giant sticker wouldn't work I was allowed to participate in the process in order to take a share of the blame when it went wrong, which luckily it didn't.

I would definitely recommend using these guys if you need any spot varnishing done in the future, they are extremely helpful, friendly and put up with your sleep deprived ramblings.

Cards

Front



Back

Dimensions: 85mm x 85 mm (squared -a word?- out business card)

I had originally intended to mix and match the colours together so it didn't matter if the 'numeral yellow' was different the 'photographic yellow' but I think I have got them close enough. It looks messy with so many of them so I have decided the number colour will match the corresponding photo.

Some Layout

A non-intentional Wes Anderson dream in Futura and retro pastels. Hope no one notices.

Some Numerals

They are finally here. Also when perusing my book please appreciate I don't have font lab (it now being too late to get it and learn to use it) and each one of these numbers will be painstakingly arranged individual by touchpad from 0-99. I am putting it off for the moment.

Printing

(The view from my bedroom most mornings)


Since I had such a massive creative block for the majority of the time I would have normally allocated to researching, designing, printing and finishing I have been left with a 14 day timeframe for ALL of these things.  I have seen the sun rise (4.30) for the past five days in a row either because I have got up that early or gone to sleep that late.

Because the quality of the photographic images are so important to me I have tried to dedicate as much time as possible to them, reshooting and changing some objects 5 or 6 times. This is has left me with very little time to print and bind so I am going to have to go to my least favourite printers in the world because they are the only people open 24 hours a day 7 days a week that can meet my tight deadline.

However I managed to speak to 'Chris' who when he could audibly hear me cringe over the phone when he gave me a quote suggested that I could use his "staff discount" of 50% off (amazing) and pay him in "cash". Now if this means I don't give that company any more money and Chris gets cash in hand and his boss is none the wiser I am more than happy to oblige.

Colours Mark II

Based on the availibility of paper and how the colour corrected photographs have turned out, this is my new colour palette. I am not normally very confident with colour so I feel really out of my comfort zone working with all these at once but I am really looking forward to them working within the layout.

A Copy of Copy

This is a revised version of my opening copy. Not only does it look a lot nicer, it sounds a lot better to. There are serveral sections (noted as "gibberish") that need to be finished.