2D_002_Process: Zine

Hi!

After doing my research for the zine, here is the process of the zine!

At first, I tried 2 color palette for the zine. The orange one is because I want to make the bridge feels cheerful and welcoming for the reader. While the pink and mint color is inspired by the Mindset zine, it gives me the sweet and calm feeling. However, the orange combination is not so nice and I decided to progress with the other one.

In general I use circles and geometrical shapes. I also use one color for each shape and restrict the color palette into 4 colors (other than black and white).

For the writing and content, I decided to play around the concept of the Linkway Bridge introducing itself to the readers. As such, the fist-person point of view (of the bridge) is used.

BACK AND FRONT COVER PAGE
For this cover page, I collage some photos of the patterns that has been edited and image traced. I arranged them into 4 groups of 4 in which 3 are arranged vertically and one horizontally.

The ones arranged vertically feels like a fence and preventing the eyes from looking too long at it, unconsciously directing it towards the ‘freer’ part which has the title. Also added is one big and one smaller circle in diagonal line to further guide the eye to the zine title. The most dominant color is the dark pink which is put around the title area to further focus the eye around.

Hierarchy: circle with title (1st), images of pattern (2nd), big circle (3rd)

First draft Feedback:
– Need to add the location of the bridge, my name and social media username.
Second draft Improvements:
– Added the missing information
– Reduce the transparency of the title circle
Feedback:
– Font size not consistent for the names
Final Improvements:
-Changed the typeface and size for some texts
-Readjust the all the font position


PAGE 2 AND 3
For the first two content pages, I want to start by  telling the basic introduction of ‘who’ (read: what) the bridge is on page 2. Then on page 3, I am putting brief introduction about how to get to the bridge from Kallang MRT.

As for the visual to support this, I put the walking map from Kallang MRT to the bridge. This serves as the start of how one’s meet the bridge: KNOW HOW TO GET THERE!

Attempted to lead the reader’s eye in this order:
–  title ‘Who Am I?’ (1st text hierarchy)
– the sub-title (2nd text  hierarchy)
– going down from the Kallang MRT diagonally up to the Singapore Sports Hub
– the body text on the right down side (3rd text hierarchy)

First draft Feedbacks:
– The typeface for sub-title is not suitable as it looks too futuristic which does not suit the concept of my zine and the other typeface.
– The illustration style as the visual is having different style from other pages which use photos.
– Should add dark green shape behind title to make it consistent like other pages as well as adding more green to the spread
Second draft Improvements:
– Changed the typeface for both the sub-title and body text
– Also changed the visuals by finding satellites photo taken by Google Map and edit it out
– Add the overprint effect on the visual to match it with the rest of the zine
– Changed the title color into white to make it more stand out
– Added the dark green shape behind title
Feedback:
– The logo is not clearly seen due to the dark green color
– Need to rephrase sub-title
-The leading of the body text paragraph is too wide and should try to change the alignment to left
– The drop cap is not suitable as the leading of the paragraph is too wide
Third draft Improvements:
– Changed the color of the sub-title into white to make it more visible than the body text
– Readjust the shape of the dark green shape behind title to fit the new 2 lines layout
– Balance the length of the sub-title in two lines to not making it to long
– Made the logo more visible
– Right align the body text and adjust it to be inverted triangle shape
Final Improvements:
– Edit and finalize the content of the body text
It took the slow me more than an hour to edit the Google map photo to make it be traced properly by AI :’)

PAGE 4 AND 5
For the next content part, I want the bridge to question the reader about their familiarity and knowledge on the bridge. It consist the two questions and the correct answers follows by facts about the answers.

As for the visuals, I put the bridge seen from outside to show the next step of knowing someone: KNOW HOW IT LOOKS!

Attempted order of element read by the readers:
– title ‘How Well Do You Know Me?’ (1st text hierarchy)
– sub-title (2nd text hierarchy)
– the circle of questions on the left side
– follow the horizontal leading ‘line’ created by the bridge image from left to right
– the ‘ARE YOU SURE?’ in circle path
– finally the big circle of answers and facts (3rd text hierarchy)

