Major Project 1

Major Project 1

Feb 4, 2025 - (Week 1 - Week 7)
Chen Nan / 0363533
Graphic design/Bachelor of Design in Creative Media

INSTRUCTIONS

Task 1 Proposal Development

You are to work as groups in presenting an innovative concept that introduces unique social, cultural and/or economic value to the intended target audience within your chosen field of specialization.

The project must address the ‘gap’ where you have discovered and realized ideas and solutions that creates and captures value in a novel way.

Week 1

This week we needed to form a group, and KE BO ZHI, EDITA CHEW EN THUNG and I formed a group together.

During this week, we had a discussion. We needed to find a project in the field of graphic design to complete it. Before the course started, we looked for several projects to screen.

Fig 1.1 Idea 

Objective

We chose to set up a branding company to create a branding toolkit to help small businesses also have a complete brand image.

After the three of us discussed, we summarized the following things. We determined what the brand should do, what it should solve, what the brand toolkit has, etc.

Fig 1.2 idea 2

Week 2

After consulting with the instructor, we decided on the project theme and named the brand "MARKO POLO!" This name was very interesting and we all agreed to use it.

We started making the proposal.

Project Title

Title: Brand Guideline Kit – Simplifying Design for Non-Professionals

Subtitle: A hands-on branding toolkit for small businesses and non-designers

Visuals: Clean, minimal background with an image of the kit mockup

Problem Statement

Content:

• Non-professionals, such as small business owners, freelancers, and hobbyists, often struggle to build a cohesive and professional brand identity.

• Lack of affordable design services and limited knowledge of branding often results in inconsistent and ineffective visuals.

• This limits their ability to connect with target audiences and grow their businesses.

Vision and Mission

Vision: To empower individuals and small businesses with the tools and knowledge needed to create a cohesive and professional brand that tells their unique story.

Mission: To provide an accessible, all-in-one branding toolkit that simplifies the process of building a brand. With step-by-step guidance and interactive resources, we make branding approachable and achievable for anyone—no design experience required.

Solution Provided

Content:

A physical box with curated tools and resources to help non-designers build a consistent and personalized brand identity.

What’s Inside:

• Step-by-Step Guidebook: Helps users define brand values, personality, and audience.

• Interactive Tools: Color palette cards, typography samples, and logo creation worksheets.

• Customizable Templates: For business cards, social media, and stationery.

• Digital Resources: Downloadable fonts, templates, and design assets for scalability.

Fig 2.1 pdf Proposal in progress

Week 3

During this week we revised and finalized the proposal.

Task 2 / Design Proposition

Week 4

After last week's presentation, we started designing items this week. First, EDITA made some logo sketches.

Fig 4.1 Logo sketch

After discussion, Ms said it looked too constrained, and I suggested using EDITA to shrink the outlines around it and make them round.

Fig 4.2 Logo progress

Week 5

This week we started making products. We chose to make a color card, a text layout card, a brand manual, and a packaging box to hold these things. 

The color card can help guide small brand companies to choose the colors they want, and the text layout card can help them choose the appropriate fonts for small companies to use in daily life. The manual is a guide for non-designers. These things will be placed in a box for consumers to open.

These are some preliminary sketches：

Fig 5.1 Box sketch

Fig 5.2 Color card 、book and list sketch

This week we also completed the slides for Task 2.

Task 2 slides PDF

Fig 5.3 Task 2 slides PDF

Week 6

This week, we started the preliminary design process and I first tried digital production of color cards and text cards.

Fig 6.1 Color plette card progress

Fig 6.2 Color plette card progress

I tried several layouts.

Fig 6.3 Color plette card progress

Fig 6.4 Typographic card progress

Unfortunately, my color card design and text layout card were not approved by the team leader.

Then, I started to work on the manual. At first, I used a lot of colors and gradients to make the cover of the book fit our brand vision.

Fig 6.4 Manual cover progress

Fig 6.5 Manual cover progress 2

I applied the gradient all over the image, and I had two covers that looked good, but it looked too much like a magazine.

Fig 6.6 Manual cover progress 3

The team leader suggested that I change the layout.

