Overall Class Thoughts

Overall I loved this class! I have been waiting years to finally print out the projects I have created in class. Digital File Prep I feel is the final class that brings everything together I have learned through out the years. Each project was a challenge but a learning experience too. I loved having the grade sheet to keep me in check as I went along with each design. My favorite part was learning about the QR code and Microsoft Tags. I  think these are such great promotional tools and to know about it now while it is still new to people will be to my advantage.
I am excited to use my notepads in my interviews after graduation in May. Even though I am a Fashion Buying and Merchandising major having graphic design under my wing is a great asset.
Great Class! Great Teacher! Great Projects! I learned lots!

Final Project

The final project for Digital File Prep was designers choice. The only stipulation was that it could not just be a flat piece of paper. Some of the projects students turned in were really neat, shoe box, magazine box and set covers, cd case, calendar, menu, save the dates that folded into an envelope, a coffee bean bag and so much more. I designed a sales/promotional flyer for my fictitious store Dizen.

The paper folds out into a cross looking design, the corners are cut out and you fold in to the top.

 

I found this idea in a Vogue magazine for a holiday flyer and when you opened the flyer there was a small sales magazine inside. 

Although I originally wanted to design a hat box I am happy with my sales flyer. I have a few things that I need to fix with measurements but other than that it turned out well.

I also did find that you can not wait until the last minute to get your final print. The one day I walk in in a time crunch the color copier was down. I ended up going to a local print shop and I did not feel the quality was as great as the Quick Print at the college.
There were some hiccups along the road but overall I felt good about this assignment.

Microsoft Tag

Microsoft Tag is an awesome marketing tool. Almost everyone has a smart phone today and there is a scan app you can download to your phone and essentially take a picture of a bar code. Now when the barcode is scanned or taken a picture of it can lead you to several different things. The first place it could take you is a web site or facebook page or any URL code, second you can upload a graphic to show up when scanned like a coupon or a business logo and third you can just have text show up, like a list of concert dates or business contact information.
Ever since the barcode has been presented to us in class I have been seeing more and more of them around on a daily basis. I have seen them on menu's at restaurants, in magazines for promotion, the possibilities are endless.
The cool part is the person scans the barcode and within the scan app it save each barcode you have scanned so the websites, coupons or contact information is right there in their hands at pretty much anytime. When do you not have your smart phone with you?

Here is a Microsoft tags that I made. Both are text tags.



 



After you download the tag it shows up like this. I opened it in photoshop and cropped just the square and added it to my magazine ad.
When you scan it, it says

Dizen
Thanks for your interest in DIZEN fashion.
Show this text message to the cashier for
10% off your next purchase.

There are also customisable tags so it doesn't look like a bunch of random colored triangles.
The web site is easy to use and the tags are FREE to make and maintain for so many.
Check it out! http://tag.microsoft.com/my-tags/getting-started.aspx
Click on the yellow box that says get started now!

Magazine Ad & Billboard Final

 

This is my billboard

 

This is my magazine ad. 

I used a few different elements in this project. I used a 4 color raster for the Microsoft tag on the magazine ad,  I used a reverse with the red box and 'Bedizen Yourself!' is showing through the paper color and the shoes I used is a vector image and free download from kozzi.com

Magazine Ad & Billboard Rough Draft

Magazine Ad & Billboard

The magazine I have decided to make an ad for is Vogue. I have researched the advertising specifications for a Full Page and this is what is stated:
Bleed 8 1/4" x 11 1/8"
Non-Bleed 7 x 10
Trim 8 x 10 7/8
Live 7 1/2 x 10 3/8

The formula give in class to find the bleed and margin amount:
bleed amount = bleed - trim = bleed size / 2
my math:
8.25 - 8 = .25 / 2 = .125 width
11.125 - 10.875 = .25 / 2 = .125 height
margin amount = trim - live = margin size / 2
10.875 - 10.375 = .5 / 2 = .25 height
8 - 7.5 = .5 / 2 = .25 width

http://www.condenast.com/brands/vogue/media-kit/print/ad-specifications

Newspaper Ad Final

This is my final newspaper ad. Although I did make the background white instead of having the pattern because of how newspapers are printed. For this project I used a reverse, which is one element that must be used from my Master Image list. The reverse is the black block with DIZEN showing through, the paper color, in this case white. It was a simple design although makes a statement. Would you go to the Grand Opening? This is a fictitious store but maybe someday the real thing!

2011 Starbucks Logo Redesign

In 2011 Starbucks celebrated their 40th anniversary. Everywhere you go there is a Starbucks Coffee. Siren, the twin-tailed mermaid is the logo and face of Starbucks today. They have evolved with a few different logos in the past 40 years. The new logo is exactly the same only the text "Starbucks Coffee" is not around Siren. People have mixed feelings about this logo redesign. Many people do not like it because when they took away the text they also took away the circle frame defining the logo. On the other hand it is now simplified, a logo with no text. It is a logo that when seen does not need text to tell you the brand. Although, Siren has nothing to do with coffee and if you didn't know Starbucks you would have no idea what this logo was for. As you can see the differences but as a designer I love the simplicity.

Newspaper Thumbnails and Rough Draft

These are the 8 rough drafts I sketched for a Newspaper ad. I chose to promote a Grand Opening for Dizen, a store I designed last year for my Visual Merchandising final. 

