Research- Videos

This afternoon I have gathered some further research on how teddies help with loneliness and have an impact on how we feel about ourselves, I did this by watching videos relating to the topic as I find watching videos more entertaining than just reading sometimes.

The Importance of Soft Toys by TheSchoolOfLife: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCFcfHEDs4M

Notes:

• The soft toy animal looks after it’s owner, at times of crisis it may urge you to not worry so much and to look forward to better times in the future
• The English psychologist Donald Winnicott was the first person to write seriously and sensitively about the seriousness of teddy bears- research further into him .
• To many people their teddies are their most precious possessions 
• People often use their teddy bears as a way of speaking to themselves because we give the teddy bears their identities ourself. As often when we talk to ourselves the tone can be harsh. Mental well-being depends on having to handle a repertoire of more gentle, forgiving, hopeful inner voices- Winnicott 
• Adults often reject their old childhood teddies as it seems embarrassing or humiliatingly vulnerable, but instead we should value them for what they really are; tools to help us look after ourselves

Japans Moomin cafe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q48Ih_sQNIk

Notes:

• The Moomin anti-loneliness house cafe in Japan is filled with stuffed teddies that sit at the table with the customer. Cups of tea and coffee are served with their own stuffed Moomin character to keep them company.
• With only 7 stuffed characters in the place, staff said they do everything they can to make the rounds.
• Even non fans of the Moomin series appreciate the efforts of the staff to provide a unique experience which challenges anti-loneliness.

Evaluation

Overall, I enjoyed this project as it tackled something that I feel is important; not forgetting the things that we enjoyed as children as they made us who we are today. I also think this project was successful as peer feedback suggested it that it meets what I aimed for, which was that the product would help people to de-stress in adult life by challenging them to take part in a childhood related activity every week, peers mentioned that the 12-week challenge is something they would like to try personally.

I feel that creating a survey was good research for this brief as it influenced the activities that I put on each of the cards. The survey asked questions relating to what people enjoyed as children such as whether they preferred to play indoors or outdoors, what their favourite hobbies were and whether they feel that their childhood interests have influenced their careers and interests as adults.

Unfortunately, this project was not able to actually be produced in the way that was planned due to Covid-19. Since I couldn’t actually produce the final outcomes myself anymore, it was important that I show them well in mockups and explained the concept and how it would've been in my design boards really well.

If I could actually produce what I had planned, the packaging would use thick cardboard stock and covered using a matte wrap around sticker, the cards would use a thick paper stock similar to classic card games with round curved edges. The paper stock would be satin and tear proof.

Teddy Bear to Cure Loneliness?- Forum Research

For the new brief I am starting relating to how teddies help with loneliness, I started with researching into peoples experiences with how their stuffed teddies have had a positive impact on them when they've felt lonely in the past.

I came across a forum discussion titled 'Teddy Bear to Cure Loneliness?': https://www.adisc.org/forum/threads/teddy-bear-to-cure-loneliness.96256/. This discussion

Below show comments that I found interesting from different people about their experiences with their stuffed teddies and how they have helped them through times when they have felt lonely:

I've found that when loneliness starts setting in, nothing helps better than grabbing my teddy bear and just snuggling the crap out of it for awhile. Surprisingly, it legitimately satisfies that painful craving for affection and within a few minutes I feel completely better. Don't get me wrong, it's still not as good as actual human contact/affection, but it's a great temporary solution. Does anyone else do this? Can you relate at all?- theQman

about 2-3 years ago I got a stuffed Simba plush and have slept with him just about every night and he's definitely comforting to have around. No matter what, I can always count on him being on my bed every night waiting for me and no matter what I've done or am doing, I can expect no negative judgements from him.- TheCaptain

I talk to my stuffed animals all the time when I feel lonely.- Milko

I love snuggling my plushy tiger when I'm lonely or just feeling down. I also have pretend conversations with him (just imagination, I'm not crazy). It really helps me work my feelings out sometimes.- Little2Roo

I've gotten to the point that my bear is somehow more than just an inanimate object, and I get kind of bummed out whenever I start to get in that "it's just a toy" frame of mind. I can so relate to not wanting to hurt him though.- theQman

I always like to cuddle my plushies when I'm alone. I like to talk to them and I let the know that I love and care about them and I know they love and care for me as well- tall2826

As I mentioned before, my teddy bear is my special comforter friend. He truly helps me not feel lonely, and I admit that I do quietly talk to him. I am supposed to be a grown-up and not need a teddy bear, but I can not feel safe and loved in this world without him. He is my friend and I truly love him so very much.- caitianx

New Brief Idea

I've currently almost finished one of my last briefs so I'm thinking of starting a new one this week, I may do two more depending on how I get on.

