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OUGD603: Brief 1 - SAC Ampleforth // Generating a colour scheme

I've started to develop the colour scheme for SAC Ampleforth, whilst I ponder the next step for the logo design - just to keep this brief moving. I've spend a couple of days at Bloom this week, where I had my placement over summer. I sit next to the guy who works on most of the branding projects within the creative team - I noticed he was using coolors. Coolors is a website which generates a range of colour schemes based on your input, or it can be complete random. I decided to give it a go for this project and see how it looks.



Coolors allows you to enter the HEX of any existing colours you might need to work with, which you can then generate colours around this. 


I imported the logo in photoshop and sampled the existing colour to get the HEX code, using the eye dropper tool. Fairly straightforward stuff. 


I added the HEX into Coolors, which then generated colours which complemented and contrasted with the first colour in an aesthetically pleasing manner. 


The colours I've ended up with are all fairly reserved - not too brash. Almost pastel like, which I think works well. It's the opposite to what a lot of sports centres are doing - brash almost fluorescent colours have been used, in your face. Whereas these are fresh, and different, setting SAC aside from the competition. 

I adopted the idea of using something different from David Airey - which I will link when I find the post about colour. 

OUGD603: Brief 1 - SAC Ampleforth // Primary Research at SAC

Over the weekend I was able to visit SAC and take some photos for primary research. Unfortunately, my photography skills are pretty dire, but you get the idea of the existing collateral within the sports centre. I tried to get a range of the collateral which wouldn't be considered usual within the gym. 


The way finding within the gym is very simple and traditional, simple printing onto some wooden plaques, which are mounted above doorways and on walls. It doesn't really fall into the existing theme of the brand.


The posters around the interior of the gym are third party. They really stand out amongst the rest of the gym - in a negative way. The colours clash, and the style of design doesn't blend with anything else surrounding it. 


Additional promotional and informational material within the sport centre - all of which looks pretty dreadful. None of which is consistent, and the majority of it hasn't even been designed. 


Stock photos used in the printed collateral. No real use of grid systems of other design elements. Unfortunately it really lacks any substance or individuality, which really brings down the sports centre as a whole. 


Finally, the SAC Ampleforth membership card - which is used for signing in to the gym upon arrival. Quite minimal, very basic. 

OUGD603: Brief 7 - Coffee Culture // Initial Branding Secondary Research

I've started to look into other existing coffee brands which are aesthetically pleasing - for reasons I will state upon analysis - which will later inform the design process for Coffee Culture's identity redesign. This is only an initial research post - documenting my findings which will inform the planning and initial ideas for this project.

Tokyo Cafe

I first looked at Tokyo Cafe, which is a Japanese cafe, which adopts the western coffee making lifestyle, more so the independent scene rather than Starbucking - implementing it into their existing culture. 


Thier identity consists of a logotype, using both Western and Japanese characters - bringing the two cultures together within one logotype A bond weight has been used to emphasise main part of the logotype 'Tokyo Cafe', in a font stylised with some modern Japanese features. This establishes a well thought out hierarchy. The In the 'logo', there is a symbol, which has been broken down below. 


The symbol used for the brand was created by using the symbol for Tokyo? and then using a C which stands for Cafe and combining them to create a very simple symbol. The simplicity allows the symbol to be recognisable, distinguishable. It also looks to have been designed using the fibonacci system, using the ratio to implement circles which then built up to make the symbol.


I quickly threw the symbol into illustrator and added some grids to it, and you can clearly see how the symbol has been constructed. Fibonacci-ish. Neat. 


The designer also gave information on how the logotype was designed. It takes elements from the existing Japanese character and implements it into the western type. Which makes the T, the K and the Y. The designer also added a dot next to the O, on the upper right - or the east. Which is supposed to represent the rising sun - which is associated with traditional Japanese culture. 

Brand implementation


Implementing the brand symbol onto staff uniforms using the simple brand colours - not over complex. Sophisticatedly simple. 


Business cards which use the logo type, using two variations of the brand colours. Really clean, really simple. Using the earthy brand colours, which have an organic homemade feel, which allow consumers which are environmentally concerned to connect with the brand. 


