Wip : Up and ready!

Stickers and instruction labels for my mini experiment corner.

I arranged the labels according to the mockup board which I planned first before deciding on the final layout for my submission. On the wooden board and plastic containers, I stuck stickers that have a dotted line so it is easier for my audience to understand and know where is each individual placement. For my presentation of my design during submission will look exactly the same as this layout.

The labeling and packaging of the bottles that contain the chemicals. I am quite happy with the outcome, the sticker on glass gives a crisp look and I think it suits perfectly to the chemistry theme.

I then packed the chemicals into each individual glass bottles, I also tested out and see if the chemical colour change were working. The baking soda doesn't seem to do well because it should turn blue but it was in a very light shade of blue.

The final touches to one of my outcome designs, the photo poster. I am very happy with the final outcome too, but the colour is a little bit dull maybe because I used a malt coloured paper. But the transparency and paper goes hand in hand, which is perfect.

Wednesday 18th September 2013

Lab mockup

I tried out some possible laying out of the equipments that are needed for the mini experiment + takeaway message corner. I tested with a few kinds of containers and chemistry apparatus, but I decided to keep everything simple and clear because after all, the main objective is for my audience to experience, reflect and have something to takeaway with them after viewing my design. I picked up some withered flowers and I will be using them for aesthetic wise, because they portray death which in this case I am working on the death of curiosity.

After that, I used the layout as a mockup board for me to plan where to stick the instruction labels. I want it to be a clear cut and none fussy way so that the work can speak for itself and easy for my audience to understand. So I will be using labels that goes step by step, such as "Place card here" and "Keep the message card". 

Draft instructions : 

1. Place card here
2. Pick a bottle that you think killed your curiosity the most
3. Drip 2 drops on to the card
4. Drip 2 drops of curiousmonoxide onto the card
5. Pour excess residue here
6. Keep the message card

But I cut short the instructions instead of being too wordy.

The solutions are the caused to the death of curiosity and I gave each of them a scientific name (which doesn't make any sense in the chemistry dictionary). I studied some chemical equations and gave each bottle a chemical name. They completed don't make any sense but I think it would be fun to rename each causes and make them sound like a chemical.

• Curiousmonoxide ( CurOH2)
• Technoethene (TC2H2)
• Educanitrate ( EdNO3)
• Parentchloride (P4CL2)

Lastly, I did mockups for the sticker design that will be placed on the glass dripper. I came out with a few designs to have a variation for me to choose. I decided to use the monochrome design to fit in the mood for the project, and I also chose the one that is inverted in black because it is more prominent when stuck to the glass bottle.

Infoposter inspirations

A few visual inspirations on the time of infographics that I want to do for my outcome one. The common factor is that all of the design uses a real photograph as the background and overlay graphics and text on it. The information are little yet clear cut, and most of them uses lines as arrows to link the image to the facts. I think that using a photograph with gives off a very "real" feeling to the audience. 

The final layout and design for my infographic photo poster, keeping the facts clear cut and easy for the audience to understand.  During the shoot, I left a huge amount of negative space so that I have more freedom and room for my information layout. I also used lines to link back to the facts that are written on the circular cards. My facts were mostly in sentences because I think that by reading it, my audience will be clearer of the topic instead of graphics and I want to be more detailed about it. 

For my final design of the infographic photo poster, I will be printing the graphics and text on a transparency and the photograph on another piece of paper. Because it gives off the chemistry and science feel, and the audience can view the poster in 3 different ways. I am also considering to hang the posters up by making use of the wall space, so there is space for my video show case and enough space for my audience to try out the experiment.

I am happy that my final design turned out to be what I planned before and had in mind.

Infoposters : WIP

The selected photographs that I will be using for my photo-poster that talks about my design issue in 3 posters, in order of the introduction, causes, effects & conclusion. I brightened the photographs and edited it in a way whereby it will look faded to give it a pale, silent and dead look. To portray a death feeling since my content is about the death of curiosity.

The laying out of text over laid on the photograph. I used black as the main colour so that it stands out from the photograph and be focused on. I also tried using white but it was too light and does not have as much contrast as compared to black.

I designed the layout of the facts in the style of a mind map, with facts branching out of the circular cards which are the keywords of the content. The facts are kept in sentences or short paragraphs because I don't want my audience to get bored reading long sentences, hence I kept all the information short and sweet. 

Today, I also did the final touches to the video. I added in music and the simple opening sequence for the video which consist of the main logo and a subtitle to introduce the content of the video.

The scanned in version of the logo which is stained with the chemical colour change. I thought it would be ideal to place this coloured logo at the beginning to give the audience an idea of what to expect in the video. However, the colour is slightly different and dull afer being scanned in.

The main logo of my first outcome and the subtitle that informs my audience briefing about the video's content. I overlay the vector onto a picture of ink in water since it looks like a chemical colour change. The common colours seen in my video and logo will be purple, blue and pink.

Today I tested out the chemicals after leaving it aside for two days and I found out that the red cabbage water has started to stink and it is not as concentrated and the chemical colour change is not obvious anymore. So I've learnt that I would need to discard the solution once I am done with it and I would need a new solution everytime I want to carry out the experiment.

Tomorrow, I will be printing the packaging and branding design for the bottles that will contain the chemical solutions. Secondly, to print out the photo-posters. Final touch ups for my SOI and cpj will also be finalized by tomorrow.

Logo & Fonts

 I started my visual reasearch for the branding of my first outcome, I was thinking of a circular logo which is simple in black and white that has a tint of a chemistry factor. So I went to do some visual research on circular logos and some chemistry vectors. I was thinking of having a chemistry apparatus in the middle of the logo since I want this outcome to have a chemistry approach. I found out that a beaker would most probably be the easiest to identify and linked to chemistry.

1. QUARZ 974 Light

2. Tomahawk

3. Blazer

4. High tide

I had an idea of using geometrical looking fonts because they reminded me of chemistry. Hence I went around to look for fonts that played around with lines and edges, I limited myself to three of what I think suits my design. In the end, I decided that High tide would suit the best because the fonts were not so complicated. I also decided to use a similar but more simple font, the montserrat regular as my sub font.

After a few try outs, and then I decided to keep it simple and not use any vectors. There are two different versions to my logo design. One is in black and white and another is a overlay coloured version that looks almost like the chemical colour reaction on paper.