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Fig.1: PRETTYMUCH’s new EP cover (PRETTYMUCH, 2021)

PRETTYMUCH, a band started by Mr. Simon Cowell, was recently signed to Sire records under Warner Music. Their new single, Stars, premiered last Friday and on the same day, they released the artwork for their new EP, featuring three (3) brand new tracks that their fans aka ‘BEANZ’ are eagerly anticipating.

From the artwork it is obvious that PRETTYMUCH has always been a band that pays tribute to the iconic era of boybands in the 90s like NSYNC and Backstreet Boys who sing and dance. Therefore, their new EP “Smackables”, has never been more on brand for them. Resembling a famous nostalgic American snack, Lunchables, it is no wonder the EP art is so synonymous with their image of reviving the love for boy bands whilst putting their own modern-day spin on the term. Especially with the usage of the CD, it is very clear what inspires them and their sound/style of music.

This deliciously packaged EP features the band members of PRETTYMUCH on the front cover outlined in a light pastel yellow. The colors used are mainly a sky-blue color and darker blue edges at the end of the letter. By doing so, the blue contrasted with the yellow helps the text stand out and makes it draws the attention of someone who’s looking at the image for the first time. Their album name “Smackables” spans across the top half of the lower third of the album art in a san-serif font called “Neue Frutiger” (Fig.2).

Fig2. Font for PM album

As previously established that it is similar to that of the Lunchables packing, “Smackables”, can be interpreted as their new EP having really good songs that they are confident enough to put out and after hearing the songs, dare I say, it smacks, especially “Parking Spot”. This is further reinforced by the plastic-type wrapping that is constant throughout the EP art. This can be interpreted as the EP being brand new and freshly sealed for the viewer’s enjoyment when they slowly begin to discover the art that they have put, and it can also indicate how their tunes are always fresh.  

Their band name is positioned directly above the letters ‘A’ and ‘C’ in “Smackables”, where the letter H, became the line that surrounds their band name, separating it from the album title. It is also in the same shade of color as their EP name which brands them as a band, and it lets viewers know that this EP belong to PRETTYMUCH.

On the bottom right, their track list is being released in white san-serif fonts. Behind the track list is a logo created that has the words PM, PRETTYMUCH worldwide and est. Los Angeles in dark blue. These words are in a circle and almost resemble the shape of a seal that can be interpreted as them making their mark on the world but also not forgetting where they belong. This is complemented by the bottom left-hand side where they again state the words “PM EP” and an infinity sign which resembles the Lunchables’ nutritional information indicators on the packaging. This can be an indication from the fan’s point-of-view that they are here to stay, and they are going to constantly keep making music for the world to hear. Next to the letters there are photos of them in yellow and blue stating their names where the first letter of their names spells the word BEANZ, which is also the name of their fandom. The top right-hand corner does the same where a globe is depicted in neon type colors and there is a ticket on the bottom stating the year their EP is dropping which is 2021.

The graphics and elements of the photo have been arranged in a hierarchy  whereby it draws your attention to the respective portions that the band wants you to see which would first be the title of the EP, their faces and the bottom right which features their track list if you pay close attention. The EP has done very well when it incorporates the usage of bright colours which allows the band members to stand out from the background. This is because the CD behind them reflects a lot of light which might be very distracting to the viewers when looking at it visually and takes away the focus from the members. Fortunately, the designer has managed to see that and put a bright yellow outline around the member’s very vintage-looking image so that the band does not blend in with the background. However, I think if it were me, I would try a white border around the members instead, so it makes them stand out a bit more instead of the yellow. This is because when I looked at it at first glance, it was a bit jarring and the stroke was a little thick. I do understand that it is probably because of the color scheme that they designers are decided to go with yellow in the end.

Moreover, all these elements being put together can be an indication that PRETTYMUCH as a band are here to stay and they’re constantly making music as if they never left. This is a very successful part of their artwork as the message is very clear to the viewers that the band is first and foremost releasing a new EP titled “Smackables” and their songs are going to be heard around the world. The infinity sign could also be an indication of how their songs will be so iconic that they will be remembered forever and that’s what the band is aiming to achieve with their new music.

In conclusion, this EP design has been an overall success as it conveys what they wanted to to their fans. It also showcases a new era for PRETTYMUCH as they continue doing what they do best which is producing music for everyone, mainly their fans, to enjoy and relate to.

