AIM L2 - Unit 2 - 2D Visual Communication - NVQ 7505 - Explore the use of colour in a creative environment.

Explore the use of colour in a creative environment.

1.1 Give examples of colour theory.
There are many examples of colour theory, Primary, secondary, tertiary, complimentary and harmonious colours. There are also warm colours, cold colours, subtractive colours e.g CMYK and additive colours e.g RGB.

1.2 Explain colour attributes and colour relationships.
Colour attributes include:
- chroma: How pure a hue is in relation to grey.
- saturation: the degree of purity of a hue.
- intensity: the brightness or dullness of a hue.
- luminance: a measure of the amount of light reflected form the hue.
- shade: a hue produced by the addition of black.
- tint: a hue produced by the addition of white.

 1.3 Describe how different cultures attribute different meanings to colours.
Within different cultures, colour has very different meaning and symbolism, for example the colour blue in Western cultures symbolises Trust and Depression whereas in the Far Eastern cultures its a feminine colour showing healing and relaxation, the middle Eastern colour symbolises blue for Spiritual and Mourning which are all very slow, calm and dark symbolisms, but Indian cultures see it is a more energetic colour symbolising sports and strength.
In America and England it is traditional for brides to wear White and at funerals to wear black however in India it is common for Brides to wear Red and at funerals to Wear White.
Understanding colour meaning from different cultures and religions can be useful because it can help prevent misunderstanding and insults when designing.

1.4 Give examples of how Designers use colour to distinguish their work.

2.1 Test different colours and colour combinations through experimentation and 2.2 Use own ideas to challenge or confirm a colour theory

The first example is using a combination of cold colours and harmonious as they sit nect to each other on the colour wheel.

These are a combination of Warm and harmonious colours as they also sit together on the opposite side of the colour wheel.



I used illustrator to work out a selection of colour combinations that would work together and here is the result, I have added the colour codes too.
These colours are a selection of Bright and dark and warm and cold colours to test out all the different aspects of the colour theory. Illustrator has a built in colour guide to help you select a range of suitable colours.

2.3 Show how colour can be used to communicate a particular idea or concept.

These are images taken from my sketch book showing how I used different colour combinations to come up with an art deco style design for my book cover design.

2.4 Explain some of the potential limitations of colour theory in design work.

Cultural and religious symbolisms and meanings of colours can effect the way a designer uses them, certain colours that mean one thing to one person may mean another to someone else and therefor might offend or insult somebody.
Designers don't always like to stick to a particular colour model and this could mean the colours used don't work or look good together by general rule even though the designer may think so.
Designs that need to be on the web also have limitations as some colours don't work on the web and are slightly changed when used.
Colour theory differs when we use designs for the web using RGB and when we print we use CMYK so sometimes colours can be difficult to replicate.

NVQ 6418 & 6446 - Assist in following a design process & Research, test and apply techniques for the design of products.

Assist in following a design process.

1.1 Follow specific objective set by stakeholders.
This is the design brief I was given from Cotswold bowls for the 'Bocking Alliance' Club
The design brief is to create 4 Sky and Navy Blue womens Bowls blouses with a pocket and baggy sleeves in sizes Medium and X Large.
These blouses are at a set price agreed between the company and the client.

1.2 Identify any constraints that may impact on the design process.
The possible constraints that may impact on this design brief are;

- Not having enough material.
- Not having the right type of material.
- Not having enough or any of the right colour material or cotton.
- Sewing machine faults.
- Not having the right patterns or the right size.
- Power cuts.
-

1.3 Identify and source relevant supporting information and assistance.
The design brief is asking for:
- 4 Shirts
- 2 Medium 2 X Large
- Women's bowls TT stlye Blouses
- Sky Blue and Navy Blue fabric
- 100% Polyester fabric
- Side Panels
- Pocket
- Baggy style hemmed sleeves
- Ventilated hem.
- Custom "Cotswold Bowls" back neck label
- Women's collar and reviere
- Bagged before boxed and shipped
- Shipped and received by 13.6.16

Back neck label design

2.1 Generate a range of ideas that respond to the challenge and 2.2 Explore different options and ideas for meeting objectives

I have sketched 3 different designs for the Toton Lane Bowls Club embroidered logo which will go on their shirts.
The design had to represent that the club was a bowls club and show that their name was 'Toton Lane Bowls' and that they were established in 1925. The badge colours had to be emerald green, black and white.
Here are my rough sketched designs.

