OUGD503 - Studio Brief 01 - Shy Bairns Cover First Designs

Once submissions had been selected and edited for printing, a title was generated from one of the submission works. The group determined that issue 1 of the publication would be called 'The Only Pizza Shop Where I Live Burnt Down'. Working with this title, a range of designs for the publication's cover were created. All designs exclusively used the risograph colour selected for print.


Design 1

Initial ideas for the cover design all revolved around the idea of a local pizza shop. The first design plays with the style of typography that is typically found on the exterior of illegitimate takeaway shops - typically bold, loud, badly kerned design and inappropriate for the business. The rounded typeface and flat two-tonal colours create a sense of naivety that resonates with the name 'Shy Bairns' and the purely type based design produces and engaging and unique cover.

Design 2

Design 2 was based around the colour gradient that are often found within the signage of takeaway shops. The white is representative of the illuminated signs that are more often than not broken. This design features only outlined text.

Design 3

The third design was created around the concept of the takeaway building burning down, using four distinct grid layers stacked together. As the eye moves down the title it simulates the act of falling. The combination of typography and symbolic imagery create a concise cover design that incorporates a recognisable motif that could be applied throughout the design for this publication.

Design 4

The final design was based around the vinyl typography that can often be found on takeaway windows. The utilisation of unusual angels provides context without creating an over-obvious design. A simple use of colour provides another effective contextual element and allows the typography to become the focal point of the cover.

Feedback from the collective was positive towards these design. It was discussed that a heavily type-based design would provide good attraction from an audience while having a recognisable typeface that would become synonymous with the issue would also provide opportunities to expand the design into a range of other type-based printed works such as posters.

It was decided that design 3 was the most effective design for the cover as the size and placement of the type would feel immersive to a new viewer and the subtle context of the grid pattern represented the long title the most accurately. It was also agree that the grid motif could be successfully used throughout the design for the issue and its advertising to create a strong identity for the project.