OUGD405 - Studio Brief 01 - Final Adjustments

After researching into Leeds Blue Plaques, I have adapted my designs to fit a similar aesthetic to these.

The people in my final group crit felt my original designs did not fit my overall aesthetic:

   

I have now changed these with a blue plaque influence as my inspiration:



I personally feel these now definitely fit in better with the rest of my designs and have the same aesthetic qualities. The simplified layout matches with my minimalist arrows and pictograms, which helps tie all of the designs together as part of one system.

OUGD405 - Studio Brief 01 - Blue Plaque Research

Following the feedback from my final group crit, I have decided to adapt my designs to fit the style of the blue plaques found around Leeds.

Leeds Civic Trust set up its Historic Plaques Scheme in 1987 to promote public awareness of the heritage of the city of Leeds. The first blue plaque, which marks Burley Bar - one of the boundaries of the medieval town - was unveiled in 1987. There are now over 150 plaques erected around the city.
         

OUGD405 - Studio Brief 01 - Final Designs and Final Crit

After creating my pictograms and choosing my typeface, I decided to use a very basic, structural arrow within my wayfinding system. I picked this particular shape and style of arrow because I felt it matched the aesthetic of both my typeface and pictograms very well. It is clear, simple and legible, which is exactly how I want my sign system to be so it is accessible for all ages.

I experimented by placing the pictograms from each generation onto the appropriately coloured arrows. I liked this idea as it was a way of directing people around the route without using any text, which I thought was interesting. These arrows would be placed on the ground in a supergraphic style, or potentially even going up walls etc.

I also made some basic square signs that would be mounted/stuck onto walls around the routes. I included Yorkshire dialect within these signs which helped make links back to the Yorkshire roots/culture surrounding Leeds and my family.




   

I also created some posters that would potentially be flyers. These flyers would be picked up by people following the route to give some basic background information of what places they would be visiting and whereabouts they are. Along with this, I designed some signs that would be mounted on walls etc where these places were. For example, Vallances is no longer there, so instead there would be this sign on the wall to show where it once was.

After showing all my final ideas to my group in the final crit, the feedback they gave me was that the posters/place signs did not match the aesthetic as my other pictograms and designs.
They said the posters were quite wordy and that there was too much going on - it did not match with my simple aesthetic for my other designs. They suggested simplifying these posters in order to help them match my other work.

Taking these comments on board, I am going to make some final adjustments to my designs to ensure everything is tied in correctly and matches up as one system,

OUGD405 - Studio Brief 01 - Otl Aicher Grid

After receiving feedback from my interim crit, I decided to recreate my pictograms within a grid system to give them some connection.

I have looked at Otl Aicher's grid and how he used this to create the pictograms for the Olympic Games in 1972. I loved the way Aicher successfully represented each sport by using a simple black and white colour scheme that followed a specific grid.



Using this, I recreated my pictograms in a similar style, but instead adapted to Otl's grid system.



I definitely felt these looked more effective now they followed a uniform criteria. They all looked part of the same series whilst still being legible and looking effective. I feel these are appropriate for my signage system as they can be interpreted by all ages and abilities.

OUGD405 - Studio Brief 01 - Pictogram Initial Digitisation and Interim Crit

Based on my initial first sketches, I decided to recreate these ideas digitally within Illustrator. I took small architectural details from each place and used the pen tool to create basic shapes.

In order:
Vallances
County Arcade
Kirkgate Market
Horse & Trumpet
Class Menswear
Starlight Room
Primark
size?
McDonalds



Whilst I initially liked these, I felt like they were lacking something. I took these ideas to my interim crit, and in response people told me that they did not feel like these pictograms were matching. I completely agreed with this and did notice myself that they did not appear as part of the same 'set'. The Kirkgate Market pictogram in particular really stood out to me as it looked really quite different to the rest of them. There were suggests from people that I perhaps use a grid to redesign my pictograms on, which would help bring them all together and make them appear part of the same set.