Full collateral shot - earthy colour scheme throughout. 


Physical 3D collateral, using the logo and symbol on the minimalist mugs and jars. Maintaining the brand colours, and using paper, which can be recycled to add an extra sense of sustainability to the brand - or at least the appearance of it. 


Envelope using the brand symbol on the top right, and using additions of the brand colour scheme to break up the what would be bland envelope. 


The think these buttons are ace. Fabric buttons using a traditional pattern and the brand symbol. They wouldn't look out of place anywhere really - a fantastic way to promote the brand. 





Master Bean

Masterbean is a coffee retail brand from Heidelberg, Germany. 


The logo has been designed in a way that captures what coffee is about. Indicating the spirit and the thoughts of coffee, at the same time reflecting the name MasterBean as being professional when it comes to coffee bean. The color scheme being minimal within the logo it then allows the logo to be put on a range of other colors depending on the sorts of coffee.


The main colours have been sampled from elements which reflect the brand. Personally, I think this can be quite limiting if there isn't a broad range to sample from - and you can't guarantee a decent contrast between the colour set. It might be best picking two colours and then looking into a colour which complements and contrasts, which will allow for greater diversity in the design. 


The symbol construction, using a relatively simple grid system, which has been used to determine the size and heights of the element. Personally, I think the logo looks really bland. It's not very tasteful. I think if the designer used the golden ratio within their design it might've looked slightly more aesthetically pleasing. Although, that might just be a preference. 


The coffee cups have been printed with a simple illustrative pattern around the top and the bottom. I don't think these work with the corporate symbol. The illustrations look hand rendered, whereas the symbol has been designed using realism - there's a reflection on the ring around the coffee bean.


And this is horribly photographed. 



























OUGD603: Brief 1 - SAC Ampleforth // Further Logo Development

Following taking a short break from the previous logo development, I approached the design with a fresh perspective, following some more research. Also reflecting on what the previous set of logos accomplished, and what they didn't.  

Again the logos are in black and white, as I've learned that the logo must work in black and white before it can work in colour - for grayscale elements and overlaying low contrast backgrounds. 

The majority of the logos represented sports centre, using a running man symbol, or similar to reinforce this. Research has show an aspect of motion within the logos, adding some distortion to the type which makes it appear as though it's moving - quickly. 

I applied a distort to logo and the symbol within this logo, increasing the size of one end of the logo, which appears to make the other shrink. Doing this creates an element of perspective, it tricks our eye into thinking the logo is a consistent size, but it's at a distance. Almost like it's moving towards us - influenced by the distortion on the virgin active logo. 


Another variation of the same logo above. I wanted to add in an existing element from the brand, to create a sense of familiarity in the design. Familiarity allows the audience to trust the design/identity, they feel like know it, it's already part of their lives. To achieve this, I added the crest taken from Ampleforth College's logo - their parent company. 


Playing with the aesthetics of the logo - adding some curves into the design. A centrally aligned layout, which looks quite traditional, almost vintage, which reflects the history of the sports centre and the college it's part of. Adding the running man symbol above the logotype to reinforce the sports theme, making it obvious. 


Same as above, but distorted to suggest motion - see the first variation for the reason. 


I also experimented with a badge style icon - the badge icon encompasses a vintage, heritageful look. Which reflects the history of the sports centre and the college. I used one of the previous logos as a placeholder within the logo - developing from it. Whilst also adding some additional badges which depict rugby and running, which are two of the main sports based in the college grounds. I don't really think they're too effective - more hipster than cutting edge sports facility. 


I went back and tried playing with the crest again - adding elements of the previous logo type to the design. However, in a block colour the shield and the banner blend together, and I wasn't sure it worked too well. It wasn't really an issue on a small scale, but in large, it's an issue. 


I tried separating the logo with a stroke, breaking up the shield and banner as the original logo does. I think it really lifts the logo, but I'm not sure it would work at different sizes. 


I added the location of the sports centre to the centre of the banner - just to fill it up. However, adding content makes the rest of the space around it more noticeable, it looks bare. 


However, I'm not sure any of the more intricate icons and logotypes would work on a small scale, as the type would become extremely small and unreadable. 
 

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