design process case study
Eireanne Leverett, magician, has kindly offered to allow us to use his project, a business card, as an example of the design process, the following demonstrates how we usually approach a design brief.
establish a brief
EL > I need a business card. That means you. >Whaddya say? Fancy helping me come up with something my style? simple elegant, with a little dignity. I'm unsure about colours, but I'm usually a two tone type of guy. More than that is too busy to my eye. In my mind the card is a simple symbol in one corner, and some nice choice of font. The symbol is what I'll need to think about and the font advice...well that's maybe another place you can help?
MH > You can do really nice things two tone, either crisp or illustrated work well... Please don't shout at me but would you consider a hare as a symbol? If you don't like it say NO!!! :)
EL > If I did want a hare, the thing I like is it is sitting quietly, looking at you.
I'm glad you got back in touch quickly...it's forcing me to think about what I want :)
create intial design suggestions
EL > I do kinda like the last hare I think the lines are kinda cool, however I am starting to like that third hare too, I definately, want a slightly older, nostalgic look about the cards. It is part of the image I am aiming for. I would need to put a phone number (mobile), and an E-mail address. My name and Magician & Raconteur and a tagline, and that's about it. I'm working on the tag line, but something like "Illusion is the first of all pleasures."Oscar Wilde
MH > I like the idea of an older more established look... I will try to come up with something that matches the hare in style....Any idea of colours? I know that you just want a 2 colour card, I'll just try out some ideas and get back to you. The quote could always appear on the reverse side along with a duplication of any decoration that I come up with to go with the hare...
revise with client input
EL > Ok. The good news is I like all of them. I think that's a very good sign of your skills. You've captured the spirit of what I want in the first round!
The back (quotation) of the first design is perfect, I think that is what I want. The hare is less of what I want though. I think the hare on the second one is closest, just perhaps sitting up a little. Paws still on the ground, but a little more upright, perhaps body turned to the side slightly.
The ears on the second one are perfect, definately more hare than rabbit. So perhaps we could do another couple hare sketches and choose one to match with the quotation side of the first card. Incidentally, the first design is perfect because it leaves two little gaps at each corner. There is a trick I do (and you will be one of the first to see with this card) with a business card. Leaving the space to write two cards, like K clubs and 9 hearts, one each in two seperate corners of the card is ideal!
I'm so excited!
get sign off on illustration and commit to design, prepare for print, job completed
