Press Packet

[now uc it]

For one of my courses, we're creating a press packet for a client-- fictional or a real client. For mine, I created a fictional client, "The Unknown Artist Project" that is supposed to be an art gallery dedicated to highlighting local "unknown" artists. This year, they have decided to focus on digital artists.

Because this is going in my portfolio, I used my own artwork for a large portion of the content.

The packet includes:
1. Magazine Cover: for a magazine that would highlight our client in a feature story. I chose Paste magazine, a music magazine in Atlanta.
2. Double Page Magazine Layout: A double page magazine layout on a feature story relating to the client.
3. Brochure: We were only required to create a tri-fold brochure about the services, but that seemed boring so I made something better. Mine is an artist calendar that would be sent to patrons.
4. Newsletter: Four page newsletter to patrons of the Project. Only allowed to use one spot color. I chose Pantone 390.
5. Poster: Poster advertising for an event. I chose to announce a fictional artist's opening.

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Magazine Cover:
img217.imageshack.us/img217/5562/magcover.jpg

Background image from deviantart stock. Texture from resurgere.

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Double Page Magazine Layout:
The Digital Era
img15.imageshack.us/img15/4387/doublepage.jpg

Images mostly from sxc.hu, also some from deviantart.

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Brochure:
This is difficult to show on the screen because there was a lot of piecing it together.

The two large pieces I will attach were on a double-sided piece of 5x17 paper. They were top-folded short so that the back was the dark gray name & address and the front was the picture frame folded over to end above the concrete.

The inside would have the bright green at the top, on the opposite side of the frame.

Inside, there were 13 inserts. One for each month, and a smaller solid green piece that said "2009 Artist Calendar." This hung approximately .75 inch over the January insert.

The inserts, when stapled within the booklet, occupied the area where the dotted lines cover. When the December insert was lifted, you could see the "Out of Art."

The frame was die-cut so that you could see through to the "2009 Artist Calendar" hanging insert and below it, the January artist description.

I used other artists to highlight so that the booklet would have more variety than if I had just used my own gallery.

Front & Back: img152.imageshack.us/img152/3851/brochure1.jpg
Inside & Front Bottom:
img99.imageshack.us/img99/9855/brochure2.jpg
January, February, & March Inserts:
img142.imageshack.us/img142/9404/brochure3.jpg

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Newsletter:
The Muse Diaries
The newsletter should be folded so that page one is on the front, page two and three open together and page four is the back.

It would be folded for mailing - hence the mailing address & postage bulk rate stamp.

I blurred certain things out.

Page One:
img98.imageshack.us/img98/7163/newsletter1.jpg
Page Two:
img217.imageshack.us/img217/1562/newsletter2.jpg
Page Three:
img10.imageshack.us/img10/8656/newsletter3.jpg
Page Four:
img133.imageshack.us/img133/1747/newsletter4.jpg

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Poster
Stock from deviantart & sxc.hu
Drawing is from deviantART.
Extra note: I hate where the website is placed. My teacher insisted. I initially had it in the bottom slice of the text boxes, where the address is.

img72.imageshack.us/img72/6820/posterf.jpg


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Sorry, I know it's a lot, but it was a semester-long project.
Ignore all text. It was just filler text, generally.

[artos]

In the time it took me to respond, I found that I began to repeat the idea that your design prowess is superb. It may seem like a convenient cop-out, but I really don't know how else to say it.






Where to start? This is professional work, and it shows. Your style of surrealist art fits in well with most anything, but it meshes quite will with the futurepop-esque layout (read: as seen in the newsletter). Your eye for design is peerless.

To start, your magazine cover is aesthetically appealing. The balance of elements is perfect, as the central image is offset perfectly by both the dark patch of color and the text (and their respective boxes). It draws the consumer in and to the image, and, from there, follows the nine sequence so well. The magazine masthead is simple, yet effective. I'm not much for the header at the top, but it's only because I find the lime green to clash with the rest of the color. Speaking of the color: sublime. It appears to be a simple rainbow scheme (especially for the woman), but it appropriately highlights that which needs to be and is not distracting. The watercolor texture also makes for an engaging view.

The magazine layout itself is charming. Again, it walks the line of modern design and your own flavor of art, and it benefits greatly from doing so. The computer screen mixed in with the paintings was a nice touch.

I enjoy the modern designs (case in point, this forum version) seen in art, and yours strikes me so. Your brochure is well-designed; it follows your theme perfectly. Simple, attractive, appealing, and immediately engaging, the brochure ensures a great deal of attention from those who give it even a passing glance. In this, it does its job-- and how!

I felt the newsletter to be your strongest work. The modern design that I so love was on full display here, and it is so enjoyable to look at. (Again, is item recognition and interaction not the most necessary element?) Moreover, I am hard-pressed to find any fault with the design. The newsletter-- as like the rest of the works --follow the principles of design to the letter. If I were to nitpick, I would say something about the brightness of the third page of the newsletter. I assume, however, that it looks far less distracting on glossy whites. Still, the text is somewhat difficult to make out. The rest, though: perfect. (Also, that is your name? I never would have guessed.)

Finally, the poster seems a bit off to me. Perhaps because it shuns most of the modern design in favor of a more surreal display; I couldn't say. It clashes somewhat. While that may be a detriment on one hand, it also does play into the rugged, rebellious feel of the poster.



That said, this packet is, when taken in as the sum of its parts, most excellent. Were this an actual client, you could rest assured that you would be their designer of choice. Masterful work.

[Retched]

Looks good. The only problem I have right now is with Page Two in your Newsletter part of the project. The top right photo is leaving a lot of space empty.

[Ovi]

Jizzed in my pants with the cover.

Please continue making herald covers. (No offense to whoever makes them, I'm sure they try their best.)

[now uc it]

Aww, thank you to everyone for your comments.

Tos, I agree wholeheartedly with almost every criticism you left- especially on the poster. So many elements are the same that it's hard to pinpoint what exactly sets it apart, but I feel it too. I like it individually and I still feel it is branded strongly enough to still be tied back to the client, but it will always bug me just a little. And thank you for taking so much time to examine each one.

<3.

[Mitchell]

Thoroughly enjoyed each. It's good see you've kept your style throughout time.

Overall, I feel that your brochure and your newsletter are your strongest works. They have a wonder, professional feel. They feel complete. I particularly like page three of your newsletter. I don't know if it's my monitor playing tricks on me, but I definitely see a slight gradient amongst the background. Something about that just tickles me. In a good way.

Your double-page spread throws me a little. I think it's the brick texture. It clashes a bit. That, or it may the fact that there is so much going on at the top and very little going on around the bottom. Doesn't feel balanced enough, in my opinion.

As Artos said, something about the poster seems off. The brick texture works well here, I think. But I feel that something else needs to pop. Maybe if the frame/head were enlarged. I don't know. I'd need to stare at it for quite some time before I actually figure it out.

In all, good design work. Sleek, to-the-point, easy on the eyes, and yet it still as the UC kick that your work has always had.

[artos]

May 14, 2009 16:31:49 GMT now uc it said:

Tos, I agree

NO ONE CARES WHAT YOU THINK

[now uc it]

Thanks Mitch.
Yeah, I think the brochure is easily the most striking piece when you see it all laid out in front of you, but it's also the hardest to explain via the internet. I have a soft spot for my poster, but I wish the project description hadn't included so much text. I like it better as a piece of art but not so much as a piece of communication. Oh well.