Major Project 2
Edita Chew En Thung / 0357357
Major Project 2 / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative
Media / Taylor's University
Final Year project continuation
INSTRUCTIONS
For
major project 2, the lecturer gave us clear instructions on how the class will
be conducted, on a consultation basis from our previous major project
1.
PROCESS
I started off gathering the information of the
previous designs and problem statement from previous group, as now I'm doing a
solo run with the idea that was thought out by me in the previous, but now
continuation of the project "Marko Polo!"
Now I analysed what I
have on hand, and decided to redesign and tweak the information and start with
fresh content for the guidebook/manual.
I started
off scrapping the previous contents and decided to go on the newer version of
information backed by data and research on consumer's/audience's thoughts and
views. How it can capture one's visual attention and the content placed inside
whether it's backed by research and analysis based on those principles.
CONTENTS of guidebook:
The Universal Design
Guidebook
1. The "Big Four" Design Rules
Why this is included: Based on the CRAP model (Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, Proximity), these are the most scientifically proven ways to make information digestible.
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Contrast: Use light and dark, or big and small, to create a path for the eye. If a headline and body text are the same size, the reader doesn't know where to start.
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Repetition: Use the same bullet style, the same colors, and the same fonts throughout. Repetition creates a "rhythm" that makes the viewer feel safe and organized.
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Alignment: Avoid "center-aligning" long blocks of text. Left-alignment is easier for the human eye to track. Every element should line up with another element to create an invisible "grid."
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Proximity: Group related info together. If you have a photo of a person, their name should be right under it, not across the page.
2. Color & Type: The "Less is More" Strategy
Why this is included: Choice overload often leads non-designers to use too many variations, which creates "visual noise".
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The 60-30-10 Color Rule:
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60% Primary: Your background/main color.
30% Secondary: For shapes, borders, or headers. -
10% Accent: Use a bright "action" color ONLY for things you want people to click or call.
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The Two-Font Limit: Choose one "Personality" font for titles and one "Workhorse" font (something very clean like Arial or Helvetica) for the details.
3. Layout Mastery: The "F-Pattern"
Why this is included: Eye-tracking research shows that people scan screens and pages in an "F" shape—starting at the top left, moving across, then down and across again.
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The Hook: Place your most important message in the top-left or top-center.
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Scanning: Use bold sub-headers so people can get the gist of your page in 3 seconds without reading the paragraphs.
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The "Gutter": Always leave at least a 10% margin around the edges of your design. Cramming text to the edge makes the design feel "suffocated."
4. How to Start (The Workflow)
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Step 1: The "Vibe" Check (Brand Definition)
Before touching a computer, choose three adjectives that describe the brand (e.g., Bold, Modern, Trustworthy or Playful, Organic, Minimalist).
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The Rule: Every font, color, and image you pick later must pass the test of these three words. If a color is "Neon Pink" but your brand is "Trustworthy," it doesn't belong.
Step 2: Skeleton First (Content Strategy)
Write down your text in a plain document.
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Identify the "Who": Who are you talking to?
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The Hook: Branding is about messaging. What is the one sentence you want them to remember? Write it at the top. This prevents the design from becoming "cluttered" with unnecessary info.
Step 3: Define the Hierarchy (Visual Order)
Decide what the one most important thing is.
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The Brand Anchor: Usually, this is your Headline or a Hero Image. In branding, the "Anchor" carries the most personality. Give it the biggest font or your brand's primary accent color. Everything else must "step back" to let this shine.
Step 4: The Black & White Test (Structural Integrity)
Finish your layout in black, white, and gray first.
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Why it works: Branding relies on shape and contrast (think of the Nike swoosh or Apple logo). If your layout doesn’t communicate the brand message clearly in grayscale, adding your brand colours will only mask a weak foundation. Color should enhance the brand, not be the brand.
Step 5: The Squint Test (Focal Point)
Squint your eyes until the page is blurry.
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The Brand Check: What is the first thing you see? In a branded design, the first thing your eye hits should be the Value Proposition (what you offer) or the Call to Action (what to do next). If your eye hits a random decorative shape instead, your brand message is lost.
Step 6: The Consistency Audit
Look at your final draft alongside a previous piece of work.
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The "Sibling" Test: Do they look like they belong to the same family? If you changed the logo to a different company's logo, would the design still "feel" like yours? If the answer is no, you need to use more of your signature brand elements (specific fonts, spacing, or image styles).
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5. What to Avoid (The Red Flags)
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Stretching Images: Never pull an image from the side handle; always pull from the corner to keep the proportions right.
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Dark on Dark: Avoid putting dark text on a dark photo. If you must use a photo background, put a semi-transparent black box behind the white text.
