Drum Beat- Success!!!

Chris and I have found out that we have won the work placement in Manchester! They chose us because because they said that our three different ideas; the widget pig, the christmas TV and the wrapping paper, made them smile and laugh, which made me happy because that was our aim to make something happy, funny and witty for the company.

Sadly, there was not enough time to do the work experience before Christmas, due to Drum Beat’s huge work load before Christmas (expected really! considering that they will be designing and printing christmas cards like mad for their clients) Therefore, we are going up on the 15th December with Adam, to meet the team, and organise the work experience for January next year, which is really exciting!

In all, this shows that Chris and I work really well as a team, because we bring different strengths to the table, and we develop ideas more successfully as a team, so have decided that we will work on future briefs together.

Scanner Camera

I found this video from looking at Photojojo a emailing service which shows us new ways to use photography and software. This video is about making a Scanner Camera, made out of an old scanner, to produce photographs, some of the results are amazing, some of them look really spooky!

Drum Beat- Making the wrapping paper

Making the Photoshop Mock Up of the Wrapping Paper Idea

I had some real difficulties trying to find suitable pictures of wrapping paper on the web, so I decided to take my own pictures of wrapping paper, and transfer the image into the photoshop document. Here is an account on making the mockup's for the "wrapping paper".

“Gold Wrapping” Paper

I started off by taking pictures of some gold pictures on my phone, taking pictures at different stages, from being intact, to being totally ripped apart. The pictures looked good until I transfered them onto my laptop, where the gold paper looked a dingy brown. I tried dropping it into photoshop, and it looked awful!!!

Here are the pictures that I took of the gold paper, as you can see, they haven't worked;

“Silver and Red Parcel” Wrapping Paper

I decided that it was the paper that I used that didn’t work, so I went to Woolworth's, and brought some different paper. I then took more photos of the paper, while ripping it up, like the Gold Paper, and the outcome of the pictures were much better than the other ones.

When I loaded them up onto the computer, opened the photographs in Photoshop to edit them

 slightly, for example, I cut the red parcels out 

and stuck them into another photoshop document, I then changed the colour of the background, to a darker version of the “Drum Beat Green” and then changed the bows to the “Drum Beat Green” too. I then added this onto my template for the design. I thought that it worked well, and decided to use this one.

This is the paper that I decided to use;

I then took a Photograph of the paper with a rip in it, with a piece of blue paper behind it, to contrast the paper.

I then took the photographs into photoshop, and this was I ended up with. I copied the a red parcel of the photograph, and put it in a new document. I then mad multiples of the same red parcel, and laid them out like the original photograph. I then coloured all the bows on the parcels the "Drum Beat Green" to tie in with Drum Beat. I had to take out the silver background out because it was still too dark, looking back in some parts, and therefore I lost the writing on the background, and I was disappointed of that because I liked the paper because it said "unwrap me" on it, and I thought that this tied really well in the theme. I chose a darker Green for the background because I thought it contasted well with the parcels. This is a picture of the final product;

Two Versions

I have made two mock ups for the “wrapping paper” idea, one showing what it looks like at the start, and one that shows what the idea will look like when you start to rip the wrapping paper away. I did this to show what the idea looks like in the different stages of the design.

This is a screen shot of the wrapping paper thats not ripped;

This is a screen shot of the wrapping paper thats all ripped;

Drum Beat- Brainstorming with Chris

Adam thought that we needed to expand our ideas and brainstorm as a group, so Chris and I did! we came up with some new ideas, that were more fun and interesting.

My favourite is the "TV box"; click a button and different channels come up. with the"queen's speech" and other programs that are on at Christmas, but the Drum Beat Version! Its really fun and cheeky with a christmas theme.

Drum Beat- Comment Box Replies

I have just opened my comments box, and found nearly 20 comments relating to Christmas, which I am so happy with, as it will help me with my development of my Drum Beat Brief.

I found all the notes really interesting, all showing different views and what other people really get up to at Christmas! here are what some of the notes said in my box;

"I love it when its really cold outside and your sat in front of the fire watching christmas films like Home Alone."

"I hate Christmas because it costs' so much money- and I always think when it's all out- how I could of gone on a fab holiday instead."

"BEACH- DOGS

CEMETERY- YOU KNOW

CHICKEN VINDALOO- DINNER

BEER

END"

"Xmas for me is all about my children.

I love giving + choosing right presents for people.

