Package Design – Milestones 2 + 3 + Summary

Legal Information & Includes:

I researched board games and tabletop games to find out what I needed to include in my package design. Things that I absolutely needed to include were:

• company information (including full address, website, trademark information)
• where the product was made
• who designed it
• a bar code, price
• box contents
• an indicator if the product contained small parts and was not for children under 3.
• short description of the game
• French translation of any descriptive text present on the package

The more legal information such as the company information and bar code got placed on the bottom, with the box contents and game description on the main/middle section.

 

Package Layout:

This was probably the most daunting part initially since I couldn’t find a template that would suit my needs and would have to create one myself. It seemed overwhelming at first but once I got started it wasn’t so bad. I created an equilateral triangle with a 6cm measurement per side and started laying them out. Once I had all 20 triangles incorporated I created a small 1cm extension-type flap to use to glue the design together into the desired shape. Looking back I should have made this flap larger so it would have been easier to glue, as it’s being hidden anyways.

I added two rectangular flaps to the ends of two triangles on the top portion which would serve as a means to seal the package. I then created two triangles with slots for these flaps that I would glue onto the inside of the package. This would create a means for it to be opened and resealed.

 

Colours & Type:

I used a simple legible font called Interstate-Regular for the type on the package, and chose to reuse colours that the Dungeons and Dragons brand uses often (gold and red) but swap how they’re typically used. Instead of going with the standard red for the logo I chose to go with gold and use red for the background instead. I also used gold for headings and the illustrations to help them pop out a bit more. For the general type on the package I initially planned on using gold but after a recommendation from a classmate decided to go with white as it ended up being a little easier to read.

Initially I had the background as a plain flat red but opted to give it an inner glow to give it a pseudo-gradient effect which gave the design a little bit more depth to it. This worked really well, and was practically a night and day change.

 

Graphics & Production Art:

I chose to create my own artwork for this project. I kept the illustrations plain and simple, creating silhouettes of iconic fantasy items/figures that would be recognizable to everyone. Since the package was intended to be small, keeping the illustrations/artwork simple helped to not overwhelm the design of the package.

 

Short Project Summary:

My goal with this project was to create something that wasn’t just a simple box. I wanted to create a unique package design that was relevant to the product and that was unique and eye catching. I believe I achieved that goal with my icosahedron (20 sided die) package design.

My design works because it is compact, distinguishable, unique, and iconic. Dungeons and Dragons players will easily be able to distinguish it from a lineup, and without a doubt will have a good idea what it is before they even read the label. Players that are unfamiliar with the product would hopefully be allured by its bright colours and unique shape, causing them to investigate the product (hopefully leading to a purchase).

Over the course of this project I learned how to create a fully functioning package using various flaps, seams, and folds to achieve the result I desired. I got to revisit tracing and illustrating with the pen tool to create the artwork on the package, and I got to practice with typography a bit when it came to fitting the text to unconventional shapes (triangles in this case).

The final package is about as big as a softball, something that can easily be stored on shelves or even on top of each other in a bin/container. Here are some pictures of the final result:

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Package Design – Milestone #1

For my package design project I’ve chosen to redesign the Starter Set for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. Below is my design brief for the project, followed by two concept sketches:

 

 

DESIGN BRIEF: Wizards of the Coast – Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set

 

BACKGROUND:

Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of role-playing games, board games, and collectible card games that are primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. Originally a basement-run role-playing game publisher, the company poularized the collectible card game genre with Magic: The Gathering in the mid-1990s, acquired the popular Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game by purchasing the failing company TSR, and experienced tremendous success by publishing the licensed Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Their primary competitor is Paizo, another American publisher of role-playing games and board games. Paizo is known for it’s role-playing game Pathfinder which is roughly based off of version 3.5 of Dungeons & Dragons.

 

PRODUCT:

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game, commonly recognized as the beginning of modern role-playing games and the role-playing game industry. D&D assigns each player a specific character to play. These characters embark upon imaginary adventures within a fantasy setting. A Dungeon Master serves as the game’s referee and storyteller while maintaining the setting in which the adventures occur, and playing the role of the inhabitants. The characters form a party that interacts with the setting’s inhabitants, and each other. Together they solve dilemmas, engage in battles, etc.

With the newer 5th edition (created in 2014) the game has been simplified in an effort to make it more appealing and easier to get into for new players. Additionally, Wizards of the Coast has also put together starter sets that include rulebooks that have been simplified further – this is what I will be redesigning.

The Starter Set is Wizards of the Coast’s best chance at gaining new customers and fans of their products. Because of that, he entire set is priced affordably between $20-30 (comparatively the Player’s Handbook alone is priced around $35) and is primarily sold in hobby shops or game stores.

 

OBJECTIVES:

Since the release of 5th Edition, D&D’s significant rise in accessibility has increased it’s popularity. The current target audience is both men and women ages 18 and up. The target purchaser will most likely be a fan of the fantasy genre, and at least open to if not a fan of roleplaying. The target purchaser will be curious in trying out the game, but not willing to spend significant money on the various books and materials required, or time trying to sift through said rulebooks to learn how to play.

