Studio Brief 01 - Interim Crit - Initial Ideas

After analysing the book, the main themes that I found, were the poignant objects that were discussed throughout the book, however I feel this idea alone would be very cliche and a lot of other designs would incorporate this. Another idea that has been explored is contrasting the cover with present day and modern day, such as computers, I pads and phones, even though the book is based in the 1980s. 

This cover works well, however it doesn't seem as innovative and it is kind of a cliche design, and the lined paper and hand drawn doodle approach has definitely been overdone and overused, in the likes of the diary of a wimpy kid books and many other teenage books. The doodles would maybe work better on the back cover with a more innovative design which can be seen on the front. 

In the crit, this design was preferred, as it is a very different, innovative idea, and brings the book back around to modern day. It contrasts the very first ever design of the book, which is very much of 80s design. In the crit, ideas to develop this cover was to create a very minimal cover using only the google search bar, and bringing it round to the back cover, therefore it covers a double page spread, tying in the whole book jacket together. The crude words were said to work well, using sex, girls, spots, puberty, to highlight the topics that are discussed within the book. The illustrative style works well, and the colours used should be a limited colour palette. 

This idea, is a less cliche idea, and discusses and shows the ideas that can be found within the book, also the titles of the book also sum up the themes that Adrian goes through, throughout the story. the design doesn't work as well on it's own however and the amount of text makes it confusing to read. maybe incorporate this illustration alongside other drawings. 

The famous icon of the sock, this idea was liked in the crit, however an idea that was discussed to push this idea further, was to sew the title of the book into a sock, to produce a more tactile and 3D approach and then photograph it and place it within a certain context, which implies Adrian's bedroom. 

This is a development on the google search idea, bringing the book to the 21st century and the present day. This illustration would be developed to spread across the hole double spread, which is a modern take away from the original cover. 

Initial Ideas - Thumbnails

Studio Brief 01 - Study Task 03 - Typographic Treatment

This typeface works well, because the type looks hand drawn and slightly scruffy, therefore it appears as though it is Adrian's handwriting.  However the typeface like many others didn't allow for fractions to be typed out therefore it wasn't really suitable for the title of the book. 

Studio Brief 01 - Study Task 01 - Adjectives

1. Relatable
2. Enlightening
3. Perceptive
4. Whimsical
5. Authentic
6. Reassuring
7. Witty
8. Satirical
9. Meaningful
10. Touching

Studio Brief 01 - Study Task 02 - Existing Book Cover Analysis

This cover includes the original artwork, from when the book was first published in 1982. The artwork was illustrated and designed by illustrator Caroline Holden, which due to the popularity of this first design, she was then commissioned to design the covers for the rest of the series. Caroline specialises in children's book cover design, as she is a child's author herself, therefore her style has developed to suit a particular audience. 

 The cover has a sense of mystery, where you would have had to have read the book to grasp the meanings and significance of the objects in the front cover. When researching the covers, it was found that Sue Townsend specifically requested for the characters not to be on the front cover just possessions and furniture to give a feeling of the character. Which almost creates a puzzle and gives an insight into the personality of both the book itself and the characters. 

 The colour pencil drawings give a sense of nostalgia and child-like drawings, however taken on in a mature approach, which gives the suggestion that the book is not directly aimed at young children, but older children and young adults. The colours are quite grey toned and less saturated, creating a contrast against other children's books and the stereotypes of bright, primary colours and character illustrations. The illustrations also represent the context and time that the book was published and illustrated, was when illustrations and cartoonists were up and coming production satirical drawings on artwork of the government and the establishment in general. With the likes of Spitting Image and Not the 9 O'Clock news. Due to the content of the book and the discussion of politics within it, when analysing the cover this could have a deeper relationship imitating this type of artwork of the time.

 The setup and the scene that has been illustrated is that of a typical teenage boy, which therefore makes the cover relatable to a range of ages; those who are currently teenagers and those who have experienced this time and are now older. 

