OUGD504 // Design for Print // Front Cover ideas

For the publication I have had an idea to use grey board.
I would make the initial publication out of a thickish stock that was plain colour maybe white or off-white then i would laser cut the design into grey board, using a coloured stock i would stick this to back of the grey board and then stick that to the front cover of the publication.
The grey board cut out wouldnt be the full size of the front cover of the publication, it would leave and edge down the spine side or border around the full page.

This would make the publication more sturdy in the first place, but also add alot more to the front covers and make the publication look a high standard and give it a good finish.

insert design sheet

As i am wanting to laser cut the front cover design, the design needed to be simple and bold to stand but not to be too detailed so the laser cutter can cut it and make a good job of it.
By keeping things simple, i think this will work well, i have thought about the use of colour with the greyboard and the design takes advantage of this.
With the coloured stock behind the greyboard and showing through the cut out parts, i have deliberatly designed alot of area for the colour to come through, hence the thin line going through the middle of the page - this idea was to make each publication easier to tell apart as each one will use a different colour code. Along with the number at the bottom, doing the same idea, but for the order in which to read them and because there is 3 parts to the manual.

Digital designs - testing the type in lowercase and uppercase.
Originally i was planning on doing the type in uppercase because there isnt as many counters which would be lost, but when designed it in uppercase, it doesnt look right and gives the wrong tone to the publication, also i dont like the 'R' letterform and the 'o' is very round and large.
In the lowercase it seems to sit better within the page and works better together as a whole.

Front cover 1 and 2:

The finished design for the front covers of the two publications.

As the covers are a simple design and maybe not seem to be the most creative design, they are like that because of the purpose and the way they are being created. So the inside cover of the publication is going to be a more creative design of this front cover, which incorporates the content of the publication.

This is the inside cover of the first booklet; Designing for Print.

Inside cover for the second booklet; Print Production & Finishes.