By Amber Rigsby
I have had the honor to work with Duchesne High School in creating social media and print media for their football program.
63 POP is a small business idea for a local, nontraditional art/design gallery. The idea is that local artists and designers from all medias can come in and paint their work directly on the walls instead of framing their work like in a traditional setting of artist presentation. Before designing I had to first come up with a theme. I later decided that I wanted the logo to reflect the pop art era. I made this choice because street art, which is also painted directly on public surfaces, makes connections to pop culture and other elements used in pop art. With this direction in mind I know the type had to be bold, the color scheme needed to be bright and the overall concept had to be loud but clear.
Throughout this assignment I learned that it is ok to return to your sketchbook even after you have move to digital sketching. After building the skeleton I found myself at a standstill and just simply moving pieces around on the computer and getting nowhere. This is when I decided it was time to go back to the drawing board and look at something new. I also learn that sometimes its better to make your own typeface rather than settling for an existing one. The type used for the word “pop” and the exclamation point were made with the use of shapes and the pathfinder tool. Lastly, I learned to really take the time to think through the theme of the mark. Every part of the logo should have a reason for being there.
In my type II class we were assigned to make a reading poster for an author. We were encouraged to use as much type as possible. Norman Mailer was an author that most claim had a very aggressive tone which over flowed into his writing. This poster was designed to represent his no nonsense attitude and relates to the publications that are being presented at this event.
While designing this piece I learned that using type as an image can be a very effective way to design and guide the viewer through your piece. The large “M” works as an element of the concept rather than type that is meant to be read. Lastly, I learned that type can have a voice and that hierarchy is very important. Each part of this poster is divided by the weight and difference in type choice however, everything is then tied together by color and shape.
For a package design class, we were presented with the task of redesigning an existing brand. Sweet N Low is one of those brands that has been around for many years and has stuck to its original identity. Therefore, choosing Sweet N Low as my topic for this task was going to be a challenge but, I was up for it. My main goal was to respect the brand equity but, move their image into a new generation. I decided the new brand would be a healthy choice with the use of stevia instead of their existing ingredients. To further support the new use of stevia I made the lids on both the bottom and the top the shape of a stevia leaf. The shape of the tube and the packages inside would then follow this shape. Therefore, every time the consumer used the product they would be reminded that they made a healthy choice by choosing Sweet N Low rather than other unhealthy brands.
Dirk’s Fund is a non-for-profit organization that takes in large breed dogs that have been given up by their previous owners, nurse then back to health and then find them a forever home. Dirk’s Fund is a great cause however, their branding methods were a bit off. Their logo is inconsistent throughout the company so, I decided to redesign their brand for a design for good project that I was assigned in my branding class. I wanted the new logo to focus on the relationship between the new owner and the dog. The hand and nose in this design represents the first connection between the two. When you first meet a dog typically you put your hand out for the dog to sniff. This is when the dog gets to know you and learns that they can trust you. This connection is very important especially when meeting dogs that may be afraid to meet new people like those that can be found in a place like Dirk’s Fund.
In a multimedia class we were given the task of redesigning a fast food restaurant and I chose Krispy Kreme. I wanted to brighten the logo and add in some elements of previous designs by Krispy Kreme. While designing this logo I learned that it is important to keep parts of the existing logo so that the mark is still recognizable to those who have been going to Krispy Kreme for many years. It’s also important to keep a reflective color scheme that consumers can recognize. It’s okay to make bold moves toward a new make but it’s crucial to respect the existing mark. Making changes that are too dramatic could cause consumers unable to notice the brand.
The last assignment in my package design class was all about sustainability. I started doing research on toothpaste tubes and learned that they cannot be recycled. This is very alarming considering that this is something that everyone uses every day, which means landfills are being filled with these tubes. I then decided I needed to find a way to make the tubes more eco-friendly.
The new tubes would be made out of aluminum and the lid would be made of bamboo. The tube can then be brought back to the store, recycled in the display and the consumer would then receive a discount on their next purchase. Each tube would come with a bamboo toothbrush and a tool to help get as much toothpaste out of the tube as possible. The new package around the product would be triangular to use less material and this could also be brought back and recycled to then be used to make polyester clothing. To finish it all off the look had to match the new ideas of sustainability. Therefore, I simplified the design and added a bright color scheme that would allow the brand to stand out.
Bamboo is a magazine concept for those who are looking to read up on starting a healthy life style. The idea is that the content would be simple and easy for beginners to work their way into the new way of living with ease instead of being overwhelmed by other publications.
While making this publication I struggled with consistency. In the beginning each page had its own theme and there was not a concept that was repeated throughout. By the end of the project I flipped back through each page and found that the beginning of the magazine had the fell and design that I was hoping for. I then adjusted the other pages to fit into that style. Lastly, this publication helped me appreciate the use of typography and how the right choice in type can elevate the message that the overall concept is trying to covey.
To see the full publication please click the link below.
In a typography class I was assigned to make an infographic about the Corps of Discovery. However, I didn’t want to design a traditional poster like infographic that would be hung up for viewers to read as they walked by. I wanted to make a booklet that mimicked a compass which would have been used by Lewis and Clark on their journey. Each page has an interesting fact that some may not know about the journey and pictures to help the reader identify the people in the book.
During the making of this piece I immediately settled on the typography and design theme that would be present thought out, but it still fell short of my expectations. The message in the design was clear however, the overall layout was boring. I then adjusted the piece by adding journals written by Lewis and Clark and used them as a background for each educational page. I later added pages with paintings of the journey to help the reader make the connection between who they were reading about and what the characters looked like.
&WeVote is a campaign to empower women to get out and vote. This multi-media campaign encourages young people, especially women, to use their vote in order to make a positive change for women.