 The type which has been hand drawn, hints to the layout of the book which is in a form of the diary. Giving the book a personal, relatable touch again, which everyone of all ages can engage with and relate to. The contradiction of the Noddy, toothbrush and shaving implements has a broader significance of growing up, puberty and the problems and obstacles that everyone has suffered and come across within their lives. 

 The mirror which is the grounding of the whole cover, acts as a reflection for both the story itself, in a diary from, reflective of Adrian's life, but also for anyone who picks the book up, they almost can see themselves. It is a standard everyday scene that all ages can relate to and imagine themselves in the same situation. 
In conclusion this cover is successful for it's time I believe, however if this cover was used today, it would take a back seat upon the shelf, especially so when thinking of a younger audience. However if it was aimed towards an older audience, this cover, if used in the present day, would emit feelings of nostalgia from over 30 years ago, and the design would bring back those memories of the 80s and the political and social state of the country at that time. 

The second cover, was illustrated by Roderick Mills, who has a very raw, unfinished illustrative style. This cover is extremely simple and has a much more mature feel, it is minimal and both archaic, nostalgic.

This cover was found within the adult fiction section of the book shop, therefore it has a much more mature feel with a dull, grey toned colour palette. Due to the context of the the time of production, that is has been specifically designed for a 30th anniversary edition. Which therefore explains the old fashioned, muted palette and creating the effect of ink and coffee stained paper, to give it an aged, nostalgic feel. 

The cover wouldn't necessarily jump out on a shelf, therefore we assume that younger children were not in mind when designing it. However the use of typeface then counteracts this idea, as the writing is quite childlike and brings back that immature feel of a 14 year old.

The single image of the broken glasses, has a deeper meaning, of the troubles of teenagers and adolescents, the ideas of glasses, embarrassment and puberty, also the glasses are representative of bullying, which is a concept that is discussed within the book. The broken glasses act as a reference to the class of Adrian's family, the working class, it also hints at the role of the NHS at the time the book was written. On the other hand it can light heartedly represent the life of an average, inept, teenage boy. It also holds the idea of Adrian's future career prospects of becoming an intellectual. The illustration of the glasses holds a whole window into the life and personality of the character and the problems explored within the book. This cover however isn't the most engaging for teenagers to pick up, however the more mature, sophisticated style, is a move away from the childish books they read years ago, therefore a more mature cover and book will stand out to them as they begin a new chapter, on their journey to adulthood. 

The handwritten typeface also emits a feeling of a close personal message as if it was our own diary, as Adrian's character was made to relate to everyone of all ages, it's as if it is each  of our own personal message and an insight into someone's life. The layout of the cover also seems quite educational, to represent the amount of life lessons that are discussed and can be learnt from reading this book. 

The unfinished, messy style of the type and illustration also gives an isight into the imperfect life of Adrian in the book, and on a broader scale, the imperfect life of all of us, nothing ever runs smoothly. It is an intimate reading as when reading we feel events of our past and can relate the life and characters within the book to those we know and who we are and who we were. 

 In conclusion this cover is quite minimalistic, and therefore wouldn't be appropriate for children. however this cover is mainly aimed at adults, which explains the more sophisticated approach to the illustration. Therefore it successfully communicates the message well to this age of audience, as it doesn't give anything away, it leaves one object, one puzzle to give an insight into the book and character within. The typeface also brings a personal, nostalgic touch, which invites the audience to read as it seems, friendly, relatable and familiar, which all the ideas discussed in the book are to that certain age group. the cover successfully communicates the heart, warming, sentimental impression that the book creates. However I don't think it would stand out on a shelf, or engage with a younger audience, but it is appropriate for the genre within which the book was found in the book shop a more mature audience. 

The third and final cover has been illustrated and designed by Joe Berger, who has illustrated many children's books including, Superhero Dad and Michael Rosen's A-Z, he has also written and illustrated his own books, including Bridget Fidget and has continued to illustrate and write a comic strip along with Pascal Wyse called The Pitchers which can be found within the Guardian. 

