Design & Communication Graphics Tips & Tricks

Mental_Legend

Thanks guys.

So far, I've chosen a Sat Nav that's a couple of years old with no external features, just the bare minimum for a GPS, and a phone that doubles as a Sat Nav (Nokia Navigator 6110). I've got info on the two of them under the headings of CPU, RAM, Internal memory, memory card, battery, pixels, screen size, dimensions and weight. I've done a sketch of both Sat Navs. Obviously the second page with the mounting devices is yet to be started. Am I going down the right track here?

Flex123

Mental_Legend wrote: »

Thanks guys.

So far, I've chosen a Sat Nav that's a couple of years old with no external features, just the bare minimum for a GPS, and a phone that doubles as a Sat Nav (Nokia Navigator 6110). I've got info on the two of them under the headings of CPU, RAM, Internal memory, memory card, battery, pixels, screen size, dimensions and weight. I've done a sketch of both Sat Navs. Obviously the second page with the mounting devices is yet to be started. Am I going down the right track here?

Yea you are.
Just a tip to you and everyone else - The name of the subject is Design and Communication Graphics. All three words play a major part in the project.
DESIGN Be original> simply Design something great yet feasible.
COMMUNICATION Communicate everything you do. Not in words and paragraphs but in .....
GRAPHICS That's right in graphics. Graphics is a visual form. Drawing, Sketching, SolidWorks, Tech Graph.

My point is to make sure under each thing you Compare and Contrast, such as memory card, screen size, etc. that you sketch what you are comparing.
Sketch every feature you can. Every free space on each Output Sketch something in.

clonadlad

What do you have to do on output 3? Is it just one single perfect 3D sketch of the sat nav and the mount together or is it that plus sketches of the main features like the speakers, memory card slot etc?

Qwerty?

Mental_Legend wrote: »

Thanks guys.

So far, I've chosen a Sat Nav that's a couple of years old with no external features, just the bare minimum for a GPS, and a phone that doubles as a Sat Nav (Nokia Navigator 6110). I've got info on the two of them under the headings of CPU, RAM, Internal memory, memory card, battery, pixels, screen size, dimensions and weight. I've done a sketch of both Sat Navs. Obviously the second page with the mounting devices is yet to be started. Am I going down the right track here?

Keep the main emphasis on the external physical design features. By all means mention internal memory, pixels etc but don't forget shape, material etc

Qwerty?

clonadlad wrote: »

What do you have to do on output 3? Is it just one single perfect 3D sketch of the sat nav and the mount together or is it that plus sketches of the main features like the speakers, memory card slot etc?

You need to include sketches of the main features also. Rendering is also important in this Output

clonadlad

Qwerty? wrote: »

You need to include sketches of the main features also. Rendering is also important in this Output

Does rendering just mean one proper sketch of the artefact aswell as the small ones?

Paczini

5 Star - Brilliant thread. Couldn't have done my project without it!!!

clonadlad wrote: »

Does rendering just mean one proper sketch of the artefact aswell as the small ones?

As far as I was told it means that it has to be realistic with all of the shadings done as well as showing the lighting and material (e.g shiny glass)

Flex123

clonadlad wrote: »

Does rendering just mean one proper sketch of the artefact aswell as the small ones?

Sorry have been away do the college assignments etc.

Rendering means colour or shading or both. That's it at its most basic.
Having ANY bit of colour or shading automatically gets you marks as its clearly stated that the object needs to be rendered.

Now from here you need to do more than the basic to get your grade.
Use different shading techniques, cross hatching, dotting, different colours, different pencils etc.
Use lighting, baseline.
In the DCG books you should have there should be a chapter on free hand sketching. In it you should find out about all this.

Also about Output 3, I've been getting alot of PM's about it and Output 2 so check out the post right under this. Im going to Copy and Paste a reply i just sent that will be useful to you on output 3.

Flex123

Recap on Output 2 and 3 due to high demand. Extra tips and tricks, so reread even if you've done them.

Output 2.
COmpare and Contrast,
- Features,
- Buttons
- Screen size
- Materials used
- Sustainability
- Ergonomics
- Aesthetics
- Physical shape
- Colour
- Type of finish (Matte, Gloss etc)
- USP (Unique Selling Point)
- Battery Life
- Charging features
- Extra Features
- Screen Resolution
- Interaction with Sat Nav.

This list also applies to the two mounts.
Discuss both Sat Nav's under those headings. Remember to also compare not to just contrast (similarities as well as differences)
Sketch all the main features you discuss, anything you can. Not the whole Sat Nave, But just the things you are Comparing and Contrasting. (eg, screen size,or buttons etc etc)

You can sketch them on different pages and cut and stick them onto the actual sheet. That's not a problem.