First draft Feedback:
– The typeface for sub-title is not suitable
– The answers should be different for both questions
– The ‘ARE YOU SURE?’ is okay as it visually looks like part of the bridge
Second draft Improvements:
– Changed the typeface for both the sub-title and body text
– Changed the title color into white to make it more stand out
Feedback:
– Readers are drawn to the bigger circle on the right first before reading the question due to its big size
– The sub-title looks different from previous pages (look inconsistent)
– Leading is too wide for the answers and facts
Third draft Improvements:
– Changed the color of the three circles, making the big circle least dominant color of mint green and strengthen the circles color on the left side to the more dominant dark pink
– Adjust the sub-title font size
– Reduce the leading of the body texts
– Shifting the ‘ARE YOU SURE?’ more to the lft to shift the weight of the colour more to the left side in attempt to shift the reading order
– Changed the correct answers for question 2
Final Improvements:
– Changed the color of the sub-title to white to make it consistent throughout the zine
– Edit the content (questions and answers) and finalize it to be the correct ones based on primary and secondary research
Took the bridge out and edited the color in Photoshop for a clearer monochrome image trace

PAGE 6 AND 7
Finally, I want to end the zine with the bridge telling the reader its story and letting them to know more facts about it through his narrative.

As for the visuals, I put the details of staircases of the bridge. This is to serve as the next step of knowing one: KNOW HOW THE INSIDE! I chose staircase to represents the beginning of knowing the bridge as people will need to start go up the staircase (or lift) before start to exploring it.

Attempted to lead the reader’s eye in this order:
– tile ‘Hear My Story?’ which finalized to be ‘This Is My Story’ (1st text hierarchy)
– the big circle contains images of the bridge
– leading diagonally up to the smaller circle of ‘Lumitron’
– vertically up to the sub-title of the quote taken from the body text (wnd text hierarchy)
– Finally the narrative body text by the bridge (3rd text hierarchy)

First draft Feedback:
– The image should be bigger to occupy more space of the spread (two-third hopefully)
– The typeface for sub-title (quote) is not suitable
– The body text content is still filler text
Second draft Improvements:
– The image size is increased. Attempted to maintain one circle but the shape become not nice and tried to made it ellipse but it looks inconsistent compared to other pages of the zine. Hence, added a new smaller circle with the name of the designer company
– Changed the color of the title and sub-title to make it more stand out
– Changed the body text content into draft narrative from the bridge’s point of view
Feedback:
– Change the title from a question into a statement
– The sub-title font size should be increase to make it more obvious 2nd hierarchy instead of same size as the body text (3rd hierarchy)
– Change from two column into one column as the left column is too narrow
– Reduce the leading of the body text paragraph, to much empty spaces in between body text
– Remove drop cap if the leading remain too wide
-Try to avoid ‘widow’ (in the 2nd paragraph) by having at least two words on the last sentence of each paragraph
Third draft Improvements:
– Changed the title into a statement
– Increased the sub-title font size
– Changed the body text into one column
– Reduced the leading of the body text and keep the drop cap
– Made sure there is no more ‘widow’
Feedback:
– The narrative actually got cut off and the last paragraph is not included
Final Improvements:
-Finalize the content of the narration, rephrased and cut unnecessary information to make sure all apt info just fit nicely

 


DIFFICULTIES, TAKEAWAYS, ETC.

For this project, my greatest difficulty is to decide which style to use. Whether I wuld go photographic or more illustrative. I really love all the photos of the patterns (mostly monochrome I took) but I also love the baby pink-mint green color combination. But I cannot combine them nicely and end up having to choose either one. And finally I decided to go with the lovely color and ‘gave up’ the photos to image trace (ended up editing all of them for a clearer image trace).

Another difficulty is for me to keep everything simple and white. Being me, I have the tendency to add more and I am used to feel not satisfied until every single (especially white) space is filled! But this zine is very simple and I was so tempted to add more but I kept on telling myself ‘less is more’, ‘less is enough’, ‘give more breathing space’, ‘white is fine’, etc! So ya, I had to maintain, which I did by the end :’). So I guess maybe it is a takeaway for me, to learn to keep things simple 😀

I also learnt more on hierarchy and how to lead the viewer’s eyes more! They are unusually interesting and I really glad I know them more now 😀

In term of technicality, this project added me new knowledge of InDesign! YEAY!
I also learnt more in using AI, Photoshop, and Premier Pro (well, editing the documentation video was fun)! Oh, and I also enjoy photo-hunting more now 😀

So to conclude, although there are more things that can be improved, I am personally happy of all the progress and proud of the zine that I have! And I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms Shirley for supporting and giving constructive feedback and opinion! Thank you!

 


2D Project 2
2D_002_Zine_Research: Chosen Topics
2D_002_Zine_Research: The Kallang Journey
2D_002_Research: Zine References
2D_002_Research: The Linkway Bridge
2D_002_Process: Zine
2D_002_Final: Zine

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