from having undergone the indesign induction sessions with mike and gaining a basic knowledge of how the programme works and can be operated we were introduced to the new brief based around publication layout. the main aims are to show an understanding of and an ability to use the adobe indesign software to creatively design a double based spread, to explore and show an understanding of working layout and publication composition, colour, text/image, type and font and the interconnectivity and harmonious readability of the afore mentioned.
in it we are asked to produce a double page spread about a given animal, the purpose and tone of voice of which is up to us and which will be derived from our own research and understanding.
my animal was a bear.
two pages next to each other are a spread.
uncheck resample image on photoshop meaning no info will be added or removed. then can change the resolution to 300dpi for print. make sure to take not of print size so image isnt too big. save as a tiff or psd only. links palette gives me info about images etc on the page. right click, edit image, open with photoshop to change the original image size.
http://www.kidzone.ws/lw/bears/
BEARS RESEARCH.
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern Hemisphere and partially in the Southern Hemisphere. Bears are found on the continents of North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.
Common characteristics of modern bears include large bodies with stocky legs, long snouts, shaggy hair, plantigrade paws with five nonretractile claws, and short tails. While the polar bear is mostly carnivorous and the giant panda feeds almost entirely on bamboo, the remaining six species are omnivorous, with varied diets.
With the exceptions of courting individuals and mothers with their young, bears are typically solitary animals. They are generally diurnal, but may be active during the night (nocturnal) or twilight (crepuscular), particularly around humans. Bears are aided by an excellent sense of smell, and despite their heavy build and awkward gait, they can run quickly and are adept climbers and swimmers. In autumn, some bear species forage large amounts of fermented fruits, which affects their behaviour.[1] Bears use shelters, such as caves and burrows, as their dens; most species occupy their dens during the winter for a long period of sleep similar to hibernation.
Black Bears.
Ursus americanus
American Black Bear
Cinnamon Bear
Kermode Bear
Glacier Bear
Florida Black Bear
Cinnamon Bear
Kermode Bear
Glacier Bear
Florida Black Bear
The eighteen known subspecies can be found throughout the United States and Canada. Estimates of the number of black bears in North America vary, with 750,000 being the most often suggested.
Despite their name, black bears can actually appear in a variety of colors. There are brown black bears, white black bears, and even the blue glacier bear.
Expert estimates of the weights of the bears also seem to vary widely. Conservative measurements put the average weight of the animals is around 300 pounds. the largest black bear ever found weighed 802 pounds.
The black bear has claws which are shorter and more curved than those of the grizzly bear. This allows it to have a great agility in climbing trees.
Brown Bears.
Ursus arctos
Alaskan Brown Bear
Asiatic Brown Bear
European Brown Bear
Grizzly Bear
Himalayian Snow Bear
Kodiak Bear
Syrian Bear
Asiatic Brown Bear
European Brown Bear
Grizzly Bear
Himalayian Snow Bear
Kodiak Bear
Syrian Bear
The brown bear distinguishes itself from the other ursines by virtue of its shoulder hump, which is caused by muscles which are used for digging. The color of the animal varies from a light creamy color through to black.
The males can weigh anywhere from 300 to 860 pounds, with the females coming in somewhere between 205 and 455 pounds.
Brown bears reach sexual maturity somewhere between their 4 1/2 to 7th years. During the mating season, males and females may pair up and mate frequently for up to two weeks.
Brown bears are technically carnivores, but in practice most of their diet consists of plant matter such as sedges, grasses, bulbs, seeds, berries, and roots. They will also eat insects, fish, and small mammals. Some of these bears have even developed predatory practices on large animals, including moose, caribou, and elk.
Polar Bears.
Ursus maritimus
Ice Bear
Nanook
Polar Bear
Sea Bear
White Bear
Walking Bear
Nanook
Polar Bear
Sea Bear
White Bear
Walking Bear
The polar bear is a mighty hunter of seals. The most carnivorous of the bears, it is also the most patient. They will sit near a seal blow-hole for hours, waiting, until the animal surfaces.
In order to survive, the polar bear has to be an expert survivalist, able to cope with the grueling conditions of his environment. Like a giant solar panel, the skin of the bear is black to draw every bit of possible heat from the sunlight. The hairs if the pelt appear to be white, but are actually transluscent and transmit the light down to the skin.
