The sixth lecture - المحاضرة السادسة
march 22nd, 2017


Introduction to Packaging

What's Packaging?

1. Processes (such as cleaning, drying, preserving) and materials (such as glass, metal, paper or paperboard, plastic) employed to contain, handle, protect, and/or transport an article. Role of packaging is broadening and may include functions such as to attract attention, assist in promotion, provide machine identification (barcodes, etc.), impart essential or additional information, and help in utilization. See also packing.
2. A practice of combining several related goods or services into a single offer. See also bundling.


benefits of packaging

Packaging is the protector of the product within.It protects the product from physical impacts such as hitting, wetting, and bruising.Packaging allows for the product to reach the consumer in the most economic way possible and creates ease of storage.Another important role is to provide the consumer with ease of choice and usage with the information it holds. The weight, price, production date, use by date, ingredients, name of producer company, usage details written on the packaging provides major convenience to the seller and the consumer.

strategies for successful packaging

1. Make your product stand out

2. Break with convention

3. Products with purpose

4. Add personality

5. Tiered branding

6. The cost of transport

I've always been fond of packages. when I was younger I used to collect packages and bags that I like. so, this BURBERRY package is an example of a simple and sophisticated package of mine:

Exercise:

 we've designed a package
the original package was brown and simple with no creativity or design in it. So, I wanted to keep it simple but I wanted it to be more cohesive.

First, I've used a template has the same size as the brand's original box.
I've chosen stones picture since they use stones in their designs, the box was in the front and the back but the edges of the box are dark blue.
I learned how to organize layers in Illustrator, and also how to match the edges colors and the picture colors.
The grid has also helped me with managing the right size for the template.

For the brand logo, the information, and the barcode I've designed this strap to go over the box.
For the Typography, I've made space wider between the letters and by 'transform' tool - 'shear' for about 22 degrees.

The reveal after printing.

The fifth lecture - المحاضرة الخامسة

march 16th, 2017

Grid System

As with all systems in design, a grid should focus on problem solving first and aesthetics second. A grid is the definition of a framework, it’s there as a tool to guide design and placement of elements. But it’s also there to enhance the user’s experience by adding order and predictability to websites.

Grids are not one size fits all, your grid should be based on the problem it’s there to solve, which is fundamentally organising content. There are a few things to consider before working out your grid.

Grid system has 4 types:

Manuscript Grid

Sometimes called a block grid or single column grid, the manuscript grid is the simplest grid structure. It’s mainly a large rectangular area taking up most of the space inside a format.

The primary structure is defined by large text blocks and margins, which position the block within the format. Its secondary structure defines the location and proportions of folios, footnotes, running headers, and other secondary information.

Column Grids

When people think of grids, especially online, they likely think of column grids. As you would expect column grids are made up by placing multiple columns within the format.

Column grids are good when discontinuous information needs to be presented.

Modular Grids

Modular grids are like column grids with the addition of horizontal divisions marked by rows. The columns and rows and the gutters between each create a matrix of cells or modules.

Modular grids are good for complex projects that require more control than a column grid can offer. Image galleries and shopping carts are likely candidates for modular grids.

Hierarchical Grids

Hierarchical grids are commonly found on the web. They’re based more on an intuitive placement of elements, which still conforms to the needs of the information.

Customized proportions are typically used in hierarchical grids instead of regularly repeated intervals. Column widths tend to vary as do the location of flowlines.

For the exersice we've designed a book spread (tow pages of the book that we designed it's cover)

In this spread I used asymmetrical design but I worked on making it balanced

The grid helped me so much with the measurements

I also practised the Typography and used it for the main title and the sub title and also the main paragraphs.

Visual elements are important to explain the ideas which I put in cosideration in my design.

I was inspired by a spread in a magazine I've seen online

At the end this lecture added so much to me and made me recognize the beauty of magazines' and books' designs and appreciate them all.

The Forth Lecture - المحاضرة الرابعة

march 8th, 2017

I this lecture we've learned about Illusrator, and we've completed the book cover front and back.

Illustrator:
It is drawing program which is vector based and is any designers best friend . Opposed to bitmap images that store image data in the form of grids made of dots, Illustrator used maths based equations to draw shapes. It is this factor that makes the vector graphics scalable to any proportion without losing any resolution or quality.

The exercise of today's lecture was to improve my book cover and design it's typography with Illustrator

Designing Steps:

I took the picture I designed last week and worked on it

started to do some techniques which I've learned from the lecture
the size of the file is A4
opened the picture I've already designed

The colors I used for the typography was all from the picture by Eyedropper tool,
I've added the summary of the book and the awards it has won.
I added an image of a cat to add some conclusion
I added a barcode

The reveal:

I've had fun designing this book cover. Especially because the book it self is about something I'm passionate about.

The Third Lecture - المحاضرة الثالثة

March 1st, 2017

In this lecture we've chosen a book and re-designed it's cover

The book I've Chosen:

The Complete Cat's Meow By Darlene Arden

It's Content:

It's talking about how people understand their cats and how to take care of them very well

The old cove of the book:

Designing Steps :

1: I took a photo of a recently discovered planet called Cat's Eye Nebula, which looks like a cat's eye.

2: I've changed colors
the lift side is the back of the book and the right side is the front

In progress...