Study Task 2
Book cover analysis
Who Designed the cover, are there any links between them and the book?
The cover was designed by Denise Shiff however there are multiple cover cover designs for each different edition however they all feature a similar neutral colour palate. Denise Schiff has no apparent link to the book or the author, Victor Papenek. She has no easily accessible online profile linking her to any other works so for the purpose of this study task I will have to analyse this cover design in isolation.
What is the intended message?
I feel the intended message of the cover design is to emphasise the economical implications of design through the use of semiotics. The colour palate reflects this intended message as it uses a neutral colour scheme to reinforce the economical content within the book.
What are the semiotics behind this message and how/why have they been used to support the message/content?
The cover uses a range of semiotics from the internationally recognised recycle symbol to the use of corrugated cardboard which is another easily identifiable widely recycled material. This reflects the content o the book however my focus too heavily on the aspects of ecological and sustainable design and not enough on the social implications that are also highlighted within the book. I feel as though more focus should be paid to social responsibility as from a glance the book looks very environmental.
Is the cover successful in communicating this message/content?
I feel the design is successful in communicating its message of ecological design however I feel there is no significant semiotics linking the look to its message of socially responsive design. Personally I feel the typography used is an inappropriate blend of serif and sans-serif typefaces especially as the book is designed for designers with a target audience of design students who will pay particular attention to the composition and design decisions present within the cover design.
From this analysis I then had to explain these design decisions to a group of students which would then give me their opinions towards the design of the cover. Overall I feel the group of students reacted quite negatively towards the design of the front cover. One student said they found the slab serif typeface invasive and said they design looked like the content would force its views upon the reader making it unappealing. Another student said they found the colour scheme inappropriate as it looks boring and would disinterest an audience, she suggested a bolder colour scheme could work better for example tonal blues. Finally another student said that number of typefaces contrasts the message of undecorated design that the content of the book supports. I then asked asked the group to give me a range of words they felt best described the design of the cover these included; Contrast, Cluttered, Unclear, Aggressive, Unappealing, Practical, Outdated. When reinterpreting the design of this cover I will try to rectify the negative words given in order to appeal to the target audience as the group of students I held a focus group with are all part of the books target audience of design students.
No comments:
Post a Comment