Locale – Queenstown: Process

From my previous post, I was not satisfied with the mock ups. Hence I decided to change to something that I can inject my personality in to. So I decided to do illustrations instead of image manipulation, as I can do a lot of things in illustrations and explore different style.

So at this point of time, I had less than a week to complete my zine. Hence I did not want to take a lot of time illustrating the details. So I followed Malika Favre’s illustration style, that are flat and uses negative space. Something different then my usual illustration style, but I was very excited to try this! 

A glimpse of Malike Favre’s style

Other than changing the design direction, I also changed the narrative of my Zine. So I decided to go with a simple narrative. Starting from the history of the shop, to it blooming then to the current state of the shop.

Compiling all the research and interview of the first bookstore in Queenstown
Sketched out different layout can be use
Sketches

Sketches for cover page

Illustration

At the start, I drew it out according to my sketches. The I tried to manipulate and create pattern using it. However, it was not to my liking, different from Malika Favre’s style and does not show the place (Queenstown).

First try of illustration and manipulating it
Reference from the Naive Book

So I looked through the Naive book, that Mimi recommended me, and I found something very close to what i have discovered in Queenstown (Image on the left). That Image uses contrasting colours and patterns on it.  Hence, I decided to put in the patterns that I discovered in Queenstown, and used pastel colours in my Zine. So in my edited version, I kept my illustration to the simplest form and tone down the colours. I added patterns on the clothes as patterns was something I discovered in Queenstown.

Left: Original illustration. Right: Edited version
Left: Original illustration. Right: Edited version

Colour was one of the challenges I faced. Because I wanted to use pastel colour and pastel colours would not stand out on a white paper. Hence, through the process of of making the zine, I kept changing the colours so that each illustrations will flow smoothly throughout all the spread.

Coverpage was also the most challenging part of the zine, as a cover page should give a summary or a hint of the zine and it should also be able to capture the readers attention. So I started out by illustrating the the shop and its shop front. I added in the wavy lines in the background as Queenstown was a hill perviously. I kind of like the cube shape of shop, so I started to explore more it want manipulate it in the shop.

 

Out of all the illustrations I have in this Zine, I like the illustration of the aunty the most. So I added in the cube patterns into the aunty shirt. So the cube represents the shop and the aunty is the main character of my Zine. Then I play around with the colours.

That’s all for process post! Next will be the final outcome of the zine!

Locale – Queenstown: Process

From previous post, I realise that the design direction and the content of the zine does not fit each other. As the illustrations of the shapes are colourful and the content of has a nostalgic feel. Hence, I decided to think of a new design direction.

For this new design direction, the context will be about Mdm Ker Ah Kin’s perspective on her shop. When I met her for the first time, she mention that the business was not going too well because of  the change of generation.  Hence I though of a transition concept from how the shop started to where it is now. 

Reference Image of how I distort the image
Sketches of layout
Experimenting on the shop front, as I intended to use a picture of the shop front as my cover page.
Experimenting on one of the images fro the inside page.
Mock up #1
Cover Page

Mock up #2


I was not satisfied with the outcome of both mock ups. So I decided to change the whole concept. See my next post!

 

Locale – Queenstown

Content

Hello! For my zine, I wanted to write about the first bookstore in Queenstown which is Long Wee Store. Currently Mdm Ker Ah Kin is managing the store alone as her husband has passed away.

Here are 2 different contents that I thought of, after talking to Mdm Ker Ah Kin: 

I am going for the content that is from a first person’s perspective, which is Mdm Ker Ah Kin. Perviously, her late husband managed the store and Mdm Ker Ah Kin was there to help out. So my intention is to write something personal, from Mdm Ker Ah Kin to her late husband.

Look and feel

So perviously during my presentation, I mention that wanted to have my zine colours to be mainly red and blue as it was inspired by the Chinese design. However I felt that the colours does not suit the content. Hence I went back to Queenstown to observe more things, and here are my findings:

  • I discovered that Queenstown Stadium has this pastel colour palette, which suits Mdm Ker Ah Kin’s personality as she is soft spoken and she always smiles and greet her customers.

  • Patterns from all over Queenstown, which I thought can be break down to simple shapes.

Hence, with my findings above, I thought of using pastel colours to represent Mdm Ker and also uses shapes to create memphis design.

Below are my references for Zine. On the left are references on how I can uses memphis design in black and white images as I wanted to keep the image true to itself and I want my zine to have the nostalgic feel. On the right are references on how I can use colours and shapes to create the layout.

 

Experimental design
1st Draft
2nd Draft:  Using pastel colours. However I felt that there was too many thing going on in 1 page.
3rd draft: I split the memphis design into 2 pages. Left: Front back cover. Right: Page 1
Experimenting how to memphis design can fit into my images
More experimentation
Still experimenting on how the cover page can look like.

My next step is to take more pictures, as I asked Mdm Ker Ah Kin to bring some of her old photos. And also with the feedback given, I will try to prepare a few pages of mock up for consultation.

Thank you!