Therefore Joe has developed a certain style for children's books, mainly for younger children though, which maybe is why this book seems a bit immature for the intended audience, as the book isn't really appropriate for much younger children. This cover seems to have been designed specifically with a younger audience in mind, using much more vivid colours and comes across as youthful and engaging. This cover would definitely stand out on a shelf a lot more than the other two, and contrast against them.

 The key focus of the front cover is the type and the illustration of the main character. The illustration of the character has been placed carefully, as the book covers his face to leave most of the imagination to the reader themselves. It also infers that the focus of the book is purely on this character, as no other messages or clues are communicated or given.

 The type, similar to the previous cover, is extremely hand drawn and illustrative, emitting the feelings of a personal, hand written book, to represent the content of the diary inside. The added ink blotches infers the stereotype of a typical teenage boy, messy and chaotic personality traits. 

 In conclusion, I feel as though this book is too childish for the content, as Townsend originally meant for the book to be for adults, and young adults, therefore I feel this cover will attract the wrong type of audience and will be inappropriate for a younger age group. Even when placed in the young adult section, this age group will not want to pick up this book, as the cover looks too childish and immature, and they are looking for a more mature, grown up books to read. The cover doesn't necessarily relate to the content inside, it makes the content seem appropriate for a young audience, when in actual facts the topics and ideas discussed throughout the book are much more mature themes, such as politics and society. 

All books have a strong use of typography in common. 

Studio Brief 01 - Study Task 01 - The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 - Book Analysis

Author

- Sue Townsend was born in Leicester in 1946, she left school at the age of fifteen and had three children by the age of 20.
- Her first big break was when she won a Thames Television Award for her first play and from then on, became a professional playwright and novelist.
- She is regarded as Britain's favourite comic writer.

- Sue was poor well into her thirties and she used and echoed her experiences of hardship within her work.
- At the age of 8 her mother brought her a collection of Just William books, which she later realised was the starting point and basis of her creation of the character of Adrian Mole.
- When her son was just 13 he asked 'why they didn't go to animal parks on weekends like other families.' She realised that this was the start of her writing which became the Adrian Mole books, where she based her books on looking at life through a teenager's eyes. Sue states that that is the only real line that has come directly from her family that is included into the book.
- After this, Townsend chose to further research the world of teenager's both for her book and personal life. She started to attend youth clubs as a volunteer organiser, which led to her training to become a youth worker, which she carried on alongside her writing.
- The first two published stories of Adrian Mole, appeared in an art's journal titld, 'Magazine', however back then the character was still called Nigel Mole.
- After this, as a result 'The Diary of Nigel Mole, Aged 13 1/4, was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on New Year's Day in 1982.
- Publisher's Methuen had head the broadcast and commissioned Townsend to write the first book which came out int he September of that year. The name Nigel was changed to Adrian, as it was too similar to a previous literary character of Nigel Molesworth.
- Since then the book has been adapted into both a stage play in Leicester's Wyndham's Theatre for over two years and a television series which was broadcast in 1985 and 1987.
- Critics described the first two novels as a realistic, humorous treatment of the inner life of an adolescent boy, and which captured the feeling of Britain during the Thatcher Era.
- The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole was reputedly based on her children's experiences at Mary Linwood Comprehensive School in Leicester. Several of the teachers who appear in the book are based on staff who worked at the school in the early 1980s.
- Townsend, describes herself as a "passionate socialist" who had no time for New Labour. Townsend said in 1999 that she had only voted Labour once, and in fact her preference was Communist, Socialist Workers, or a minority party usually. The journalist Christina Patterson observed of Townsend in 2008: "Her heart, it's clear from her books and a few hours in her company, is still with the people she left behind, the people who go largely unchronicled in literature, the people who are still her friends."

