COMPLETE PORTFOLIO evaluation

1. COVER
2. PERSONAL BRANDING (d&ad – make your mark)
   (fig1. Ideas/logo)
   In the top left hand corner of this page it shows my early ideas and brainstorms about the idea of self branding / fashion branding as well as blogging. This shows my ideas for a blog around the idea of illustrated fashion rather than photography, inspired by popular apps such as Instagram, where it is usual for people to show their daily outfits or footwear choices through pictures. I would like to recreate some of the best images every day in a graphic illustration style under a blog named We Wear Art, named because I feel your own style is probably the most seen but yet most personal form of art, it can quite easily effect how the rest of the world see you. As well as I this I thought it would be a good way to practice my own illustration styles on a daily basis and not every image would be created in the same way or style. From this idea I moved to the idea of creative an illustrated look book or fashion journal. But rather than using a pre existing brand I decided to create my own linked to my personal branding.
   My personal branding many not immediate make sense as a graphic designer but I feel it says quite a lot about me. Teeth have always been something that interests me greatly, up until the age of 17 I wanted to be a dentist as there are two in my family. As well as this I think teeth themselves say a lot about someone are one of the first things I take notice of when talking to someone. So that is why I began my portfolio with a set. The idea of a set of teeth and the brand name FullSet has more than one meaning, the obvious being a full set of teeth, but more than that I can mean a full set of work, a full set of skills or ideas. They like skills are something that need to be maintained and polished and you have them for life.
   I started these ideas through a few rough sketches of both the teeth themselves and a stylised signature, inspired by the world renowned street/surf wear brand Stüssy, in a note pad then scanning them in and redrawing them in illustrator with the pen tool creating a vector. And for my monogram logo I took a typeface I found online which I liked elements of my not the entire thing, I then edited the anchor points changing it to my liking and combining the two letters on illustrator.
   (fig2. 3. 4. CV pages)
   Then after finalising my branding I began to produce a creative CV to be used for interviews and job applications, I feel this is a very strong and rememberable piece which I have gained very positive feed back for from both tutors and professionals in interview situations. I linked personal skills, interests and my educational past to a eruption chart. I thought this would give a different way rather than a list to display my full set or credentials.
3. FULLSET/WWA
   (fig5. Cover ideas)
   From here I began to develop some ideas to use for a illustrate look book, I can with experimenting with organic textures and brush strokes coupled with more bold block like fonts showing quite a stark contrast between the two, I moved between very clean crisp minimal styling and more layered almost grungy looks. However I felt many of these ideas were not clean cut enough for a streetwear look book in the style I would like. After looking into current and up coming seasons from many different global brands, where some where using more unfinished hand drawn styles coupled with polaroid style photography I decided to move away from this idea for the cover of my look book.
4. FULLSET LOOKBOOK
   (fig6. Front and rear cover)
   The first two images here show my revised front and rear cover, while keeping some of the elements from the previous designs I moved to a more sleek polished style, which leans more towards a high end streetwear brand, while still keeping some of the hand rendered touches which I was planing to continue throughout. This being apparent on the brushed colour accents and handwritten style of font used on 'A/W lookbook 2013) along side the more visually striking block lettering of the brand name FullSet, again showing another meaning, a full set of clothes, creating entire looks using only one brand.
   (fig7. Illustrations and applied branding)
   The following images show my illustrations to become part of my look book. All produced in what over the course of the last two years or so has became my signature style, strong almost stencil like outlines, similar to what is often used in street art and stencil graffiti, with more organic free flowing coloured brush strokes. I think this gives my work a personal recognisable look, which has proved popular in interviews as many graphic design products have quite flat colour application, this is something I have worked on through projects targeting skill development and have proved priceless in my own styling. This style reminds me almost of a cross between Julian Opie and street artist C215.
5. PUFFIN / GRIMMS FAIRY TALES
   (fig8/9. Bearskin hand drawn ideas)
   Firstly on the left of the page are some of my initial ideas based on some of Grimm's fairly tales, after looking through the entire works of the Grimm brothers and reading synopsis's of many of the stories and noting key events, reoccurring characters and imagery. From there I was particularly taken by the tale of Bearskin, and man who made a deal with death to wear a rotting bear hide without washing or grooming, with no wealth for 20 years in exchange for an infinite supply of gold and happiness once the 20 years were over, I though the idea of a man wearing a bear hid would be a good images and would allow me to use some of illustration skills. I also found through research into the family themselves that their were in fact 3 brothers rather than 2 as it is often thought, as well as the reoccurring presents of wolves and characters in groups of three, linked to their own lives and family.
