Before Reading Anything Much About Circular Design I Felt Like I Had A Vague Concept About What It Was
Before reading anything much about circular design I felt like I had a vague concept about what it was already. My understanding was that circular design focuses not only on the design of the project but the scope of it and the life cycle.
Now I think I can understand that Circular Design is more focused on the reusability of the product and how many times it can be reused within its cycle, which seems like an interesting ideology as there’s been a lot of focus on proper recycling in the past few years. My dad likes to talk my ear off about how back in the day, people used to fix stuff instead of throwing it out. There’s evidence of that too when you look at food packaging from back in the day, cracker tins could be reused to hold bits and ends. Flour sacks were purposefully printed with fun patterns in the 1930′s after manufacturers realized that women would make clothing from them.
Maybe they weren’t thinking about it that way at the time, but that seems to be a prime example of circular design. It’s the idea of the continuity of the design’s life after its expected death and giving it a new purpose.
I think that circular design ties in nicely with design thinking but wouldn’t say that it’s here to replace design thinking. I think if anything, that it’s just something to consider when using design thinking.
One concept I don’t like is the idea of subscriptions. While that works for single-use items like books or games that you might want to eventually pass on, it annoys the living hell out of me that there are so many subscriptions in the digital sense. For example, why do I have to pay monthly or yearly for the Adobe cloud when I’d be better off just buying it in one go?
I think when it comes to our show at least, we can definitely think about circular design. Here are some ideas:
reusable frames for the display that we can leave to the next year or take home for personal use.
personal branding that can be reused for other purposes, eg. a program booklet that refolds with guides into a paper airplane.
Renting table cloths instead of buying them.
I think we need to also think about the environmental impact of printing for our show and consider less projects but a more careful selection on what to show.
More Posts from Saraholmesdesign and Others
DAY THIRTEEN - BLOG POST #15
So there we have it, the last day of class and our final submission was due. I’ve pasted in a photo to give you guys a little look-see of how it turned out. As you can see, it really evolved from the initial concept to the final design. I know I say it constantly, but you need to ‘Kill Your Darlings’.
I don’t think I could have gotten to my final design if I wasn’t willing to flex on what I was doing and I’m really happy with how it turned out. I’ve learned to let go of my initial vibrant idea during my time in this class and I think I’ve learned that just because my initial concept works, it doesn’t mean it’s the only concept that does.
Due to printing, my design shifted a little on the page and cutting it became an issue. I didn’t get as clean a prototype as I would have liked as a result, but I’m happy enough with the results! We went from a complicated little box with a pour spout to as little paper as I could manage and I think that I accomplished the goals of this project in that sense.
I loved working with a real-life client and while my design was not chosen, she told me that she really liked it, so I feel happy about that.
We’ve Got Colour
So with a chosen logo to work with, I now have to figure out colour. I know these posts have been a little bit long-winded but bear with me here, typing all this out is helping me think as well.
When working with colour, it’s important to think about emotions you’re trying to get across as well as what your audience is. Since my audience is the community, I want to use colours that are welcoming and friendly.
I started by collecting some colours that I like. I usually do this by looking at other work I’ve done and picking from photos that fit the mood of the project.
Lately, I’ve been really into softer, bright colours.
These are some of the colour combos that I played with for this project but ultimately, I’ve ended up on the pale yellow, red and blue. They’re a softer take on a fully saturated primary palette. I may use the light pink as well later in some pattern work.
Yellow = optimism, happiness, enthusiasm, hope red = passion, love, fire, determination blue = sea, sky, confidence, calm
Portfolio Website
The Links I’ll Use
about me, small joys, resumé
Which 3 (or more) projects will you showcase on your site?
Balanced Balanced is a project that I did last semester where we had to choose an issue and then try and solve it as best we could through graphic design. Balanced ended up being an integrative system to promote a healthy work/life balance for the issue. It showcases an app design, web page, smart watch, smart speaker and welcome pamphlet as well as a colour brand.
The Nav The Nav Student Press is a magazine that I have been art directing the past two years and worked on for the last three. It showcases my editorial skills and features two different base designs for me to show on my website.
Place Place is a branding project that I am currently working on for design for business. At the end of this project I will have a fully branded guide for a new business. This will include a logo, a pattern, style guide and branding elements. I will add it at the end of the term.