Ideas and Themes

- The book is designed to entertain and act as a nostalgic read that everyone of all ages could relate to.

- Townsend uses the book to highlight political and social issues and flaws within society at that time, however she does so in a very light hearted manner.

- The main themes that are discussed and included within the book are;

- Feminism

- It discusses the breakdown of typical roles and stereotypes of the likes of, women, parents, children.

- The book mainly explores growing up and puberty and the problems that every teenager suffers with and how they manage to get through. In this case it is similar to a self help book, but also a guide that is relatable of experiences that everyone has been through and therefore everyone can pick up the book and relate.

- The book also discusses family breakdowns and how children and adults deal with this.

- It discusses politics and stereotypes of labour and conservative families, it also acts as a voice to represent the feelings of the United Kingdom of that time through the Thatcher Years. 

- It discusses Love, Relationships in all shapes and forms, with parents, friends, and loved ones. 

- It takes the audience through the issues and problems that every teenager goes through problems, with love, puberty, spots and family problems, the book doesn't depict a perfect life, in fact in shows an extremely normal and everyday average life of a family of that time.

- It also discusses religion as each diary entry dates a christian celebration or holiday. 

- Another theme it touches on is racism and the change in ethnic minorities through that time period, and the cynical view of older people.

- One idea it follows through the book is the relationship between the old and young, as Adrian looks after and forms a relationship with an older man Bert Baxter, who acts as a sort of grandfather figure throughout the book.

- The diary entries also state memorable events that happened throughout the years, such as the Royal Wedding and the announcement of Diana's pregnancy. 

- Throughout the book, Adrian informs his diary of the books he reads at each time, and each seem to be relevant to a certain point within his life.

- Adrian's other problems include being bullied in school, his increasing interest in sex, and his parents.

- The diary begins when Adrian is age 13 ¾, and ends with Adrian's fifteenth birthday. During the course of this year and a quarter, Adrian falls in love, suffers through his parents' marital problems, and pursues his ambition to be an intellectual and a writer

- The first book in the Adrian Mole series of comedic fiction, written by Sue Townsend. The book is written in a diary style, and focuses on the worries and regrets of a teenager who believes himself to be an intellectual. The story is set in 1981 and 1982, and in the background it refers to some of the historic world events of the time, such as the Falklands War and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana as well as the birth of Prince William. Mole is also a fierce critic of prime minister Margaret Thatcher, listing her as one of his worst enemies.

Series of Books

• The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ (1982), her best-selling book, and the best-selling new British fiction book of the 1980s.
• The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole (1984)
• The True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole (1989)
• Adrian Mole: From Minor to Major (1991) is an omnibus of the first three, and includes as a bonus the specially written Adrian Mole and the Small Amphibians.
• Adrian Mole: The Wilderness Years (1993)
• Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years (1999)
• Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction (2004)
• The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole, 1999–2001 (2008)
• Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years (2009)

TV Series

There was a shared disappointment, however, about the TV dramatisations of the Mole books  in one of which, Townsend recalled with distaste, all the main characters seemed to be adopting Birmingham accents, unperceived by the Hungarian director. (She explained that Adrian's diaries were written to the rhythms of Leicester speech.) 

Radio

Adrian Mole began as "Nigel Mole" on Radio 4 in 1982. The boy Nicholas Barnes, who performed as Adrian's voice, was exactly 13 and 3/4 when he played the part. Townsend sated that he didn't know what he was saying, however this just added to Adrian's character even more, as Adrian himself is blind and naive to the world around him, especially so to the antics of adults.

