FOUR BRIEFS PRINTED

£28.30 of print,
- Book brief (minus bookmarks and stickers)
- NPG
- Guardian (minus fold outs)
- Elliott M LP covers

I printed the book brief onto cartridge paper because I wanted them to look a bit more textured, rather than just flat colours, the colours didn't look as authentic then when printed onto a slightly off white/textured paper. I am happy with how these turned out.

Guardian was printed onto Antique White, these are the front cover prints for display only. I think the solid different shades of blue sit well on the paper. I now just need to print posters in the mac suite so I am able to foil block them.

National Portrait was printed onto matt (I was unable to print double sided satin so I printed the range off on matt paper). My booklet was printed onto thin matt, I am happy with the layout, however as always there some mistakes I noticed AFTER it had printed, so I will mention these in my evaluation. I hope it looks professional once I have put it together, I just hope the print quality and binding doesn't let it down.

Elliott M LP covers - I printed two off, just to show scale at which they could be printed (these are also more for display, proper pdfs will be blogged). I like how these have turned out, and definitely think the black really helps the logo and colour variation stand out.

I now need to fold them all into their products and photograph them for presentation boards.

 

PRINT PREP

PDFs for 3 briefs I am printing on Thursday:

BOOK BRIEF

Wrapping Paper (printed onto tracing paper)

Stickers and Book marks (printed onto cartridge paper)

Chocolate wrappers (printed onto cartridge paper)

Book covers (printed onto cartridge paper)

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

Leaflet (printed onto satin)

Ticket casing (male and female) (printed onto satin)

Tickets (male and female) (printed onto matt)

Booklet (postscript format) (printed onto satin)

G2 BRIEF 

Prints (front covers only) (printed onto antique white)

Cover spreads (these won't be printed but pdf is prepped as if it were being sent to printers) (paper specified)

Fold outs (printed onto bulky newsprint)

COMING SOON

Book covers - Waterstones in store, more development

I have produced a vector image of a wooden cabinet in a little more detail:

 I have added the contents of how the products would be inside it, but as colour coded:

I've designed some posters that could go either side of the cabinet:

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I will either keep the pattern, or add the products photographed once I have printed them out as products.

Book covers - considering in store design, context

There will be some displays in the windows, of products stacked up, posters explaining the offer. 

'THE PERFECT GIFT'

'AVAILABLE GIFT WRAPPED'

'FREE(?) CHOCOLATE BAR WITH EVERY PURCHASE OF BOOK (specified books only)'

'BUY COLLECTION OR INDIVIDUALLY'

I don't know whether to try and mock up the window display or wait until I have photographed my finished products? 

IN STORE
After doing some research into Waterstones interior, I realised that there is a lot of dark wood/carpet, seems quite humble homely place. I had an idea of using an wooden cabinet to display the collection within it. There would be shelves at the top that would contain all the books, ordered according to what book it was. Then there would also be the fold out posters in rolls within the long strips (underneath the shelves). There would be 4 drawers, in which the bookmarks would be available to pic 'n' mix. It would basically all be pic 'n' mix, customers can choose what they want, and there would be posters next to the cabinet explaining how the process works. It is all gift wrapped in the wrapping paper at the cash point.

CONTENTS OF PACKAGE. 

This is what the ULTIMATE package contains (all contents available). 

Should there only be the package offered? Or should there be the option of what you want gift wrapped? 

Do I only focus on how the package is received, or do I have to specify how it is presented in store? 

PHOTOGRAPH FINAL PRODUCTS. 

make posters from them advertising the offer in store. 

Available to be gift wrapped. 

Contents can be bought separately, however, when bought as set, save up to... £££££££. 

All products individually priced: 

Chocolate - £1.29

Bookmark - 99p

Fold out poster - free with book

Book - £6.99

Book cover - mug designs

I had an idea of proposing 4 different mugs (one for each book), as part of this collection that compliments reading (along with chocolate). The mugs could be available to purchase either separately or alongside the books, so it all becomes a package.


Experimenting with a few designs for 'The Beach' mug:

One of the designs I preferred, put onto all four mugs.

Book covers - making the range... a collection?

In my talk with Fred we discussed about how I had approached the book cover brief in a direction that could take the brief a little further than just being book covers. I want to touch on exploring the idea of selling the books alongside complimentary material. I started to do that without really realising the potential behind it (designing chocolate wrappers and bookmarks).

I need a simple, easy way that collects the items together,

my original idea was to use the wrapping paper to wrap up all the items, so maybe a sticker to seal it all up? "Enjoy your night in with a good book and co" (play with that). Or a bag?

I have also thought that I could put small promotional posters on the outside of the shop,just as a small advertisement for the offer inside. It could just be a photograph of the items stacked onto each other?

CUP OF TEA? I could design a selection of mugs??

Testing out varieties for sticker that will hold the items together within the wrapping paper.

I like the idea of having different words, variety of final stickers (the final page of the issuu document).
I feel that using the sentence 'my night in' brands the package too much, I want it to be more of a suggestion rather than purchasing an actual package. There is the option of what you can choose to buy, either way, however much you buy you can 'Enjoy' the contents.

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Book cover - fold out poster further development,

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Summarising book brief,

This is the range within one book, there will be four of each of these sets. 

Possibility of promotional direction? Towards the idea of buying a night in, a good book with a bar of chocolate? 

Book covers - revisiting book marks

I was looking through my practice blog and saw these I had done for sticker propositions? I immediately thought how they could relate to my bookmarks? I discussed previously about having the bookmark as a magnet that folds to then pinpoint the last line you read. These specific points could be a good way to point out the line, and also relate to the sticker and overall design idea. Can the bookmark and sticker be similar/same? I quite like that there would be an element of symmetry there, also as if they could work alongside each other.

