Part 3 skills for design practise module, University of Reading
Design brief
Critter Craft front cover – 260gsm linen white card, 200 x 260mm dimensions
The Critter Craft logo is in a prominent position and all three of the book’s characters are on the front cover so the audience is instantly introduced to them. The design has a fun feel to it with speech bubbles telling the children about the exciting contents of the book.
The Critter Craft logo is in a prominent position and all three of the book’s characters are on the front cover so the audience is instantly introduced to them. The design has a fun feel to it with speech bubbles telling the children about the exciting contents of the book.
Critter Craft back cover – 260gsm linen white card
On the back are photographs of three animal craft objects that can be made using the book. This shows the audience what type of objects they can expect to make if they purchase the book.
On the back are photographs of three animal craft objects that can be made using the book. This shows the audience what type of objects they can expect to make if they purchase the book.
I included free stickers on the inside cover to engage the child as soon as they open the book. White glossy 250gsm stock is used for all of the book’s inside pages. Glossy stock is easier to wipe clean if a child spills something onto the book.
Each stage has clear, concise text supported by a photograph. Navigation is clear with each stage numbered. A maximum of four stages are shown per page and each stage is placed in a same position on every spread to maintain consistency.
The fox and hedgehog character alternate for each craft object and they act as helpful guides to the reader. The mouse character is included for all of the craft objects and provides a list of equipment and materials needed to make the object.
Every craft object has a different background design to suit the object being created. This provides excitement for the reader as an element of surprise can be maintained whenever the page is turned. This helps to keep the child engaged with the book.
Some objects only require a few simple steps, in which case only one single spread is required.
I used the typeface ‘Doctor Soos Light’ for the main text because it has good legibility but also a sense of fun to appeal to children. ‘KB Push’ was used for the headings as it has a playful hand-drawn appearance.
The character and background designs were created using Adobe Illustrator CS5 and the page layouts were constructed using Adobe InDesign CS5.
I created a Critter Craft Art box to accompany the book. It contains materials and equipment required to make some of the craft objects. This gives people the option to buy the materials they need in one go rather than sourcing them from elsewhere. The materials have the Critter Craft brand, which shows how the brand successfully works across different platforms.
