this is a bit late but still, but I hope this will be crucial for your exam especially for those who are planning to give Visual communication (logo design) part of CEED exam. I'm giving links to the pdf as well as online pages that would leave you some idea. I'm also leaving some images taken from the web for your reference. Just go through them and understand what process that they followed.
Let me write some tips here
1.
If possible make mind map (bubble map) showing the flow of your ideas, the important keywords that you considered from the questions, what factors are linked and related to that issue for which you are designing the logo etc. An example is shown below
2.
Usually, you need to make three or more than 3 alternative ideas. So in each page, plan to show roughly your design process(Brainstorming of ideas) on how you come up with the idea, like showing separately the various elements (symbols, words etc) of the final logo and how you clubbed them. Also give written statements to give a note of what it represents.
At the end of each individual rough design, write in brief (note the no. of words that they ask) about the logo, covering the following questions
why you considered those individual factors with their importance
What would they (individual elements) communicate
Something about your logo (combination of individual elements) outcome and the reason why you chose them.
4.
After you're done with rough logos ideas, you have to make a final logoout of your alternate ideas. Follow the same procedure of showing the rough construction of the logo with individual designs along with several other alternate ideas for the same design as shown in below image.
Make your final logo eye-catching taking very good care (you may consider using ruler/scale, but mostly prefer hand if your hand draws straight lines very well). If possible, color them.
6.
Show (very) rough sketches of how the logo looks in different places like on certificates, web-site, apps, vehicles, posters/boards etc
7.
Give brief note about your final design, what it communicates and which factors/elements it covers giving a note on why you choose those colors or wordings.
In the next couple of days, I will try to solve a previous paper CEED VC question (if possible) or share online materials if I find something. Anyway, the above materials might have given you some idea.
There might be a number of
design streams available, but you are probably gifted with some hidden talents
that prove to be suitable to one or more of the design fields. Unless you know
about all of the fields, you cannot get a clear picture of your likes. I therefore
wish to bring to your knowledge about the basic pattern, area and functionality
of each design stream (especially for M.Des).
You can also go through the examples
as well as companies; which may help you chose your field of interest.
Product
Design (PD)
In a developing country like India where there are large demand for customized products, almost all the products are undergoing regular changes in product design, appearance, size, functionality as well as usability.
Let me clear this by bringing Apple strategy, Apple released its first version of iPad mini last year. Definitely it proved a hit, but in spite of its popularity, Apple further aim to develop new product (2nd generation iPad mini) and of course the users are waiting for this. Almost all the sectors were engaged regularly to deliver newer, user-oriented and Eco-friendly products, thus demanding more product designers.
Let us see the definition of Product Design. PD is the process of creating a new customized product to be sold by a business to its customers. It starts with ideating a product idea and goes all through the process of concept generation, prototyping, modelling, sketching and mechanisms.
In a broad approach, product designers conceptualize and evaluate ideas, later turn them into tangible (which you can touch and feel) inventions and products. They need to have design perspective and innovative skills. The product designers role is to combine art, science and technology. There are good institutions supporting PD stream with good faculty and facilities in India.
Examples :
1. Design of a TV, Air cooler
2. Design of i mac by Apple
3. Sony concept bracelet computer by Hiromi Kiriki
Note : companies list were given so that you would go through them and check what actually they design
Industrial
Design (ID)
Industrial Design is mostly related to product design and the discussion for PD also applies here, except that only some institutions provide the course. Often this field is confused with product design.
ID is the use of both art and science focused to improve the aesthetics, ergonomics, functionality and usability of a product. It may even be used to improve the product's marketability and production. As an industrial designer you need to create and execute design solutions for problems of form, usability, ergonomics, brand development as well as marketing sales.
Recently ID became a broad term inclusive of service, software and PD. Designers usually get associated with craft design and ergonomics.
Examples :
Products like Apple's iPad iPod and iPhone were examples designed by celebrated Industrial designer - Sir Jonathan Ive
Well, most of you might have seen Hollywood movies like How to train your dragon, Wall-E, The Lion King and many more to mention. These movies were created where it is difficult to show the plot with human or in other words where humans are incapable. The base idea is showing of extra-ordinary visuals and dimensions with the use of graphical computer technologies. This is where designer creativity reveals.
Animation designers are more than a creative group, working either individually or in teams to create visual media. Animation is the art of creating a sequence of image (sketched or computerized) in order to create a motion, which can be observed as illusion. Animation does have a relation with Visual Communication, but recently got separated. The most common method of presenting animation is as a motion picture or video program.