 

 

This is my final sketch. I liked the idea of making the background argyle because it is in style right now. I want to use a reverse in this project also, so I was thinking about making the background black and the text white. I want the font to be the grabbing piece.  

Newspaper Ad Specs

Black and White Only
Budget $197
.125 Margins minimum
No Bleeds

Have a Call to Action ex) coupon, sale
Enhance brightness on contrast  - white more white and darks darker

Columns = Inches
1              1.83
2              3.79
3              5.75
4              7.71
5              9.67
6              11.63

Cost = 6 columns x 8inches = 48 col/in
48 col/in x $4 = $192 total ad price
InDesign = 11.63in x 8in
This is the biggest ad I could make within my budget of $197

Direct Mail Final File

This is my final file. I took some of the advices during critique day and changed my images into more of a photo block for a better presentation. I also changed the colors on the back side to more of fall color to make more of an impact on the October specials.

As mentioned in the previous blog I have a Master Image List to complete by the end of the semester. With this Direct Mail project I used a vector, raster - full bleed and raster -4/color. Each photo was set in CMYK and re-sized before being placed into the photo block. The vector is the boarder on the back side around the text "Ask about our October special packages!" This is a line I created in Illustrator with a brush then sized and placed into InDesign.

Copyright Laws

This is a great link to some great information!
Check it out!
http://www.aiga.org/copyright-basics-for-graphic-designers/

Direct Mail Thumbnails & Rough Draft

Front side layout thumbnails

Back side layout thumbnails

Front & Back Rough Draft (favorite layouts)\

Direct Mail Web Ideas

 

These are the ideas I came up with to engage 2 audiences. Most ideas are parts of my life that I am involved in. 

~DCA is a t-shirt clothing line I help with

~Dizen is a store I created for my final project in Visual Merchandising

~FAME is Fashion & Merchandising Entrepreneurs a club I am involved in on campus. 

~Photography is my minor and I do some small things on the side

Direct Mail Specs

Direct Mail Specs:
~5x7
~2 audiences
~Social Media Icons encouraged
~Do Not use special effects on words
~Do Not do reverse - tricky to do with interchanging elements
~Use a simple font - nothing from suitcase

Front:
~Picture Changes
~Logo
~Social Media

Back:
~Name & Address
~Logo
~Graphic Changes
~Text changes - ex) name

Essentially I will turn in 2 fronts and 2 backs interchanging each audience.

Prefligh Checklist Process

 

This is the preflight checklist. It has each element from the Master Image List to be check for each project. This Project I had on my checklist, File Management, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop Grayscale Raster and COB Raster. 

Each title has 6-10 to check off as you are designing your file, that way when you are all finished it will RIP correctly to the printer.

All images must be rotated and edited in Photoshop and Illustrator before being placed into InDesign. All images from Photoshop must have a resolution of 300 and the color mode must be changed to CMYK, as long as you are intending to print.

When images are placed in InDesign the image must be placed at 100% you can not scale your image after it is placed. This could cause problems with the RIP at the end. 

When the design is completely finished you must now clean up unused swatches and unused elements that could have been placed or made while creating your project. 

After cleaning up the workspace the file now needs to be packaged with links and fonts used in the design. A PDF must also be created and include crop marks and page information.

If you follow this preflight checklist each time while creating a project in the end you should have no problems with the RIP and making sure everything prints out correctly. 

RIP - Raster Image Process

Note Pad Final Summary

For each project in Digital File Prep 341*01 we have a Master Image list to be completed by the end of the semester. There are 12 different items on the list. With my note pad project I completed 2 requirements, a grayscale raster (photoshop image) and Raster silhouette (clipping path). The QR code is a grayscale raster edited in photoshop. The 3 fashion sketches are raster images using a clipping path to crop out the background.

Here is my final notepad. (with crop marks)

About a QR Code

A QR code is a 2 dimensional matrix barcode that holds encoded data. In the case that I am using this on my notepad the QR code is a link to this blog. You can download an application on your smart phone, take a picture of the QR code and it will link you to the URL address encoded in the box.

This is the QR code for this blog. (just showing as an example)

Note Pad Thumbnails and Rough Draft

 

Here are the 10 thumbnail ideas I sketched out. My main focus is fashion and graduation; as I am a Fashion Merchandising major and I graduate in May. All of the sketched included the QR code that was required for this project. 

 

This is my final rough draft. Although I am not great at sketching I get my ideas across so that the project can grow from this point. 

Note Pad Web Ideas

 This is my 1st brainstorming session and I think it turned out successful.

Note Pad Specs

Note Pad Specs:

~This is a self promotional notepad

~5x7

~Black and White Only

~Must use a QR code - can be generated at kaywa.com - edited in Photoshop 

~Social Media Icons are encouraged

~If a picture cover the writing area it should be at 10% opacity

~Standard Bleed .125

~Standard Margin .25

~When printed- 50 sheets each pad with a chipboard back

QR Code set up:

~Save as .PNG from kaywa.com

~Open in photoshop

~Change to grayscale

~Resize

~Save as a .tiff

Price Quote:

Hammermill 28# white 5x7

Black Print

Digital Copies

Cutting

Chipboard back

50 sheets per pad

Glued together at top

Quantity	Unit Price	Price
10	1.27/pad	12.74
20	1.21/pad	24.22
50	1.16/pad	57.91