Brief 5 - Final Evaluation/ Reflection

I think that this brief never really reached the full potential of what it could have, mainly due to the lack of client response in the expansion. I did enjoy creating the logo and icons for this, but I do feel that they only go so far, and much more could have been developed and created.

Initially I had been quite excited by this brief because it was something that I found enjoyable in branding a restaurant. The brief was also something very up my street in terms of the deliverables asked for in the logo design - a typographically based design with an integrated icon. Creating a bespoke icon for this is something that interested me as I had not done much work on icon to the point of the start of this brief.

The lack of client response following the logo design made the brief lack direction and enthusiasm. With it being a client brief, I did not want to finish the brief the way I would have seen it because this may not have been what the client wanted, and would have ultimately meant I would be doing things twice over. Looking back at it now, and still with a lack of client response, I realise that I could have completed the brief to my vision and still got something out of it in creating work that I was proud of.

I did enjoy doing the initial parts to this brief and creating the logo, however afterwards it was not enjoyable and was a lost brief as there was no direction to move in. I think that this brief has shown me that in a client brief, they may want you to complete a brief quickly, but it is their response time that is important too in creating a project as it is a two way system.

Brief 5 - Design Boards

Brief 5 - Extension

While I have just decided to cancel this brief due to lack of client contact, I have decided to complete the brief on my own time and finish it in the way I would see fit. This is down to a number of reasons, the first being that I have included it in my portfolio and have had good feedback for it, so it would be great for me if I could actually talk about it a bit more and expand on it.

Right now I had the logo and three icons. The client had asked for a number of other icons, however, I don't think including these will make any difference to the end products. Keeping the three that are there are more linked to the brand as they are of the three specialties. Adding more might dull down the importance of these three icons.

As this was initially meant to be quite a short brief, I will not be spending a huge amount of time on it as I already have the majority of the work for it. It's just a case of applying this branding to the necessary products. I also created mockups to show how the interior of the restaurant could look.


Product Mock ups

OUGD603 - Cancelled Briefs/New Briefs

After reflection on my current progress and how I feel as a designer now, from how I felt at the beginning of the year, I have created two lists of cancelled and new/updated briefs I will be undertaking.

Completed Briefs

• Live brief - Dr Me
• Live brief - DSM
• Live brief - Intern Magazine
• Client Brief - Wheatless & More
• Type Principles Publication
• 30 Days
• Fonte De Vita App

On going Briefs

• Fonte De Vita
• Collaboration

Cancelled Briefs

• Eurostar rebrand - No desire to do anymore
• European Destinations - No desire to do anymore
• Top 10 TV Shows - No desire to do anymore
• Hand Drawn Type event - Did 30 Days instead/No desire to put on an event
• Client Brief - The Woodshop - Client hasn't got back to me after a few months, presumed to be a dead brief

New/Updated Briefs

• NEW - Live brief - DBA
• NEW - Live brief - Yearbook
• UPDATED - Typeface - Expanding typeface created for self branding
• UPDATED - Competition brief - YCN Syfy
• NEW - Ampersandwich Rebrand

Unsure

• New York Travel Pack - Time restraints w/ yearbook/DBA/other briefs
• Hand drawn typography publication Time restraints w/ yearbook/DBA/other briefs

Brief 5: Initial Icons

The initial icons which I created below.

From these I had to adapt them to finished logo style. I also wanted to change the beer pint icon so it was a bit simpler. At this point the client hasn't agreed to pay me yet, so I will only be recreating the beer pint and ice-cream icon. It also gives the client a change to tell me if I'm going in the right direction and if there's anything they want immediately changing.

Initial Icons:

Following this the client voiced concerns that he didn't think they would print well small. This is something that I found quite annoying because obviously they're vectors and very simple designs, with clear white space, so they will print well at any size. They thought that the ice-cream icon was a bit too intricate so wanted to see a simpler one which would print better.

Obviously the client isn't as familiar with this kind of thing as I am so to illustrate how these would print I made a document to prove this and put his mind at rest. I included a one ice-cream scoop design as well, but did explain that I thought the original was much better because it was a bit more playful and interesting.

Document:

I sent this to the client so they could see that it clearly prints well at as little as 1cm in height. Following this the client was happy for me to move forward with the designs I wanted, seeing that I wasn't designing anything that wouldn't print well at small sizes. This is something that I am glad about because I wouldn't want to be creating icons which are simplified too much to the point where I wasn't happy with them or they weren't obvious as to what they are.