Narrative/Storyline

- Set in the early 1980s, in an unnamed town in the midlands of England, the novel portrays the effects on an ordinary working-class family of rising unemployment and cuts to education and medical services that defined the period. It was also a time when ordinary English women were beginning to express a desire for freedom from their traditional domestic roles, shown in the actions of Adrian's mother and those of Pandora and her mother.
- The book is written in the style of a diary, from a voice of Adrian Mole who is a 13 year old boy, and by the end of the book he is fifteen. 
- He narrates his life, troubles and problems of a teenage boy, be that love, family, problems and puberty.
- The main events that occur within the story consist of ;
- His spot, due to puberty is ongoing throughout the book, as he tries to get rid of it and believes he has been deprived from vitamins from hi mum.
- His parent's relationship is up and down throughout the book, touching on subjects of affairs, divorce, single parent hood and redundancy within jobs. 
- Another ongoing relationship throughout the book is that with Pandora, his love interest, where ideas of teenage puberty, sex, love and how Adrian deals with this.
- Adrian's relationship with Bert Baxter and his Grandma, both touch deeply on the relationships between the young and the old.
- Adrian also throughout the book tries to pursue his poetry career, as he believes he is an intellectual and wants better future prospects than his parents.
- Different classes of family and the events of the establishment and within politics are touched upon throughout the book, with different classes of families and of different political backgrounds. 

Context

-The context in which the book was written in, is the same time period as to what the book is set in, therefore the book was extremley relevant of the time, during the Thatcher period, where satire and discussion of stereotypes of society and within politics, were becoming more and more spoke about aloud. 
- The book discusses the role of women at that time, that they were becoming more free, girl power and the removal of the 'glass ceiling', trying to go against Thatcher, Adrian's Mum and Pandora, show and represent these changes in women at the time. 

- Adrian discusses "current affairs" in the diaries, which have tracked public events for almost three decades. "I was wondering if, when you listen to the news, you are thinking about how Adrian would feel about things." Townsend admitted to a lapse in her own once-obsessive interest in news events, but the reader had her own Mole-ish responses to suggest. "I imagine that Adrian would have voted for Nick Clegg." "Yes, I think he would," Townsend agreed – as did all the readers in the room.
- The book also discusses, the different classes of families and different political beliefs and backgrounds, of working class and middle class. It also touches on the different races and increase in racial diversity at that time. 
- The book takes apart society and shows the breakdown of roles within in it at the time, and the changes and politics which was affecting these issues at the time. 

Genre

- The genre of the book has an underlying theme of politics and an ongoing battle of teenager life.
- It acts as a self help book, a coming of age book , but at the same time it is historical and represents the views and roles of society of that time. 
- In Waterstones it was found both in the adult fiction and young adult fiction, however they both had different front covers. 
- Therefore the book can be appropriate for a wide range of audience from teenager, young adult, to the much older adults, as everyone can relate to the topics discussed, especially so the older audience who ere round at the time, to experience of nostalgia and relate to the characters and the events of the time that the book was set.
- The book isn't really appropriate for children, more for teenagers and younger adults, therefore the cover needs to attract a different kind of age group, therefore needs to take a more mature approach, but at the same time, fun and engaging to encourage children of this age to pick up this book and ant to read it and enjoy it.

Audience

- Townsend meant for the book to be written for an older audience, she had an audience of adults in mind when writing it, however it seems that the book's biggest following is a younger audience, youthul readers. 

- When adults re read it now, they see how naive they were when they had read it previously. 

- Adrian's voice within the novel emits, cynical and criticism. 

- Adrian mole represents all of us. 

Influences - Modern Day

Readers found the influence of Adrian Mole everywhere, from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time to the TV comedy The Inbetweeners. 

Blurb

Tuesday January 1st
Bank Holiday in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. These are my New Year's resolutions: 
1. I will help the blind across the road; 
2. I will hang my trousers up;
 3. I will put the sleeves back on my records; 
4. I will not start smoking; 
5. I will stop squeezing my spots;
 6. I will be kind to the dog;
 7. I will help the poor and ignorant;
 8. After hearing the disgusting noises from downstairs last night. I have also vowed never to drink alcohol . . .

