The first assignment is a book review of a design book of our choice. Since the class is Graphic Design Text and Image, I chose Adverting Design and Typography by Alex White. The book focuses on design in advertisements, typography and the integration of text within the advertisement designs. I was initially drawn to the images and the wide variety of designs within the book, but as I read more, I realized that it was full of really good design principles and explanations of why certain designs work. The book has really references on color, layout, design and text hierarchy, and how to integrate design principles like; unity, balance, space, alignment, and scale. So, the assignment is to create a 5-7 minute PowerPoint presentation that includes a general overview, the strengths, weaknesses and points of interest. The first step I took was to make a list that covers each of the requirements. My notes:
1. General Overview
images/visuals
-text/type
-text/image relationships
2. Strengths/Weaknesses
-Strengths
examples illustrating ideas
quick reference/design rules
typography rules
text/image relationships
-Weaknesses
limited subjects
mainly print ads
busy layout pages
3. Points of Interest
-typography pages
-contemporary examples
I want to portray the elements of the book in my presentation with a similar layout and appearance as the book itself. I plan on using many images in my presentation from the book itself so that the content is apparent. I'm still working on the background template for the presentation itself, something that unifies with the book of course. These are my ideas so far, I still have a ways to go, though!