The design will appeal to the target audience by:

• Utilizing D&D’s unique branding
• Utilizing a unique package design
• Drawing on fantasy elements present in the packaging design
• Reassurance through the Wizards of the Coast brand

 

DESIGN STRATEGY:

• Move away from original package design – standard rectangular box with logo + cover image
• Use the iconic ‘D20’ as a model for new package design (Icosahedron – 20 sided polygon comprised of triangles)
• Maintain original D&D branding and colour scheme / themes (reds, browns, golds)
• Utilize eye catching illustrations of fantasy characters (wizard, dragon, knight, etc) in package design
• Utilize said illustrations and the unusual package shape to further allure people to pick up and investigate the product
• Overall tone/message: Fun, casual, fantasy, imaginary, accessible, interesting, out of the ordinary

Using an icosahedron shape for the package design will first and foremost stand out to the customer as being unusual, serving as an extra means to get newcomers to at least pick up the product and investigate. Fans or customers familiar with tabletop games may even recognize the shape as the iconic D20 and go to it immediately. Furthermore fantasy based illustrations present on several panels of the icosahedron will act to allure fantasy fans to the product. The starter set will include everything needed to play in a quick and effctive manner (minimal/simplified rules) at a cheap and affordable price.

 

Composite 2

For my second composite project I was originally going to run with a Kanye West idea but I decided to try something different instead. I chose to make an Audio Book CD for the book 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson.

 

The Client/Product:

Jordan B. Peterson is a Canadian born clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at U of T. Peterson gained popularity in 2016 when he released a series of videos on his YouTube channel in which he criticized political correctness and the Canadian Government’s Bill C-16 because of free speech implications.
I wouldn’t say it’s a self help book although the title does make it sound that way. It’s more than that. It’s basically a breakdown of his conscious thoughts on a bunch of aspects of life and how they can be interpreted, and what lessons we can and should be learning from the actions that take place within our lives. Suffice to say it’s a very interesting book and it leaves you with a lot to consider.
Target audience isn’t specific, just mature readers that can understand the content, which would probably be people over 20, male and female.

 

Design Strategy:

I wanted to create some kind of altered coloured portrait and run with that and use it for the cover. I chose not to recreate or alter the ‘logo’already used for the book, and instead traced it and re-used it. I borrowed the gold-ish colour for later use in the website as well.
I was able to find one of the fonts used on the actual cover of the book as well – Schoolbook Regular – and used that for some of the type on the cd cover and website.
The original background on the book is white, for whatever reason my brain screamed Marble so I found a giant marble image and used that with alterations for the background sections of the website and for the panels in the actual CD booklet/backing.
On the back panel of the booklet that would be facing the CD I included the 12 rules and within the booklet an excerpt from his introductory chapter that focuses on Chaos and Order.

Link to the booklet: CD Booklet Link

 

Website:

I opted to go with a one page scrolling site for simplicity. Site features a main section, about section, media section, tour section, and a contact section.

• Main section features an image slider that (would) link to articles featuring or related to Peterson and his work.
• About section features the main cover image + a short write up about Peterson.
• Media section features one of his many lectures that have been uploaded to YouTube.
• Tour section features a div that scrolls with all of his upcoming book tour dates.
• Contact section featuring a short form that allows you to write in to the man himself.

Link to the mock-up since I don’t have it hosted live:  Mockup Link

 

Summary (What I learned / Would do differently):

I learned that I procrastinate too much. I learned that I need to work on my time management, and actually construct and stick to a working schedule when tackling projects like these. I learned that I can do/create things that I initially think I can’t.

If I were to revisit this project, I would have invested a lot more time than I did. I would have experimented with more ideas and done more research.

Corporate Identity – Final

The feedback I received was pretty unanimous for the logo, so I went forward with this one. I tried experimenting with different colours for the lightning bolt but when I got to trying to apply colour to the business card, yellow seemed to work the best.

Looking back, I think I should have tried to maybe add some kind of texture or pattern to the black portion of the business card and the letterhead. It would have helped to make it a little less boring.

Here’s a link to the final PDF of the logo and its variants:

gdpw2018_kevin_finished_logos

And here’s the final PDF w/ the stationary:

gdpw2018_kevin_stationary

Ad Campaign Composite

This past week we were tasked with creating a 3 ad campaign that would be featured in a magazine.

For my project, I chose FromSoftware as my client. They’re a Japanese video game company now famously known for their Dark Souls series. They are releasing a remaster of the original game from 2011 on May 25 and that’s what I chose to advertise for.

My target audience for these ads are mature male gamers between the ages of 18-35. In order to reach this target audience I would feature my ads in Game Informer’s magazine. Their magazines average reader is 32 years of age, they provide both digital and paper versions of their issues, and they cover games on all platforms (this is particularly helpful as this game is being released on every current platform).

Since the game is a remaster and it isn’t a brand new title, my idea behind the ad design was to try and create an illustration of three of the more iconic characters and their armor from the game (the Elite Knight, Solaire of Astora, and Artorias the Abysswalker)  in hopes of triggering some nostalgia in veterans of the series, or at the very least gamers who are somewhat familiar with it. I wanted to add some sort of dispersion effect to make the illustration seem like it was being faded away and to make it a little more lively. This is an effect present in the game whenever the player dies, and is also relevant to the collection and loss of ‘souls’ (basically the players currency and experience) throughout the game. It also helped make the image look a bit more gritty and worn down which is fitting with the themes present in the game.

Initial design concept sketches:

My main images after applying their various effects looked like this:

Links to final ads with title text and logos applied:

Elite-Knight

Solaire

Artorias

Trifold Brochure

For this assignment I chose to create an informative brochure on the African Savanna Elephant under the World Wildlife Fund’s branding.

Initially I found myself over complicating the design to try and incorporate some kind of super creative die line cut but focusing on that completely halted my design process. So I decided I’d just keep it simple and cut 2/3s of the cover away and have the remaining 1/3 present the brand logo and lay over top of the animal featured in the brochure, an elephant. Inside it’s filled with information about the species, as well as a small table comparing some other elephant species.

Typeface and colours are taken from their branding, I was lucky enough to find a brand document that had a lot of helpful information including some of their CMYK colours and some of their typefaces. I was unable to find a font that fully resembled their headings shown on their website, but I made do with what I had available.