Bibliography

09/Assignment 3 Information Design

For this assignment, we had to create an infographic based on a set of data. I had chosen to do an infographic of capybaras as they are one of my favourite animals. Before starting to design my infographic, I went online to look at what other animal infographics looked like to get some inspiration. I wanted to know what information was introduced by an infographic beyond basic facts such as an animal’s height and weight. A particular infographic that inspired me was one on polar bears where at the end they had shown polar bears in pop culture. I found this very cute and thus wanted to apply it in my own infographic as well (link).

Process

I knew that I wanted to have a big capybara in the centre of the infographic with certain features highlighted and elaborated on. For the main capybara I had two birds sitting on it as other animals like to hang around or ride on capybaras, making them known as nature’s ottoman. I wanted to put some basic information at the side of this main capybara to show their scientific name, height, weight and diet. To show this list, I was inspired by a pokedex and how it lists out information. I had also added other information on their diet, reproductive cycle and their native land with drawings above it to make it more interesting. Lastly, I had a section on how capybaras had become one of Japan’s internet superstars.

After having a rough guideline on what I wanted to show in the infographic, I went to find images which I could either use or trace and edit. In the end, most of the photos were traced using the pen tool since I could edit them as I wish. For example, to create the icon for location, I had traced an image but had edited it to have more trees. I used the tree I had traced and just scaled, reflected or changed the colour of the leaves to create an image of a densely packed forest with a stream running through it. Also, by tracing the image I was able to have a more consistent art style since I could decide on the amount of details shown.

Next, I had positioned all the elements into something similar to what I had sketched into a mockup page. From there I added all the text and descriptions that I wanted to convey and tried to organise them. I also added a description of capybaras that was essentially a summary of my infographic to make it more similar to a pokedex, where there would be a description beneath the table of data. This was a very rough draft of what I wanted to show, and I left it as a black and white work as I just wanted to play with the positioning of all these images. I had shifted the main capybara to the left of the infographic rather than leaving it in the centre as there would be less blank space created. Also, it leaves me more space for the text in later sections.

Lastly, to create the actual infographic for critique, I created another artboard and finally added colour. Since capybaras are cute and brown, I wanted to go with soft, light pastel colours that go well with brown and thus chose yellow as a background. I did not want any of the images to be too glaring, so I used lighter colours and a light grey to circle these images. To colour the images, I used the dropper tool to pick out colours from the original image and if the colour was too bright, I would go to ‘tints’ and choose a similar colour that would better fit the poster.

Throughout this entire process I found that I was important that I was organised in my layers and groups since there are a lot of elements in this infographic. If I were not organised, I would always select too many objects which I do not want to select and it becomes very difficult to lock objects when they are in different layers and each part is in a different group. This is especially so when I want to scale and move object since I would often move most of the image but lose some of the parts.

Critique

In the critique, there were two main problems which were highlighted. Firstly, there was a space at the top right corner next to the title and secondly, the font in the text was not very suitable as it is too faint. To resolve the first issue, I had shifted the main capybara to the right and moved it up slightly so that the blank space is used. I moved and scaled down the data table that is beside the main capybara so that I could accommodate the space the circles and description text used. One issue I had faced was the margins around the infographic, if the capybara was too high, there is very little space for some of the text, but too low and the blank space would still be there. Thus, I had to go through quite a few adjustments and scaling before I managed the final work.

Post forum presentation, I added a cover page to my brand style guide to provide a quick introduction of myself to the reader instead of showcasing my brand logo straightaway which was too abrupt. My name “Marcus” and “Brand Style Guide” are given the brand gold colour so that they stand out to the reader and capture their attention first because they are the most important information on the cover page.

As my intention is to enter the events and hospitality industry primarily catered towards high-level clientele, I decided that I wanted my personal brand and hence, brand logo to look classy and luxurious. I chose to create a simplistic version of a crown, like a king, to signify elegance and grandeur. This logo takes inspiration from the Rolex logo, the difference being that the crown is simplified through abstraction and personalised to my brand. In the space enclosed between the 2 triangles, diamond and line used to create the crown, you can see the letter ‘M’ shape form which matches the initial of my name “Marcus”. The logo also has 2 variations, 1 suited for use against white backgrounds and 1 suited for use against dark backgrounds. The logo used against white backgrounds has a duller gold colour so that the contrast between the logo and white background is greater, making the logo more prominent. For the logo used against a dark background, a gold gradient is used to make the logo pop and shine just like a reflection. In most instances, using the logo with the gold gradient colour should be used unless it affects visibility such as when it is placed against a white background. The chosen typeface for the logo is a serif display font (Minion Variable Concept Display Medium) which is meant to be eye-catching while maintaining the luxurious vibe of the brand.

