Overall...

Looking back on this course I have learned how to properly prepare my files for output. I knew some basic rules, but never fully prepared files. This is important because when files are transfered from computer to computer many things can go wrong. All of the links and fonts have to be present for the file to open properly and look the way it was intended. We learned that before any design work can begin, specs and dimensions are needed, as well as an understanding of who will be seeing your advertisement, and where. From this basic knowledge design can begin. We learned that even within the same medium (ex: magazine ads) there can be a variety of different specs depending on the magazine. My dimensions could be very different from someone else's. This is all good and important information to know when designing. I plan to take what I've learned here and apply it to the work that I do in the future.

Final Project

My final project is a cd packaging case for my photography business, Gordon Maxey Photography. About the only requirement in the project was that we make something that folds (that something could not be generic like a tri-fold brochure). My packaging case will have a pouch where the disk will go and a fold on the cover for reinforcement. With this project I want to make my photography package more appealing. Clients will not only get a disk, but it will come in a custom case with their photos in the design. It is aimed at predominately females, ages 20-30 who are getting married. And I hope that it will be another reason to pick me as a photographer. I based all my dimensions off of a case that I already had, and laid it out according to that.

I manually measured out folded cd cases and cd's of my own to decide on a size. After laying it out in InDeign, I realized that I would have to alter my layout just a little to accommodate paper sizes. This is why I moved the flap above instead of the whole thing being linear. Here is my final cd case and cd design.

This is the final layout I decided on.

Here are the layout thumbs that I thought to be possibilities.

All images copyright by Gordon Maxey, Gordon Maxey Photography 2010

Publication Advertisement

I started with research in the publication ad assignment. I first had to look up ad specifications for the desired magazine that I wanted to advertise in. Each magazine has different size specifications and different costs. Transworld Wakebaording Magazine had their media kid as a downloadable PDF, which is where I based not only the specifications for my ad, but the content as well. Again, The Board Shop was a perfect fit for this project. And again, it is aimed at men and women ages eighteen to twenty-five. In a full page ad I wanted my design to be iconic. Something that is easily recognizable, and something that would stand out among pages and pages of other advertisements. As you can see, my final piece is different from my rough. I strayed from my original concept because I felt that with the simplicity of the photo, that the idea was missed with knock-out text over it.

So here is what finished with as my final ad.

After Deciding on a design I had to find the specifications for my publication. Transworld Wakeboard Magazine has a downloadable PDF that lists all of their advertising specifications. This is where I based my sizes when moving on to creating the files.

My rough, although hard to see, is an image with knock-out text above it. The top layer will be black with the letters knocked out, and the image beneath it will make The Board Shop readable.

Here are my first thumbnail sketches.

All images copyright by Gordon Maxey, 2011

News Paper Ad

In my news paper advertisement project, I learned how to estimate the cost of an ad, and execute an effective black and white design under a budget. My advertisement, following the theme of "The Board Shop," is again intended for males and females, 18-25. The use of white space and the element of the logo is intended to draw the eye on a busy news paper. I want to persuade readers to look into visiting The Board Shop.

Here is the final ad.

This is the design I settled with for my rough.

As with every project, I started with a series of roughs to determine where I wanted to go with me advertisement.

All art and images copyright by Gordon Maxey, 2011

Direct Mailer

The direct mailer project got me thinking about designing to an audience. I started with the concept for a wakeboard shop, then began a design around that target audience. The mailer is targeted to Males and females, 18-25. The design itself speaks to the younger crowd and the difference in colors separates guys from girls. To complete this mailer I included, along with my files for print, an Excel sheet with all of the variable information, and written instructions on how the piece goes together. The piece is two cards with two front covers and one black and white back to cut down on time and cost. With this mailer, I hope to persuade potential customers to visit The Board Shop for all of their wakeboard needs.

I started with five thumbnail sketches of possible layouts.

Final Cards

All Images are Copyright 2011, taken by Gordon Maxey

I then developed a rough of the one I wanted to use.

I started with five thumbnail sketches of possible layouts.

Notpad Assignment

Notepad Assignment:

I was recently charged with the task of designing a notepad that "sells ourselves." Through this project I went through the whole process of design (input) to print (output) start to finish. This project involved not only design, but preparing files for output, then following up with the printer to find out how they would like files given to them, the time required to print, and ultimately, cost. I found out the price differences between all my options and then made the best, most cost effective decision for me. My photography was a perfect place to start. I wanted something simple and elegant that would catch the eye and deliver a message quickly. Here is what I came up with. All images and design copyright by Gordon Maxey 2011.

My finished product.

After drawing out ten thumbnail sketches I decided on one to take a little further and I liked it about the others. This is my rough draft.

My design process began with ten thumbnail sketches. I wanted to incorporate my logo, but in a different way than it has been traditionally seen on my website and business cards

Photo Formats

In our first assignment we took one photo and altered it multiple times to see just a few of the format options that photoshop has to offer.

This is the full color image I decided to use as a starting point for my wakeboard shop logo. I brought it into photoshop and sized it to fit on a 4 x 6 postcard with 1/8th inch bleeds. then I proceeded to make a few variations of this photo for future use.

Here I converted my full color image to grayscale in the color mode drop down menu.

In this duo-tone image I extracted all the colors except for a dark blue by going into the color mode panel.

Here I used the pen tool to make a cut out of the wakeboarder from the black and white image. I then placed him in the top left hand corner of the postcard and added the title of my wakeboard shop. It's simple, yet gets the point across. Which is exactly what I intended when I set out on a design for my store.