Critec for typeface so far

During the critic it was discussed that I should relate my typeface to the word sharp rather than playful, as it is more widely associated to the word witty. It was also mentioned that the initial typeface should be in uppercase, as people who are witty tend to be very confident and bold. I displayed my sketches to the group and we discussed the relevance of some of the drawings. Although the concept of the 'playful' inspired sketch was appreciated, it was thought that they didn't personally link the two words and therefore neither would others. My chosen typeface of Caslon was also reviewed, comments suggested were to manipulate the seifs into sharper points and to also reevaluate the 'dots' on the 'i' and 'j'.

Due to the criticisms gathered in the critec I have decided to go down the route of creating a 'sharp' typeface, in Caslon, I will experiment with altering the serifs, width and structure of the typeface.

Initial drawings for typeface

In order to create a typeface that resembles the word 'witty', I began my approach by investigating the word's many meanings. I explored the synonyms and antonyms of my given word and began to consider how I would construct each word as a typeface. Reflecting on these words I then began to draw some initial sketch ideas.

This design idea was created with comparisons to the word playful. The terminals have been rounded in order to give the illusion of play, for example its relationship with objects that contain curvature such as balloons and balls.By losing the sharpness of the text, along with removing the serifs, the type appears more child friendly. Although not expressing details contained within the manifesto, I do feel that this type works well just not in my given context.  

Using Caslon as a basis, I removed the serif to determine whether it contributed to the sharpness of the text. This allowed the straight edges to appear much sharper and prominent. Although this worked well, this typeface would need a lot of construction before it resembled my desired outlook. For example the dot on the 'i' should appear much more pointed.

During the completion of these sketches I wanted to undergo a completely different outlook and to focus on both dark and light humour. I attempted to mimic this throughout the medium of stroke width and shading. I feel that this worked well, but could be developed further to create a more obvious expression.

Although this typeface clearly expresses a sharp nature, it wouldn't be legible in block text due to its uneven structure. Therefore in the following stages I shall attempt to balance the text.

Creating my own typeface (witty) research

Garamond:

Garamond is unique in the way that its letterform 'a' contains a small bowl and also the way in which the eye of the 'e' is formed. The typeface also contains long extenders and the top serifs have a downward slope. The variation in stroke width mimics that of handwriting, allowing for the design to seem organic. The typeface is primarily used for that of body text and books.




Caslon:

Caslon is identifiable by its short ascenders and descenders, variation in stroke width, and bracketed serifs. The 'A' is concave at the apex, and the 'G' is without a spur making this typeface defined. Caslon is usually detectable as a body of text, and is often used within journals, books, magazines and corporate typefaces. 


Baskerville:

Baskerville as a typeface is classified as transitional. It is undoubtedly recognised for its sharp edges, generous proportions and variation between stroke size. The lower case serifs are almost horizontal, yet the strength of the width is practically vertical. The typeface was originally created in 1754, despite this it still contains hierarchy over the typefaces of today. Baskerville is commonly used for body type, and was most recognisable used as the 1763 bibles typeface.


Bodoni:

Bodonis typefaces are classified as modern, they use an concise structure with oblate unbracketed serifs. Intense contrast between stroke widths limit the efficiency of the typeface therefore it is infrequently used within design other than mast heads. 


Clarendon:

Clarendon has been highly recognisable throughout history as the most prominent slab serif typeface as it is compact yet more legible than other slab serifs. Its bold frame provided the attention gathering aspect than most typefaces lack. Versions of Clarendon has been seen in many high     
profit organizations logotypes, including that of Sony, Pitchfork Media and Wells Fargo.



Times:

Times New Roman is a serif typeface which was commissioned by the newspaper the times in 1931. As the typeface was designed for newspaper useage it is narrower than similar types. It also has been constructed in a manner that guides the eyes simply to the right of the page, allowing for a much easier read. Times has been famously used for many projects including the newspapers 1931 rebrand and the HSBC logo. 


