Illustration and Application

After looking at some existing branding I wanted to begin developing and experimenting, therefore i began experimenting with different fonts and typography. I started by going onto a free download font site searching through fonts that I felt interest me and feel could work. On here you can see i chose the name bees knees, i liked this name as it felt fun and light-hearted maybe relating to the honey itself being 'the bees knees'. As for experimenting it was really fun to play around with the different fonts and see how they could suit and help build an overall brand. Initially when planning i mentioned i would love to have a fun retro style look with soft edges yet an overall bold type. Therefore, my particular favourite is the font in the bottom left corner. I feel this really has the vibe and look that I've been thinking about. I also like that it looks rather simple and therefore, would not take away from the pattern i intend to design, and yet still have lots of charac...

After doing some brief research I wanted to begin thinking about and planning for the branding process. For this I began creating a mind map with some different areas, for example looking at different materials used for the packaging. Packaging plays a big part with this brief, as it is important to think about using sustainable materials which will have a less negative impact ton our environment. I also included some visuals to go with it just so I could relate it easily to the wording. I also began considering the other elements such as the name of my product and brand. This is something that i have found really difficult with alot of name already being used therefore this is still being determined.  Overall this was a crucial next step of my research as it allowed me to map out all my initial ideas and thoughts whilst showing my overall process.   

After looking at some different areas of research I felt it was important to look specifically into branding, as this is a big part of  the  brief. Below I've chosen a few branding styles which I particularly like.  Above is one of my favourite branding as I love the use of type which they have chosen and how they have combined it with other typography to add extra information yet not take away from the main name.  I also like how they have played with shape and combined this within some of the empty areas of the text. Overall i feel this is a strong example of branding as I feel they have a fun, not too serious logo combined with soft yet bold colours to really draw the attention into the logo.  The second branding that really stuck out to me was this one above, this is a branding board and is a great way to get a feel for the brand as it shows the colour palette and the different graphics created for the brand. I particularly like this branding as not only hav...

When thinking about branding and creating a product, the idea of colour and colour schemes is very important to help stand out to a customer against other competitors. That's why when thinking about my research i really wanted to think about different colours and how they could work as a whole. Therefore, i began looking on Pinterest for already created colour palettes for some initial ideas.  From these chosen colour palettes you can see i am drawn towards the warmer tones which i feel could have a connection to the idea of the bee and the honey. However, after reviewing the colours i feel the brightest colour specifically the second image would work best as it is bright and eye-catching which is a key element needed for a product. That's why after doing this brief visual research i am able to tell although that i like the warmer tones I also want to make sure that i go for a brighter pick to help stand out. I also feel by going for a more brighter colour palette i feel i will...

After deciding on what product i wanted to develop as my own i decided it would be a great next step to look at some existing products that have been produced. To do this is look on Pinterest and found a range of interesting different variants of honey design. Below shows some of my favourites which i found.  The honey packaging above was one of my favourites and caught my eye from the start, i loved the unique colour palette and the overall bright feel that it had. As a viewer myself i would feel intrigued to pick up this product. I also like the logo and abstract pattern they had throughout the product as i felt it had a very modern element, something i would like to include within my own design.  I also liked this design below as they went for a monochrome design but also had some golden elements to really create a contrast and bring out that idea of honey. I felt the colour palette appeared rather simple yet became so effective with the style of illustration and typography...

After creating an initial mind map thinking about products which I could look at I was instantly drawn to the idea of condiments, specifically honey. Honey is an interesting condiment with a unique process behind the making and  producing of the substance. After deciding on looking more into the idea of honey and existing packaging i felt the next step of my process would be looking at inspiration and creating a mood board. All images were sourced off my briefcase board on Pinterest. All the existing honey products were included on here as inspiration, I just love how they have captured the idea in a unique and fun way.   As well as including some existing products I looked at packaging illustration and also honey inspired colour palettes as these are all elements that I feel must be explored when developing my own products.   

After doing some initial research i felt it would be a good time to really start thinking about what I would like to do within my project and what product i would lie to develop. To help me I simply decided to do a mind map with different products for different areas. I also looked a few packaging inspiration for this different products and including them to help myself visually.  However after reviewing and looking for inspiration, I felt like I wanted to look further into condiments specifically being honey. I like the idea of honey and feel it would allow me to experiment with bold packaging and development. Therefore moving forward di intend to refine my research looking more specific inspiration.   

After playing around with developed sketches it was only right to move forward begin adding colour and detail. Below shows my first developed drawing and also one of my favourites. I chose to go for a darker tone theme that would contrast with he lighter typography and bright leaves. This is something unusual for me and therefore, i wanted to push this idea and take it in a different direction from the other two below.  I particular like the mint green tone of the writing and the abstract shame that will be used to frame the blurb. I think i really stands out against the navy and takes it that bit further than the typical white colour that we almost expect to see. As for the colours of the leaves i chose a range with some being more autumnal toned and some greens for spring/summer. I chose to do this as within the plot of the book the author discusses nature throughout the different season and therefore i thought it would be nice to include this.  Moving forward with this book...

