Covered - Further Development

With some feedback from peers it was suggested to make the line weight heavier, so it's more bold and block out some of the CM so you can see the two separate letters more.

With the large CM partly blocked out it is necessary to try the rest of the CM's.

This design is stronger and more eye catching, however it is very classically communistic which wasn't planned. More experiments are needed with the colours 

Covered - Further Development

With the theory of Communism in mind, the CM has been placed with a fair and equal grid system. Each CM has equal distance from each other, as if everything is the same so its a fair society/design. However, with the reality of Communism, a big man CM has been placed. This is to demonstrate that there is always one leader, normally a totalitarian.

This is too busy, no space for text and can't see the main leader CM well enough.

This works better because the main leader CM can be easily seen, its the attention grabber and most prominent part of the design, much like a communistic society.

The design now has been properly spaced out, and moved to the left. This is to signify the lefty thinking of Communist thinking.

The typeface is Superclaredon Regular, this is a font from the 1840's when the Manifesto was originally written. I didn't want to use a Russian looking typeface because it would of been too much. The design is blocky and bold enough without the text being it too. Also that kind of style wouldn't work because Marx wasn't Russian, and the book is not about Communist graphic design and propaganda. 

Covered - Experimenting with pattern

There was a lot of experimentation of colour schemes, placements of CM, weight of lines this is in order to work out what looks best and communicates the book the best.

There is only a little red because I want to move away from the obvious design decision of using that colour. Although red is the communist colour, this is a modern design for an updated current audience. 

A calmer, less aggressive design is needed I think because of the content of the book. It is a dense book with big ideas, so the cover should be appealing. This is why the white background has been used, the red background is very in your face.

Covered - Initial Designs

Began with designing the A4 poster in order to be ready for the exhibition. I have visualised the things to think about when designing this piece, trying to practise methodology. 
This helped with ideas, words to think about, and ways to visualise the idea of this book. 

After some thinking a strong, bold, communistic letter form emerged. 

The drawn version of the letters was then digitalised because the idea of a repeat pattern was going to be made. The letters is C and M. Which originally stood for Communism Movement which came from the spider diagram, but it luckily also works for Communist Manifesto. The letterform is blocky, bold and echoing the famous Russian style of typography from communism propaganda, this is to link visual with content. The C is in the front, standing strong because Communism is a very strong, independent theory and way of thinking. The M is stood behind the C because within communism there is always an independent leader, with a following behind. 

From there some patterns were made with the idea that communism the theory of communism, everyone is equal.

There is always a person in charge leading.

The people have to work together -in theory.

No final pattern yet, there needs to be a bit of experimenting to work out what will look best on A4, if it's understandable and looks good.

Covered - Communist Books

A quick google search demonstrates the idea of communist book design. Although red is the colour of communism, this book doesn't have to be red, or have red in the desing. I want to experiment and use other colours similar to red to demonstrate the ideas of the book.

IDEAS

- Move away from red, experiment with oranges and yellows
- White stock
- Repeat design of type
- What letters or words are most representative of communism 

Covered - Rodrigo Corral

Rodrigo Corral produces some really nice book designs covering a wide variety of style and colour. The more simple designs are more useful to look at because the Communist Manifesto should have a simple non busy design, because of the denseness of the book.

The first two designs seem like good covers to take inspiration from in terms of my designs. The colours are good, I don't want to for a very obvious communist look because that has been done before. 

This cover is just very very nice to look at, the illustration is amazing with such vivid colours.

Covered - David Pearson

The Communist Manifesto already has a good design overall, so I looked on the back for the designer, which turned out to be the well known David Pearson. 

Pearson has designed some really good looking books! The detail of his designs are really interesting to look at. He can change his style up a lot depending on the book. He has used some bold colours as well and often only a few, which is helpful to look at for colouring ideas. 

Some of simpler designs hold a lot of detail with the type and choice of colours, which is makes the cover look approachable. Since the Communist Manifesto is quite a dense book to get your head around, a simpler more calmer design would suit. 

Covered - Enid Marx

Looked at Enid Marx because she has the same last name as Marx and turns out she is a distant relative of Karl, which links well. 

The use of bold colour is very appealing, because of the two colour limitation it would be use suitable bold colour. The repeat patterns are also good because it links with the idea communism. Everyone is the same, everyone is equal.

Covered - Chosen book and Research

Chosen Author/Thinker - Karl Marx[Friedrich Engles]
Chosen Book - Communist Manifesto

Marx was a radical thinker who believed the working class of any nation were the people to be in charge. He didn't invent Communism but believed that was the best way to rule a country, which in theory it seems a fair society. In reality is not, because some higher person is in charge making it unfair.

This book sparked a lot of debate because of its discussions of Capitalism, Communism, class divisions, who's in charge etc. The same things still get discussed daily in the world, especially with the election coming up.

This books looks at who's in charge - the Bourgeois (elite). Marx makes it clear that it should be the masses, the labour workers, - Proletarians, working class to be in charge. 

IDEAS

Communism is a theory that everyone is equal, using typography I want to represent this idea. 

Study Task 03 - Disobedient Objects North

This task was to look at layout and work out how to organise given information on two different document types using grids. By looking at a range of grids, ideas came to head to change the given grid a bit in order for a more interesting layout. 
By taking away some of the grid lines in the middle and creating a line of shape, this was used as the narrative. Where the text sit on either side, top and bottom, the space is made for the reader so they can read it with the flow. 

Orignal grid

Used grid 

Looked at a range of type, decided a typeface similar to the 'How to guides' featured was appropriate for these publications. 

Testing which font is more readable, went with the light one because it is more legible.

Was going to outline all the text boxes with this yellow, to match the 'how to guides' however the brief only allowed black and white.

The grid allows this subtle space in the middle for the eye to follow and read correctly.

Flyer