India seems to play a major role in the international framework of animation production in the coming years. Many of the animators working in top animation studios like Pixar and Dream Works hail from India. There should be no wonder here as India got good institutes and courses related to animation. The important thing to be noted here is India as a hub for best creative, innovative and conceptual designers like you (lol...). Definitely this field helps you shape your career path if you are like a conceptual being with a zeal and passion towards creativity.
The AD program in India expects the students to assume direct responsibility for nearly all aspects of the film making process by exposing to IT capabilities and other engineering disciplines right concept to drawing, shooting, camera etc.
Examples :
1. Films, cartoons, advertising etc.
2. Making of Kung Fu Panda 2 (posted by cinemapopshot)
3. Making of simple walking animation (posted by TheMrGoman)
Although India doesn't have best institutions for
this study, the courses provided by the Indian institutions were good enough
for those aiming for automotive design. However, institutes in India focus mainly
on studies related to understanding and identification of the transportation
needs and issues facing the country as well as developments in other countries
and identifying creative solutions. But the thing worth noting here is analyzers
look automotive sector as a fast growing field in India. The fact that many
international auto players were setting up design studios in India strengthen
this.
In some Institutes
Mobility and Vehicle Design was also termed as Transportation Design. Both of
them mainly deal with the development of the appearance as well as the ergonomics of the vehicle. Trust me this design field will
definitely prove to be interesting and you will enjoy more if you have
Mechanical or Architectural background with immense design passion.
Let me clear
more by bringing you an example; say you are designing a car, it means
developing the concept from scratch, coordinating with other departments (say
engineering, R&D) for possibilities, modifying for new concept,
re-analysis, developing a model and prototype and finalizing the concept. Automotive Design in this context is primarily concerned with developing the visual appearance or aesthetics of the vehicle as said earlier, though it is also involved in the creation of the product concept. You will be going through a number of hands-on experiment experiments and assignments as a transportation design student.
VC is communication through the help of visual aid and is described as the deliverance of ideas and information in forms that can be read or looked upon.
As usual I will clear the topic by bringing you with some examples. Say you
are driving a car and you come across the traffic red signal on the junction,
the moment you see the red signal, your leg shift from accelerator to brake.
Nobody told you to stop, not even did you see any written board, but the signal made you automatically
stop your vehicle.
When you see a car with the
above symbol, immediately your mind starts wondering that the person sitting in
the car might be someone belonging to royal family with class facilities. You
went to purchase an electronic good and you will identify the products with the
below symbol as those belonging to Apple products.
Now what does the above
examples mean? Instead of dealing with verbal or other forms of communication,
we are communicating with visual forms, that when looked upon by us would give the clear idea of what they intend to tell us, that too in an instance. You may feel that, this is not that much
important as a career path, I only gave some simple examples just to make you
understand. But think yourself; every organization has got a unique brand representation
that will clearly tell you about the nature of the brand. Even this form of
communication sometimes represents the status.
This form proves to be the
most powerful communication in marketing as well as sales division. VC is everywhere
today. In a country like India, where we expect more developments and changes
to be taken place in the very near future, VC plays an important role.
As the name suggest, VC deals with eye contact or visual contact of the product, and is primarily presented or expresses with two dimensional images. As a VC student you will be given a chance in various design methods, aesthetic aspects and generating methods and processes for solving communication problem. Students may specialize in one of the many areas including signs,, typography, information visualization, exhibition design, photgraphy, animation etc.
Examples :
1. Signs, typography, drawing, graphic design, illustration, color, electronic resources, skype, webinars 2. Power of VC - funny video (posted by Pratik Ghosh)
All of the Design streams focus on users. Ultimately it's the end-users who are going to enjoy your designed product. But likely other design streams give importance to innovation also. IXD in this context is specifically concentrated on the user. ID is a mix of product and visual design, and deals with digital things for people's use; Wikipedia defined IXD as "the practice of designing interactive digital products, environments, systems and services". let me clear this with an example. Say if you want to design a mobile phone for elder people, you need to consider the term "elder people" as mobile phones designed for teens and children's may not suit for elders. IXD is heavily focused on satisfying the needs and desires of the majority of people who will use the product. What clearly marks IXD as a design field as opposed to a science or engineering field is that it is synthesis and imagining things as they might be, more so than focusing on how things are. IXD is more or less related to User Interface Design. Learn more about - User Interface Design principles and general rules for CEED exam Examples : 1. Video : Link 2. Nokia 888 concept - Link
A very good website detailing more about IXD - Link
I hope this article helped you. Now you should be in a
position to answer your question “which
stream is to be chosen by me?”
Leave comments regarding any additions to be made in this
article.