Output 3
This is where you should do the full sketch of the Sat Nav plus mount. In 3-d and rendered (coloured, shaded etc) Then you can add in mini sketches of other areas.
Or you can do a couple of different views eg (Full sketch with mount attached, angle view of back when mount is not attached, mount unattached etc)

Sources
As for sources do a Bibliography page. At the very end. It doesn't count as part of your 14 pages.
Add to it all the websites, books, teacher, shop assistant, librarian everything. Even if you haven't talked to those people.

Flex123

PRESENTATION

No marks go for presentation.
But
It is one of the things that I highly recommend everyone does. It is one of the things that most people overlook.

This is the most important TIP AND TRICK I can offer.

Design a cover page. The best ones are, in my view, a washout of the Sat Nav you are designing as a background. With your student number on the front and the heading ''Design & Communications Graphics Project 2011, Satellite Navigation System''

Next make sure not to leave any white spaces on the page. PACK EVERY PAGE.
But also arrange it in order. Don't throw everything onto the page. Make the headings clear. The examiner take less than 8 mins to correct a project.
1 in 5 people who get rechecks get a higher grade.
LAY THE PAGE OUT NEATLY.

The main thing is the printing. Print out on HEAVY paper. At least 200 GSM. The heavier the better. Dont print it off in school. You want to stand out from the crowd. Get the SolidWorks print outs on grease type paper (cant remember the name of it, if you can please post it) It's kind of see through, architects print on it. It is VERY thin. Put a white blank piece of paper behind each page you print.

Get the whole thing BOUND. Along the side.
With a piece of card on the back and a cover.

The reasons for presentation cannot be stressed enough.
I dont have time to explain right now. The printing on heavy paper can be expensive (not more than 20 - 30 euro) If your in dublin go to either HACKETS or READS PRINTING...
Both are besides St Stephens Green.

Seriously I cant say how important this post is.

Geard

Just wondering if anyone can help me?? Im doing ordinary level and i am stuck for sketches to compare for output 2. Im comparing a poker chip usb vs a modern usb. I have so far compared the shape and usb conecters. Please help!!!

Flex123

Geard wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone can help me?? Im doing ordinary level and i am stuck for sketches to compare for output 2. Im comparing a poker chip usb vs a modern usb. I have so far compared the shape and usb conecters. Please help!!!

This thread is for both higher and ordinary.

Since both are basic shapes sketch the full body's, not to large, at the beginning of output 2 (in 3d, i know this is similar to another Output ). Use as little pics of the internet as possible. The more sketches the better.
What to compare them under.
- Size
- Shape
- Ergonomics
- Weight
- Internal sizes available (1GB, 2GB etc)
- Portability
- Draw the orographic views of both and insert main dimensions (forgot to mention this at higher level
- Aesthetics
- Materials (environmental affects)
- Colour
- Speed
- Security
- Disguise

Read over this whole thread. It is all to do with higher level but can be easily adapted to ordinary. Plus if you put in the standard of higher you will be given marks.
There is alot more on Output 2 on the thread. Just go over it and change it to your suiting.

Geard

Thanks!!! I'm stuck for a new concept though!!!!Don't know what to make!!! Any ideas?? (Ordinary Level)

Dragonmanirl

hows everybody getting on?

Flex123

Dragonmanirl wrote: »

hows everybody getting on?

How much have you got dont so far?
And btw to everyone i'll be going over how to do NEW CONCEPTS tomorrow. I wont be doing modifications (if your new to the thread read over it and you;ll know why)
Ill practically be going over all of part B of the project so keep a look out.

Flex123

This is a copy of the solidworks i done last year. I done the PSP. Your layout on the sheet this year should be close to this. Tell me what you think.

Flex123

This is the exploeded view

clonadlad

Flex123 wrote: »

This is a copy of the solidworks i done last year. I done the PSP. Your layout on the sheet this year should be close to this. Tell me what you think.

Flex123 wrote: »

This is the exploeded view

That's just ridiculous. How is that even possible to make??:eek:

Flex123

Ill take it u like it

eVeNtInE

This post has been deleted.

XxXSarahXxX

our dcg teacher said to cut out pics of sat navs from newpapers and take photos etc and stick them onto the project....just wondering if its a good idea r not....
good thread btw very helpful thanks

Paczini

5 Star - Brilliant thread. Couldn't have done my project without it!!!

XxXSarahXxX wrote: »

our dcg teacher said to cut out pics of sat navs from newpapers and take photos etc and stick them onto the project....just wondering if its a good idea r not....
good thread btw very helpful thanks

It's much better than taking images from the internet so I'd say he is right

Sully67

5 Star - Brilliant thread. Couldn't have done my project without it!!!

im just wondering what people are writing for the reflection on output 1??

Paczini

5 Star - Brilliant thread. Couldn't have done my project without it!!!

Reflection? We never did it?
What's that about?

Sully67

5 Star - Brilliant thread. Couldn't have done my project without it!!!

its supposed to go at the end of every output.. like what you learned from doing each output blah blah blah etc...

