FMP Evaluation

When writing my original Statement Of Intent (SOI) I was a bit uncertain as to what I might be letting myself in for. When deciding on my subject matter for the Final Major Project (FMP), I was still deep within the progression of my dissertation, with it’s title being “Can graphic design be sustainable?”

So my reasoning behind the subject matter of my FMP was based on the decision I’d made a few months previous for the dissertation, to focus on sustainability. I’d found it an interest subject to research, and from basing one of my design practice briefs on before Christmas, I found it something I might benefit from in the future, understanding it and being able to learn how to work in a sustainable manner.
Whether using my design practice to help others understand what it is to be sustainable, or creating my own response to sustainable design.

By this, I also intended to create work that has a purpose, not just being designed for the sake of design. The purpose of me focusing on sustainable design was intended to be used as a unique selling point. For myself as a designer.

But I also stated in my SOI that I wanted to continue looking at print based design and using the Adobe software within my design practice. To continue learning about type and layout skills, looking at different paper stocks and the possible print effects available.

As the FMP has progressed much of what I wrote in that first SOI is still valid. I’ve not altered what I intended and what I’ve ended up doing much at all.

As I’ve progressed with the briefs though, one thing has become clear and it’s unfortunate that it has come to this. But it has been a learning curve, and until I chose to do this, I don’t think I would have ever really realized.

But basically, it’s turned out that I’ve not become a ‘Sustainable Design’, I couldn’t brand myself as that now it’s come to an end. Although when putting my SOI together and writing my first few briefs together I thought I might have a instant reaction to working sustainably and it would become my forte. I’d be the wiz kid who knows everything about what’s right or what’s wrong about becoming a sustainable designer. Knowing which inks are best, what briefs I should be responding to, the clients I should be working for, the best printers etc.

If I go back to the beginning, when I chose my first brief ‘Stuff-O-Meter’, created by D&AD I was really excited about getting going with it. It was interesting finding out what goes into the production of a hair dryer and then responding to that and creating a ‘representation’ of its life. When reflecting this brief I chose to the original SOI I wrote, it fits in nicely. I did what I had to do to show people the truth, uncover the information what’s not necessarily hidden, because I managed to find it, but that it’s very rarely revealed. That is how I felt I responded to the subject of sustainability, for this brief it wasn’t all about the paper I printed onto, or the ink I used to print to submission boards. IT was more about the meaning.

Then with the second brief I chose to take on, the Salvedge brief. Salvedge - a sustainable design and energy consultancy. Again, sustainable design was the main focus. I’d agreed to work for a client who was also considering his actions when it came to sustainability. A collaborative brief with Kyle, who also considers what he is doing when it comes to his work. As with working for a suitable client, we also tended to work a lot with PDF’s, sending them between one another and to Steve. But I think that was purely down to it being the easiest option, not really because we consciously trying to reduce the amount we printed. But it was also interesting looking into recycled paper stocks for the stationery to be printed onto.
So again, looking at it against the original SOI I wrote it was still to plan. I was doing what I intended. Not just looking at the sustainable side of it, but again here I considered type and layout, and considered the paper stock to print onto.

The only downside to that brief, now I’ve come to the end of the FMP, is not having the final resolution, as it hasn’t yet gone to print. But it’s complete enough on Kyle’s behalf and mine.

But I started getting confused with my SOI when it came to accepting to do the live COOKI brief and the final FMP brief, Confections. They weren’t for a good cause, and I hadn’t really needed consider the way in which I put it together as a final resolution. I brought it up with Fred about whether it would be relevant to my FMP if I wasn’t necessarily relating it to my subject. But it was pointed out, that also in my SOI I’d put I wanted to look at print design, looking at type and layout. So it would be fine to do.

So at this point, I felt I needed to make a few alterations to my original SOI, as from what I wrote at the beginning, there are, at this stage, too many restrictions. It’d got to the point where I’d done ok focusing on sustainable design for the first two briefs, but like with the Confections one, when it came down to it, at the point where it would be my last brief on the course, sustainable design wasn’t something I actually wanted to focus on!
I felt I was too restricted. Like I’d put on the amended SOI, I just want to do my bit without making too much. Looking back on my original intentions, I think I was expecting too much of myself, trying to make too much of an alteration to the way I already work.

