Evaluation

After reading through all of the project options, I was immediately sure that I wanted to create the cover for a children's book.

Having been read to a lot as a child, and having two younger siblings I felt I was really confident in creating something that would work well.

The additional element of small mammals also excited me as it was the perfect chance to get some primary research and do some photography.

Having selected Beatrix Potter for my main illustration inspiration, I then selected typographer Jessica Hische as my typographer.

With these two amazing, but yet completely different artists in my head I had a clear idea of what I wanted to design.

By mixing traditional illustrations in the style of Beatrix Potter, with Hische's contemporary and highly artistic typeface style I was able to mix the world of old and new and create something really original.

I feel like my design process in this project went really well. As I had such a clear idea I was really inspired to create something I could be proud of.

However, having got too caught up in the traditional side of the designs, my typography for titles was disappointing and boring. Saved by some design development though, I later incorporated some really creative lettering that portrayed the titles and themes of the book in a unique way, and let my inspiration from Hische shine through.

Despite this though, I feel like I could have experimented more throughout the project.

When doing my techniques I wanted to ring true to Beatrix Potter and only use techniques that were somewhat traditional and could be done by hand. Although I love some of the results that came out, I think that by me wanting to keep hands on techniques such as different types of painting rather than modern ones such as foil blocking or vinyl cutting, my results were a little limited.

Despite this, I was really pleased with my final piece, and after having designed my front, back and spine to my book I feel all aspects came together really well.

I love the colours used and think my illustrations are really eye catching, but overall just interesting to look at.

What I have learned most throughout this project is the importance of the design stages, it is only when you look at your design every step of the way that you can see how each little piece can be improved.

Although I love the way it looks, I am most happy about the fact that I achieved what I set out to do. I feel my typography represents the modern and artistic style of Hische and my illustration connotes the classic, long established drawings by Potter.

I feel like I brought the two together well, and created something unique and to be proud of.

Final Designs!

 I was really happy with my final design and I think I managed to achieve everything I wanted to achieve.

I layed out the pages on this part of my book as if you were finding my design in an actual novel which I found quite fun and creative.








After designing the spine, cover, and back cover I feel all three parts of my design came together well and achieved the theme of tradition, whilst still being relevant today and aesthetically pleasing







 I feel my book aid homage to both Potter and Hiche whilst still mainting my own personal touch and would make a great story for any child at bed time.

Techniques!

Initial Design Development!

 After digitilising my designs on photoshop I found that they had become the one thing i didn't want them to be - boring.









I had lost the creativeness that I wanted to encorporate through Jessica Hische, and although I was reall happy with the end result of the illustrations, my typogrophy just wasn't good enough, and would probably send a child to sleep in the middle of the day rather than at bed time.





As a result of this, I then took extra time in creating exciting typefaces that related back to "Portside Pirates" adn the style of Hische in the sense that it incorporated the recurring themes of the book, as well as representing the title.

Initial Design

By sketching my initial designs on brown paper I think it gave my initial designs a really home-made and organic feel that made it clear these were done by hand, similar to how Beatrix Potter's illustrations would have been in the first draft of her stories.

Some sketches were better than others, but I feel like they provided good encouragement for me to go on and further develop them later.

Font experiments/analysis

These two are my favourite pages of my book although it was probably one of the most time consuming.



By printing the fonts that I was thinking about using tracing paper, I was able to show the fonts, whilst allowing the reader to see the floral pattern of plants underneath.

This page allowed me to see the importance of typogrophy in my book, and how although I want to keep a traditional feel, I can still incorporate some modern twists that allow it to be separate from Beatrix Potter and represent my style as a graphic designer, although inspired by her.

Children's Book Analysis

I analysised the children's book: "Portside Pirates" by Debbie Harter.

This book was a really good example of how important text and font is to a book. By encorporating the titles into the pirate ship illustration, the name of the book became as much of the picture as the actual illustration was.

This caused me to think about how I could then use font in a way on my final design so that it becomes out of the ordinary, and represents the story well.

Furthermore, the use of bright colours and strong images cemented the fact to me that I had to make mine as bright as possible, because the last thing I would want my cover to be was boring.

I also added string to link my points to the icture as a way of relating it to the pirate ship theme and just as a way to make it seem more interesting.

Battersea Park Zoo!

Having dragged my family to the Zoo with me i was looking forward to getting some primary research in (despite the rain!)

I made friends with a bear, and an ostrich which didn't look too happy to see me..

Jessica Hische

Jessica Hische is one of my favourite graphic designers who sepcialise in typogrophy.

I lovher use of font styles and techniques and I think her lettering is one of the most creative, and practical out there.

I created a mood board to represent some of Hische's typogrophy work and layered it in a 3D effect to be more interesting, and to set it apart from the other moodboards I have done.

The thing i love most about Hische's work is the ablity to encorporate themes and illustrations into her lettering that allow the text to stand out and become like a piece of art in itself.

My overall goal for this project is to mix the traditional drawings of Beatrix Potter with the contemporary, modern style of Jessica Hische and create a book cover that is unique, relevant to our time now, whilst being interesting to look at, and cause it to be something children will want to own and be enthusiastic to read.

However, as I also wanted to annotate some of her work and there was no room, I added some small envelopes to hold the writing I have done about my tyogroper.

Beatrix Potter!

When thinking about inspiration for my illustrations, and someone who I  can base my design on it almost shouted out at me.

Beatrix Potter's classic watercolour drawings of her woodland creatures such as; Peter Rabbit, Tim Kitten, Mr Tod and many more were the perfect example of how to encorporate small mammals into a childrens book.

Born July 28, 1866, Beatrix Potter spent a solitary childhood with long holidays in the country. On one of these trips, she wrote and illustrated a story for a sick friend, about four bunnies named Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter. She later published that story, and more than 20 others. Potter's tales of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck, Benjamin Bunny and others have become children's classics.








I also personally loved Potter's books as a child, and still as an adult find it amazing that she did all her drawings by hand and although they are traditional, are still timeless in the sense that the legacy she left behind with them is still standing today.


Time to make a mood board!

Small Mammals

Before doing anything I have to create a moodboard of small mammals, and see the range of animals that i can include in my illustrations!

Children's Books!

Before I get started on anything else I think it's vital that I create some kind of mood board of children's book as a way to see clearly the common aspects of them and of which i should include in my own design.

I will analyse a particular book later on in the project.

Through this moodboard I then noticed the sheer amount of colour usd in these books, it made me realise that I would have to make mycover bright, eye catching and overall just interesting for a child, because they ultimately my main target audience.

Lets get started! Week 1

After reading through all of the potential projects, I'm really enthusiastic about the task to create a childrens book cover.
Having been read to frquently when I was younger, and having two younger siblings I hav a clear idea of what will work and won't.

With the additional aspect of "small mammals" it is now a case of mixing the fun of a childrens book with cute woodland creatures.

Already I have ideas floating around my head but I need to remember not to get carried away and use the initial time we have for research, both primary and secondary.

Let's get started!