   (fig10/11. Three Wolves and bear hand drawn ideas)
   From there I began to hand draw some of these elements in a style I have used for years using fine liner using strong outlines and lined shading. I combined imagery of an unshaven man and a bear to create the character Bearskin based around the descriptions in the tale. I think the image on the right is particularly strong as the characters eyes draw you in as well as the secondary detail of the bear head dress. I also created a collection of wolf imagery to create an arrangement representing the three brothers and their role in many of the tales.
   (fig12. 4 paper texture ideas)
   Then using these images I began to experiment with paper textures to add a level of depth to my flat lined imagery, I used layers of scanned naturally coloured paper and tissue, these creating a raw handmade feel to my work. Then using grunge style brush strokes in slightly darker tones to build up depth as well as using the burn tool in areas. This is a trend which has been going on for some time now, using more organic hand rendered style art work in graphic design moving away from flat vector imagery. I think adding these paper textures is particularly engaging for the audience and has received positive feedback in interviews as it an unusual l technique which I think has been influenced by my love of collage and marker pen work.
6. BEARSKIN COVER
   (fig13.)
7. THREE WOLVES COVER
   (fig14.)
   My two final book cover out comes depicting my two favourite out comes after much experimentation with with typeface and texturing options. I created the Bearskin cover with a darker more aged look and the Three Wolves with a more clean minimal look. But decided to keep the same type and positioning as I felt it linked the two covers and made it clear they were variations of the same collection of stories. These two pieces at all my interviews and portfolio viewings have received very positive feedback, because of the style of illustration as well as the executioner in the form of the cover itself.
8. SYNC LOGOS
   (fig15. First logos (making brushes)
   Creating the SYNC logo for Newcastle University's data exchange hub. Which is an online platform used for sharing scientific research between different universities. The Logo itself had to link with its purpose, and also had to contain the name in capitals, with the tag line below 'sustaining future research'. I liked the idea of a circular logo as the information would move round between the different universities all around the world. I came up with two ideas both using custom brushes rotated around shapes on illustrator, layering different colours and size on top of each other. With a strong legible text positioned below rather that trying to combine the two with could look cluttered or difficult to read.
   (fig16. Second / response logos (colour change)
   After presenting my initial ideas to the clients they requested a colour change as the felt the blue tones where a little cold where they wanted the branding to look more lively and inviting. I changed the colour to a vibrant spring green, giving the idea and feel of growth and rejuvenation, as well as the spring marking the start of something new which is often done in sciences. They were in favour of this colour change as they said it really made the logo pop. Particularly the bottom right.
9. MINISTRY OF SOUND (D&AD)
   (fig17. a. Line work. b. colour application. c. mirroring. d. natural colouring)
   This brief through A&AD student awards was to produce a set of A2 promotional posters for the world renowned Saturday Sessions by the Ministry of Sound. I was provided with all the relevant text as well as a strict colour pallet to adhere to. This was a rather challenging project for me as I had very little experience working with text in such large quantities, making all the text readable from distance was an issue throughout.
   However I began with the imagery. In this case I decided on using a camouflage style pattern, as it is very on trend in high street fashion at the moment. I began with drawing out my own camouflage sample then lining it on illustrator. From there I coloured it. This alone was a little lacking so taking inspiration form the Watch the Throne album cover which at the time had recently released I began a mirroring and rotating the pattern creating a much more complex visual. More likely to draw the viewer in. I used very different clashing colours at first to seen the difference was very obvious. I then elected for more natural tones before using the elected colour pallet.
   (fig18. a. First text. b. second text (better visibility)
   I then began to work with the text. There were two different sections of text that are important to the final poster. One being the dates and performers and the other being the subtext. I decided on a basic bold san serif font due its easy legibility and naturally good spacing. I ran into issues with the text being readable due to the detailed patterned background. After printing a sample poster with plain black text it became apparent that the text was not easily read. I then took inspiration for box logos and label makers and added black boxing behind white text making it stand out much more clearly.
   (fig19. Three posters as a set)
   The three posters shown as a set showing the progression form month to month, look different but still linked. I used differing colour on each but still chosen from the given pallet.