As for the design context side of the FMP, I've again, like with the dissertation enjoyed researching it. Looking into sustainable design in more detail but this time having the opportunity to look at the design side to it a little more, seeing who's doing what and what the outcome is.
At first I had intended to create a book, like everyone else, but after the last presentation and it being suggested that I create a website, I decided to go along with that.
Digital design hasn't been something I've focused on over the years, so I wasn't confident having a go at putting together the website in Dreamweaver, as I didn't want to spend all my time figuring out how to use it. So instead I used Indexhibit, there are more restrictions to the way in which the layout is put together, but it was suitable for the purpose I intended.
I've based it on a various sections. From looking at what sustainable design is, to looking at which designers have been doing it, to how to do it and finally looking at some theory behind it, what others think.
I'm pleased with the outcome, and feel I have done as much as I can with this side of the FMP.

'Sweet Enough' Evaluation

I've now come to the end with the confections brief. The products are constructed. the photo's have been taken and the submission boards have been put together and printed.

Now it's time to do some reflecting.

So, the brief was to create an identity for a sweet shop, in the location of my choice. With a similar theme to the traditional sweet shop. Where you receive your sweets by measurements from the glass jars on the shelves.
That's the theme I've stuck with. But I think I've brought it a bit more up-market, to a slightly higher standard where you might pay a little extra pennies for the purchases.
But that's all come down to the little details, pr
inting onto the paper bags. But my intentions have had the theme of sustainability in my mind (only slightly though!), where the printing of the logo onto the bag is done with the stamp, at the point of purchase. Saving general printing costs and all the unnecessary printing.
And the little carrier bag design. On the grey paper stock and the ribbons for the handles. The 'Sweet Enough' logo on one side and then the trademark purple stripes on the other.

The stationery, again printed onto the same paper stock that the paper bags are made from. The purple on grey and on the reverse side is again the 'trademark' purple stripes. A nice finishing touch.

Then there's the labels on the jars. Finished with the purple ribbon.

But I think the nicest addition created in response to this brief is the range for the packaging. Where I've tried to colour coordinate it. I think the way I've tried to create it is clear, I hope anyway. I just hope I didn't need to do more for it to be clearer.

But the idea behind the format of the actual packaging was from reading a book called 'Sustainable Packaging Design', and it reviewed this net as a positive design. I'm not really 100% sure why that really is, as when you read about 'successful packaging design' they speak a lot about it being a practical shape for stacking, and transporting. To save on space. But this net is, I think, the most impractical format for space wasting! But oh well....it's suitable for packaging for the chocolates and boiled sweets.

Overall I've really enjoyed this brief. I've been worried about it relating to my original Statement Of Intent, as I intended to focus alot of my FMP on creating sustainable design and thinking sustainably. I did try with my first couple of briefs, but as time went on I began to feel restricted with my design process and what I wanted to create for the LAST EVER DESIGN BRIEF! So in the end I've stepped away from thinking in a sustainable manner. But in the SOI I wrote I'd also focus on type, layout and in the most recent version, branding. So I've responded to it in that way I guess!

Now I've completed it, I'm feeling the usual thing when I've 'completed' a brief, and feel I could have taken it further. Creating other 'product's' relating to a confectioners. But I'm pleased with what I have created in the time given. It was something a little less serious as some other briefs I've done, it's been fun.

Completed 'Sweet Enough'

So there it is.
All the elements to the confections brief.

- An identity
- Appropriate stationary
- Paper sweet bags
- Jar labels
- Packaging range

Then there's the proposal for the website, which still needs a bit a tweeking. Such as applying the new and imrpoved identity to it and adding a bit more text.

To finish this brief off now, I just need to sort the layouts out for the submission boards. I'm thinking of doing about 4 or 5 A3 boards. Then it'll be sorted.

Sweet Enough Packaging

Today I've managed to get the final stage of my confections brief completed. And that's the contruction of the gift packaging and taking the photo's of it.
I've tried to create the gift packaging in a series of ranges. Such as the dark red and beige colours for the chocolate products. A caramel and depending on the product, such as the rum and raisin fudge, purple for the fudge range. But the cherry and almond one is caramel and ruby red.
Then for the boiled sweets, like with the fudge range, a lemony yellow with the most appropriate colour for the product. An example being, the strawberry bonbon packaging being lemony yellow and pink. The apple bonbons being lemony yellow and green.
Finally, the 'alternative' range being the white to represent the range, and then the appropriate colour. Such as the white and the red for the chilli chocolate.



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All the ranges of the packaging together.



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The packagin for the chocolate range.



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The packaging for the fudge range.



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The packaging for the 'alternative' range.



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The packaging for the boiled sweets range.