Evaluation of Greetings Cards

This brief was one of the best briefs that I personally have enjoyed the most, I think it was perfect for me to show my true illustration skills in an area that I want to progress further in which is Fashion Illustration. I found this a great opportunity  to really push myself and produce a great set of greetings cards that will suit my defined target market. 

I found this brief alot better that the first one as I could determine what exactly we were required to produce at the end of it which gave me a clear path to begin researching and illustrating. 

The end result of my cards I feel are very good, and I think that they would defiantly be purchased by my target market and displayed on a Topshop counter. The only thing that I think I could improve on is the quality of the print as they look a bit grainy, but then on the other hand people did comment and say this gave them a vintage look so maybe that isn't such a bad thing as that would defiantly reflect Topshops image as a brand. 

The Layout

This is the layout that I have chosen for my cards, on the front of each design in a corner there needs to be the Topshop logo, and the logo of the collection that the card is for. I didn't think about this when designing my designs so I have had to place them in different corners on different cards as the I didn't leave free space for them. Something to think of before hand next time....

I will present these at the first Crit tomorrow, and hopefully get some positive feedback on them. I am hoping there I will be given a few suggestions about the reverse of the card as it seems a little to blank at the moment.

Punk Couture, Pagan and Wonderland

The final three designs are done!! I am so pleased with all of them, I think they all work so well together and a set and really reflect each collection. If I was buying a present for some one, or a gift card I would defiantly purchase one of these cards to compliment it.

Punk Couture is defiantly one of my favorite designs out of all six, the tartan background behind the rock n roll model looks brilliant and then again with the ink runs and surrounding collage images it really is a strong design.

Pagan was a really fun one to do because the style of this collection is quite vampy, so lots of lace and creams, pinks, blacks and grey's. I enjoyed looking at different samples of lace to use as a background. It is another of one of the more unique collections.

Last but not least is Wonderland. This collection basically reminded me of Alice in Wonderland, with the bright harlequin patterns, then bright and colourful bow and heart accessories. It has a fun and cheeky feel to it which I think I have created within my illustration.

Now I have all the designs completed I will need to put them into indesign and get a layout created. I need to add the necessary text and images such as a bar code as they would need this all included when there sat on the counter in Topshop. I feel that I am ready for the Crit tomorrow and look forward to the feedback on my designs, before the main one on Friday.

The Boutique, Kate Moss and Scout

I have now successfully created the illustrations for my first three greetings cards. These are for the collections ' The Boutique', 'Kate Moss' and 'Scout'. I have produced them using the same media and style so they are linked and look like a collection. I have based each illustration on a centered image of a Topshop model wearing this seasons clothing from that collection. I have then built up a collage of images, from sketches of animals and photographs of accessories, with watercolour added to the background. 

The Scout collection is Knitware in earthy colours such as Tans, Forest Greens, Burgundys etc. I have reflected this in my illustration by using dark green water colour runs and sketches of woodland animals such as a fox and a barn owl relating to the word 'Scout'. 

The Kate Moss collection is all designed by the model herself so this really reflects her style of a rock n roll girl. Her clothing range for this season is mainly made up of chiffon blouses with feather print, leather jackets and light pearl pink colours. 

The Boutique collection is very varied and so I did struggle with finding and assembling the correct imagery to reflect its style. In the end I decided to keep it quite simple and neutral. The model is wearing a dress from the Autumn/ Winter collection, I kept the colours to navy, pink and cream which are the dominant colours from this collection. I added the letter B in some gorgeous letterset which I brought over the summer in Laura Ashley.

The Designs - TOPSHOP

I have began producing my illustrations for the 6 collections and I am very pleased with the way things are going. I have done a lot of research and feel confident that I am meeting the brief and am working with a stye that reflects Topshop and will appeal to everyone that shops there. I have decided that I am going to leave the cards blank so that they can be used for a number of occasions as its not just birthdays that people would buy the electronic gift cards for.

During my research I have looked at alot of the existing designs that are out there, I have mainly looked at designs in Paperchase, M and S, Next and other high street shops as this is mainly where the Topshop client will also shop. I have also looked a number of existing fashion illustrators who's work I have been inspired by. I especially like the work of CocoPit and Stina Perrson, who uses mainly watercolours. 

  

Idea Number 2 - TOPSHOP

Ok, after a chat with Sally I have come up with a new audience that I can produce my greeting cards for using my preferred style.

I am going to use the fashion chain, Topshop as my client. I have noticed that they don't actually have a card range like most stores do, they only have plastic folders to put the electronic gift cards in. So I feel that this is defiantly a gap in the market for me. Luckily they also have 6 different collections.

Pagan

The Boutique

Kate Moss

Scout

Punk Couture 

Wonderland 

So I will be producing one card for each of these collections basing them on the Autumn/Winter collection. I am going to use an image of a Topshop model dressed in items from that collection as the main focus and then build up a collage of relative images, using mixed media and water colours. I will have to get a good idea of the types of clothing and colours used for each collection and then reflect that in my designs. 

Crit of Initial Ideas.

I am really enjoying these Crits at the moment they are so different from last year, everyone seems so much more confident and are much more willing to discuss their ideas. 

I produced a small illustration as an example to show Neil and Clare they style I would be using so that they would be able to give me some good feedback on wether my style will suit the Client - Pop magazine. And I am glad that I did this because the point was made that Pop magazine is very Photographic and not really Illustrative so my style wont really reflect their image and that wouldn't meet the brief where we are required to define out target market.

So I have to change my idea, and find a new target market... I am very conscious of the fact that we are now a week into the brief and I haven't really got going with it yet!