Meet Adrian Mole, a hapless teenager providing an unabashed, pimples-and-all glimpse into adolescent life. Telling us candidly about his parents' marital troubles, The Dog, his life as a tortured poet and 'misunderstood intellectual'.

Adrian's painfully honest diary is still hilarious and compelling reading thirty years after it first appeared.

Synopsis

Before Harry Potter arrived on the scene, Adrian Mole was the most famous adolescent in English literature. Unlike Harry, Adrian Mole inhabits a comic, but very real world, filled with adolescent worries about love, sex, his future, and acne. The first in a very successful series of novels told in diary form, subsequent works record Adrian's struggles and successes into adulthood. The diary begins when Adrian is age 13 ¾, and ends with Adrian's fifteenth birthday. During the course of this year and a quarter, Adrian falls in love, suffers through his parents' marital problems, and pursues his ambition to be an intellectual and a writer. Pandora, the love of his life, is brainier than Adrian, and her parents are in a higher income class than Adrian's. She falls for Adrian after an uncharacteristic impulse to rebel causes him to wear red socks instead of the required black to school. Together they form a committee to continue the disruption. Frequent outbreaks of acne keep Adrian in fear that he will lose Pandora.

Adrian's other problems include being bullied in school, his increasing interest in sex, and his parents. Not exactly model parents to begin with, when their marriage breaks down, Adrian's home life becomes even more chaotic. After his mother runs off with the next-door neighbor, Mr. Lucas, Adrian's father, George, is temporarily cheered by his relationship with Doreen Slater. But when George loses his job, he sinks back into depression. Though she is annoying at times, often her house is the only place where Adrian and the family dog can find some peace. She also deals with Barry Kent, the school bully who demands protection money from Adrian on a daily basis. Another important member of Adrian's world is Bert Baxter, an old man whom Adrian helps out, and who, at one point, comes to live next door with Adrian's new neighbors, the Singhs, before being moved into an old folks home, where he meets Queenie. Later, they marry and set up house together. During a vacation in Scotland with his mother and her boyfriend, Adrian makes friends with an American boy named Hamish Mancini.

Despite these distractions, Adrian is determined to become an intellectual. He writes to a well-known TV intellectual, Malcolm Muggeridge, asking for information on how to be an intellectual but gets no response. He sends off a number of poems to the BBC, the national television and radio network, and is encouraged by the responses he receives from John Tydeman, who is obviously amused rather than impressed by Adrian's efforts. Toward the end of the year, Adrian's mother returns home, and shortly after, his father finds a job. Order, of a sort, is restored in the house before Adrian turns fifteen. He is now able to shave, but still legally a child and no freer to do what he wants.

Set in the early 1980s, in an unnamed town in the midlands of England, the novel portrays the effects on an ordinary working-class family of rising unemployment and cuts to education and medical services that defined the period. It was also a time when ordinary English women were beginning to express a desire for freedom from their traditional domestic roles, shown in the actions of Adrian's mother and those of Pandora and her mother. Because many of the words and references are likely to be unfamiliar to an American reader, the American edition provides an Afterword with explanations for these words. The Afterword takes the form of a letter exchange between Adrian and Hamish Mancini, an American boy Adrian meets in Scotland. Hamish asks for explanations for a list of unfamiliar words. In his letter, Adrian explains these words.