The males are huge, the heaviest of them weighing as much as 1300 pounds. The females are smaller, the largest of them being only about 600 pounds.
The bears do not generally hibernate, but remain active for most of the year. Polar bears are more agressive than other bears. Even in captivity.
Asiatic Black Bears.
Selenarctos thibetanus
basindo nan tenggil
(He who likes to sit high-day bedding)
Black beast
Dog bear
Formosa bear
Giant cat bear (Japan)
(He who likes to sit high-day bedding)
Black beast
Dog bear
Formosa bear
Giant cat bear (Japan)
Generally, they have been found to be 50-75 inches in length. The males usually weigh from 220-440 pounds, and the females from 110-275 pounds.
Mostly, these bears live in forested areas, especially hilly and mountainous places. The preferred elevations change seasonally.
The diet of the asiatic black bear is quite diverse. They eat carrion, bee's nests, insects, invertibrates, small vertibrates, and fruit. They have been known to kill domestic livestock, but to what degree they exhibit this predation is not known. They are also known to make daybeds and feeding platforms in nut-bearing trees.
Sloth Bear.
Melursus ursinus
Aswail
Baloo (Kipling)
Honey bear
Jungle joker
Lip bear
Baloo (Kipling)
Honey bear
Jungle joker
Lip bear
The nostrils of the muzzle can be closed at will, possibly as an adaptation to the defenses of the termites which make up a large portion of their diet. Their dark fur is often interspersed with whitish or greyish strands, and they display a noticable whiteish or cream-colored U shaped patch on their chest.
The sloth bear is unique among bears as it has only 40 adult teeth. The cubs have 42 while nursing.
Sloth bear adults can weigh anywhere from 120-310 pounds and measure anywhere from 60-75 inches in length.
Sloth bears are found in the forested areas and grasslands of India and Sri Lanka. However, the bears have also been witnessed in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.
Spectacled Bears.
Tremarctos ornatus
short-faced bear
The spectacled bear gets its name from the distinctive circular bands which ring its eyes.
the males generally weighing from 220 to 340 pounds, and the females 140 to 180 pounds.
The spectacled bear is a very adaptable animal. It, like the brown bear, is found in widely varying habitats. This bear is found in steppe lands, rainforests, cloud forests, and even coastal scrub desert land.
The spectacled bears eat a wide variety of food, ranging from mice, rabbits, birds, berries, grasses and orchid bulbs all the way to their favorite food, the leaves, bases, and hearts of the Bromeliacae plant family. Many times, these animals will climb cacti to taste of the fruit at the top.
Sun Bears.
Ursus malayanus
Bruang (Sumatra name)
Maylay Bear
Dog Bear (Thailand)
Ape Man
The sun bear is a rather small member of the bear family which makes its home in the lowland tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. It is covered with a black coat made of sleek, short hairs. It has a white or yellowish patch on its chest shaped like a half-moon.
The omnivorous sun bear lives on a diet consisting mostly of termites, birds, small mammals, and even bits of oil palms, and other commercial crops.
Sun bears are the smallest of all the bears. The adults only weigh up to 145 pounds, and measure at the longest 60 inches.
This bear can be found in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, Bangledesh, and many other countries in the Southeastern portions of Asia.
Captive breeding has produced such wildly different gestation periods that scientists are not even sure if the sun bear has a mechanism of delayed implantation.
Giant Panda Bears.
Ailuropoda melanoleuca
Bai Bao (White Leapord)
Fiery Fox
Shi Ti Shou (Iron Eating Beast)
Shining Cat
Cat Bear
Black and White Bear
It has several adaptations that make it unusual. First is the fact that it has six digits on the front paws, giving it an opposable thumb ideal for holding onto the stalks of bamboo which it consumes in great amounts.
