benjaminrider: February 2011

VICIOUS CIRCLE-the jobhunting board game

This was originally to be the center spread for my 12-page newspaper.
the idea behind this is to communicate what i've learnt from the
people I spoke to about how to get a job
: and ultimately the key elements on how to become a successful designer.

I felt that getting a job can be a bit of a game,
i went with the idea that without experience
you cant get a job
but experience is unpaid
and you need a good portfolio
but you need contacts too
etc etc etc
so this theme of swings and roundabouts/games came up and i wanted the paper to be interactive as well
-

how it started

i wanted a bit more character and style
and I wanted to sue illustrator to develop my skills with this software
and also because at this stage I wanted to create this almost entirely digitally

I wanted to call it 'SWINGS AND ROUNDABOUTS'
thinking about how that idea of going back and forth and reflect the process of getting a job

becoming more refined
Even though I was doing this digitally i didnt want it to be 100% perfect and neat
but still wasnt quite working

At this stage, during a tutorial I was given the brilliant suggestion

-regarding my previous work, aspirations and interests-

to make the aesthetic of my overall paper to look much more

punky, rough+ready, fanzine-y kind of style !

brilliant. to me this translates as pretty much-refining and practicing exactly what i love looking at

think is great and enjoy doing.

using hand made elements, imperfections, texture, printmaking, craft etc etc

but this also stumped me to think I need to rise to the challenge and complete something I like.

from this point on i think i should of been much more drastic.

I think i should of done much more hand made elements in my balance of hand made and digital

having said that i felt this stage of outcomes are still successful

after a few more library sessions I started refining the style
I wanted ot go for simple 2 colours, i quite like self imposed restrictions
but also using that element of simplicity with the colour
to contribute to the style

started using illustrator to play with the type
first time ive done this

really working further on this, at this stage i thought of 'the vicious circle' after
reveiwing my research and furthering the copy

i felt that calling it this also gave me a solid guide for how to lay it out!

close to being done, more refined, but I feel this stage would of benefitted from much more manual input

the current final
still very pleased with what i produced.
particuly like the concept
the layout
and the style of the vernacular type

I intend to progress this with interesting background-that relates
more printmaming
better content
and rubbings of coins for the background for th circles.

Ive started a new project now so when i find time ill upload the other spreads i spent as much time on