End of Module Evaluation

During this module I have began to grasp the concepts of both objectivity and subjectivity and how and when they can be used within design. I have also discovered many new different designers, such as Van Toorn and Wim Crowell after reading their argument on their different approaches to design. Other designers include Mijksenaar, Experimental Jetset, Build, Dr Me, Lance Wyman and Otl Aicher, who have all had influence over my ideas and work and will continue to do so throughout the course. I have learnt and produced graphic design away from purely print based designs, I have enjoyed branching away from his and designing using new ideas and techniques to practice and focus on communication that design can involve. Within both briefs I have discovered a range of new research approaches and have stepped away from my comfort zone to become more experimental and conceptual using new materials and techniques.
  Especially so within the object project, I have spent a lot of time within the print room, learning and taking advantage of the resources and facilities that are available. Producing pieces both final and experiments within mono printing, Letterpress and book-binding to become more confident working within these areas. I have enjoyed stepping away from the computer and realising that better and design work with more depth will be created if a range of ideas and materials are explored rather than producing digital iterations. I have become more of a creative thinker and developing my ideas further each time trying to push each idea.
 Both briefs I believe have turned out well, I prefer the object studio brief outcome more to the way finding outcome. The concept for the object brief was stronger and I enjoyed being more expressive and stepping away from the screen, using analogue techniques instead, as I enjoy the outcomes and practice of these techniques more and believe that more engaging and thought provoking pieces are designed as a result.
 Within the way finding brief I enjoyed being more conceptual once again and producing more subjective design as a result of researching the opinions that other designers have on this subject. It brought me away from producing objective and obvious designs.
 To improve upon this module, I believe I should have done further research and look at more different designers, which could then influence my designs to produce better work. Other improvements would mainly be in Studio brief 1, to produce a better range of ideas, using different approaches, therefore my design development would be more detailed and give my signage system more depth.
  To conclude what I have learnt from this module is how to research using a range of techniques through study tasks and designers and their work. I have learnt to think more conceptually and to push my ideas to the extreme and out myself outside my comfort zone, therefore all my work isn't the same. I have realised that I enjoy spending time in the print room, using the many facilities there that are available, in future projects I will continue to use a variety of media and both digital and analogue techniques and not just stay at the computer.

Evaluation - Object

The design meets the design proposal, as although the final outcome doesn't necessarily use braille within the design or would necessarily be accessible or readable to them, the finished design that has been produced has come from a process that has used 3D images and braille, therefore the concept behind the design is therefore stronger and brings more meaning into the design. Also the abstract look of the illustrations of the faces, actually follows on from this concept, showing deteriorating images referencing sight, and also the fact that everyone sees differently, and everyone can make of the drawings what they see themselves and they have the ability to create different images depending on who is looking at the publication. The design also has a strong purpose, as a collective piece of memorabilia, and to some people it will emit feelings of nostalgia and to other sit will educate the on what the speaking clock was, it's history and how it is still used now in the present day. It also exists as a piece of artwork in itself, as it is not an explicit image or publication to look at, people can make of it what they will. However the use of textured paper and letterpress actually enhances the concept of the idea that the speaking clock was used initially by the visually impaired. Therefore adding texture and using analogue techniques that can be physically felt and touched compensates for the lack of 3D imaging and braille within the piece itself. These ideas have been influenced by MGMT's design process within the Infographics book, that most of the design should be taken away in order for a more intriguing message to be understood and also to play around with ideas and experiment with different materials and processes.
  I think the design decision to use letterpress and bookbinding within the final outcome, was again to play on the concept, therefore every aspect of the book needed to be felt and physically produced. These techniques are also quite nostalgic, therefore it coincides with the nostalgia that the publication will produce for some of the older audiences. The paper was also a design decision, as the paper is ridged and can therefore be felt and touched as it has texture to it. However I think more textured paper, or to develop the project further, the pages should've included or been made out of braille which would show the information on, with text over the top, therefore it would be suitable for both the intended audience and others. Feedback from the final design included both successes and critique of the final design, that the illustrations were extremley abstract however this was preferred as it gave the piece something unique. The letterpress was thought to be successful has it added another handmade dimension, so the publication felt personal and more engaging as a physical piece to hold. Critique of the final outcome, was again to include braille, as this was the original intended purpose, however this wasn't conceivable at the time as the object needed to be printed, also the parts of braille that can still be constructed within the images themselves shows that that was part of the design process. Another critique was to include more text or information, which is a fair comment, as the piece itself it quite abstract and doesn't hold much information for the audience. However, on the other hand, the intended purpose was for the publication to act as a piece of artwork and collector's memorabilia, a form of nostalgia, not necessarily an informative document.
  In conclusion if this project were to be developed further, then the idea of braille and producing a piece of work that is intended for the visually impaired would be explored further as to how to make this possible. However the final outcome has been created from a huge amount of process and concept, which makes the project have more integrity and meaning and is therefore a successful piece of design, which is useful and effective for it's intended purpose.