Helvetica:

Helvetica is a sans serif grotesque typeface inspired by the Akzidenz-Grotesk typeface by Berthold in 1898. Helvetica uses straight lines for alphabets and numbers. There are no flairs, embellishments that make the script look complicated. These factors have allowed the typeface to become one of the most popular and debated typefaces of all time. A feature documentary was also made about the typeface. One in which I personally found very interesting, with important discussions for debate. 


Univers:

Univers was released after a long period in which geometric typefaces such as Futura had been popular.The typeface designer, Frutiger, disliked purely geometric designs, finding them too rigid. Univers is very similar in design to Helvetica, some differences identifiable within univers include: both arms of the 'K' joining at the stem, the dot of the 'I' being a rectangular rather than square, and the difference between the two x-heights. 

Agatha Christie- Appointment with death (book cover)

 As I had never read the given Agatha Christie novel my initial point of research was to discover the texts plot in order to give me a wider understanding of the task.

 Using information gained from sourcing the plot I began to sketch some initial imagery that involved components expressed throughout the text, this includes an arabian woman, poison and a syringe.



 I started to develop my initial ideas using C.A.D. focusing primarily on a woman covering her face. When doing this I focused largely on the impact of her eyes, as it is commonly expressed that the eyes are the 'gate to the soul'.

After choosing my strongest illustration, I then manipulated aspects in order to create a more visually pleasing design. I experimented primarily with colour and typography. I wanted to allow for my book cover to appear mysterious and endearing therefore I chose design aspects to demonstrate this, such as a darker base colour for the illustration. I also manipulated the protagonists eye colour to a darker brown allowing for an esoteric feeling towards her.

I wanted the typography to appear strong against the background but not to over power the illustration, as the original renditions of Agatha's books were simplistic.  I experimented with numerous typefaces but felt that a sans serif allowed for a minimal, modern approach.

My final book cover:

Overall, I perceive the bookcover to appear strong in design but feel that it lacks illustration compared to the modern renditions of the Christie books. I also feel that the composition of typography could be arranged in a simpler way to allow the book to clearly represent that of the mystery genre.



After finalising my design I uploaded it to the Guardian, whereby its displayed on the Agatha Christie section.

Disliked colour pallette

The set task was to create a colour pallete, including your least favourite colour, for an children's book. The colour in which I strongly dislike is mustard yellow. I decided to counteract the yellow by involving the colour purple, a colour that is also widely disliked by many and has frequently been described as 'marmite'. I decided upon this colour as it compliments the mustard yellow. Also when the purple is placed alonside the yellow, the yellow appears to brighten allowing it to appear much more freshing that the original. This manipulation of colour also occurs when placing the black next to the yellow.

M&S final critec

In a final analysis of the corresponding M&S logos, it was suggested that both logos appeal to the same audience (30-60), this was supported by numerous observations stating that the type style suggested an older audience. It is however important to note that when the logos are depicted alongside one another it is much easier to categorise them simultaneously, rather than exploring individual audiences for each. Therefore despite these criticisms I believe that when displaying the logos within separate parts of a shopping complex, the effect would be much more personal to the intended target audience of each brand. Nonetheless, when generating a similar project within the future I will demonstrate an conscious effort to create a wider divide between products intended for both younger and older audiences.


Secondly, the rebrands impact upon the company values was discussed. Comments surrounding this area were particularly correspondent with the aim of a high quality brand it which I attempted to capture within my design work. However a specific comment suggested that the heavyset typeface deters an element of sophistication away from the brand. In somewhat I can relate to this suggestion, as M&S previously rebranded to a thinner typeface in order to display hierarchy within the food industry. Thus if I were to revisit this logo, I would look explicitly at narrowing the typeface, to allow for an added sense of maturity and sophistication.

