VISUALISING YOUR IDEAS

Project brief

Explore some of the different ways you can fold paper to make a leaflet. Design a leaflet for an organisation, inviting people to volunteer for a task, omitting detail and design. Explore the different formats for leaflets that are possible. Consider and experiment with options for final size and types of paper as part of your visualisation. Your job is to find a way to make people want to pick up the leaflet. Be creative and playful in developing a range of ideas.

Collection of leaflets

The first thing I wanted to do before folding paper into possible designs and mock-ups was to collect a selection of different leaflets in my local area and at home to see what was available and what was the most popular fold for leaflets.

Below (See Fig.1).

Fig 1. Leaflets (2022)

I found from this exercise that the most popular fold for leaflets was the roll fold and the Z fold (restaurant menus) or a A5 double sided leaflet (advertising a product). One had a sample of the product attached which I thought was another way for people to pick up the leaflet. It was actually quite challenging to find leaflets in the shops as technology now utilises QR codes or digital advertising which is becoming increasingly popular.

I needed to find the correct definition of a leaflet and a brochure as the terms seem to be used interchangeably depending on which country you reside.

Brochure: "a pamphlet or booklet, esp. one containing summarized or introductory information or advertising" (Collin's Dictionary, 2022)

Leaflet: "a printed and usually folded sheet of paper for distribution, usually free and containing advertising material or information about a political party, charity, etc" (Collin's Dictionary, 2022)

Pamphlet: "a brief publication generally having a paper cover; booklet" (Collins dictionary 2022)

Types of Paper

I wanted to explore further and see what types of paper were available and went to visit my local printer for samples of paper used for printing. Although I knew there were different types of paper, I was astonished that there was so much to choose from and that different weights and finishes were more suitable for different types of projects.

"Choosing the right paper stock there is a rich but bewildering range of papers available, and you should begin to collect samples" (Pipes 2005:178)

When selecting and using paper for a publication, you need to consider the weight, grain, and direction of the paper. The feel of different paper can vastly affect the whole feel of a design. When it comes to the feel and touch of coated paper, it differs enormously from that of uncoated paper or coarser paper made from recycled paper. (Ambrose, 2017:37)

Print jobs can be printed on a variety of different papers. It is important to take into account various factors in the selection process, such as size, color, texture, composition and printability of the paper for the design. (Pipes, 2005:178)

The paper weight is measured in grams per square metre (GSM) so the higher the GSM the heavier the paper. The heavier GSM paper feels more luxurious when holding and gives the feeling of higher quality but this will involve higher costs when printing. All these factors need to be taken into account when choosing paper stock for your project. In (Fig.2) a photograph of sample papers that I collected from my local printer. In (Fig.3) a table showing the different types of papers and their common GSM weights.

Fig.2 Types of paper (2022) Fig.3 Some common paper and cardboard grammages (2018)

The paper samples I collected from the printer also came in different finishes, coated and uncoated. Depending on the look and feel you want for the final design the coated paper was great for brighter and more vibrant colours, which is sharper and better for photographs. For a more muted look that is softer and textured, then the uncoated is the best finish.

Folding

"Folding is a great way of getting a lot of information into a compact size" (Witkowski, 2011:13)

I researched the different types of folds available. At times this was quite confusing as some folds have different names but are the same thing such as concertina fold or also known as accordion fold. I sketched these folds in my sketchbook.

Fig. 4 Sketches of different folds (2022)

I found this video which helped give me a visual explanation of the different folds available:

Virtual Addiction - Brochure Types of Folds, 2020

I collected examples from the internet and Pinterest to create a moodboard to see what kind of folds were being made and came across some graphic designers' brochure work.

Click on image link below:

Fig. 5 Moodboard, different types of fold (2022)

I then started to sketch different formats using the folds researched above. Sketching the formats on paper was surprisingly difficult and sometimes I had to resort to physically folding the paper to visualise where the address would go, for example. I often made mistakes and had to change pages around so the information would flow more easily and make it easier for the reader to follow.

Click image link below for extended examples of sketching, research and definitions:

Fig. 6 Research on different folds (2022)

The hardest fold to sketch was the roll fold. It was frustrating to get the order correct! I found working with four panels or eight pages challenging, as I felt that I was filling the extra space with images or photos as I only had four bodies of text. I had this challenge with all the four-panel folds.