Evaluation - Way Finding

Below are the final designs that have been created for a new contemporary signage system to be placed within the Corn Exchange. The approach that the design took was mainly subjective, which was informed by the opinions of the likes of Van Toorn, Paula Scher and Experimental Jetset, who all believe that a sign system and design in general doesn't ever necessarily have to be entirely functional. Therefore the design for this sign system took a very subjective approach, however the design was influenced and inspired by the building and architecture of the Corn Exchange itself. The design aimed to create an engaging experience for the public, which has been achieved due to the abstract approach of the pictograms. This subjective approach has meant that a contemporary rebrand has been successful, as the sign system now becomes the identity for the building, therefore becomes objective for the Corn Exchange.
   To evaluate the design decisions, the colour choices work well as each colour has been carefully selected through research and questionnaires, to best represent and be associated with the type of shop. The colour swatches themselves can also become a well known identity, therefore the Corn Exchange can then be associated with those colours and colour scheme. the colours are also not too close in value, therefore they won't be confused for each other. The typeface works well, as it is a modern, sans serif and therefore fits with the contemporary theme, and the geometric shapes of the letters actually correspond to the architectural shapes found throughout the building and look coherent together with the pictograms. The design decision to use vinyl in the production of the symbols, solves the design problem of the temporary nature of the signs and shops, therefore it makes it easy to change and is versatile. Using the symbols with limited type also means that names and type doesn't need to be changed and the sign system can always be up to date. It also creates a multilingual system, therefore as Leeds becomes a forever growing city, different languages and ethnicities in the form of both residents and tourists increase in popularity. Therefore the global use of pictograms means anyone can understand and find their way around. The supergraphic also creates an engaging and interactive way finding system, as the map is part of the building, people can walk on it, look at it, view it and read from it, it turns the Corn Exchange, not just into a shopping centre but into an experience, which makes it stand out from the other centres and shops around the area.
   To critique the design, both individually and informed from feedback, the pictograms should be placed upon a grid, particularly Aicher's grid to therefore give the pictograms a coherent system and boundary which means that all of the individual symbols can be complemented together, and once again become an identity as a whole for the Corn Exchange. For example the weight of the line for each symbol needs to be made equal throughout, to make sure the symbols are comparable and for the same building. Other amendments to think about, are to make the health and jewellery pictogram less intricate, and use more geometric shapes, therefore it will fit alongside the other designs better, to look as a cohesive set of symbols, similar to the toilet, lift and stairs symbols, as they are all very simplified and have similar line thickness to fit the same aesthetic, looking at figure 1,  the feedback has been applied to the design and the improvements make the pictograms look more coherent as a group of symbols and give a better feel of an individual identity. Further critique is aimed towards the subjective nature of the design, as it could be too subjective and difficult to find their way around, however the design itself is more an identity and an engaging concept, rather that a functional system which tells people black and white, it is a more interesting approach which creates a brand and personality for the corn exchange rather than a functioning sign system. The sign system itself will become more useful over time, and will become engrained as a part of the building, it is just a different which goes against the view that design should be entirely objective.
  In conclusion, although the design system doesn't necessarily seem completely functional, after researching alternative opinions on subjective design and contextual research, solving the problems within the design proposal. The sign system works in the context of a subjective approach, it becomes engaging, exciting and injects a personality into the building and creates an identity for the Corn Exchange, which is therefore successful in producing a way finding system that creates an identity for the building and will hopefully overcome it's outdated decline in both business and visitors.