The method of punch cutting was very tedious. In
the times that it was used, punch cutting was viewed as a career choice. The
level of patience and precision that it took just to design a single letter is
unbelievable. The worker would need a very sharp eye and steady hands for this
kind of work. Thanks to technology advances programs like Indesign make
designing letters seem like child’s play. An assignment for this course would
take me months to finish and submit using the punch cutting method. I can only
imagine the countless amounts of raw material that were used just to accomplish
a simple task.

This design is successful, because the typeface that was chosen gave the advertisement a sophisticated look. The white letters over the blue polo shirt added to the consistent color pattern. I like how the placement of the cologne bottle is at the bottom of the advertisement, because it is the last thing you see.

This is a successful design. The use of negative space really makes the crowd pop out. The short phrase accompanied by the powerful imagery gives this advertisement an epic feel. The color contrast is a nice touch.

This design is unsuccessful, because it is too cluttered. The amount of people in this image takes away from the information that is being given. The facial expressions of the paparazzi don’t make sense with Pitbull’s action.

This design is unsuccessful, because the humor in the advertisement makes the product less attractive to the consumer. The strange image grabs your attention and doesn’t allow you to acknowledge the name of the glasses. The patch on the bottom right corner seems out of place.  

This design is unsuccessful, because the dramatic image that is displayed overpowers the message. The words are tiny and very difficult to read. Comparing a tragic day like 9/11 to cigarette addiction is offensive.

The video on punch cutting was eye opening to say the least. Coming from a generation where nearly all letters are created with keyboards, and used in tweets and statuses, it is very shocking to learn how typefaces were first created and reproduced. The tedious process of punch cutting makes me very much appreciate the modern day inventions that make the practice useless and outdated. For a world where I have to hand draw every single letter is not a world I want to live in. At first when I came to class and was told to get out tracing paper to trace letters, I immediately panicked and wanted to flee the classroom. However, after much trial and errors, I learned that the seemingly ancient and outdated process can actually teach us very important elements of design, such as choosing the correct typeface and letter spacing.

This is an example of unsuccessful design of an energy shot. The reason it is unsuccessful is because the design of the bottle is far too busy for its size. There are several different fonts contradicting one another, making the bottle hard to read. Also there is a red graphic border that really just makes the text harder to read as well.

This is an example of unsuccessful design of a logo. The reason it is unsuccessful is because the graphic lines behind the logo distract from the text itself. And the matching lines within the logo are overdone and seem to distract from the logo itself. The large pointing hand in the image just doesn’t belong and appears to be an afterthought just thrown in last minute.

This is another example of an unsuccessful logo design. The reasons it was not successful is not only are the letters very overcrowded and hard to read with their dramatic overlapping, the design behind the logo takes away from the word itself rather than adding to it. Similar to the energy shot design, this logo just seems to busy and not a clear concise logo.

This is an example of successful design. The ad is for an Audi R8 which is the top of the line mass produced Audi, this is conveyed through a clever message saying, ” Then again, maybe you don’t have a few minutes.” The text is used to infer the quick speed of the super car, while the image shows its sleek and cutting edge design. The ad also has a nice flow to it from top to bottom leaving the viewer with little to ponder.

This Apple ad is another example of successful design. The tagline says ” The colors of music” which speaks directly to the message they are trying to convey. That Apple’s new iPod comes in many different colors allowing you to personalize your musical experience. The way the colors are dripping from each iPod is also another successful design element showing how vivid the colors of the new iPod are.

This is a very successful design for many reasons. The first being that it is very visually appealing right off the bat, and text and color are combined to make a rather unique image of a pepsi bottle. The text overlapping the image seems crowded and oversized but is very clear and legible which I think adds rather than distracting from the design. Also Carson used a reverse reflection of his name in a different font underneath. Through his very complex design Carson seems to ignore most basic design theories and convey his messages in unorthodox ways.

I believe this signage works because the different color portray different locations. The white space between each allows for clear reading.

I believe this sign works because the color contrast works. The smoke making an image of a gun portrays a clear message.

This works because it portrays a clear message. The idea of the baby with an oreo with drinking milk. Along with the letter spacing for the text on the bottom works.

This sign does not work because of the content. The content of alcohol and gun makes this sign extremely revolting. Lego is normally for kids so the idea of adult content should not be visible.

This sign does not work because when you think of red bull you think of it giving you wings. This revolting idea of bye bye eiffel tower does not give you any indication of an energy drink. Maybe power hungry instead.

I believe this is not a good design because of the grey background. It clashes with the white text which makes it a little difficult for it to read.

It was fascinating to watch that video demonstrating exactly how much effort goes into traditional type-setting. At first I was impatient with the beginning of the course – I wanted to jump right into InDesign immediately. But as I saw more of the manual processes involved, I was forced to observe the subtle intricacies that go into selecting typefaces and setting them to design words. I understood more of how letter shapes flow and what makes each typeface unique – which are things I took for granted in the past.