Fox & Koi Fox & Koi is the enamel pin business that I run with Teigan Mudle. Through fox & koi, we have designed over 30 pins and I have personally been responsible for 15 of them and collaborated on 5. I have also done some illustrative print work, designed backing cards and created stickers.
Where do you need to fill holes in your showcase?
photography
mockups
sketches/roughs for all projects
more active dribble, design instagram
What will you do specifically to fill holes?
write rationals
do photography of products and/or mockups
post more on my design instagram
post more on dribbble
organize past sketches and roughs into something legible.
What platform will you use?
Wordpress, powered by semplice
What is your domain name?
saraholmes.design
Day Eight - Blog Post #10
Coombs Country Market Field Trip
We went on a field trip to Coombs today to visit their grocery store. Coombs has a lot of really neat packages in their store because they sell items that come from all over the world! There were beautiful Balsamic bottles, chocolate bars, yoghurt packages and so much more! However, we were there with a simple enough goal and I wasn’t to get distracted, although in the end, it happened. We can blame the edible glitter and handmade paper for that!
Anyway, the goal was to find two sets of a package series that we could draw inspiration from and use as an example for our next project. We’re supposed to design a box for Granola for this delicious, local-based fresh juice company.
Series #1: Fee Brothers Bitters
How is the branding consistent across all of the packages?
While the brand’s colour changes, the layout of the packages remains consistent. The type, logo, paper and sticker along the top are all the same. The only thing that changes in fact, is the colour. Even then, the colours are in the same tones. Even with just a quick glance at the shelf, someone could register that they’re a series.
How does the design differentiate amongst “flavours”?
The design does not differ much, the only thing I did find is that on some of the bottles, the lid had a different colour to denote flavour as well. However, this wasn’t completely consistent so it was hard to say what it meant completely, which was a small issue in the concept overall.
What is the brand concept?
The concept for this brand seems to be higher end and meant to make the audience feel like it is an old-fashioned product. It is wrapped in paper to give it this illusion of being vintage and the sticker that runs around the top displays the portraits of what one must assume are the Fee Brothers. What’s fun about is that you can’t see the liquid inside until you open and unwrap the bottle, giving it the feeling of something you might be able to present as a gift.
Other thoughts?
I’m kind of curious to see what the bottle looks like underneath the paper and was seriously considering buying a bottle just to check. It’d be cool if this product was so easily recycled by just removing the label and bringing the glass in! While I want to create something consistent, I also want to make sure that I focus on the environment. I’m already thinking about what I might do to make the package sustainable and within my client’s budget. I like the idea of glass.
Series #2: Whittaker’s Chocolate.
How is the branding consistent across all of the packages?
Whittakers is a really neat brand because while there are a lot of flavours, the Whittakers chocolate brand is unmistakable. I first came across it in New Zealand, where it is manufactured and proudly second only after Cadbury chocolate. Every single package is a beautiful shade of gold in a paper wrap and when opened, another foil wrap of gold protects the chocolate inside. The branding remains consistent by keeping the logo at the top of the package, followed by the chocolate information and name.
How does the design differentiate amongst “flavours”?
There is always a block of chocolate at the bottom but it is always illustrated with the correct flavour profile per package. Each flavour also has a unique font colour. Otherwise, the rest of the package remains the same.
What is the brand concept?
The concept for the brand is definitely meant to be luxurious, denoted by the gold wrap colour. The font tells us that it is also meant to be old-fashioned. Knowing New Zealand, I know how proud they are of their heritage and this chocolate is meant to draw on that. The user should feel that when they are picking up this block at the grocery store, they feel like they’re in a lovely old candy shop.
Other thoughts?
I was wondering if I was drawn to this series because of the nostalgia I felt when looking at it, you can’t count on one hand the amount of these bars I got through when I lived there! However, you can tell just by the image that this is a really strong series. There is no question that they are linked and I think the key to that is only changing a small part of the package to reflect the different flavours. The goal is definitely to have the user know without question that the two separate items that they are holding are linked.
Here are some vector versions of the logos I have chosen to work with and some possible colours to use as well. I plan to choose one of these and work on it further, I’m sure I’ll have a better idea of what I can do with these options after some feedback from my peers.
The Core Values of Place
If you build it, they will come.
Together we can do so much.
Do something today that benefits tomorrow.
You have power, do good.
A hearth should always be warm.
We share this Place with everyone.