Sara Mulvanny is a British illustrator based in Surrey, her words has been used on a wide range of project such as books, editorial and larger scale such as products for companies like museums and restaurants. She graduated from Kingston university with a degree in Illustration. From her website i was able to find out that Sara Mulvanny likes to work in pen and ink drawings using them to create pattern and texture.  Mulvanny was another artist i found whilst looking for inspiration on Pinterest, i like Cher use of bright colours and fun shape and textures. I particularly found this first drawing below, which seem to be a cover for a non-fiction book. This illustration stood out to me as i loved the use of typography against the unique style of illustration. I feel it is done rather successfully and should be an inspiration for my own work.    Another great example of Mulvanny work was this one seen below, from the composition I feel like this was designed for a book cover...

Felicita Sala Felicia Sala is an Italian illustrator and painter. She was born in Rome however grew up in Perth, Australia where she studied philosophy at university. However, after time spent around Europe she settled back in Rome and began teaching her self how to draw and experimented with illustration. Now Sala is making a range of picture books and editorial style illustrations for magazines.  I found Felicita Sala’s work on Pinterest whilst researching and looking for inspiration on this project. I found her work captivating in the way she uses soft colours and fun patterns. The illustration below was the first drawing i found of Felicita’s, this is an example of a double page spread from one of her children’s picture books. This illustration really stood out to me as i love the interesting composition and how the trees stand above as though you are looking up above. This composition could be seen as intimidating however, i feel the use of pattern and shape adds this cosy war...

After producing some initial thumbnails and looking at different typography experiments I decided to develop my designs further creating bigger more detailed drawings. This therefore allowed me to develop my drawings and experiment with different compositions.  The first idea was the leaf frame with the typography sitting bold in the middle. I liked this idea as it had the focus on being on the hand drawn typography, something which I really wanted to focus on when thinking about designing my cover. I liked how the leaves framed and almost created a circular shape as it almost gave that impression of nature being all around us and the importance it has. I feel there is definitely a great possibility for this to develop further and therefore this is one i will develop further possibly looking at colour.  The second idea also followed the leaf theme and had more of a loose composition with flying leaves that also act as a frame for the centre title and authors name. I do like th...

When thinking about creating a book cover i feel a really important part of the desing is also the typogrpahy. If the typography does not fit with the illustration elements of the theme fo the book at all then it wont look proffesional of succseful.  For my cover i knew i wanted to play around with hnaddrawn typogrpahy as i feel it ha that fun loose feel tha would reflect the thmes of my chosen book. To do this i did some initial typogtrahy expeirmentations, using procreae and a range of difital brushes ot expeiment with shape and overall look. My favourite o the designs was te big typography in the top left. To do this i used a brush from a gouache pack and simky suck to campital letter and bold lines. After the basic shape was developed i then used a smaller brush to tidy up the edges and add more structure yet still shwoing the chrcatrisitic of th eoruginal brush as i love te handdrawn playful feel. This is a font i would defintnly consider when it came to creating my design. ...

When thinking about our Penguin book cover it is an important element to consider the typography and how it is used to tell all the need information for the book and yet still fitting with the the overall image. After completing an online lecture looking at typography i felt this was the next step within the project, by experimenting and looking at examples that stand out to me.  The Little Woman book illustrated by Anna Bond I feel is an amazing example as she works with the typography in a way that blends them together by layering the illustration above and playing with the idea of the leaves weaving in and out. As for the Actual text I love the design it appears strong yet soft and feminine reflecting the book and its message. This was the second book i found with typography that seemed quite different and more structured copared to the little woman book. I liked this type as it had a fun handwritten element within its imperfect shapes and overall looks. This writing is a lo sma...

  After doing some initial research and sketches i felt now was a great time to begin thinking about thumbnails for the book cover. I chose to do ten initial thumbnails exploring the ideas of composition and how i could use it to help enhance the typography and illustration as a whole. It is also important to think about trying to create a clear clean look and idea whilst also having a unique feel. That is why when playing around with my thumbnails i decided to look at viewpoints and how it could be changed top create a feel for the book and also draw the viewer in.  Some of my avourite ideas included the top left design, i liked this design and the frmaing it has for the main title text, however, when thinking i felt this composition wasnt very uniuqe and therefore may come across as a simple feel. Another favourite of mine was the far left desing on the third row. I liked this idea oflooking up into the tree creating this feeling of pulling the reader in and up amongst the l...