SB1 Chosen Design Development

After my initial peer-crit I have decided that the design idea I would be continuing on with is design idea 2 as it seemed most popular, and had the most in depth concept behind it with valid reasoning that gave explanation for all of my visual and design choices. I have decided to develop the design taking into consideration that changes that should be made, made evident to me in my crit.

Original Design

This is the initial first design from the crit, the feedback told me I should experiment with:

• Making the visuals less blocky, such as the border of the image.
• Attempt using  a different media to create the blue ink splash, possibly brusho or different texture.
• Look at where the colour on the spine is, could this be bled into the page.
• Try layouts with the text on the image.
• Use imagery on the spine not the cover.

Development 1

Development 1 is testing the idea of using the imagery within the spine, the text on the front has been colour sampled from an element of the imagery. Although this works in making the book stand out it makes the cover too bland, I wanted to go for a minimal and clean modern look; but this becomes clinical. 

Development 2

This experiment placed the text over the image, making the image larger. By enlarging the image, it becomes more of a focus on the page. The text is slightly off the image to keep it clear that it is there, the title is also aligned with this text to highlight it on the page. Although the image makes the audience not notice the numbers, making the number 8 seem out of place.

Development 3

By placing the text entirely over the image and making it slightly smaller, it almost highlights the text more, making more sense. Although the placing of the elements makes the design seem very blocky, something which my crits picked up on, I will need to develop the placement to get out of this.

Development 4

This placement works the best out of the ones I’ve done as each of the elements are clear, but allowing this to be clear, contradicts the block style I am attempting to avoid.

Development 5

This is the development I believe has worked best as it has tackled each of the issues bought up in my crit to do with this design, the misplacement gives the cover a modern feel, it overlays each other while still retaining negative space. By extending the spine colour it adds something unique to the cover, whilst giving the chance to give the list and the title a visual link without being actually physically connected. I am going to continue working on this design tackling the media used to create the imagery.