I started off today by experimenting with different leaflet folds.. to be honest from doing some leaflet research, collecting and seeing what is out there, (I have stuck some down in my sketchbook) there is not a lot of creativity. Most of the leaflet designs are a basic 3 panel folded leaflet!
I decided to trial out different leaflet folds myself to get an idea for the different combinations out there and also to get an idea for the format and layout for my potential designs.
These are the basic ones that I came up with. I imagine that these layouts are used the most by companies for their leaflets. I was not feeling very inspired by any of these. Following on from my previous Guerrilla art post I really wanted to look into something more creative…
How could I come up with a creative solution that would get across the information that I needed it to but to also represent climate change and also be appealing for people to want to pick it up and read about what it is all about?
The idea I have right now and which I am developing came from me organising my desk at work and I just realised that it might just work!…
On my desk is a paper windmill that we make with the year 5s and 6s on open days at school… this one was one that I made as a demonstration piece but kept on my desk! Looking at it gave me the idea to make my leaflet into one of these windmills! The windmill relates to climate change (environmentally friendly wind power) they would appeal to a new target audience (younger children and families – although the organisation that I am using are quite a controversial group!)
They could also be handed out, picked up at events or left in the style of Guerilla art outside in public places; for example left in a plant pot on the corner of a busy city high street . The windmills would be easily accessible to take.
I have done some mock ups and some sketches of some designs I could potentially do.. I am a little bit concerned with how they look so far though… The shape and style of my windmill in my mock up sketches reminds me of German Nazi logos and literature.. I think it is the harsh design and also the colours used.
“Extinction Rebellion” seem to be quite a controversial group the more I read and research into them, their logo and literature designs to date are also very brash, bold, simplistic and hard hitting.
It is difficult to soften down the appearance of the design as I am using their branding and style of design that they use in all of their existing promotional literature. I shall try further to soften down the overall design and not make it look so hostile! There needs to be 4 chunks of 120 words so I shall use Lorem Ipsum to fill the copy text for this.
I also did some research into straws as the ones I originally did with the year 5s and 6s use plastic straws… this is not environmentally friendly especially since the publication is for a climate change group! Obviously I need a cheap, environmentally friendly alternative. I researched into bamboo vs paper straws. Bamboo straws work out at about £5 for a pack of 6 which long term producing lots of leaflets would could a fair amount of money! They are however bio-degradable and nicer for the planet! Bamboo straws would also be more difficult to attach to the windmills. Paper straws seems like the best option… They are friendlier for the environment than plastic straws, they are reasonably cheap (I picked up 100 for £5) they are easily attachable to the windmills (using a split pin).
I will post more about how I put it together when I make my mockups! I now need to go away and think further how to make the design look less hostile!
Watch this space!//…..
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