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Generic Stock: Avoid "handshake" or "smiling headset" photos. Use real-life textures or abstract shapes instead.
Research Support:
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Gestalt Psychology: This is the study of how people perceive visual elements. Principles like Proximity and Similarity are based on how the human brain naturally groups objects to make sense of the world.
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Hick’s Law: This states that the more choices a person has, the longer it takes to make a decision. By limiting fonts and colors, you make the "user experience" faster and more pleasant.
6. The Digital Workbench (Affinity Suite)
1. Getting Started: Download & Setup
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Where to get it: Visit
Affinity.studio -
The Install: Download the version for your OS (Mac or Windows). Once installed, log in with your Canva credentials to unlock the full workspace.
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The First Step: Open the app and click "New Document." * Tip for Non-Designers: Don’t overthink the size. Choose the "Web" or "Social Media" preset if you’re designing for screens.
Vector = Logos
& Text (Never gets blurry).
Pixel =
Photos & Textures (Real-world details).
Export =
Saving & Sending (Getting it out there).
The "Switching" Workflow
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Start in Layout to set your page size and margins.
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Jump to Vector to drop in your logo and brand shapes.
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Pop into Pixel to touch up your product photos.
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Return to Layout to tie it all together with your brand fonts.
2. The Foundation: Understanding "Personas"
Affinity uses a unique system called Personas. Think of these as different "toolboxes" for different jobs. You can switch between them at the top-left corner of the screen.
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Designer Persona (Vector): This is for shapes, logos, and sharp lines. Use this to build your branding elements.
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Pixel Persona (Raster): Use this for "painting," adding textures, or cleaning up photos.
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Export Persona: A specialized room just for saving your work in different formats (PNG, JPG, PDF) all at once.
3. The "Non-Designer" Essential Tools
You only need to master these 5 tools to create 90% of your designs:
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Move Tool (Shortcut: V): Your "hand." Use it to pick things up, resize them (hold Shift to keep them from stretching!), and move them around.
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Shape Tools (M): Don't try to draw a perfect circle or rectangle by hand. Use the built-in shapes. You can customize them (like rounding the corners of a box) using the Context Toolbar at the top.
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Frame Text Tool (T): Click and drag to create a box for your text. This keeps your writing contained so it doesn’t fly off the page.
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Place Image: Instead of "Open," use File > Place. This lets you drop a photo exactly where you want it in your existing design.
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Layers Panel (Right Side): The most important concept. Think of it like a stack of transparent papers.
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Top Layer: The thing in front.
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Bottom Layer: Your background.
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Pro Tip: Rename your layers (double-click the name) so you don't get lost!
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4. How to Start Your First Design (Step-by-Step)
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Set the Grid: Go to
View > Grid and Snapping Manager. Turn on "Snapping." This acts like a magnet that helps you align your text and shapes perfectly. -
Create a Background: Use the Rectangle Tool to cover the canvas. Lock this layer in the Layers panel so it doesn't move while you work.
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Add Your Content: Place your photo first, then add text.
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Refine the Hierarchy: Make your headline bold and large. Make your contact info or small details a simple, thin font.
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Non-Destructive Tweaks: Use Adjustment Layers (the half-circle icon in the Layers panel). You can change the brightness or color of a photo without "breaking" the original file.
Research Insight: Why Affinity for Non-Designers?
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The "One-App" Advantage: Research into design software friction shows that beginners lose momentum when they have to switch between multiple apps (like moving from Photoshop to Illustrator). Affinity’s unified workflow removes this barrier.
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Contextual Toolbars: Unlike older software that hides options in menus, Affinity’s Context Toolbar changes based on what you click. If you click text, the font options appear. If you click a shape, the color options appear. This reduces "search time" for new users.
I started working on the Designs of the dieline-lasercut cover of the guidebook and the inner page for the cut-out design. Then only I started drafting the content page with the publication copyrights.
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The box’s design was sent to the printing shop and will start printing by the end of this week once payment is made.
Guidebook was amended and will proceed with the colour & typo palettes.
I did 31 colour palettes and 3 instruction panels and 2-piece cover design.
Total for colour palette consists of 36 pcs.
Sent to printers
When designing the typo palette, I checked if the readability is there when I’ve assembled them together once printed.
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FEEDBACK
Week 1
After consulting and confirming the 2 possibilities with our lecturer, I started planning my schedule and items/collaterals/products to be produced in this semester.
Week 2
Finish the design by week 4, focus on whatever branding needed to do.
Week 4
3. Manual (leading & layout (fix to one system))
4. done by this week (4)
Finish up the designs and quickly take it to the printers to be done with everything and hurry to start with the slides.
Same with last week, just finish p with the designs and have the final checks
REFLECTION
Findings
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