2.1 Select appropriate materials, tools and equipment for the testing of approaches and techniques. (6446)

2.2 Test and experiment with a range of techniques, technology and materials which might meet the requirements of the brief. (6446)

The brief specified the colour and type of material that was to be used in the shirts so there was no need to test any other type of material, the technology used was photoshop which was used to create the brief and the draft of what the final design will look like. The type of stitching and colour of stitching was experimented with as I wasn't sure if to use Sky Blue or Navy blue on the parts that joined the two colours, I found that sky was the best option as the stitching showed through a lot more on the Sky Blue part of the fabric than the Navy Blue.
But then I also found that using an overlock stitch covered the seams altogether and meant that they were only seen of the inside of the garment.

3.1 Reflect on stakeholder ideas and feedback
The client wanted 4 ladies bowls shirts meeting the specifications noted in 1.3, the client wanted me to design a logo to be embroidered onto the front of the shirts to represent the club, I showed the client my 3 sketches and she gave me feedback saying that 2 were too cartoony and childlike where they were looking for a more sleek and professional look, which was the feel that my last sketch gave them and with one or two tweeks it was perfect for them.

3.2 Identify one or more solutions for stakeholders
The client was happy with the design but wanted a more professional feel to it, so I changed the fonts and sizes of a couple of things until they were pleased with the result.

3.3 Present an agreed solution to stakeholders in an appropriate format
We agreed on a final design for the club logo and I did a sample badge on some spare fabric to show them and they were pleased with the result.

4.1 Schedule own key tasks and organise resources to support implementation
Key tasks in order:
- Find what the brief is asking
- Find the right fabric pattern that meets specifications
- Get the correct colour and type of fabric.
- Cut the fabric to the correct pattern and sizes
- Press collar and reviere onto light and heavy weight vilene to strengthen.
- Send the cut fabric to the sewing room
- Check, bag and box the finished shirts
- Send with the courier to Cotswold Bowls Centre.

4.2 Undertake design tasks to assist trialling of the proposed solution
** Send a sample or Photograph of back and front to see if it meets the specifications set by the client**

4.3 Maintain records of the implementation process
This is a Gantt chart that i produced to record the design process and manufacturing process of the t shirt over a 5 day period

5.1 Check the success of the solution based on the original objectives

The design brief is asking for:
- 4 Shirts
- 2 Medium 2 X Large
- Women's bowls TT stlye Blouses
- Sky Blue and Navy Blue fabric
- 100% Polyester fabric
- Side Panels
- Pocket
- Baggy style hemmed sleeves
- Ventilated hem.
- Custom "Cotswold Bowls" back neck label
- Women's collar and reviere
- Bagged before boxed and shipped
- Shipped and received by 13.6.16

The finshed shirts met all of these specifications well and the client was pleased with the result.

5.2 Review the complete design process to identify what succeeded and failed
The process went well, the product was made fitting all the specifications and following the implementation process to the required time limit and the client was happy with the result. Although some of the logos were not what the client wanted and we had to discuss and redesign we eventually agreed on a design which suited.

AIM L2 - NVQ 6448 - Understanding the design brief

Understanding the design brief

1.1 Explain the purpose of a design brief.

The design brief is a very important part of the design process as it makes sure that the important design issues are considered and questioned before the design process begins. The design brief tells the designer what needs to be done and what the finished product is gonna do and be so they are aware of possible problems and can avoid them early on.

1.2 Outline the type of information you would expect to find in a design brief.

A Design brief contains various points of information which are very brief, are not a set of instructions and are clear to the point.
- Objectives and goals of the new design - Budget and schedule - Target audience - Available materials/required materials - Overall style/look - Any problems and solutions.

1.3 Outline why the design brief is critical to the design process.

Starting a project without a design brief is much like building a house without a blueprint, although very much possible, it will be very difficult, there will be a lot of problems and the end product may not meet expectations.
A design brief is important as it tells the designer exactly what they need to do and what they need to avoid to make the process run as smoothly as possible as they can plan time and materials to stick to time and budget while sticking to what the client wants. Everybody's happy!

