Publication Development

16 Page Publication.
After deciding on my binding method I thought that I would be able to include more information in my publication, although I have found out that just because I have more space available, I can still only include 16 pages worth of content in my publication. Therefore I could have a reverse side to my spreads but keep the backs just illustrations, with no written information on it. This means that I will be able to include a reverse side to show illustrations, or maybe even have the animal prints on the back of each spread.

Front Cover.

I decided to draw up a few different layouts for the front cover.

I then found a design that I liked and started to digitally mock it up, although I think that it looks like it says "FA" rather than "EA" also it might be a bit close to EA Sports. This is why I have decided to put 'endangered animals' into the letters. I will point this out in my next crit and see if people agree with me, if so I think that it would be best to keep the cover simple and just have Endangered Animals written on the front. It might also bee a good idea to flock the front cover, this would give the publication a more interactive approach and will remind people of animals.

Spreads.

I have researched into the different animals I am wanting to include in my publication including.

• Sea Turtles
• Tigers
• Pandas
• Gorillas
• Whales
• Elephants
• Rhinos
• Penguins

If I had single pages for each animals, this would be four double page spreads, I have then decided to have an introduction spread to endangered animals and to the publication itself. Primary research that covers two spreads and then a spread based on the threats that the animals suffer from. I have produced some thumbnails so that I can investigate which layouts I would use for each animals. I have decided that throughout the publication I will keep the layouts the same but mirrored on the spreads, but have different layouts for each spread. I also want to include information graphics throughout the publication, stating important information about the animals, or threats that they have.

For the crit I decided to digitally mock up some layouts to see what they would look like throughout the publication, using the block colour as an area where an piece of information graphics or a statistic of some sort.

After the crit I received feedback about the layouts suggesting that it is a good idea to have mirrored layouts on my spreads. They also agreed with me that the front cover looks too similar to 'EA sports' and I should just keep the design simple and clear, so that it is serious like the publication should. 

Information Graphics.

I started to work on the information graphics starting with the turtle. I found a piece of information about the sea turtle and using a colour with different opacities to communicate the important information. I have also decided that I should include silhouettes of the sea turtle as it makes it clear which animals I am talking about.

I have used the same aesthetic for each of the animals then placed them all together, I will include this as my threats page as the information used is all about they biggest threats of each of the animals. I have also decided to include a shape in each of the animals information graphics that is related to each of the animals.

The Spreads.

I have experimented with each of the spreads to decide which layouts will work best for each of the animals.

I then looked into creating the animal prints for the reverse of each of the pages. I think that this will make the publication more interactive. Also because of the binding I am using, it means that the audience will be able to see the reverse of the spreads. I don't think that it will be aesthetically pleasing if the reverse is just blank.

I think that having the text justified makes the publication more serious, it also makes the text more readable and easy on the eye.

As well as the producing information graphics for the animal spreads, I have decided to produce a adventure map similar to the map used in Chester Zoo where I collected my primary research, apart from I have replaced their illustrations with my own. Using the locations of each of the animals where they would be on the map. I have also simplified the map so that it isn't as detailed and complicated.

The Final Spreads.

Reverse of the Spreads.

I am really happy with my final spreads, I have kept them consistent throughout the spreads, making sure that they have the same layout but mirrored on each spread. I also think that the info graphics makes my publication more appealing, and injects some illustration into it.

Final Publication.

When putting the publication together it was really successful and worked well, I also think that the colour choice for the spine and the packaging is really appropriate for my target audience.

Evaluation.
I am really happy with this publication, I think that the writing all of the content informed me more on the subject matter which meant that I could design it more thoroughly and accurately. I think that if I were to do this brief again I would think about flocking the front cover. As I made the publication first and decided on the font cover later I ran out of time and couldn't test out whether I should use flocking or not. I think that the information graphics makes the publication more interesting, it draws the eye straight to the main fact about the threats that each of the animals suffer. They also work really well together as a set and make the design stronger.

During this module I have focused on the design mainly rather than blogging a lot, I think that this has helped my design a lot, this is something that I have learned during the module. Evaluating my work is important as it gives me time to reflect on what I have done and produced, although I haven't got carried away and gone into too much detail so that my design process was hindered.


During my crits my peers suggested that my binding methods would also work for the packaging of my publication as they do work as a packaging for the publication, although I thought that maybe it wouldn't count as a packaging. Therefore I decided to create a simple sleeve, including no information, keeping it clear and serious like the publication. Although looking back at it I think that I maybe should have created something a bit more appealing for the packaging, maybe laser cutting it so that it is more appealing. I think that the publication I have created for the endangered animals is really appropriate for my subject and for my target audience, as it is interactive so animal lovers can get involved with the publication.