Project description: Layout Design & Art Direction
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Client: PACT Zimbabwe
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Project: CEADZ Constitutional Literacy Toolkit for Children ————————————————————————
Project Brief: Design and Layout, with illustrations and other visual aids. It needed to look like a complete set and match even when seen separately. ————————————————————————
Timeline: 30 days (Mid-Jan to mid-Feb 2021) (Limited Contract)————————————————————————
Deliverables: In total - 18 Documents plus 8 Posters
i. 1 x Facilitator's Guide A5 (72 pages)
ii. 1 x Glossary of Terms A6 (44 pages)
iii. 8 x Pocket Books A6 (Average 32 up to 40 pages each)
iv. 8 x Pamphlets A5 (Average 16 up to 20 pages each, one at 12 pages only)
v. 8 x A1 Posters
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About the Project:
I was tasked with developing the template and style for a set of matching booklets to create one cohesive toolkit, and laying them out individually to present the Zimbabwe Constitution in an attractive, and vibrant way, using content produced and provided by the organisation. I also had to create customs illustrations and diagrams, although I leaned on some purchased assets as a base as the timeline was much too tight to allow me to draw them up fully from scratch. A lovely touch I was able to also utilise were some scanned drawings created by young people who were part of the content development process that they kindly provided as scanned images (these are primarily found in the last chapters of each pocket book).
My primary goals with this project were, firstly to of course meet my target - completion of all the deliverables within 30 days, but while doing so, create a unique and beautiful fully functional and helpful end product. Speak to any designer and they will tell you that true design at its heart, is about problem solving. The first goal should be to solve a problem or be part of facilitating the solving of a problem - functionality sometimes trumps aesthetics. But, every once in a while, one has the opportunity to marry both the function and the aesthetic.
This project will remain one of my very favourites because it enabled me to see just how far I have come as a creative, flex and stretch my creative muscles in a way that designers rarely get to do when doing a commissioned project, and deliver end-product that I am hopeful will be of benefit to my country, and our people, young and old for times to come. To be part of that is an honour in itself.