The easiest fold was the valley fold, this consisted of only two panels or four pages. This was the perfect size to put my body of text in without relying on too many images or photos to fill the space. I think photos and images have a place in the fold, however, I don't want to overwhelm the leaflet with images when I need people to read the information that might get lost with so many images. For the brief set I felt that this fold was the best one to use.

With all the different folds available I went back to the brief to make sure I wasn't getting carried away with a design that was too fancy. The brief was to design a leaflet for an organisation, inviting people to volunteer for a task. I believe that if the organisation is asking for volunteers then the budget is low and the valley fold will be the best fold and most cost effective to use in this brief. To use a higher GSM of 300 or higher would be counter-productive and expensive.

"Handmade paper must be reserved for the most prestigious jobs" (Pipes, 2005:180)

"There are such a vast array of papers and choosing the correct paper for the brief should help narrow down the choice" (Pipes, 2005:180)

A project's paper should be chosen based on three factors: price, stock matching the brief and a finish that is appropriate. Ideally, the paper should be thick enough to not show through, but not too thick as this will increase postage costs. For example, if the paper is going to be used for filling out a form, will it withstand pressure such as writing with a pen that does not smudge?

(Pipes, 2005:180)

From my research I would use coated 130 GSM A4 paper (folded) for the final leaflet using the Valley fold.

I feel fancy or custom-made leaflets should be reserved for more niche or promotional products or events, with a substantial budget. The idea of creating unusual-shaped booklets and posters can seem good at the time of designing the project. However, they can waste a lot of paper. Paper can make a huge difference in the quality and cost of any printed project. (Pipes, 2005:180)

The prototype

I decided for this brief the valley fold was the best solution for the design. In a rack it will display a larger surface area and hence make the image more noticeable than a roll fold, for example. I made a manual prototype and a computer generated version using Adobe Indesign.

Taking a design idea from concept to reality isn't always straightforward, so prototyping is sometimes necessary. When the design team has a clear idea of what needs to be done, a prototyping stage allows them to test some of the proposed solutions without going through full development. (Ambrose, Harris and Ball, 2019:32)

Fig. 22 The prototype (2022)

Fig. 23 Front, inside and back prototype (2022)

Where to market and display the leaflets?

We live in a world that is overloaded with information all the time. People will not be able to see our designs in places with much visual information. The work we design should take into account how people's lives intersect with their environment in order to eliminate other distractions. Having knowledge of our target audience will be more effective. (Downs 2013:24)

My distribution methods are based on where I live, in South Africa, where the distribution methods are perhaps different from England.

The leaflets could be displayed in a reception area at the community garden or other community centre with a lot of foot traffic. Distributing leaflets in the community is made easier by this method. It is more likely that people will take a leaflet if it is displayed in a highly visible place, e.g. in a rack.

In my first assignment I came across a postcard that contained seeds. Once the person had finished with the information, the postcard could be planted. I love this concept as it eliminates waste and helps the environment! For a community garden this would be a fantastic marketing idea. However, for this particular brief, costs need to be low and custom paper would not work. But giving away a sample of seeds could also work to get people interested.

Local businesses that run online shops or deliver locally may be able to boost interest by including the leaflet with their orders.

The leaflet could be sent digitally to potential database members. In South Africa, this would be an option since mailed leaflets would probably not reach their intended audience via the almost non-existent postal service. Manual mail-drops in letterboxes would be an alternative, as would inserting the leaflets into the free community newspaper delivered to homes weekly.

Reflection

I found this research most worthwhile. I learned that there was a greater variety in paper for print than I thought, including the different types of finishes such as embossing, coated and uncoated, die cuts and custom folds, to name a few.

I learned that depending on the type of project, there is a particular fold that would be more appropriate, for example in this brief I found that the valley fold was the best fold for the brief, trying to do more, like a French fold, would not have been the best fold even if it is more fun to design.

I found while researching the different types of folds available, that different names could mean the same fold, for example concertina and accordion fold are the same thing. "Leaflets", "pamphlets" and "booklets" are also used interchangeably, when in fact they are quite distinct from each other.