In addition to previous discussions the subject of colour was debated. The mean response, was that the new green hue allowed for a fresher, more organic sentiment. Despite this, comments were made that proposed the original green was iconic to the brand and should be fundamentally involved within the design. Although I acknowledge the designers opinion I do not agree with their design suggestion as I feel that the selected green portrays a more natural and sophisticated brand. I also feel that the new green is a much more subtle approach than developing the brands colour scheme completely.

In summary, it is clear that overall the logos coincide with one another, as a result allowing for a brand which resembles that of high quality. Although design alterations were discussed, I overall feel that the contextual nature behind the design embeds the thick typography as part of the key iconography associated with the original logo.Although if I were to redesign the logo I would narrow the typeface to allow for a more elegant approach.

Colour theory- study task 1

Within the set task we were given specific genres in which we must apply a stereotypical and alternative colour to. The first chosen genre was chick lit. We decided on the stereotypical colour of pink, this specifically being due to the colour widely being associated with females, who are the primary audience for this film genre. The alternative colour for this genre was a light blue, we decided upon this colour as historically blue was a colour originally intended for females. 

The second genre we choose was fantacy. We collectively decided on a primary colour of deep blue, as a mysteriousness is associated with this colour. We then decided upon the more sleek colour of teel, we came to this conclusion as in fantasy films such as avatar this colour is predominate alongside the deep blue. 

Western was the third chosen genre. Our inital chosen colour was a light brown, we decided upon this colour as it is highly associated with the wooden saloons, cowboy boots and the desolated landscape featured within western films. The alternative colour for this genre is an yellow/gold we decided upon this colour due to its association to goldmines and also sheriff badges.                                                                            

Our final film genre was horror.  Due to the wide association of blood within these films we chose a deep red colour. Also as horror films have an deep relationship with darkness and nigh time we decided upon a deep grey as an alternative colour. 

Whitney re-brand

The whitney re brand is simplistic and geometric in style, it is also described as being “flexible and interactive.” The design is adaptable in such a way that the shape can be manipulated by external and internal sources. For example the ‘responsive W’ can be used to represent the architecture of the building or the pulse of the city.Due to its simplicity it can work on a range of different platforms, from large scale posters to small online applications. However, the variations of zigzags could be viewed as unrecognizable and complicated. The minimalist colour scheme compliments the artwork rather than detracting attention from it, making the design adaptable. This creates a slick and professional representation of the museum.

Colour variations M&S

When experimenting with colour I primarily focused on a green pallete, I did this due to the wide associstaion between M&S and its iconic apple green colour. Green is also an colour that can corrispond health and organic produce, aspects in which M&S regulary promote during advertisting campagins. I decided that both logo's should contain the same colour pallete in order for them to be easily identifiable as a brand, something that is incredibly important especially as they do not contain the same typeface. When viewing the colours I much prefer the lighter green, as I feel that it adds a sence of vibrancy to the logo. It is also extremly similar to the orignial colour scheme of the brand, and therefore would be easily recogniable to the consumer market.

Development of M&S Food logo

When considering ways to develop the M&S Food logo, I experimented with layout, kerning and typography. The above idea suggests a high quality brand, although I believe that certain componants, for example the '&' symbol cheapens the product. I have this opinion on the product as the '&' looks imbalanced compaired to the rest of the logo. It also suggests at weak relationship between 'Marks' and 'Spencers'. 


This design is one of my favourites and typically highlights M&S as a sleek, self-assured brand. I especially feel that the use of uppercase letters suggets an element of confidence and strongness within the supermarket industry.

I dont like the layout of this specific design as I feel it appears very immature due to the diagonal aspect. In all I find that the arrangement demeans the typeface, and projects an cheaper brand.






My favourite componant about this idea is the typeface used. It's
bold, sophisticated and could be easily identifiable to the brand as
M&S have promoted a similar typeface previously. I also enjoy
how the 'food' text appears horizontally alongside it.



I experimented with the arrangemnt of type promoting the word food in this instance. I don't overly feel that this works as it overpowers M&S which is the main selling point of the compnay.

