UCO Design Foundations - Nuts and Bolts

Nuts and Bolts - Project 4

Assignment

Building on the reductive style of drawing we explored with the symbol set project, we are going to use photography and vector illustration in combination to create a simplified high contrast illustration of a simple piece of hardware. You will then use the illustration on a six-sided box along with type to create a package for your hardware (a box describing visually and verbally its contents)

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the project students will be able to:
Photograph a small object at a descriptive and yet dynamic angle
Use Photoshop to reduce value information from their photographs
Trace an object digitally using vector creation and editing tools
Research common and necessary information for simple product packaging
Typeset product information
Find and use existing packaging die-lines to lay out text and digital vector illustration
Transfer (i.e. print) the digital illustration to flat media with the 3-dimensional composition in mind
Assemble a simple product comprehensive
Photograph the final comprehensive in the photo studio

Process

Go to a hardware store and purchase a small package of hardware (nuts, bolts, screws, washers, etc).

While you are there, look at the way the hardware is presented (is it loose in bins, in bags, in boxes..).

Find a bulk package of your hardware or something similar that is packaged in a box. Note what information is on the sides of the box. Take a photo of every side. Do the same for your smaller package.

Take one of your items (e.g. a screw) and photograph it in the photo studio in the materials lab. Take photos that are descriptive (you can tell exactly what it is) but also dynamic (it looks exciting and interesting). You MUST use the photo studio and the lighting set up in it!!

Open the image in Photoshop and play with the levels to get a high contrast photo reference.
Trace the dark shapes that define the object using the pen tool in Illustrator (draw with shapes NOT lines).

Lay out your illustration and type in Adobe Illustrator (or InDesign). Arrange the type and illustration(s) in a descriptive but dynamic way. Place the dielines for the box on a separate layer. (Download the template here). Don't forget to add a VECTOR bar code (vector bar code generator). If you want to use Adobe Dimension to render a digital version of the box, use this template instead of the one above.

During class, we will print both your design on heavy paper (cardstock) as well as the template with trim and fold marks on a separate sheet of plain copy paper.

Now place the dieline print on top of the cardstock print, and trim it out. Fold your print into a closed box and glue the tab as indicated on the template using rubber cement.

Finally photograph your box with the hardware in the photo studio.

Materials

Laser print on cardstock. You may use white or near white paper (gray or beige) but not colored paper. The illustrations and text should be black. There are papers in the materials lab that are great options. Choose a paper that is stiff enough to hold its shape in box form.

Deliverables

For final critique you will bring:
1. Your process work
2. Your physical box and hardware
3. Photographs of your box with the hardware (uploaded to dropbox)

Value - 100pts

- Process (20%)

- Quality of the Illustration (30%)

- Box Layout (30%)

- Professionalism (20%)

Download Rubric

Demo Videos (Tracing in Adobe Illustrator)

Drawing Straight Lines in Illustrator

Drawing and Modifying Curves in Illustrator (long)

Increase Contrast in Photoshop to Make Tracing Easier

Combining Shapes in Illustrator with the Pathfinder Tools

Image Trace (auto vector creation... don't use)