Flex123

okay firstly id like to apologise for the delays in getting back to people who have PM'd me. I'm still not finished replying to everyone but i'm doing as much as i can.

I've been able to get my hands on some of the work i done last year.
Output 1 and 2 and the actual solidworks outputs for the new concept and the normal one.

But right now im going to talk about how to do output 7.

OUTPUT 7

Page 1
The first thing to do is choose a subject that interests you. Example could be sport (preferable choose something more original).
Other examples of what i remember people choosing last year from my class include
- buildings
- cars
- a certain architects work
- a city
- a religion
- the moon (a VERY good choice, im serious)
- Tour de France (The race)
- Boats
- nature
- Anime
Choose something that interests you. It can be anything at all. A certain type of sport, it can be money, drugs, a colour, a team, a type of plant, a solar system, a tv programme.

Just choose something at random which personally interests you.

Okay now what you do is make a mood board.
Im attaching a mood board my little brother done for his J.C. woodwork brief last year. (Okay so i did put it together for him but it took me less than half an hour. Its a bit shabby but its J.C level. Your Mood Board should be Much better)

For your mood board go onto google images and search whatever your theme is. Copy and paste your pictures onto microsoft word.

(to move your pics around on Word, click on each individual picture, -> Format->Text Wrap->In Front of Text
Now you can move the pics around and position them. Also putting a black border around each pic makes it nicer.)

Now your mood board should take up the whole page. You need at least 50 pictures, or the same that i put for my little bro.

That is one page out of output 7 down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Page 2
On the next page the next page have the following headings
Theme
Target Market
Message
Key Words
Location/Environment


IT is important that every heading is there.
Write a line or two, very brief, under each one.
Eg - Theme - Nature
Target Market - Young adult drivers, mainly female. (or whoever your aiming your product at.)
Message - (The Message you want to give people through your product, make a catchy phrase here)
Key words - organic, fresh, clean, green, (words associated with the New concept, remember its maybe 7/8 words only here. Do not explain why you chose the words)
Location/Environment - (Where your new concept will be used)

Stick this list on the part of your second page.
Now from your theme go a bit deeper. if you choose cars for example now chose a type of car, or if you choose nature chose a type of leaf.
Now most of your second page should be still empty (80% or so if not more)
Put in more pics of whatever your looking indepth at. Not just from google etc but make sure you do as much free hand sketching on this page as possible.
The pics on this page should be much less, maybe 10/15. and should be bigger. Make sure to fill in all the space with sketches, sketches, sketches!!
Sketch how a leaf (again for example) could become the shape of the sat nav. Whatever you do start looking how you can incorporate it into your New Concept.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Page 3
On the last page sketch out your final ideas, of how the Sat Nav can look. It doesn't have to be one design. Sketch out a couple of different ideas, include written annotations of the pros and cons of each idea.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A couple of extra overall pointers
- On the first page make sure that your mood board has an overall rectangle finish. Its a Board. Boards are rectangular. The pictures should be small. Fill it up properly.
- Make sure to PACK YOUR PAGES!!! not in a way where everything is clustered, but with order. Sketch as much as possible.

I keep seeing projects where people are writing their outputs in massive writing. Your not in Th class. I'm serious. You know it looks rubbish. Just put in some effort and do it properly.
Same goes for sketching. Don't do one big sketch and leave the rest of the page blank. You know that isn't enough for leaving cert standard. PACK YOUR PAGES PROPERLY.

One last summary {example}
Page 1 = cars
page 2 = certain car make and model
page 3 = rims of the car, wheels
and then your design a Sat Nav in the shape of the wheels or rims.

Remember that the stuff you did in Output 1 and 2 should be constantly on your minds during this output.
You dont have to make a world leading Sat Nav, just an ordinary yet original one.

Flex123

I keep saying this. When ever i say Sat Nav in my posts i mean the Mount as well. Your new concept should also include the mount. For example if your doing nature as your theme your mount could be in the shape of a leaf and your sat nav a flower head (hmm. thats act a really good idea)

I just say Sat nav to keep it short as possible and focused.

Mental_Legend

For Output 3, I've done a 3D sketch of my Sat Nav with part of the mount sticking over the top as if it is stuck on. This has taken up half an A4 page for me, so there is still a good bit of space to fill? What should I fill these spaces with?

IrishWelshCelt

Flex123 wrote: »

This is a copy of the solidworks i done last year. I done the PSP. Your layout on the sheet this year should be close to this. Tell me what you think.

that is unbelievable! how long did it take to make?

IrishWelshCelt

Flex123 wrote: »

I keep saying this. When ever i say Sat Nav in my posts i mean the Mount as well. Your new concept should also include the mount. For example if your doing nature as your theme your mount could be in the shape of a leaf and your sat nav a flower head (hmm. thats act a really good idea)

I just say Sat nav to keep it short as possible and focused.

how many parts can you include for the concept?