M&S Food inital ideas

When creating my inital sketches I found that it was difficult to contain componants from the Marks and Spencers logo. Therefore I have made the design decision to create differing logos which contain the same colour scheme. This will allow them to be seen as part of a set but also as diffrent aspects of an company.


When looking at my inital sketches I specifically like the ones using an sans serif, I feel that this would also work well with the Marks and Spencers logo, as that is also constructed from a sans serif. During the next stages of the design procesess I should experiment with typeface, colour and layout.

Layout of Marks & Spencer's Logo

Although I wanted to capture a historical componiant within my logo, I also wanted to display the fact that Marks and Spencer's is an current up to date brand. Therefore when thinking about factors such as layout I have decided to allow for a much more modern approach. I have experimented with a range of layouts, some which work much greater than others. I believe that the bottom left logo displays far too much negative space which consequently looses the high quality aspect of the brand, and makes it look much more child like. I also believe that the maturity of the brand is lost within the bottom right logo. I conclude this due to the large '&' symbol appearing very similar to the large '£' displayed on discount stores.

I am currently cemmented between the top left and central logo designs as I feel that they both contain sophistication and an contempary layout. I am going to create the M&S food logo first before I finalise on the Marks and Spencers logo.

Developing a typeface for Marks & Spencers

I began by manipulating the typeface 'Franklin Gothic Book'. I manipulated the letterforms counters and also crossbars in order to maintain a similar style to that of the original. I also adjusted the terminals to allow for a sharp edge. I decided that the kerning within the orignal typeface was far too spacious and therefore wouldn't allow for the concept I was trying to create: A logo that represents the historical concept of the company but is also depicts a modern brand that is up to date with trends. Therefore I decided to adjust the kerning, inturn allowing for a typeface which attracts a wider audience.

Marks and Spencers Logo plan

After the critec I decided to create two individual logos, one for an older audience focusing on an clothing range, and one for a much younger audience which primarily focuses upon food distribution.I have decided to carry on with my inital idea of using the orignal M&S logo to aid my typography. I feel that this would have a stronger impact upon an older audience. My next steps within the design process is to create my own typeface using aspects of the orignal, whilst keeping an modern, fresh type. I will do this by not completly mimicing the harsh edges of the orginal typeface, and I will also arrange my kerning diffrently to the orginal. After this logo has been complete I will then work on a much more modern logo for M&S Food. I will use a difrrent typeface in order to achieve this, but I must remember to incorpirate similar aspects into each logo, for example the colour.

Intermediate Critec for M&S logo

Within the critec it was disccused whether I should divide the M&S brand into two sections which would be targeted at diffrent audiences. These two brands would consist of Marks and Spencers,  a clothing range focused upon an older audience, and also M&S food which would be advertised to much younger audience. I completly agree with this comment as when I viewed the M&S store I found that the clothing appealed much more towards an older generation, whereas the food court was much more modern. I also found this when looking at the packaging design, as the illustated packaging and playful typography suggested a prefrence towards a younger audience. An example of the typography based packaging design is shown to the right.

When displaying my inital ideas to the group I found a varient of comments. Specifically I gained postive comments towards my contexual typography in which mimiced the original M&S typeface. Due to the older generation being able to associate with this type more, as they have had an consistant relationship with the brand over a period of time, I expect that this design conspet would appeal widly towards them.

M&S inital ideas

 Initially I decided upon designs in which reflected the high quality of the brand, this involved using both a serif and sans serif. I focuses primarily on the name M&S although when creating my final design idea I feel that it would be appropriate to create two logos, one for the basic M&S and one stating the brands full name, Marks and Spencer's. When conducting research towards the brand I found the original typeface.I found this highly exciting and would like to reinvent it within my logo. I feel this would work extremely well as the older target audience would be able to relate to the past logo, inturn creating an intertextual reference.