10. MINISTRY OF SOUND
    (fig20. Full page print (half actually size, intended for A2)
    One of my final poster outcomes at half size as they were intended to be A2 for maximum impact. I think the changes I made make the poster much more usable and readable from distance.
11. NORTH HOUSE (college bistro)
    (fig21. Hand drawn ideas)
    The brief itself was to create a brand identity for the college's staff only bistro found on the second floor or Rhy Hill House at the top of the college campus. It is not somewhere as a student I had visited, so I have went and collected imagery of the current branding, and interior and exterior of the building itself. They wanted to encompass the exclusivity of the bistro as well as where it was situated.
    I arrived at the name North House after generating around 20 different names.
    I began to draw out some initial ideas combining the factors requested. Due to the bistro being based in the north east I used the imagery of magpies as they are heavily link with the city through its football team, similarly with the sea horse found on the city's coat of arms. Then also using images of the building itself I came up with some ideas linking the the doorways. And from there began to look at locks and keys, showing the level of exclusivity.
    (fig22. Chosen logo
    I moved forward with a selection of ideas but I felt the combination of a key and a magpie was the strongest without being too obvious. I took this idea into illustrator and drew it out before experimenting with various colour samples. Before realising the logo itself was very strong simply in black. The logo itself is quite intriguing and colour draw someone in making them want to know what its all about.
    (fig23. Business card designs)
    (fig24. Compliments slips design)
    From there I created business cards and compliments slips and requested for the bistro, displaying all information in a simple readable style. Giving a few alternatives for each design as well as alternative colour ways. I feel the red colours would link most strongly with the current décor of the bistro.
12. MR PORTER (packaging redesign)
    I decided to create a more casual range of packaging for Mr Porter to differ from their very expensive luxurious packaging which I felt linked with their formal wear and luxury brands but seemed excessive for the more every day products like underwear or jeans and t-shirts.
    (fig25. Artwork (stickers/stamps)
    I began by creating garment based postage style artwork stamps, each relating to a different range of products and would be applied to a box containing the product. These were created by drawing out basic garment outlines then changing them into vectors and adding the custom MR Porter branded typeface over the imagery, linking them to the brand.
    (fig26. Net for box (laser cutter)
    My first net, based on the basic idea of a pizza box. I like the way it opens showing the entire contents immediately. As well as the simplicity of the manufacture. It would be a huge leap from the already existing MR PORTER luxury packaging which is exactly what I would like to create. I want the packaging to be more aimed towards the more casual everyday kind of items, as an alternative to the other very expensive more formal or luxury items, where the packaging would be very important as the item is of great expense you would feel as though you want something extra for your money, if it could be a box to keep and re use by storing the item within it, I feel this is unnecessary for a more worn, less 'special' item. As the everyday items are exactly that, items for everyday would most likely once removed from the packaging be placed in a wardrobe or chest of draws making the packaging redundant.
    So with this in mind I wanted to create packaging which could be disposed of easily and recycled rather than kept or reused. Much like a pizza box which I'm sure wouldn't cross anyones mind to keep. I would manufacture the box in a similar way, likely from a recycled card without waxing or gloss or sheen, keeping that raw eco friendly feel. This is seen as being very important in a world growing increasingly environmentally conscious. Another problem is the front edge of the box, I hadn't correctly measured the front panel meaning it was not quite long enough for the tab to fold over correctly meaning it was stretched and pulled it out of line. Also the edge being almost fluffy when folded due to the type of card used but this could be reduced by changing the intensity of the laser on the cutter so that the etched lines were deeper making folding easier, and also by had scoring the internal edges with a scalpel.
13. MR PORTER (my box)
    (fig27. a. My box (issues/build/recycled) b. Compliments card. c. Mock-up. d. Tissue paper.)
