Studio Brief 1 - Peer Feedback - 20th October 2017

Questions and Answers

1.  Should the cover design be approached photographically or another way? Should it be hardback?
 - Photographically, as this is more enticing. Maybe not hardback, paper back maybe a better option. Maybe one big photograph or polaroids.
 - Soft back and zine like would be more fitting to a younger audience. Hardback would be more traditional.
 - I feel photographically works better - potential buyers, this way know the sort of thing they can have before deciding to buy the book. Also makes it look more appealing to the eye.
 - Hardback works well for communicating a traditional cookbook. Would also be more durable for use in the kitchen, as any spills would not stain.
 - Photos work well, but type may need to be kerned/use more colour. Maybe just one image to appear as a high produced cookbook.
 - The use of sans serif font may communicate better, the idea of modern cookbooks. Full bleed photos may work better.
 - I wouldn't make it hardback as this may take away the contemporary feeling. Perhaps you could approach it by doing an illustrations using textures - e.g. gets some oats and try out printing the texture.

2. Do you agree with the layout, if not what other approach could be taken?
 - Type used in columns works effectively to communicate the content.
 - Maybe coloured backgrounds pastel colours.
 - A variety of colours in the publication may help to communicate different chapters in the book.
 - Some text boxes need spacing apart as the text can be hard to read in some areas.
 - Look out for widows and orphans on big paragraphs of text.
 - More spacing between the columns. Ingredients could be a thinner column, bullet point rather than listed. Make the most of the negative space, maybe leave more space at the top of the pages rather than the bottom.
 - I wouldn't make the text centred as it clashes with the left situated text.
 - give more space between the instructions and the ingredients.

3. In terms of stock would it be more appropriate to use semi-gloss paper or recyclable paper and why?
 - Recyclable sounds interesting as it is all about healthy eating and bettering yourself, therefore this relates.
 - Semi-gloss would work better to communicate a more professional tone, however recycled paper sounds interesting and I agree would relate to the idea of healthy 'clean' eating.
 - Semi-gloss would be more appropriate I think because the recipes are for luxurious things like brownies.
 - Recycled sounds good in the sense of it being about a vegan cookbook or clean eating cookbook. However a semi gloss paper choice would work better for a cookbook of this nature, as spills could be easily removed.
 - Recycled sources (would give a more contemporary effect and therefore may seem more modern in the approach).

4. What size would best suit this publication?
 - Imperial (from book sizes shown in class) it is slightly smaller than A4, but not by much.
 - A4, as it is a more practical size to use when baking. It doesn't take up too much space on the kitchen counter or on the book shelf. Any smaller may get lost or overlooked by potential buyers in a store amongst everything else.