OUGD405 - Studio Brief 01 - Initial Pictogram Ideas

After deciding upon my colour scheme and chosen typeface, I started by experimenting with pictograms and how I could display these. I began by doing some initial sketches.

  

  



I started by simply sketching out a quick sign/symbol for each place, with a very basic idea - e.g Vallances Record Store - record, Mecca Locarno - musical note etc.

I decided these were too obvious and too childish so then tried used just the first letter of each place. This did not work as I found some of the places shared the same first letter so there would be a confusion.

I then decided to draw a little version of the outside/building for each place, but this was too complicated and detailed so I began to refine these in order to simplify them. I experimented by drawing these onto a quick sketched grid that gave me a restraint but this just made the pictograms too abstract and unclear.

I then took just a small architectural detail from each place and drew this out in a very basic and simple way. I felt these looked quite interesting and effective, so I am definitely looking to develop these further digitally.

OUGD405 - Studio Brief 01 - Typeface Research

After some research, I discovered that the top three most legible fonts are Arial, Courier and
Verdana, and the least preferred Times New Roman.

After discovering this, I decided to try a few different typefaces out to see how suitable they would be for my own project.

1) Myriad Pro - easy to read but bit too rounded
2) Century Gothic - legible but too basic, childlike
3) Futura Heavy-Oblique - too modern/contemporary
4) Helvetica Std Bold - simple and easy to decipher
5) Times New Roman - too formal, serifs unnecessary
6) Arial Narrow - too slimline, too condensed



Going from these trials, I feel as though the Helvetica Bold is the most appropriate for my project. It is clear, legible, easy to read and stands out against a plain background. This would be ideal for a wide variety of ages and abilities.

OUGD405 - Studio Brief 01 - Yorkshire accents within advertising

I have been researching into how the Yorkshire accent/dialect has been used within advertising and what impact this has.

I discovered that Plusnet, a broadband provider, used a Yorkshire accent within their advertising campaign to demonstrate their Yorkshire roots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqxH9iXUDf0



"The Yorkshire accent is often seen as wise, trustworthy, honest and straightforward; these are all characteristics that consumers would like to see in a business if they were to purchase a product or service from them. Recently the broadband provider Plusnet used actors with strong Yorkshire accents to advertise their services. The advert certainly stuck in my head for two reasons: because the accent was different to my own and it was not the usual RP accent used by the media."
- https://www.matinee.co.uk/blog/the-impact-of-accents-on-advertising/

OUGD405 - Studio Brief 01 - Yorkshire Dialect Research

Because my family come from Leeds (and the project is based around Leeds!) I wanted to include some traditional/stereotypical Yorkshire dialect within my sign system. I have been researching into common phrases and words.



I have experimented with a few phrases that I could include within my wayfinding system such as:
"tek' a right"
"left 'ere nar cock"
"keep going down t'road"

OUGD405 - Studio Brief 01 - Chosen colours

After some research into what colours are appropriate for each age group, I have settled upon these three shades:



The pink colour represents the youngest generation, my sister. The deep purple colour represents the middle generation, my dad. The sage green colour represents the oldest generation, my grandma.

I felt these three colours were appropriate choices after my research into colours for age and I also think they work well together.

OUGD405 - Studio Brief 01 - Colour Research

Teenagers and colour

Asserting individuality and growth spurts, both physically and emotionally, are typical of this time.

Teenagers go through an identity crisis and often use black to hide this as they feel it is cool. Black needs to be combined with other colours if it is to be used as it is not beneficial to emotional development. It is without light. Using small amounts of fluoro brights will lift the young person away from the feeling of isolation or withdrawal from the world. Red is a favourite bright for this age group – intense energy. Bold blues and citrus greens also provide some tranquillity.

Purple is usually embraced when the mind develops social awareness and outward thoughts – this is later in the teenage years, usually between 14-17 years old. Texture and changing sheens in fabric (matt velvets to silky satins) offer a positive tactile experience to teenagers as well as being seen to be desirable from a cool point of view. At this age a fixation with metal and glass in all forms is prevalent – car fetishes with young boys and jewellery with girls.