It has only been since 1995 that the Panda has been officially considered a bear and the bear can only be found in 6 regions of southwest china. the bear eats around 30 different species of bamboo and not much else. they are solitary like most bears and cubs will stay with their mothers for around 2 years max.
having gained a basic understanding of the main species of bear around the world i thought it necessary to watch some documentaries so that i could understand more about the life of bears and how they act/what they do.
i began by watching 'the great bear stakeout' by chris morgan on bbc which i found to be interesting and insightful.
they focussed on grizzly bears in alaska from the beginning of the end of hibernation to the end of the mating season and how the female bears conduct themselves with their cubs, how the male bears roam and mark their territory, and how the females/males prepare and react to mating. the docc. also fucusses on the filming methods and how to conduct yourself, as a human, around bears.
filming techniques - bear pepper spray for protection, electric fences round the tents, sealed food, slow movement around the bears, lowered positioning when bears close, no eye contact, no offensive sounds.
post hibernation eating - bears will look for food, dig for clams on the shore, males will eat cubs if hungry, grasses and reeds, bears will eat other grown bears if forced, later in the year will fish for salmon.
post hibernation raising cubs - females with cubs very agressive, cubs stay with mother for around 2 years to learn, mothers have to feed for 2, cubs can easily get lost or killed.
post hibernation mating - females only on it a couple of weeks and a few days within that, males usually scout a female then follow her and protect their target from other males, will rub their scent on trees, scratch trees at their highest reach to show their size to other bears, wee on their grounds, have to be constantly watching their female because other bears might sneak in.
i then watched a brief explaination from david attenborough on bbc about grizzly salmon fishing.
because the salmon season is later in the year the bears take interest in other food sources untill. when salmon start appearing in the lakes and river mouths the bears start loitering in appropriate fishing spots. there is a lot of waiting and patience involved and so bears usually spar and wrestle to pass the time, practice fighting, and for entertainment for other bears.
there is some scope for open water fishing but its much harder. usually bears will wait at a river mouth while salmon swin up stream and the trap and catch them. older, stronger males tend to get the first pick and the pick of spot so other males and females are left for second choice.
i went on to watch another duccumentary by chris morgan on bbc called 'grizzlies of alaska' which was similar to the first one but shed new light on how cubs are raised.
bears are easily aggravated and generally agressive and will attack if they feel threatened or if your in their territory.
they loose around 50% of their bodyweight during hibernation and have to work fast to put it back on.
cubs rarely leave their mothers side, literally the side of their mother most of the time.
lots of similarities between bears and humans in mating and socialising.
i found an article on old research conducted in the 70's and it shows the leap in knowledge weve made about bears. http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/grizzly/getting_to_know.pdf
having considered the potential directions i could take the publication and what themes i could focus on to do with bears, as shown on my design practice blog, i decided to base my publication on a sort of instruction guide to how to conduct yourself and protect yourself when encountering bears in the wild (in particular grizzly bears) - what you should and shouldnt do. the next step was for me to research into the different tips and advice on bears and how you should react etc.
i started by looking at some internet videos explaining and advising on bear encounters.
the guide explains that most of the time bears are more afraid. making noise all the time and making yourself aware should keep them away. if you see a bear clap your hands loudly and shout and the bear will likely run off. in encountering cubs you should just leave them alone but a comment on the video said that research shows that a mother will not protect her cubs if you encounter them.
the guide advises that in an encounter where the bear has become or is showing signs of aggression you should remain confident and calm and dont panic or make sudden movements. talk constantly to the bear in a calming or monotone voice to let it know you dont mean harm. if the bear doesnt advance slowly raise your arms and start to move backwards a bit then stop. if the bear continues to be agressive and moves forward make lots of noise, get big, be aggressive and shout and dont get down on the floor.
i think this video is really informative and visually entertaining. it explains that if the bear spots you from a distance and just watches you then just walk off slowly and calmly making noise like whistling. dont run away. if its close then back off slowly and talk to it softly.
i started by looking at some internet videos explaining and advising on bear encounters.
i think this video is really informative and visually entertaining. it explains that if the bear spots you from a distance and just watches you then just walk off slowly and calmly making noise like whistling. dont run away. if its close then back off slowly and talk to it softly.
this video talks about similar things as the above but says you should always leave wide spaces for the bear to escape - never make it feel trapped or enclosed because thats when itll attack.
http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/bear-attack3.htm
this website looks at similar methods and gives similar advice, talking about how you should stay still and composed and never make direct eye contact with the bear. if a grizzly attacks you then you should lie with your back exposed protecting your head and play dead.
http://www.udap.com/safety.htm
this website was really helpful in explaining every aspect of a bear encounter and the necessary precautions you should take. it explains the bears possible body language/meaning and why attacks may occur so you have a better understanding and are more able to spot the signs.