For the business card, I wanted the luxury theme of my personal brand to be kept consistent, so I decided to also use another serif typeface (Georgia) for the finer details such as email, phone number and LinkedIn on the back of the business card. This provided some contrast between the header typeface (name and job designation), which utilised Minion Variable Concept Display Medium and the contact information. A dark green colour was chosen as the background of the business card because it represents luxury, professionalism and calmness which are qualities that I want to exhibit when conducting myself in the aforementioned events and hospitality industry. My name is kept in the gold gradient colour because I want that to be the most noticeable feature when others first look at the business card. The other details are kept in a cream colour, which is a duller version of white as it provides a good contrast to the dark green background while being easier on the eye compared to a pure white colour. The amount of information kept on the business card is meant to be as minimal as possible, with only the most important details being left on it, as I wanted it to look refined and not overwhelm the person looking at it.

A mock-up of how the business card looks like while displayed. Textured paper and cardstock material are used when printing out the business card.

For my resume, I chose the most important factors such as language proficiency, technical skills, soft skills, personal information, educational history, work experience and contact information to be featured inside because these are key aspects that employers look out for when hiring job applicants. The resume is meant to display a clean, structured and organised look that emits a feeling of professionalism and masterfulness. My name and the headers use the brand gold colour to make them stand out and clearly demarcate each section of the resume. For the remaining body copy, they utilise the cream colour which allows the resume to be easily read against the dark grey background. The text in the resume is kept either left-aligned or justified to provide easy reading for the viewer. Post forum presentation, I made the “About Me” section easier to read by breaking it up into 2 paragraphs while reducing the amount of text present inside. I also increased the spacing (leading) between each point under “Ministry of Social and Family Development” in the “Work Experience” section to allow readers to digest the information more easily.

After testing different variations of the logo, I have curated a list of DO NOTs regarding the usage of the logo which is presented above.

Some modifications that are allowed to be made to the logo include allowing the crown (the entire crown) to be used in isolation without my name “Marcus Ee”. Reducing the transparency (not the same as blurring) of the logo is also allowed. These techniques are demonstrated on the back of the business card if you look carefully at the background.

Only serif typefaces were chosen because I wanted to maintain the highly luxurious feel of my personal brand and allow viewers to easily read the text displayed on my logo, business card and resume. San-serif typefaces did not fit the aesthetic of my brand even though it may have provided better contrast, hence the decision to use 2 different serif typefaces instead. The Minion Variable Concept typeface also has many different weights (16 in total) which adds to the versatility of its usage when necessary. I have included only Minion Variable Concept Display Medium and Bold in my brand style because they were used in the creation of my logo, business card and resume. Post-presentation, I removed a lot of unnecessary text under the description of the typography system and separated it into 2 different paragraphs that define the reasoning behind my use of each typeface.

These colours are perfect for representing my personal brand which stands for elegance, sophistication yet retaining formality and professionalism. I believe these 3 colours are sufficient in portraying my personal brand while keeping the colour palette minimal so that the colours feel pleasant and inviting to the viewer.

This is an eye-level shot that is neutral and familiar to most people. This shot directly introduces the FILA water bottle and is clear in communicating what the object in the shot is to the audience. It is also symmetric through the center which makes the shot more pleasing to audiences.

This low-angle shot makes the FILA bottle look powerful and prestigious. This shot is meant to showcase FILA as a brand that is of high standing and respectable to the audience. Audiences will then perceive FILA to be a brand that is esteemed and of a higher class, making them feel that owning a FILA product elevates them to a higher social standing. The brand name and logo are also especially prominent in this shot, bringing more attention to themselves rather than the object (bottle) as a whole.

This top-down shot makes the FILA bottle feel attainable to audiences and empowers them as a result. Upon looking at this shot, audiences feel a sense of superiority over the FILA bottle. Hence, audiences feel that they can afford to buy such a product even if it is priced unreasonably high because they are deceived into thinking that FILA products are something that they can easily afford. This in turn improves sales for FILA because the shot lowers the perceived barrier of entry to buying a FILA product.