I do feel sentimental, brings back 

childhood memories.

Like going to church sing long carols + hymns

Money is a pressure though."

"I love keeping back presents till boxing day because it really annoys my sister! LOL! :D"

The general comments on the notes are that Christmas is for children, some saying that they are sentimental about christmas when they were a child. Some say the pressure on money over christmas to make it "perfect" for their loved ones. I was quite shocked by the amount of people that sound that they spend christmas alone, or just with close friends and families, only spending it with the select view, in one case just the dog. I was also interested about the amount of notes said visiting the "cemetery" on Christmas Day, as my family have never done that.

I am really pleased on the amount of notes I got in the box, and I have decided to leave it out until Thursday, to see if I can get any more i the box. I defiantly think that it has given me a wider perspective on Christmas. 

Drum Beat- What do you think about christmas?

When discussing my ideas for the Drum Beat brief with Adam Cooke, Adam thought that I hadn't researched what I was going to use as my christmas theme, for my flash piece. I had decided that I was going to use were snowflakes, but Adam asked me why I decided to use snowflakes. My reply was that I had chosen snowflakes because they were christmasy. He said that I haven't thought about enough, and said to me that christmas is different for everyone! therefore, different things mean christmas for different people.

Adam said that I need to ask different people what they do and think at christmas. So I decided to Email Drum Beat to see what they think and do at Christmas. I have also made a "comments box" that Have put in the Art School, 

 with a sign saying;

" I know that christmas is far away, but what do you do at christmas? what do you love? what do you hate? any stories? traditions? Please could you write down on the paper and post i through the box"

I am hoping that I will get a few notes through and hopefully I will gain a wider view of christmas! I am going to collect the box on tuesday to see what I have got inside!

A photo of the box that I have put out;

Someone putting a comment in my box;

I am also going to think of other christmas symbols that I could use, staying away from the usual snowflakes, snowmen etc. and also stay away from religious symbols too, as its for a design company. 

For Drum Beat brief, I need to think outside of the box, trying to show christmas in a different light. I think that nower days, everyone does the same thing for christmas, and I don't want to be stuck in the same rutt. 

Drum Beat- Research

Brief;

To make a Digital Piece that promotes Drum Beat, I christmas theme that needs to be interactive and engaging, that creates interest, and get customers to get in contact with Drum Beat.

Starting Point;

When reading the brief, I highlighted words that I thought were important in this brief, and are using them as starting points.

• Minimal
  
• Understated
  
• Corporate
  
• With a bit of Edge
  
• Clean
  
• Minimal

What I found on their website;

• Its all about the 3 R's; "Recycle, Renew and reuse"
• "we believe that inspirational design shouldn't cost the Earth"
• "Driven by design"
• "Responsive, creative and fun"

Thoughts;

I think that this brief needs to be seen in "a fun" light, but still maintains the professional look that their company has. I am weary that it can't be "too cheeky" as current and future costumers of Drum Beat will see it.

This brief will be really fun to carry out, because it is quite a loose brief, so they are open to all ideas, but my only worry is that my lack of flash skills, and that I need to consider working with someone, that has those skills, but also can develop my ideas with.

Websites;

www.drumbeatcreative.co.uk

 

Nugo Nakamurah

Nugo Nakamurah

While I was in an Actionscript lesson with Liz, I came across Nugo Nakamurah, a new designer, that has made some of the most interesting flash pieces, including a piece called "Jampack" where balls fall down from the top of the screen, and start to pile up. the design is very simple but unique, just a black circle with two little white crosses on, with a white background. What makes this interesting, is that you can interact with the piece, you can click on the balls, throw them around, make them "pop" etc.

Nugo really showed me what can be made in flash, and that it has no boundaries, unlike what I thought before I came across him. I think that he shows that simplicity is the key, and that overcomplicating things is not going to work. The thing about this piece I like the most is that it is so simple but really effective to the viewer. 

I think that the balls are made randomly, therefore every interaction with the piece is different. The work has real originality  as I have never seen anything like it before. The website has also has many other flash pieces and work, including a piece called "border" that also interacts with the mouse, as the mouse moves around the screen, the "border" is affected by it, and makes waves in the line.

Here is a screen photo of the website, showing the "jampack" flash piece.

Useful Websites;

Profile on Yugo Nakamura; http:designboom.com/portrait/flash.html

Yugo's Official Website; www.yugop.com