Explorations of Cereal Box Designs

Our first assignment this semester is to redesign a cereal box, with a focus on the use of text and the ways it can expressing meaning and emotion. My explorations began as all compute- generated. Here are a few examples: 

The large template shown is the entire template of the cereal box. I used this so I could get a feel of how it would look with my design and size for the design. So that is I wanted to wrap text around the box or anything I would be able to visualize it easier. So, I started off with very basic, quick text. Just playing with different fonts, getting a feel for each, how they make me respond. The first four represent that. Very simple fonts, maybe using two, and their location on the box is similar throughout them all, quiet and easy. I didn't use any color immediately, only focusing on design, adding color later if needed. 

The next several concepts I played more with the placing, sizing, and orientation of the fonts. I really like taking the shape of the letters, and putting other words or letters in the spaces they make. I stay fairly geometric with my placing, not really causing any organic shapes. And again, still not using color. 

The last few are my favorites and most developed. In the last I finally added some color. I also played with reflections and repetition. The colored "krispies" on the last is a edited copy of my own handwritting. I wanted to explore a more physical dimension of these concepts. And so far that one is my favorite and I will develop more off of it. 

David Carson

After watching David Carson's Ted Talk, one of the first important points he makes is that type can represent emotion and sophistication. His example, a "No Parking" sign and "No Parking" hastenly written in graffiti, proves this point; showing which is more effective and convincing. This is an important, vital part of typography and graphic design. Type can control how messages are communicated and their importance. The emotional response that a viewer gets from seeing design is very important to him he says, but I think it is important in design all around. One quote that Carson talks about is " Don't mistake legibility for communication". I really love this, typography can be giving two different messages by just its design and fonts. Design needs to be deeper that just what the words are saying.
Here are some examples of David Carson's work.

Typography and Layouts

• Multiple column grids can be helpful in using hierarchy, making some bigger than others, and making certain parts of text more important or stand out. I can also give ways to place text and pictures together, and where to leave empty space.
• Optimal line length for text is usually 50-70 characters, including spaces. If it is too long the reader will have a hard time focusing on text, if too short the reader has to travel back and forth too often and can loose place more easily. 
• The baseline grid is used to anchor most or all information on a page. It keeps the layout similar and balanced. 
•  Sometimes justified text will look much cleaner and work better with the layout design, but correct justification is hard to achieve. Often, the words are too spread out throughout each line, or are too crammed. But these flaws can be tweaked as to not cause that and not be such an eye sore on the page. 
• Typographic river is when word spacing between multiple lines line up together, causing a "white river" to run down the text. Can be cause be too much spacing between words.
• Hang line design is where there is an open section left at the top of the page, left for either pictures or text, maybe even just open space. Again, keeping the page balanced and organized.
• There are a couple ways to indicate the start of a new paragraph. One, is the indention of the first line. Another, is an extra, blank line in-between paragraphs. Outdenting at the end of the paragraph, or maybe using a symbol. 

Photos by Mario Testino

Mario Testino

For my final project I have chosen the famous, high fashion photographer Mario Testino. Testino takes beautiful photos for not only famous fashion companies such as Gucci, Versace, and Dolce & Gabbana, but his constantly working for magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair.
After studying his work I have found several words that could be used to describe his photography style:

·      Energetic

·      Beauty

·      Dramatic

·      Colorful

·      Expressive

·      Celebrities

·      High fashion

·      Timeless

·      Random

·      Composed 

My favorites from this list are energetic, expressive, dramatic, and beauty. All of which, are main points in all of his photos, used some way or another. 

Mario Testino

Mario Testino was born in Peru in 1954, but began his career as a photographer after he moved to London in 1976. He began with taking portraits, making his first break into Vogue in 1983 and has been hired by many famous magazines since. In 2010, he was awarded The Grand Cross Order of Merit in Peru, which is the highest award in his country. He has photographed many celebrities including the Royal family, starting with Princess Diana, Cara Delevingne, and Kate Moss just to name a few. He has published several books, many exhibitions, and has worked all over the world. 

Photos by Mario Testino

Font Study: Rockwell

For this project I chose to research and study the font Rockwell. Taking all the information I had found I made a final poster set, one poster showing different characteristics of the font, the other with information about the history of the font and the type designer who created my font. The finishing by making an animated gif about a few important characteristics of the font

Some of my process: