Critique: Simplicity COMPLETE and Dance Cover Design

So this turned out to be a big design week for me.  My photo pitch for the Dance Guide covers got picked but I liked it how I turned it in so I didn't have to adjust it too much.  In the end I created about 5 new versions, but stuck with the design most similar to what I turned in for my final pitch.  They changed it a bit for print and I wish I had been involved in that because I like the strip they did across the top, but I think I would have made the type-to-pink-band ratio smaller.  But oh well.

AND, I finally came up with a solution I liked for the Simplicity feature!!!  I got lots of complements, but I think it was because the original designs I presented were so bad, ha ha.  SO, I am so happy to be done with that.  Let me know what you think of the new look!

Oh, and I am also in the process of completing my first ipad issue.  So you can check that out here as well.

As for upcoming work, I am doing another full page design for the Insight section that is going to mix the style of the Valentine's Day Gift Guide with the anniversary of the Titanic sinking.  I am so excited to get started on that.  And of course I am plugging away at my Meredith designs.  Ahh...glad spring break is around the corner!

This week on Quipsologies: A designer's version of a time capsule

Ok, so this project is incredible.  This woman made a timeline broken down by the hour of what she did every HOUR for A YEAR.  A YEAR.

There are no words to describe how much I want to see this project in person.  This is lovely.  It is like a journal but in the context of design and infographics.  Talk about a challenging exercise.  But it would also be a nice resource to be able to show people what we as designers do with our time.  I might be a slow worker, but I still feel my time is completely undervalued as a designer.  Not by Jan and Theresa of course, but by people who aren't designing everyday who just say, "Oh hey can you whip up some poster for me or something?"  Of course I probably could whip it up, but sometimes people just don't understand what goes into design including myself.  I think having something like this would even be beneficial to the creator for self reflection and understanding how one spends their time.

Can't miss: Some inspiration at Blueberry Hill

Last weekend, I made it out to St. Louis and just when I thought I had managed to escape the holds of advanced design for a night, I noticed these gems in a well-known bar.

I guess this is something to strive for in the future....getting your magazine cover designs framed on the wall of a bar!

There is always the video game route as well:)

But seriously, I was really excited to see the old magazine covers all framed.  Perhaps if I run into designer's block, I will go set up shop at Blueberry hill and look for inspiration.

Response: The ipad.

So I just heard the ipad app isn't even available yet online for the VOX issues we have been working on....so, that was fun news. However, I have to say that being almost done with my first issue....I actually really like it.  You heard me.  I like it.  Still not sure I like juggling it with everything else that is going on in class, but as far as a design medium I think it is really fun.  It feels kind of like the twitter of the design world because you only have so much space to work with.  Sure, you can use as many pages as you need, but each page only holds so much, so you have to make it work with just a few good, eye-catching elements.  So that was an unexpected surprise...I was dreading the day I would have to do the ipad design and it turns out I actually really like it.  Now if only there were more hours in a day so I could have more time to spend on all these designs.   

Critique: Dance Studio Covers

This past week, I worked on my cover pitches for the Dance Studio feature running in the 3/22 issue. 

The two covers above were inspired by some old record covers that Quipsologies featured last week and I think it would be really fun to develop these into original designs, but a lot of work as well.

 

This is one of the covers I will be resubmitting next week.  I loved this photo and the graphic-ness of all the legs.  But I do worry it is not setting the right tone for a service piece about dance studios.

Loved this photo, but don't think it ended up translating well into a cover...

I also LOVED this photo when I saw it.  Bravo to the photographer!  Unfortunately it does not translate as well into a cover, but I am going to keep working on it to try and make it work.  So check back to see if I pull it off!

As for this week, I will be resubmitting my Simplicity design and the two covers I mentioned above as well as punching out my first drafts for the magazine mock-up.

This week on Quipsologies: Some PHOTOGRAHY!

If you thought this was a photo of a room, look again.  In this quipsology, photographer Bjoern Ewers created these beautiful macro shots of instruments for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.  These images make stunning posters that clearly called for minimalistic design.  For my fellow photographers, I say this is your ultimate goal every time you are working: to push yourself to make something so great the designer is left only to add the smallest of embellishments.  And for my fellow designers I think this is a great inspiration in how to turn something unexpected into a thoughtful design. 

Can't miss: Invisible Children uses an infographic to answer their critics

I would be more surprised at this point if you hadn't heard about Invisible Children's new viral video and the backlash they have received since releasing it early last week.  But in the event that you live under a rock, here is a little recap:  Invisible Children just released a 30-minute documentary on YouTube and Vimeo called Koni 2012.  Since the release it has already had over 35 million views.  The whole point of the video is to try and make Koni a household name so people are more involved with the efforts to capture him and "bring him to justice."  But critics of the new video have a lot of concerns about it:

-It is simplistic
-It is inaccurate
-It is emotionally manipulative
-Invisible Children only allocates around 30% of donations they receive to aid in Uganda

To name a few.  And while I have mixed emotions about the whole thing from the video itself to the ways in which the producers defend their actions, I was intrigued when I saw on their website an infographic that breaks down their spending.  A decently well designed infographic, I might add.

While you can't re-size the graphic for easier reading, I have to say it was interesting and exciting to see design come into play in this controversy.  At first, I thought it was a little odd of Invisible Children to respond to criticism about their spending habits with a polished infographic, but then after reading their response in an interview with Good, I considered giving them the benefit of the doubt, at least on this particular issue.  They explain that they aren't an aid organization but an organization working to expose and publicize the atrocities being carried out by Koni and the LRA in central and east Africa.  I guess that makes sense then as to why they would have the resources to produce an infographic on such quick notice, and I have to appreciate the transparency...or attempt at it.  Now if only they would put more of these infographics into their video and less of their motion graphics I would be even more convinced of their best intentions.  But check it out if you haven't already and decide for yourself.