I prefer the hexagon shape, I think it's slightly more original, and also gives more room for the pattern to be on the page. It's a bit chunkier but not too much, the right amount:

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Book cover - fold out poster

After my talk with Fred we decided that I was pushing towards these books as being a collection, that could also work as a series that you can build on.

I want the fold out posters to reflect individually to each book, in a simple, but purposeful way.

Sticker to support fold-out poster,

The book will have a fold out poster available (either inside it or sold amongst it). I want it to fold and be secured, so I thought I could produce some stickers that could stick the poster together. It's only a small edition to the range, but I think it will give the poster some depth, a mini package.

First attempts: 

Book cover - fold out poster/slip in

Possible ideas for a fold out poster that will be slipped into the book:

Final Book covers (with publisher changed)

After researching, I found that Penguin seemed a more appropriate publisher for my books than Puffin,

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Book jackets - chocolate bar wrapper development

I'm experimenting with different layouts for the chocolate bar wrapper. I am testing out the different layouts with just using one pattern at the moment:

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Experimenting with favourite layout design, onto other patterns:

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Book covers - wrapping paper

I had an idea about creating wrapping paper that the books could be wrapped in, I would print the pattern onto acetate/tracing paper.
I'm not sure whether to have the books as a box set or just have them individually, then they can be wrapped with the book mark slotted inside. Also there is an option on whether you can purchase the chocolate (or should I sell the chocolate as part of the package with the book and book mark?

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Ideas for 'The Beach' wrapping paper

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Considering other patterns with a design,

Book covers - other contents to include

I want to include other material within the box set (or books when sold separately). I have decided I want to include book marks (possibly stickers, fold out prints). After researching book marks I have seen that the design of a book mark doesn't just have to be a simple, one or double sided flat piece. I want to them to be creative, perhaps enabling a way to see what line were you left your reading? Or where exactly you stopped reading on the page? I also want the book marks to include the appropriate pattern (according to which book theyre for).

I like the idea of bookmark becoming more interactive with the reader. This idea of clipping, folding over the page?

 

I had an idea where you would be able to leave the bookmark underneath the last line you read, they would stick together by a magnet that would be attached as strips on the ends. The main side would just have a simple pattern and the other side would be the colour relating to the pattern and front cover.

 

Another idea stemmed from my previous one (left side of page), having the patterns enlarged, forming one side of the folding bookmark.

Also, the idea of using the traditional bookmark format, vertical rectangle with a strip that can move along it. The idea is that you can move the strip to point to the last line you read.
There are also very simple, basic bookmark ideas, having the pattern and appropriate colour on a flat surface (I think these are a bit too simple)

Top right - folded bookmark idea again, but with the strip already part of it, made of acetate so you can place your bookmark wherever is needed so that you can see you last line through a strip of acetate.

 Experimenting a little further with folded bookmark ideas. Triangle shape? Points to line. Forked folded bookmark?

This is roughly how the folded bookmark could work, the thin strip is cut out from the pattern, and the last line you read can be seen through it. Held together by magnets?

Final cover designs,

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Here are the resolved book cover designs, I am pleased with how they have turned out and feel that have progressed a lot since I initial designing.

I now need to take the design further, regarding the box set design, contents of box set and the in store design.

Book cover development,

ONCE BRANCHING AWAY FROM MY ILLUSTRATIVE APPROACH

I have recently researched more book covers, and have decided to take a much more minimalist approach. I want to focus in making them perfect, so my end result is a series of well printed, well structured & designed book covers.

I wanted to approach using simple patterns, the pattern communicating slightly the theme/subject of the story. 

Slumdog Millionaire- Asian feel, Indian pattern related

I researched into briefly Indian Patterns, I wanted to use something circular/swirly but also keep it simple.

I liked the more simple circles, repeated within each other, they weren't too detailed that it would look too much. I based my design on this.

I had this idea of using 'x' to communicate danger, do not enter etc.. however originally I had used imagery referring to someone trying to escape from over a wall/fence. Could I represent a trapped feeling? I used larger 'x' along the top to give it that fence feeling. 

Once again I followed through the my idea of using this scoring idea, representing time - I had used this imagery in my original drawing, so felt, it could make an interesting pattern lined up.

This was a case of using waves and a beach like representation with the solid strip of yellow. This actually ended up working as the consistency throughout all the covers.

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Moving onto type and layout

This was my initial start at the book jacket. I wanted to include a quote from the book somewhere on the front cover, as a way to intrigue readers, act as a sort of tagline (but for a book) and also add some extra type onto the design. Obviously, at the moment, not much thought has been put into layout etc...

I wanted to keep the cover as minimalist as possible, and also produce something different to most book covers. This idea of having a single rectangle that reaches across the front and back, was clean, but I still thought it needed work. 

Rearranging the type, still using the box but having it more vertical, stretching across less of the cover. I want the pattern to a main part of the design.

I spoke to Joe about wanting to include a quote somewhere on the front cover, he said it was a good idea and could be done, however not to have it overpowering the title etc.. the two could get confused. I thought about having a small quote just on the edge of the flap, so when the book was closed you would see part of the type but not being too obvious that it looks like it could be the title. I think this looked too much though, and spoilt the delicateness of the pattern.

Trying the label idea again, but spread across more freely, it looks interesting and communicates what type of story 'The Beach' is, but in terms of how the spine would look, and the overall slanted effect, seemed to take less refinement out of the design. I want it to look simple and perfect, but also attractive and interesting. 

Removing the white box completely, playing around with hierarchy and colour to approach the quote and title etc... Bit too plain... 

I quite like the type being vertical, I think it looks structured and considered but also is a bit different to how you normally read the blurb etc.. on a book. Just seeing what a bold shape would look like... I don't think it's really needed.

Here are all of my developments: 

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