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/01/30/how-to-survive-a-bear-attack/
this website gives added descriptions of different bears so you can understand your attacker
http://www.peregrineadventures.com/blog/01/02/2012/what-do-if-you-meet-grizzly-bear
this website says you should climb up trees if the bear continues its attack.
http://www.mountainnature.com/wildlife/bears/bearencounters.htm
this website gives very accurate details and advice depending on the bears distance from you and its actions.
LAYOUT/COMPOSITION RESEARCH.
the layout and composition of any wildlife/nature publication is a thorough process in designing. because the focus is a mixture of textual and visual information it is important to have clear and visible quality images, legible and readable text, composed in a way that the entire page can be understood and so visually the page is not tiring or straining. i think its important to maintain balance (not necessarily equality) between images and text so that, unless intended (eg double page picture spread with caption only) one does not overly outweigh the other. it seems the most effective layouts show noticeable structure, simplicity of composition and effective and striking imagery.
i decided to crit a number of wildlife spreads to gain further understanding of the styles and forms involved and what bits are most successful.
the image shown is high quality and looks good, visible, clear when printed and on screen. the scene is appropriate too with points of interest covering the bottom half of the page leaving the top for text. the subjects within the image are also appropriately positioned to work with the bodies of text above. the three bears take up roughly the same space as the title and quotes on the left, while the single white bear and debris follow on well from the body of text on the right. composition of text bodies because everything is coherent - the bottom caption on the right is parralell to the small text on the right while the title and quote below make up the same space as the main text on the right. i think the text colour scheme works well with the colours present in the image - the blues for emphasis link with the sea and sky but still contrast so legibility is not compromised. the maroony violet contrasts in complement with the blue so colours are balanced and also works with the browns of the bears/wood/stones. i think that serif and sans can work together well but in this example i think the use of both is just for the sake of it and the serif clashes too much with the sans (especially the varied weights of the sans meaning more than 3 fonts present).
i like the employment of the modernist grid system in this example as it splits the pages well between text and image. the larger left hand image is balanced by the half text/half image on the right. i think the margins on the right work nicely to border the page and make the images present not over powering - the presence of white calming the eye. the equal columns of text are nicely spaced and flow into the image below. i think the right image might have also benefitted from a small margin but i can see the appeal/effectiveness of a full page image. i think the caption within the righthand text is poorly considered and placed and is rather unnecessary. the repeat splitting of colour to line makes the eye confused and strains it while reading. the shifts in weight of the font are also confusing and unnecessary and clash with the neatness and form of the grid system used. also i think their is too much space between the caption edges and the text edges which ruins the fluidity of the spread.
a quality image that works really well as a full page spread and isnt overpowering or in your face. the warm but more neutral colours involved means the image is satisfying to look at and not confusing. the situating of the mother and two cubs just to the left of the central fold line is appropriate for when the publication is folded or being turned and the single cub on the right gives the image a left heavy balance. i think the text in the top right corner is ill considered as black on browns and dark greens is not an appropriate contrast and will make readability harder for the audience. maybe a light grey would be more appropriate.
my main problem with this layout is the fade between the white behind the text and the image to the right and the subsequent overlaying of text on the image. i think the concept is clever - monkey climbing a straight up tree that follows the text line so its like climbing up the letters. but the execution is poor. the fade itself is blurry and inconsistent and doesnt look clean or neat or fluid. the black serif font really disappears on its right side into the image which is also black and dark brown and really jeopardises readability and understanding along with the coherent following of text from line to line. this is especially so where the sun flares in the image confuse the letters even more. also i think this style would work much better on a double page spread where the blend could be more gradual and, with the fold line, the split would be more noticeable and understood.
i think this page is also a bit of a failure. the text is composed like a novel or purely text based publication while the images mimic the grid and this is a major clash - is the text was split into two columns in line with the images i think the page would work much better. it also seems as thought the images have simply been added to fill space or just for the sake of having images there. i think the green strip is a bit tacky as well - a better colour could work but also a fade into the white might look smoother and less sectioning.
