Blog Post 50 - Stage 2 - Evaluation

After the formative feedback in Blog Post 48, after carrying out the modifications to my design in the last Blog Post (number 49), this meant that my design for Stage Two was now officially completed and that I was ready to move onto Stage Three of the assignment. However, prior to moving on I feel that it is important to pause and take an overall evaluation of the second stage in a similar manner to that of Blog Post 29 whereby I evaluated Stage One. This might seem a bit overkill as I have methodically evaluated each and every stage of the design from the On Disc Label, however I think that an overall evaluation is also very important to see the bigger picture of the design process.

At this stage I think it is very much worth reiterating the original specification in regards to that of Stage Two of the assignment, which is below:

"Create a DVD on-disc label including a logo. This may be created in Photoshop and/or Illustrator. You will be expected to demonstrate, at minimum, use in Illustrator of the pen tool, type tool, placing images, brushes, clipping masks, guides, layers, transparencies, text wrap. You must submit the Illustrator workspace file."

Going through this specification in a check list type of fashion, I can conclude that:

Create a DVD on-disc label including a logo

I can confirm that I have created a DVD On Disc Label because in Blog Post 36 - Disc Template, I researched and set up the Adobe Illustrator file to be that of a DVD format which was specifically set up in regards to the sizes researched, as well as the inclusion of guides too. I can also confirm that I create a logo from scratch in Illustrator which can be found in Blog Post 46 - Logos. 

This may be created in Photoshop and/or Illustrator

I can confirm that I used Adobe Illustrator as the base program for the design, and I also utilised Adobe Photoshop too in regards to some of the previous elements that I had created and had to place into Illustrator - for example the placing of the Trio of Cars that I created in Blog Post 13. However Adobe Illustrator was the main program used, mainly due to it being a vectorised graphic editing program and Photoshop being a bitmap image editing program. 

Use of Pen Tool

I can confirm that I have used the Pen Tool in Illustrator, with two examples being the use of it in Blog Posts 43 - Gene Hunt and Blog Post 44 - Trio of Cars.

Use of Type Tool

I can confirm that I have used the Type Tool in Illustrator many times, with some examples being of Blog Post 42 - Titles and Blog Post 47 - Information also where a large range of different type tools were used with examples being the Type Tool, Type on a Path Tool and Area Type Tool.

Placing Images

I can confirm that I have placed images in Illustrator, with some examples being of Blog Post 43 - Gene Hunt, Blog Post 44 - Trio of Cars and Blog Post 46 - Logos.

Use of Brushes

I can confirm that I have used Brushes in Illustrator, with an example being in Blog Post 44 - Trio of Cars.

Use of Clipping Masks

I can confirm that I have used Clipping Masks in Illustrator, with some examples being that of Blog Post 43 - Gene Hunt and Blog Post 44 - Trio of Cars.

Use of Guides

I can confirm that I have used guides in Illustrator whereby in Blog Post 36 - Disc Template when I set up the original Disc Template I ensured that the guides were precisely set up so that during the design process I would be able to use these to help me with the design and generally aid the ease of design.

Use of Layers

I can confirm that I have used a vast array of different layers in Illustrator and an example of layers being mentioned are that of Blog Post 43 - Gene Hunt whereby I talk about creating a new layer and assigning selected objects to these new layers so that everything is all in order.

Used of Transparencies

I can confirm that I have used the options of transparencies in Illustrator with an example being in Blog Post 45 - Background Pattern whereby I created the pattern from scratch. Within this Blog Post I talked about that of the different gradients that I selected and also that of the transparencies that I used to ensure that the graduated effect of the pattern was in place.

Use of Text Wrap

I can confirm that I explored the use of Text Wrap in Illustrator which you can find in Blog Post 47 - Information, however I must admit that although I have provided evidence in exploring the text wrap feature I did not go ahead with adding this to my design. Just to prove that I have fully explored the Text Wrap element you will find Blog Post 34 - Text Wrap has a detailed explanation of Text Wrap which shows my understand and demonstrates me exploring the use of it in Illustrator.

With the above specification points being successfully carried out, personally I wanted to try and go above and beyond this specification and I feel that I have also done this too. My first example of this was researching, downloading and installing aftermarket fonts which were not originally available in any Photoshop package. This was because when trying the different fonts for my DVD Cover I just felt that they were not giving that right effect or impression that I was after and with this in mind I felt that I had to go further and not just settle for a substandard font and so did not want this to be the case for this stage of the assignment too. Therefore spending time and researching and finding fonts which I thought were the best for my cover was done - further details can be found in Blog Post 26 - Actor and Music Information, Blog Post 16 - Tag Line and Blog Post 15 - Title whereby these fonts were also carried over and used on the On Disc Label too. Another example of going above and beyond is that found in Blog Post 43 - Gene Hunt and Blog Post 44 - Trio of Cars, whereas I researched how to use the Image Trace tool in Illustrator which meant that I was able to convert a bitmap image to a vectorised graphic and then apply effects to the images to make them appear different to the rest used. Also, another example of this is in regards to Blog Post 46 - Logos I also researched how to create the retro logo which I went ahead and created.

To finish off this evaluation, I have decided that I will re-iterate another part of the specification which details that of the online blog project logbook which I feel is also important too:

"The logbook will show your complete project design process through images, annotations, sketches, notes, references, etc. It will also act as a design log where you record:

• What you are doing for each stage of the project.
• What works and what doesn’t.
• Why you have made decision x etc.

You should consider the logbook not only as a record of the actions you have taken, but an ongoing evaluation of your progress. You should also ensure that you also consider:

• The success of your final designs in terms of what works and what doesn’t.
• What you would do differently next time.
• What you would spend more or less time on next time, etc."

In regards to the above statements set out in the original specification, I feel that at the end of Stage Two of this assignment it is also important to evaluate my progress in relation to that too. Personally I feel that in the past 20 Blog Posts for this stage I have ventured into enough detail in regards to that of the what does and does not work and why I made each decision, for example that of Blog Post 44 - Trio of Cars and why I decided on where I would place the cars on the On Disc Label. In regards to what I would do differently next time, this is something that I've yet to think about and personally I do differently next time. However, as the saying goes hindsight is a wonderful thing and in hindsight I would of taken more care over ensuring the use of the vectorised graphic for the Age Certification Logo which can be found in Blog Post 49 - Modifications and where I found out about it in Blog Post 48 - Formative Feedback. Regarding timings I feel that I managed my time well however personally I felt that the entire design phase for Stage Two was quicker than that of Stage One. However, I think that this is in regards to there being less things to do this time around, for example I had already created the Trio of Cars back in Blog Post 13 and this was something that I was able to use in Blog Post 44 as opposed to having to create it from scratch.

To end, here is a copy of the final design for Stage Two of the assignment:

Having now evaluated this Stage Two of the assignment, this means that I am now ready to move onto Stage Three: Promotional Video.