    My final packaging with compliments cards, I am really pleased with the final look of my designs. They look just as I had envisaged. They could be used exactly as I planned, they would contain and protect the product as their primary function, and secondly be easily disposed of. They have a strong design element without being too costly to produce making them ideal to be used on a large scale as the case would be for packaging with such a quickly growing company as MR PORTER. Unfortunately I could only produce a final box for one design due to the size of the laser cutter available, as I would have liked to produce a range of boxes for different products. I would like the final product to be wrapped in a black tissue paper, with possible MR PORTER branding in white with the hand-brushed font which I have favoured throughout. However this could not be achieved, as home printing on tissue is very difficult, so black tissue was used. And the boxed would be tied with a black ribbon, to give a final extra special touch, the ribbon would be sealed with the relevant stamp sticker, with the item illustration or a general branded sticker stamp. For my final box once it is cut our and made I would like to dress it. To add an extra special touch. I would like to add tissue wrappings within the box with my compliments card. I would also like to use a sheer black ribbon on the outside to close the box, avoiding glues or rip away strips. The ribbon would be fixed in place with the use of one of my stamp stickers. Showing the same as the cutout on the box, representing the item in contents.
14. NEWCASTLE MEDICAL PHOTOGRAPH DEPARTMENT
    (fig28. Ideas (symbols/representation/links)
    A brief to brand the Newcastle Medical Photography Department, which is a group of photographers working the hospitals in newcastle photographing usual medical cases and complex surgeries. And for these photos to be shared with other hospitals around the world and also included in medial journals and associated documentation. The logo had to be linked with the practise but they did not want any images of cameras or of newcastle landmarks. And it also had to contain the name of the department in full. I logos have crated a number of different initial ideas linked around the medical cross symbol and using custom brushes that give the appearance of cells under a microscope.
    (fig29. a. Square logo. b. Landscape logo. c. Photo logo (issues and sizing)
    I created three variations around the same basic logo. I used different layouts with variations of the same texts to all be used for different purposes because of the effect of scaling on the logo and typeface. For example the large landscape logo colour be used on print or web pages, where as the smaller square logo colour be used for business cards and letter heads and the square NMPD logo could be used to brand the photos themselves.
15. PYRAMIDS (posters for 'The Cut')
    (fig30. a. Net. b. scaled. c. rotation.
16. PYRAMIDS 2
    (fig31. a. Net. b. scaled. c. rotation)
    I undertook this idea as a self directed brief bases around a fictional club night at the popular Newcastle nightclub The Cut. I began looking at shapes and nets and decided on the net and shape of a pyramid, mainly because I will be visiting Egypt this summer.
    I took drew out a basic net of a pyramid and began to edit it in various ways by scaling and rotating the image to create more elaborate designs similar in some cases to images produces on a spyrograph. I then added the Pyramids edited text and my own self branding mark the the posters.
17. PYRAMIDS 3
    (fig32. Full size print)
    A full size A3 poster showing how the poster would look when in use. I think the design itself really catches the eye and draws the viewer in.
18. HARRY POTTER (book cover re-illustration)
    (fig33. Covers / representation / why / purpose / audience)
    Re-illustrations of the Harry Potter book covers but rather than aiming them at the stereotypical child or parent audience, I decided to aim them at young adults, giving them a more minimal less obvious look. Using symbol illustration rather than hole scene illustration as is the case on the current covers. I chose symbols that do not immediately give away to much about the story behind their relevance. I executed these illustrations in my signature style of strong lines and organic brush strokes.
19. SNEAKERNESS
    (fig34. Logos / Artwork)
    I began creating some art work based around some of my own photography of some of my favourite sneakers. I created these between illustrator and photoshop. I then added branding from sneakerness European sneaker festival to create alternative artwork or logos for the event.
20. SNEAKERNESS
    (fig35. Title page editorial (for Sneaker Freaker magazine)
21. SNEAKERNESS
    (fig36. Second page editorial (for Sneaker Freaker magazine)
    I then used these pieces of artwork to create an editorial 2 double page spread layouts for Sneaker Freaker magazine. I feel considering these are my first pieces of editorial work they are very strong and well developed. I looked at existing Sneaker Freaker spreads for inspiration, most use a minimal style with focal pictures while usually still being colourful and engaging. I used the rule of thirds which is seen to make it more visually pleasing and the text more easily read.
22. ASAP ROCKY
    (fig37. Double page spread (photo edit / type (for Hypebeast quarterly)
    I again undertook another editorial style piece in this case using edited photography and aimed for the quarterly Hypebeast magazine. I went for a minimal visually striking page layout and image style. In black and white reflecting the subject and publication style.
23. ASAP ROCKY 2
    (fig38. Digital article (in situ)
    A mock up of how the digital form of the article would appear, as Hypebeast mainly operates as a website and a blog, on a mobile device. Showing it in situ.