Fig 6.7 Manual cover progress 4

Fig 6.7 Manual cover progress 5

After that, I started to layout the book. I also used more colors to decorate the pages. And I enlarged the title numbers on each page to make the picture more impactful.

Fig 6.8 Manual book progress 

Fig 6.9 Manual book progress

、Fig 6.10 Manual book progress

Fig 6.11 Manual book progress

After discussing with the team leader, she thought that my layout was not uniform enough and too messy, and suggested that each title number should be made the same size and style. Then use the brand colors red and blue. I combined the team leader's ideas with my own, re-arranged the titles and made the style of each page uniform.

Fig 6.12 Manual book progress

Fig 6.13 Manual book progress

Fig 6.14 Manual book progress

Fig 6.15 Manual book PDF

Week 7

The book cover was still not up to standard, so Ms. helped me change it. The color gradient of the catalog page was not appropriate. There were still some problems in the layout of the book page. After consideration, we made a cover with a black background, changed the shape of "marko polo" to make it look like a trumpet. Then we adjusted the background color of the catalog page to red, neatly arranged the title numbers and enlarged them.

Fig 7.1 Book cover

Fig 7.1 Book content

I went ahead and started making the box. Initially, we looked for some references on Pinterest. We wanted to design in this direction.

Fig 7.2 box reference

I started the first digital work. Since we didn't have many design elements, I used a lot of small rectangular blocks of color to place in the picture. I used our brand color red.

Fig 7.2 Box progress 1

After putting the mockup on, the box looked like a pizza, so I redesigned the box packaging. After thinking about it, I decided to make the outer packaging of the box simple and the interior of the box colorful, so that when consumers open it, they will feel a bright contrast.

、Fig 7.3 Box progress 2

When I put it into the mockup, it still looked a bit messy, so I used blue and red small squares to unify their background.

、Fig 7.3 Box progress 3

I changed some of the colors to make it look more colorful, and then placed the entire design into a mockup.

Fig 7.4 Box progress mockup

After discussion, we added graphic elements to all our designs to make all our designs consistent. So we replaced some elements of the box with our graphic elements and enriched them.

Fig 7.5 Box artwork

Fig 7.6 Box mockup

Final submission

Task 3 slides

Fig 7.7 Task 3 slides PDF

Manual book

Fig 7.7 Manual book PDF

Box

Fig 7.8 Box artwork 

Fig 7.9 Box artwork 

Fig 7.9 Box pdf

Mockup

Fig 7.10 Box mockup

Fig 7.9 Box mockup

Fig 7.9 Book mockup

Fig 7.9 Book mockup

Fig 7.9 Box mockup

FEEDBACK

Week 1 

We initially discussed the idea of ​​creating a branding company to build a branding system for small brands. 

Ms agreed with our idea and thought it was very interesting. She suggested that we come up with a slogan.

Week 2

The brand name is not interesting enough, try changing the brand name, "marko polo" is a good choice.

Week 3

Modify slides to make brand purpose clear.

Week 4

Create logos, tweak and modify logos, and make sketches of other items.

Week 5

In the Existing Media Analysis section of the slides, there is no need to analyze other brand companies.

For other items, you can design color cards, font cards, a brand manual, a notebook, etc. These can help small brands build a brand system.

Week 6

The book cover does not fit the brand style and needs to be redesigned. Add some layouts and some texts should not be in red, so it looks like a magazine.

Add some design guide descriptions to some blank pages of the notebook. Reselect the slogan on the slogan page of the notebook.

Continue to improve the slides and modify the design of other items.

REFLECTION

For this study of Major project, it has developed a lot of my design knowledge, allowing me to be more detailed in the design process, and fully experienced the process from design to printing. At the same time, teamwork is also indispensable. During the teamwork process, I often disagree with the team leader, but it turns out that one person's opinion cannot represent all, and the opinions of unity are ultimately appropriate. Of course, I also learned new knowledge from others, such as new creative thinking, new design standards, and Ms.'s strict design rules and feasibility of design. Through this cooperation, we finally completed and established a brand. Although there are some shortcomings, it is complete, which is fortunate.