Pathfinder panel vs pathfinder effect.

One of the chapters in the Illustrator Essential magazine- the graphic design magazine that I discovered recently- which was dedicated to Pathfinder gave me a chance to have a closer look to this tool. Thanks to a simple guide I was able to understand  the differences between the Pathfinder panel and the Pathfinder effect.
I started from a simple exercise on how to add some character to a plank of wood. In the Illustrator I drew a pointed rectangle using rectangle tool and modifying it with the direct selection tool.
To add some chips out to the basic shape I used the Subtract option from the Pathfinder effect. With a brush tool and I defined the chunks that I wanted to take out. Next I grouped the object which made it easier to manage shapes.

I went to Effect-Pathfinder-Substract and removed the unwanted parts from the basic shape.

It resulted in a shape which reminded a piece of chipped wood.

To compare the Pathfinder effect with the Pathfinder panel I created a similar shape but this time I used the Pathifinder panel. I drew the pointed rectangular and defined the chunks with a brush as I did in the first instance. I opened the Pathfinder panel (Window- Pathfinder)  and clicked the option "minus front" . 

I edited the two shapes and started experimenting with the selection.I was manipulating the shapes with the direct selection too. My conclusions of this experiment were:

1. With the Pathfinder panel you are not able to edit the original object. The changes can

 be applied to any combination of the objects, groups or layers.

2.In the Pathfinder effect you can still select and edit the original object, you can use the appearance panel to modify or remove object, but the changes can be only applied to groups, layers and text objects

Moreover while edited the pathfinder effect treats brushes as shapes instead of simple paths.  

Submission day.

Today was a submission day for the packaging design product.

I was quite happy with my sketchbook presenting my idea development and the final outcome, although I think there was a scope for improvement in my final visual presentation.

I put a lot of effort and time preparing and presenting my development route.

Evaluation:

I have learned new skills in relation to producing a packaging net. Thanks to  the research that I conducted I have learned a lot about the aspects of good packaging design. 

I think that this module was a good practice and it was a great opportunity to get to know more about the packaging design area.

Box brief- development.

I finally managed to refine my idea development. I went for an pop-art inspired picture, that create a background for the text that I`m going to put in the center of my design. 

I decided to imitate the style because I find it bold, distinctive and down-to-earth. I think the style reflects the tone of voice of the company.

Evaluation:

I wanted the design to be outstanding, witty, original and catchy. I wanted to avoid a popular masculine pathos. I think that such as down-to-earth, everyday product as underwear should be presented in a witty way to stand out against other products of this kind.

With the ready sketch of my final design in  my hand I started thinking  of the way I`m going to finalize my design. I decided to use the AI to develop my design. I decided to use the program, because it was the best way of creating vector shapes that my design is based on.

Box brief development

For  the last few days I was trying to develop a design for the Box brief.

I came up with the idea of placing a colloquial expression like : “you nailed it” or “you`re the man” in the centre of my design.

I think this expression would reflect my idea of a witty and catchy design. It would be straightforward and down-to-earth and could build a bond with a customer.

The boxes could be personalized by writing a name of the customer on the box.

I was I was trying to incorporate the this text into my design. I was experimenting with different design styles for the Box brief.  I was looking for inspiration in different sources from a war posters to pop-art design.

Box brief development

For  the last few days I was trying to develop a design for the Box brief.

I came up with the idea of placing a colloquial expression like : “you nailed it” or “you`re the man” in the centre of my design.

I think this expression would reflect my idea of a witty and catchy design. It would be straightforward and down-to-earth and could build a bond with a customer.

The boxes could be personalized by writing a name of the customer on the box.

I was I was trying to incorporate the this text into my design. I was experimenting with different design styles for the Box brief.  I was looking for inspiration in different sources from a war posters to pop-art design.

The appearance panel

I had the opportunity to have a closer look to the appearance panel while I was doing my digital skills exercises last semester. I used it then to stylize some text.
Thanks to the "Veerle Duoh" tutorials I had a chance to rediscover the numerous possibilities that the appearance panel give.Using the appearance panel we are able to create some spectacular images by simply changing the colors and transparency of the strokes.
In a very quick, few steps that I followed to do some exercise I managed to create interesting pictures with only one path.

The appearance panel shows different attributes of a path or object. Fills and strokes applied to a path can create interesting shapes.With just a simple path we can easily create some really interesting compositions. 

By stacking multiple white and black strokes of different weight on the top of  another I managed to create the look of a railway. 

On the same way - using black and white strokes of different weight and applying a dash option -I managed to create the look of a road. 

Even though the picture below seems to look far more elaborated it was created on exactly the same way that the previous ones- with one path. This time I was experimenting with different colors, patterns, blending modes and with the transparency options. 

Packiging net.

Today in the college we were introduced to the idea of building a packaging net. We were presented with different sorts of packaging nets and were shown how to make a net using AI.  

Thanks to some help from my tutor I was able to build a net for the box that I designed for the BOX brief.

Evaluation:

The ability to build the net helped me to speed up my workflow. I didn`t have to rely on any outside sources. Creating a net gave me the possibility to manufacture a prototype of my packaging. 

The net helped me a lot in creating the layout of my design- it made the job much easier. Thanks to it I would be able to put the elements of my design on a 2d surface. This way of presentation will gave me the chance to get across my ideas easily.

As a prospective graphic designer I would probably come across packaging design briefs. The knowledge and ability to build a packaging net (and then packaging prototypes) would contribute to the quality of customer presentation.

Experience in using CAD is one of the basics requirements that are stated in numerous job offers.