Brief 5 - Icons

The client has asked that I create a number of icons to complete the branding.

During the time where I was creating the logo, the client did express interest in having a couple of icons in the logo, which I did create, however they went for the design with just the burger. It was the stronger design but I thought it was a bit of a shame not to use the other icons I created, so it's great that I now have a chance to improve upon those and expand the design across a number of different items.

The client wants the following icons:

• Ice cream cone
• French fries
• Glass of wine
• Pint of beer
• Bottle of beer
• Beverage
• A chicken
• A vegetarian icon
• A fish
• Firewood
• A campfire
• Split cross section of a wood log

I am estimating that it will take between 8 - 10 hours to plan, create and refine these icons to their finished state. I am currently discussing a quote with the client, so once that is sorted and secured, I will begin working on the icons.

Brief 5 - Chosen Identity

The design below is the one chosen by the client to be the final identity.

It was agreed that the identity would be monochrome and would be either brown, black or white, depending on the media and situation.

Brief 5 - Initial Designs

I started work on this brief by creating a very simple burger icon and choosing the typefaces which I wanted to use. As the client wants something simple, I decided on Nexa Bold as the main typeface, and Sanchez as a supporting typeface. These contrast well against each other as Nexa is a sans serif and Sanchez is a contemporary slab serif. It adds a bit more of an authentic appeal to the design.

I started with a very simple layout with the information stacked. I did two different variations of possibilities. This will help me in seeing which direction the client wants to go in.

I then sent this to the client for initial feedback. I decided to do this now so it allows the client to see exactly how I am seeing the identity right now and see if it is going in the right direction that they are wanting.

The feedback for this was good. The client preferred the first variation. They asked for the type to be put either side of the burger.

I did as the client asked and found that the 'The' in the name really created some issues, so submitted a version with and without it. Another issue with this is that the width of the letters on either side was uneven, mainly due to the 'W' in 'Wood'. It is obviously a wider letter so the kerning had to be different on either side to have the burger in the middle. While I wasn't too keen on this idea, I did it regardless so I could get some feedback from the client.

I sent through a couple of different variations, one with the 'The' and a second without it.

At the same time I also submitted a second design which I had developed. This design was away from what the client had asked for in terms of layout, but kept the full name of the restaurant.

The client gave more positive feedback to the second set of designs, which I was happy about as that was definitely the design that I felt was much better. 

I decided that I didn't like the rustic kind of look that I had given with the grungy overlay, instead preferring the cleaner and sharper look of the previous designs.

The client asked for the burger to be put in place of the third 'O' instead of on top. I also decided to get rid of the 'est.2015'  and replace that with the 'burgers, brews & cream'.

I felt that these designs are definitely the strongest that I had sent and I was happy with them because they was moving in a direction that I could agree with.

The client also gave feedback in that they didn't mind if the name included 'The' or not. They also asked for me to try the idea of an icon for all burgers, brew and ice-cream. While I preferred the idea of just having the burger as it's one symbol and is recognisable as this, whereas three symbols might be a bit too confusing, I did do as the client asked. I kept the designs in the same style, using smooth curves with the basis of circles.

Following this submission the client asked for a variation of the previous design where a lime green could be used in the design somewhere. I certainly didn't like this idea but understood where they were coming from. 

I did what the client asked and they did agree with me in the fact that it worked better without the green, and with only one symbol. I went back to the previous decision of using one colour following this. I mocked this up onto a variety of outcomes so the client could see how this would work in a realistic view.

Brief 5 - The Wood Shop

Client Brief - The Wood Shop

Context
The Wood Shop is a soon-to-be established rustic and traditional burger, beer and ice-cream restaurant, based in the USA.

Brief
Create a logo identity for 'The Wood Shop'.

Deliverables
Logo design & Icon design

Brief Detail
The deliverable of this brief is simple in creating a logo identity for the restaurant. The client has quite a clear idea in what they want - a typographic logo with a bespoke icon integrated. This icon must also be able to work on its own.

The client provided an image of a logo which they wish to have a similar feel to - The Shake Shack.

The logo should be contemporary and simple, but reflect the specialty of their services and relate to their traditionalism.