2.1 Identify the key client expectations within the design brief.

 The client expectations are:

- The overall goal of the new design e.g Colour, size, logo, target audience.- Branding- Target Audience- Differers from competitors - Stands out from competition.- Is it updatig design work or is it new material.
- Time allowed
- Cost factors
- Copyright issues
- Clear specifications for the brief

2.2 Explain what the design solution must achieve.
The design solution must follow the design brief set by the client and the designer and include all design specifications. The design solution must meet the needs of the client.

2.3 Identify the parameters and limitations in the design brief.
That is set within the design specifications which has been agreed between the designer and the client. 

2.4 Give examples of formats used for design briefs.
The format of the design brief is dependant on what the design actually requires for example a Logo design brief would include colour, font, size. However designing a car, the design brief would have to include materials, shape and technology. 

2.5 Give examples of key terms used in a design brief and their meanings.

Client: The stakeholder
Design Specifications: Everything that the design must include.
Target Audience: Who is the product being designed for.
Budget: What is the cost going to be for the design.
Time Scale: What is the time limit given to the design project.
Client Expectations: The design meets the needs of the clients wishes.
Analysis: Brainstorming of the design problem.
Research: Researching the design problem.
Prototype and Mock-up: Making a real life example of the design before production.
Working Drawings and 3D models: This is to help with the realisation of the design.
Testing and evaluation: Testing and evaluating the finished design.
Competition: Understanding competition in the marketplace.
Brand Position.

NVQ 6437 & 6406 - Application of Techniques for the Design of Products & Develop design principles and techniques and processes for designing products.

Application of Techniques for the Design of Products.

1. Give Examples of how formal elements and principles of Balance, Proportion, Rhythm, Emphasis and Unity are applied in the design of products.

- Balance:  aka Symmetry, is when a shape, design or object have two or more halves which match up perfectly and are a perfect mirrored image of one another, much like this butterfly.

- Proportion: A proportionate design will adjust something so it has a suitable relationship with something else.

- Rhythm: rhythm creates an aesthetically pleasing flow throughout a design through the use of repetition of patterns. Rhythm includes variety and repetition.

- Emphasis: emphAsis, in design is when a certain point or area is singled out and is different to the rest to draw attention to it and make it a focal point. Minimizing the tone of that which is around the focal point also helps with emphasis.

- Unity: every element in the image works together to create meaning and the "sense of oneness to an visual image" the colours, shapes and designs will all be very similar and harmonious and in a neat repetitive order, not randomly placed.

1.2 Describe how formal elements and principles of design are visible in the work of two major designers.

Rob Janoff: Designer most well known for designing the apple logo that was first used in 1977 and is still used today. His work clearly shows the use of proportion when shown with the golden spiral

Milton Glaser: Most well known for his "I <3 NY" design also used in 1977.

This design shows the use of emphasis, The heart is in a bright red colour and stands out greatly next the the plain black writing therefore making this the focal point, there is also emphasis on the design as a whole as the black and red are both emphasized against the white background.

2.1 Describe a range of common techniques and materials used in design and manufacture.

The common materials used in design and manufacture depend on its purpose, lots of materials can be used on just one product:
- Card
- Wood
- Foam Board
- Polystyrene (sheets)
- Rigid Foam
- Hard wax
- Wire
- Corrugated Card and plastic

- Acrylic
- MDF

Smart Materials: 
- Thermometric ink
- polymorph
- PMC
- Paperfoam
- Potatopak

Techniques
Materials suitable, Process variations, Economic Factors, Design Implications, Typical Application and Quality Issues all contribute to the selection of the manufacturing technique.

DFMA or DFA
(designed for manufacture or designed for assembly)

2.2 Give examples of tools and equipment used in design.

The tools and equipment most commonly used in design depend on whether its for concept design or development of it.
Concept:
- Sketchpads
- Pens/pencils
- Paint and paintbrushes
- Wire
- Cardboard
- Wax
- Modroc
- Clay

- anything that can be experimented with

Development:
- Scanners
- Printers
- Computers
- 3D Printers
- anything that can be used in the development stage towards manufacture.

