Initial research - Freakonomics

Initial research 

Before beginning to generate ideas and concepts It was important to gather some research together informed by moving on from initial thoughts based on what the problem is, how to overcome it and why:

I need to portray economics and the subjects of the book in a contemporary way that sways away from common covers seen on business, economic, sociology and physiology books. 

Look into the target audience and understand what makes them tick and revolve ideas around this connection with the end user in a contemporary and refreshing light on economics. 

I need to do this to avoid the connotations with these books been seen as bland and boring, change the way people see economics and similar subjects covered in the book.

Through the gathering of a body of research I can make myself aware of aspects that could benefit informed design ideas and developments based on target market, cultural & social aspects revolving around the genre of economics and how to influence ideas around these through well informed design concepts and visuals. 

Examples of what to avoid

I gathered a collection of existing economics and similar genre book covers like business, finance, politics, social & law. Learning from the mistakes these covers make by analysing the concepts and visuals and how the resonate with there intended target audience will help me understand how to create more informed ideas and concepts aimed at a more contemporary audience.

The current Freakonomics communicates the iconic subjects the book covers in an obvious photographic representation, considering the target audience is going to be a thinker, or someone who likes to perceive things through there own understanding I do not think blatant photos suggesting the content of the book is the way to go.

Avoiding white uppercase sans serif text on photomontages with hyphenations is something to avoid as its quite an unorganised layout and illegible.

The obvious suggestive use of photography is carried out in these examples, with very dull colours that look like they have no consideration making them not fit with the subject of the book and also not standing out, something that needs to be reversed in my output. 

There seems to be a trend of Sans serif typefaces in full uppercase and lowercase combinations, so maybe looking into alternative type styles will benefit a more original outcome.  

 

More contemporary & well designed examples

To appeal to a more contemporary target audience some examples of well informed cover designs from varying genres were collected that used informed concepts and ideas from the books content rather than mediocre standard imagery that is seen as a common acceptance for representing economic books to day. 

Learning from these design considerations in terms of use of colour, image, type and layout will help create a more aesthetically pleasing design in turn been more high impact solving the problem of needing to stand out in a crowd of similar genre or other ranges of books. 

Particular focus on clever conceptual use of typography to portray the books content and topics has also been made to gather a full range of options to influence ideas from all potential angles to develop well informed ideas for targeting this contemporary audience. 

Good use of contrasting tone and colour through purple and orange giving off impact.

Stands out in a crowd.

Nice use of simple lines for creating angular pattern. 

Very contemporary.

A publication that displays type only work.
A good contemporary aesthetic, looks like digital manipulation of paint texture creating a nice contrast of digital and analogue. 
Displays the content of the book well. 

 

Does a very good job of emulating Wes Anderson style through still image and drop shadow uppercase sans serif, looks like woodblock origins. This traditional type of type classification interacts well with the pastel tones and analogue illustration/screen print aesthetic that resonates well with the appearance of Wes Anderson films. 

Good use of experimental digital typography within a clean layout of vertical and horizontal type showing simple hierarchy through sizing and orientation and placement. Hierachy is important when presenting information, especially on book covers.

The aesthetic definitely resonates well with the interaction between modern life and design, very contemporary in its aesthetic and has a modernism influence too it which connects well with modern life.  

The book cover needs to incorporate creative use of typography, these few examples communicated the content of the book well showing how type only designs can emulate strong messages.
The Over Our Heads makes use of analogue hand drawn typography, the fluid motion of hand drawn type links well with the header and use of balloons. 
The Print & Pattern Geometric uses contrasting tones of set colours and some contrasting colours to create impact and give a sense of depth and dimension, very clever even with such simple use.  

Again showing how depth can be achieved through shadowing and angular warping and positioning.

Colour again is used effectively to emulate Love. 

 

These more clean examples are more minimal and structured in there aesthetics and layout but still achieve impact through certain aspects.

Red and pastel blue show a clash that represents well the idea of "Difficult conversations" and supported with a mirror image simple vector image that emulates 2 sides to an argument. Simple use of colour and image can be effective. 

Use of words can draw attention in without the need of image support, these examples display just that. A play on words works well too as is shown in the B is for Bauhaus book, the A-Z word association on the front cover gives a very good roundup of the content of the book while demonstrating effective suggestion of the "A-Z of the Modern World" book title. 