this page reminds me of an 80s sci fi films dvd contents page - a really tacky and 'futuristic' design that looks rushed and unconsidered. the curved drop that makes the baseline for 'contents' is used in so many stock layout for powerpoint and such and just looks rubbish. the image is not really considered and is just cut off randomly around the edges without thought. the pages and numbers section at the bottom cuts the image so severely, and with such tonal shift, that it almost looks like a printing mistake or something. the block grey is ugly and doesnt hose the contents guide well. the guide itself is messy and incoherent with only a loose composition - contents and guides should always be easily understood, and the white borders seems confusing and unnecessary. i dont understand as well why theyve used different fonts for the title and body copy and numbers because that makes the page even less coherent.
i think this page is similar to the above but some layout throy has been applied. the rule of thirds has been used to split the page by columns and this helps with the flow of the page. it isnt apparent horizontally though and the images disrupt the general layout as well as being only reasonable quality and blurred and not very clear. the yellow is tacky and too lemony - too similar to the white. the same style borders have been used again and make the page more messy as opposed to splitting it up and helping the eye navigate around the page.
i like the coherence and simplicity of this layout and think it works really well. similar to the top one is the half image/half image and text format that adheres somewhat to the modernist grid system which i think is successful in splitting the sections up. i think the right hand image is appropriate because it is cut off by the fold line at the hill - the in land part (i.e the middle, the land), and is cut off by the outer edge of the page at the cliff edge/sea - the open part (i.e the outside, the sea). the right hand images follow on well from the3 columns and maintain the organisation. i would have included spacing between the two right hand images in line with the spacing between the middle and right hand columns of text. i think the font and colouring is also successful in linking with the image colours, showing consideration for working contrast and being legible and readable for the audience.
http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Birds/Archives/2008/Unexpected-Wildlife.aspx
i really like this layout example and think its really successful in form, communication, readability and flow. firstly i like how the image crosses the central fold line slightly onto the next page - it maintains the one side image/one side text format but tweaks it which i think makes the flow of the spread smoother because the right page is still all image but because the image crosses over to the right, which is the direction we read, it carries the reader across and subtly improves the reading flow of the spread. i think the margin to the left of the image is a really nice and appropriate addition that separates the image from the edge so it doesnt just fall over it and also acts as space for the caption half way down. in terms of the text the spacing is quite inventive and original. somewhat mimicking the modernist grid and maintaining the flush left copy orientation, the text appears to be trying to cross the central line in the white spacing which i think offers a calming effect on the eye through the open white spaces. i also like the squashed arrangement of the title in pt size and leading.
i think this spread is simple and ok but not very interesting or inventive. the large image splits the spread quite well and with the smaller image, gives structure to the text columns. i think the sudden end to the images on a white background is unpleasantly contrasting but its not the worst
http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Birds/Archives/2008/Unexpected-Wildlife.aspx
evidently a spread design for a kids magazine due to the bright colours, random text/image arrangement and 'file' like borders and graphics. i think that the style is appropriate to the audience and content but i still think its quite tacky and cliche and looks visually busy and cluttered.
http://www.amistudios.com/magazine-design-guide/nature-magazines.php
TEXT/IMAGE & TYPE/COLOUR RESEARCH.
in searching for quality and appropriate stock images for my layout i found a website that offeres critical comparison of the best free stock websites.
http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/web/12-best-places-to-get-free-images-for-your-site-624818
i found that the easiest to acquire images off were
http://morguefile.com/archive/#/?q=grizzly bear
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=124489015
http://freerangestock.com/search.php?search=grizzly+bear&submit=&match_type=all
http://www.stockvault.net/photo/122016/bear
http://www.freephotosbank.com/8311.html
in searching for appropriate fonts i chose to use
http://www.1001freefonts.com/
http://www.dafont.com/
i thought about colour schemes and what might be appropriate. to help me i used
https://kuler.adobe.com/
Expert estimates of the weights of the bears also seem to vary widely. Conservative measurements put the average weight of the animals is around 300 pounds. the largest black bear ever found weighed 802 pounds.
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