My initial ideas for briefs that I haven't yet done are good morning grandad and the freshers branding collab with Beth. Unfortunately, I can't do the freshers branding collab with Beth since uni has been shut and I won't see her, also the good morning grandad brief was going to be a hardback publication which I'm not sure how I'd produce at home the way I want it.

Over the weekend I had the idea of a brief relating to how teddies help with loneliness, this brief feels relevant right now with coronavirus lockdown as it means that a lot of people will be on lockdown alone and will experience major loneliness. Even people in lockdown with family will miss their friends and vice versa which I can relate to.

Final Outcomes- Mockups

I have now created mockups of the final outcomes, this includes the box packaging, the prompt cards and the fold out poster that is included inside the box which folds out to A3 size from A6.

Since I can't actually produce the final outcomes myself anymore. due to the current circumstances, it's important that I show them well in mockups and explain the concept and how it would've been in my design boards really well.

Packaging and cards:

Box front

Box back

For the final double sided poster I decided to go with the collage grid aesthetic for the imagery based side and for the typographic side I decided to go with the one colour background version since the other side uses a two colour background it felt a bit too busy if that side did too.

Fold out poster mockups:

Before unfolding (A6)

Typographic side

Imagery side

Both sides together

Poster Development

I have now started to develop both sides for the fold out poster that comes with the prompt cards inside the box packaging. The poster will be double sided which allows the user to choose which side they want showing, one side would show the collages from the activity cards and one side will be typography based with the title of the prompt card challenge 'Childhood meets Adulthood'

I started with developing the collage side, idea 1 was to show them all separately in a square grid, whereas idea 2 is to show the activities as one large collage by using the same imagery on card number 12 (The last week: re-do your favourite activity from the past 12 weeks and feel free to add to it. Merge activities together if it works!)

Personally I prefer idea 1 but I'll ask people through messages which one they prefer.

Idea 1

Idea 2

Below show developments for the typography side of the poster. Idea 1 uses the same design as the front of the prompt cards box in order to create consistency, whereas the other ideas play around with the colours and shape.

Idea 1

Idea 2

Idea 3

I decided I wasn't a big fan of any of the previous typography experiments, I wanted the poster to be more playful and fun as it reflects the whole concept of childhood better and just looks a lot more interesting and engaging in general.

Below show poster designs that experiment with more playful arrangement and scales of each letter, I like both of these versions so I'll also ask people which they prefer out of them. Design 2 relates better with the box packaging and creates consistency through the split background colours , whereas Design 1 is more clean perhaps.

1

2

Typographic Poster Research

One of my initial ideas for the brief was to create an A2 fold out poster that has the 12 week challenge activities on- the user would be able to put it on their wall and mix and match which activity they choose to do that week as they can see them all when the poster is folded out (from A6 to A2).

I have decided that I want to develop this idea but instead the poster would come inside the box packaging- the user would put this on their wall and it would work by reminding them to carry on using the childhood related activities in their spare time even after the 12 weeks.

The poster would be double sided to that the user can choose which side they want showing, one of the sides would show the activity collages whereas the other side would be typography based.

Below shows research into typographic posters that I found interesting for the typography side, I want the type to be arranged in a playful way which relates to childhood and the different activities.

One artist that I've always loved the work of is Tyler Spangler, his typography based work was found relevant towards my research as they're always very playful, bold and often quite psychedelic. His work experiments with colour, animation, abstract pattern and interesting language:

Updated Brief

Below shows the updated brief for this project, in my discussion with Amber on Thursday she mentioned to just show and explain it as well as possible since I can't actually produce it now due to university being shut. I will search online if I can find mockups that would work but the main thing is to explain really well how it would've been, like I'm pitching something.