The use of pattern, colour and image both digital, analogue and photo based can connote ideas of the book in clever ways, the Night thoughts does this especially well with a cover of abstract analogue scribbles that represent "thoughts" very well without the obvious cliche involvement of thought bubbles. 

Type only can again be very effective, both in very simplistic and effective ways in creating an image in itself while still serving the purpose of communicating textual information (1984 cover also shows a face) through effective positioning and use of space.

The decoding cover also has suggestions of its content through the use of visualising folds and blacked out sections contrasting with white and red hues, supported by cropped typography that suggests ideas of decoding and hidden messages. 

Using shapes and interaction of color can create high impact that stands out in a crowd but doesn't offer the use of presenting concepts relevant to the book but its a good way of creating impact if it could be incorporated into a concept some other way. 

Although the cover is just a digital submission with no physical construction opportunities the idea of layering up a simple shape in geometric formations gives off an aesthetic and tactility that draws people in through curiosity and the idea of layering and perspective could very well influence some concepts to represent how everyday life can involve something that represents economics. 

These examples have very strong swiss and modernist influence through the use of shape, overlays, colour and layout showing how using influence from movements and culture can inform effective ideas that emulate concepts of the book well.

The 100 years of swiss design obviously needed to be influenced by swiss design using screen print aesthetic, overlaid colours and letterforms giving a visual suggestion of the books content. 

The London Underground by Design book shows the effective system that is the London Underground through a detail shot of the effective map system using overlay colours again giving off a screen print effect with the merging colours creating a contrast of tone when these elements overlap and darken. 

This book cover is very specific in its target audience, focused on graphic designers and editorial designers the aesthetics and concepts are portrayed both subtly and more obviously.  The use of punctuation marks is an aesthetic decision based on referencing the books title and hints on the content subjects, but the alignment of the type through hyphenation, tracking, kerning and offset leading and use of script, sans serif, italic, uppercase sans serif relies on the target audiences technical knowledge. This is important to consider, how to specify to a wide audience to bring people in through things like aesthetics, but add design elements that are targeted at a more informed audience creating satisfaction that only them can understand what is been presented. 

Two very different styles of pattern used here to create impact, but both very contemporary especially the gradient pattern, looking into visual trends in design will help maintain a contemporary feel but looking into trends within economics and how I can relate this within a design translation is important too. 

The use of centre aligned, stone origin roman style uppercase letterforms show hints at traditional letterpress within the spacing and alignment again creating recognition from its target audience but also emulating the fact the work been analysed is from an era where these methods were used. 

Visual research uses a range of type styles within its abstract patterns and layout to maintain an inquisitive cover that draws people in and leads them to unpick the visual puzzle, something that resonates well with the books topic on how to research for graphic design. 

These design uses culture as a way of producing a well informed cover design, the beautiful clean and simple layout and use of analogue ink marks gives off a feeling of "Zen" and a very oriental feel, very good use of culture to visualise the books content and topics in a simple but effective way.

 

More chaotic typography through the use of hand cut lettering and analouge hand drawn type helps connote messages of trouble, despair and chaos. Looking into the mood and feelings typography gives off is a consideration that needs to be made through the idea stages. 

Good use of suggestive visuals, the use of a blue monotone overlay emulates the feeling of submerging, relevant to the book title and main subject of the book his father been depressed. 

Geometric and symmetrical patterns can draw attention in while connoting informed ideas as it does successfully for these two examples simulating growth and architecture. 

Main points on what to avoid

Dated asthetics through traditional use of typography for that specific genre, centre aligned layouts, bland colors and tonal rages, dull photographs and no actual consideration to well informed concepts that present the book in an instantly recognised boring light rather than leave an inquisitive first impression making the viewer want to further investigate and draw them in. 

Main points on what to expand on

How colour can carry mood and tone of voice as well as representing ideas and concepts.

Pattern & Texture is a good method to explore for contemporary aesthetics.

Be quite experimental & abstract as thats what approach freakonomics takes in its views on economics

The classification, style and origin of production method of type makes a huge difference into the message been portrayed. 

Using culture as a reference to target contemporary audiences. 

Image style either traditional, analogue, digital, minimal or pattern based all connotes different messages, consider this in idea generation.

Type only designs can be made to cleverly communicate ideas by making image or suggestive visuals from type.