YSP feedback

In todays critec we discussed one anothers Yorkshire Sculpture Park logos. I found this very helpful as I gained a new perspective upon my symbol. It was discussed that the tints within my work may not appear visable when the scale was altered. As this was a factor I had not considered I found it highly insightful, and definetly a factor I will recognise when creating similar work in the future. It was also discussed that the symbol was highly effective from a distance and could be easily associated with Yorkshire Sculpture Park. This was a point that I definetly agreed with as when choosing the colours I decided upon the most visually effective.
When creating a target audience for the park I decided upon a much older target audience whereas other chose to focus primarily on youth. Although I do belive that YSP is targeted at a much older audience, I should also consider my logos effectiveness on the secondary and tertiary audience. Taking from what I have learnt in todays criteria I shall consider a wider target audience and also the scaling of my product within my next project.

The M&S museum

To help me develop a greater relationship with the previous design conventions of marks and spencers, I visited the M&S museum. Historical exhibitions were displayed over many themes including: Employee's Welfare, Food, Lingerie, Men's Wear, Women's Wear and Packaging.

When looking into the historical realms of M&S I sourced a knowledge surrounding  their relationship with food. I found that M&S didn't have an independent food store until 1965 as beforehand the shop had also been associated with clothing. I also discovered that M&S is very prominent with trends and technology as over the years they have become renown for being the first in their sector to have such items. Thus giving them an influential difference between themselves and competitors. The welfare of customers is also an extenuating factor present, as they were also one of the first companies to introduce low salt and fat ready meals.

I also looked closely at the relationship between M&S and clothing. I found that over time it has become part of their brand identity to supply sensible, durable and comfortable clothing. One aspect that displays this is the research they conducted into the sizing of stockings as a previous 'one size fits all' approach did not highlight their relationship with quality. When looking at the clothing I also discovered that a skirt made famous in 2015 by Alexa Chung and Olivia Palermo, which was designed in relation to the company's 1970's archive. I really like the idea of 'recycling' ideas and trends as it creates an element of meaning and contextuality behind a product.

Visiting M&S

When visiting the Leeds store of Marks and Spencers I collected specific details surrounding the atmosphere presented within their stores. Overall I found the experience pleasant but I felt a divide in the market, as I felt that the food and clothing sectors of the store were targeted at different audiences. The clothing specifically appealed to an older generation and the food court to a younger. This was not only displayed with the selection of products but also with the different layouts present in each sector.

The atmosphere was overall calm. Music was played within the clothing sector very slightly but non was played in the general shop. I believe that this was a conscious effort to target different audiences in each sector.

M&S research- previous logotypes

In  order to create an informative viewpoint of the brand and to discover aspects of their design ethos I looked into their past company branding.

The above logotype was prominent until the company's recent rebrand. A slim line sans serif typeface promotes a modern brand that prides itself on simplicity. Simplicity being a factor in which M&S were largely trying to promote during the time of re-brand, as a new M&S basics range had recently been introduced. 

 Compared to Marks and Spencers previous logotypes this is by far my least favourite. The letterforms appear unbalanced as the variation in stroke width isn't confident throughout each letter. An example of this is that the 'R' appears to have no correlation in width to the rest of the letterforms, and appears to have its own standing in width. Also the chosen colour to represent M&S as a brand is very poor. The chosen colour also appears very outdated, therefore not expressing M&S's ethos to be up to date with fashion trends and technologies.

 Compared to other Mark's and Spencer's logo's this one possesses many characteristics that are not prominent throughout each re-brand. Initially the shop name was altered to StMicheal something in which hadn't previously been done, and hasn't been since. Secondly the logotype consists of both upper and lower case letters. Although I like the idea of using both letterform styles, I feel that as M&S tries to express power and authority, capitals appear much more appropriate.

As this logo design was one of the first for M&S it is no shock that a serif typeface was used, as predominantly in the past serif typefaces were extremely dominant within logo design.  The colour scheme is bland, but would have been appropriate to the design connotations of the time.