Design Production for Print//Map Design.

Having made a start on mailshot booklet map designs today (in order to distracted me from a wasted week of tickets...urgh...) and really got into the design process- and was pleased that (rarely for me) I came up with a design I was really pleased with (for design developments see my earlier posts for the day on my Design Practice blog- and also inspiration and source on my Design Context blog).

NB// Please forgive the condition of the nets... battered in transit... 

To gain an impression of the traditional map fold, and the scale of my design- I created an A3/A6 fold booklet- the size I originally intended to utilise, so it would fit into a 6x4" mailshot box, in a traditional postcard size, which I thought would be quite fun, playful and nostalglic. However, when folded down to it's single face size I wasn't happy with the size format when held portrait- it looked too wide, not very unique.

I decided to try out a square format for something a little more unique and original (also, mocking the existing design up on screen looked pretty good)- and when folded down it created a great shape- the size was determined by squaring off an existing sheet of A3 in landscape to meet it's portrait measure (x/y axis) of 320mm- which turned out to be a great size in terms of the 6x4" box- but a little too big width ways- though reasonably snug.

I drew up the corresponding measure nets and the size of the 320x320 mm was definitely, in my mind, the better shape- emphasing more of the "wide screen" composition I was aiming for, and all in all, far more unique and considered-therefore, less likely to be disregarded in terms of delivery in it's mailshot form. This is the shape!- Converted my design to fit these measures.

Going on to interpret my own designs, based upon inspiration and design developments throughout this project so far, as well as source information found on my Design Context blog, I went on to create my map design- loving the square format- it seems so much more visually engaging now. Tried adding a clear map of HPPH (Hyde Park Picture House- see small mock up example above) but made the design look too messy- I felt as though the text was enough for this design- perhaps I could elaborate upon it in my mailshot booklet?

The finished map (which will be folded down into eight separate panels). Really happy with the design so far- the simple vector pictograms and spot colours seem to be working a treat. Slowly but surely I'm getting there- need to get a wiggle on now and have my designs (nearly, if not completely) finished by Monday... not much 

of an ask...