Also, this week I've been feeling a little unmotivated with things due to the current situation with being in lockdown etc, but this coming week I plan on getting this brief properly finished and then I might start a new independent project.

Google Hangouts Discussion

Today I had my google hangouts discussion call with Amber in which we went over the two PDF briefs that I sent over last week. Brief 1 was the current brief (Childhood meets Adulthood) that I started before university shut due to corona virus and Brief 2 was the design boards for my finished YCN brief.

The main feedback I needed was on Brief 1 as I can't actually produce it how I wanted due to coronavirus as I won't have access to any facilities. I sent over a set of design boards for Brief 2 so that Amber could give me feedback on whether they're clear throughout.

Notes from discussion:

Brief 1:

• Since I can't actually produce the childhood brief anymore as it consists of packaging and a set of prompt cards, show it in my design boards as if I'm pitching to a client so explain how it would've been in good depth
• Amber mentioned that the collages on the back of the cards work really well, they're interesting and different
• Find and show good examples of how the physical outcomes would have looked like
• The brief is well written

Brief 2 (YCN design boards):

• Research and initial boards are clear
• The development boards could be shortened a little bit and more concise- I agree with this as I often end up writing too much when it's already clear
• Photographs are really good
• Final outcome touches on evaluation a little bit

Amber also mentioned that she'll ask Jaywing to get back to us about the VMC branding as they've selected the top groups, so I'm looking forward to hearing if me and Jake made it.

Evaluation

Overall, this collaboration with Nikita for creating her personal branding went well as we were able to communicate frequently throughout the process and she was pleased with the end designs. The final outcomes consist of the portfolio box which is branded using Nikita's logo with vinyl, inside the box is Nikita's prints with belly band packaging alongside an introduction card, business cards and packaged prints with sticker sealing.

I was really happy with how everything looked together physically, the branding and different outcomes as a collective work well together as the branding is consistent, professional and matches Nikita's style of photography.

The designs were very minimal and clean which isn’t completely my style as I like to work in a more vibrant and experimental way. However, the personal branding was for Nikita so it was important to create the designs in the way that she wanted which was an overall minimal, feminine and professional aesthetic, which I think I achieved well without making it look boring. If I were to design the business cards in my way for example, I’d use a more varied colour palette and also use foiling or spot varnish for the logo on the card.

Since the collaboration and communication went so well it actually meant that me and Nikita were able to become friends and in return she took the photographs for my final outcomes for the The Panda Project brief and also provided the two models to photograph wearing the t-shirts that I’d created for that brief. Nikita also mentioned that in the future I would be her go-to graphic designer if she ever needed anything else designing and in return she would be happy to help me photograph any future projects.

Final Outcomes Photographs

Below shows photographs of all of the printed final outcomes which Nikita photographed herself and sent over. The final outcomes consist of the portfolio box which is branded using Nikita's logo with vinyl, inside the box is Nikita's prints with belly band packaging alongside an introduction card, business cards and packaged prints with sticker sealing.

I am really happy with how everything looks together physically, the branding and different outcomes as a collective work well together as the branding is consistent, professional and matches Nikita's style of photography.

Card Development and Finalisation

I have developed the collages for the back of the cards using the technique of collage, these designs look a lot better than the simpler illustrations that I was originally going to use on the back as they're a lot more fun and experimental which is more relevant towards childhood.

Every 3 weeks the user gets to write their own card, so the back of that card will be be kept blank so that the user can write on it:

Write your own card- Front

Write your own card- Back

I also have a print slot for next Thursday for printing the cards and packaging as I planned on having everything done by then. However, I'm not sure what the circumstances will be now due to coronavirus and it's unlikely that I will be going into university next week if it hasn't shut by then anyway- so the production and finishing of this brief may end up taking longer than the deadline that I set which was by the Easter holidays.

Developed front and back of each:

Week 1:

Week 2:

Week 4:

Week 5:

Week 7:

Week 8:

Week 10:

Week 11:

Week 12 (last week!):