Brand Statement
Hi, my name is Sara. I am a graphic design graduate. When I’m not designing, I’m running my small enamel pin business or slinging coffee at White rabbit Coffee Co. No matter what the task, I put my all into it with gusto. I work bright and fast. I want to create real, positive change through my work, no matter how small.
Brand Promise
I’ll always do better than before. (WIP)
Pushing the limits on every project. (possibility?)
Client Survey
General Company Info
What is the name of your company? Place
What is your business/what do you do? Place provides a single location for a range of events in Nanaimo’s downtown core. It can be a pop-up market, a venue for a reception, an intimate concert, a wedding, a dance, an art class, the possibilities are endless.
How old is your company? The company has yet to exist.
What is the size of your company? A small core of people involved in bettering downtown Nanaimo. two people leading a small team of 5-6.
Are there specific dates the project needs to be completed? No.
Your budget dictates how much time can be spent on your project. What is the budget? Open
Describe your business in one sentence. No matter what event you are hosting, this is the place for it.
Describe your business in two words? Convenient, Reliable
Describe your business in one word? Perfect
What doesn’t your business do, or do well? Does not host large concerts, or sporting events.
What differentiates your business from competitors? Ease of access, Place’s main interest isn’t how much money can be made but in creating a place for the community to use without burning a hole in people’s wallets.
Is there a story that is unique to your company? When searching for a location for a grad show, Sara realized that there really wasn't’ anywhere in the downtown core that was appropriately sized or available for a small reception.
Or perhaps a unique story to the company name? Every city should have a place, somewhere that you can go that would be good for a range of events, but also a safe please for youth to hang out and host community events.
What are your business objectives? To create a beautiful place to host events that can host a range of things from shows, events, receptions, to tourist attractions in the summer months like a large market or informational sessions.
What do you want the design/redesign to do for your company? I want it to give the company a modern look and feel that is also welcoming to the community.
General Image of Company
If you company/brand was a person who would it be? Why? I don’t know if it would be a person so much as a representation or even an animal. Place should be able to represent Nanaimo and the future of Nanaimo and its community. If anything, I’d say that I’d want it to be represented by the Orca because of its sense of community and ties to the Salish sea.
Is there an important object, building or person for your business? The building for this business is what makes the business and it would be located right downtown, on the water.
How do you want the public to perceive your image? A meeting hall, a place that represents Nanaimo, a sense of place for Nanaimo. It should feel like home but also fresh.
What do you want to be famous for? Being the place that people go to when they need a place.
What words should the general public associate your business with? Name at least 3. Modern, Inviting, Perfect
How do you want your image to be seen in 2 years? 10 years? Comfortable, familiar, renowned
Competitors
Who are your competitors? Vancouver Island Conference Center, Port Theatre
How are they better/worse than your product/service? Vancouver Island Conference Center has a larger space to host larger events, Port theatre has better space for theatrical events.
Who might you compete with in the future? More developments.
The Target Audience
Who is your customer? Describe in detail. My customer is anyone who is looking to use a space but is having trouble finding a good venue for it. A lot of people in Nanaimo have to settle for a venue that isn’t necessarily ideal and we are lacking a community spot.
What do they do? Live in Nanaimo and actively work towards bettering the downtown community via productions or events.
What do they watch? Community productions, local musicians, short plays, open mics.
Who is the ideal customer? Someone who perhaps wants to bring more culture to the city but lacks the funding/space.
How old is your ideal customer? 20-60
How do they find out about you? Through advertisements downtown, facebook, Nanaimo’s website
What do they want from you? A place to host an event.
What customers do you not want to attract? People who want to host an extremely large event or have the money to do so elsewhere. (Large corporate events that exceed capacity)
What do you offer your customers that your competition does not? A place that can be molded easily to fit their needs. The place isn’t designed a certain way to format one specific thing so it means its a space that can be used for a variety of things without many spacial issues.
Current identity
Do you have an identity? No
What are two identities or logos that you like? Dislike? I like the CBC logo and the CNR logo. I don’t like the Nanaimo Chamber logo
What colours do you like? Dislike? I like sunset colours and when you just use multiple shades. I don’t like intense greens or dull colours.
Anything else?
What did we not ask that you want us to understand? The Place isn’t like anything that’s already in Nanaimo because it isn’t held back by a small size or a regular business, it isn’t meant to make money from events, just enough to cover expenses. It’s meant to be somewhere rentable that people can use to host a variety of events and promote community within Nanaimo.
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