2.3 Describe the physical properties and capabilities of a range of materials, tools and equipment used in design.

Clay- The physical properties of clay are that is it malleable before dried out and once dried, shrinks and hardens, some clays also change colour during this process, it can also be decorated without damaging the material.

Glass - The physical properties and capabilities of glass are that, it is malleable when heated to very high temperatures, it can be coloured and is capable of displaying any number of designs, glass when cooled and hardened completely is also very durable, unless it is a small, thin part, then it is easily breakable, another property of glass is that is is transparent which is great when used in things like bottles because you can see the substance inside, and it is static which means it is non reactive with other materials, 

3D Printer / Pen - A 3D printer is capable of turning any idea or design into a 3D physical object by using materials which can heat and cool quickly and harden to hold their shape like plastic, a 3D pen works very much in the same way but instead of a machine controlling where the flow of the plastic goes, the user does, this gives a less neat finished product but works well when used with a 3D printer to fill in gaps and fix bits that may of gone wrong or not of been possible to do, together they make the capabilities almost endless, the plastics used in the 3D printers and pens hardens quickly and is very durable and lightweight.

2.4 Describe the characteristics of different materials and the potential of these characteristics to achieve different effects.

Corrugated Cardboard -  Corrugated cardboard is thin and lightweight, yet strong and when used as a box can absorb some impact to avoid damaging whatever is inside.
corrugated cardboard is good to use for models as it is rigid and stands up right but would be difficult to use for anything small.

Corrugated Plastic Corrugated plastic is much like corrugated cardboard in the face that is is light weight and strong and the "ladder" inside absorbs impact but corrugated plastic unlike corrugated cardboard is weather resistant and can be used with liquids.

Paper The properties of paper depend on its thickness: 

10-35 GSM (Tissue paper) is one of the thinnest, which tears easily but is transparent and can be branded with a company name or logo and comes in bright colours for a high quality impression.

70-150 GSM is the thickness used for paper bags, its strong enough to hold a certain amount of weight but will not last a lifetime. but more recyclable than plastic bags.

50-150 GSM (usually a glossy finish) Thicker paper, which is stronger enough to not be easily torn, and can take being handled a lot without getting ruined so this is usually used for leaflets or catalogs.

300-400 GSM Very thick, basically card, can be printed on, laminated, embossed, impressed ect, can be used for business. 

• Card can be used to make pop-ups, moving models and packaging.
• Balsa wood is used for detail on models and small components.
• Foam board can be used for interior-design models and large pieces of packaging.
• Polystyrene sheet is used in vacuum-forming, packaging and creatingproduct-design models.
• Rigid foam is good for product design and solid concept models.
• Construction kits are used to build models with moving parts.
• Wood-based materials such as MDF, plywood and solid timber are popular for making product-design, solid-concept and interior-design models.
• Hard wax is used for making product-design and other 3D models where detail must be carved into shapes.
• Plaster bandage with wire supports is used for 3D models that require rounded shapes.
• Paper and board should have straight edges and corners should be 90°. All moving parts must work smoothly and candle wax can be applied to assist movement.
• Corrugated card and plastic have edges that are difficult to finish. A plastic strip or PVC tape may help.
• Acrylic edges need to be scraped with the edge of a steel rule, or finesilicon-carbide paper, then polished with metal polish.
• Foam blocks need to be sanded gently, then filled with plaster filler or wood filler, before smoothing off. Apply colour using acrylic or water-based paints.
• MDF or solid timber - sand carefully, and fill with plaster or wood-filler, before smoothing. Apply paint or varnish to give a fine finish.
• 3.1 Document the planned design approach.

3.2 Use a selected technique to make a product, prototype or sample ensuring consistency with the selected approach and the brief.
I was given a brief to make a prototype of a book cover for the children's Anastasia story in an Art Deco style. The techniques I used to design the prototype were rough sketches on paper and then experimenting with those designs on illustrator. When it came to making the finished prototype, I had to measure the book to ensure i printed the cover to the correct size and then make sure to add the extra flaps to tuck on the side which also help with making sure the cover doesn't fit too tightly so it opens and closes and functions correctly.

3.3 Present the designed product, prototype or model in accordance with the brief specifications.

The prototype I made for the book cover was presented as shown, as a functioning dust cover/sleeve on a book of the right size.