Older people and colours
Becoming old can bring about a sense of loneliness and fear so decorating with the elderly in mind needs to address warmth, security and harmony. Variety in the colours in the immediate environment can boost interest in the world and keep cognitive function alive. Older people can be drawn to soft pastels but they may not have the vitality of hue needed to stimulate the mind and mood. Eyesight problems can also impair how the colour is seen and what is seen.

Softer shades of reds and oranges are warming and can help with circulation and energy levels. Peaches, apricots, warm tans, terracottas and pinks can also be used for this purpose. Reflecting on the past and thoughts of a spiritual future can also be reflected in colour choices. Soft blues, lavender mauves and violets are colours that connect to the spiritual or reflective mood. It is interesting to note that blue rinsed hair tints and lavender water are the province of the elderly lady. Studies carried out in nursing/rest homes indicate that soft pinky-beiges contrasted with soft blue/greens are soothing and peaceful. The judicious use of floral pattern can evoke the tranquillity of rural life and the simplicity of times past.

OUGD405 - Studio Brief 01 - Generation Research

A generation is a group of people born around the same time and raised around the same place.

 People in this “birth cohort” exhibit similar characteristics, preferences, and values over their lifetimes. Generations are not a box; instead, they are powerful clues showing where to begin connecting with and influencing people of different ages.
Generations exhibit similar characteristics—such as communication, shopping, and motivation preferences—because they experienced similar trends at approximately the same life stage and through similar channels (e.g., online, TV, mobile, etc.). Generation-shaping trends are most influential as people come of age, which means that members of a particular generation will develop and share similar values, beliefs and expectations. It is important to remember that at an individual level, everyone is different.

Currently, five generations make up our society. Each of those five generations has an active role in the marketplace. Depending on the specific workplace, the workforce includes four to five generations. Here are the birth years for each generation:

• iGen, Gen Z or Centennials: Born 1996 and later
• Millennials or Gen Y: Born 1977 to 1995
• Generation X: Born 1965 to 1976
• Baby Boomers: Born 1946 to 1964
• Traditionalists or Silent Generation: Born 1945 and before

OUGD405 - Studio Brief 01 - Map of Routes

After interviewing my Grandma, Dad and Sister, I have noted down three significant place for each generation.

Grandma:
-Vallances Record Store
- Kirkgate Market
- Mecca Locarno

Dad:
- Class Menswear
- Starlight Room amusements
- Horse & Trumpet pub

Sister:
- Primark
- McDonalds
- size? footwear

I have marked out where each place is (or was) onto a basic map of Leeds City Centre, and then joined these with  a different coloured pen for each route/person.

This makes it clear and easy for me to determine the exact paths that each route will follow, allowing me to create the appropriate and required signs.

OUGD405 - Studio Brief 01 - Initial Ideas and Rationale

My idea is to design a personal wayfinding system based on my family’s history in Leeds. My family was born in Leeds and have lived here their entire lives, and I would like to focus on the experiences of three different generations. I will be looking at my Grandma’s experiences, my Dad’s and my sister’s. Each of the generations will have their own individual sign system that includes their favorite/most memorable places within Leeds City Centre. The three generations are; Baby Boomers, Generation X and iGen. These will be the names for each wayfinding route. I would also like to include the Yorkshire dialect within my wayfinding system to represent the Yorkshire roots of my family.

I would like my signage system to be clear and straightforward so that it would be legible and easy to interpret for all the generations and ages involved. Each generation will have their own assigned colour which will make the different routes clear and easy to follow. The colours used will be based on colour theory research on how colour correlates with age. Similarly, the typeface chosen will need to be legible and clear enough for people of all ages and abilities to read.

The audience will be the people who can relate to at least one of the three generations. It will engage the audience by creating a sense of nostalgia and helping people remember the forgotten parts of Leeds.