Studio Brief 1: Frame (photoshop) - Primary research

Today we were set our new module and our first brief, which is focused on designing 3 designs for backing paper in a photo frame.

I went to a handful of different shops:

1. Wilkinsons
2. Poundshop
3. Tk Maxx
4. Marks and Spencers
5. The White Company

I took photographs of many different photo frames.

Wilkinsons

The frame backings in Wilkinsons were very simplistic and dull, I didn't find any of them to my liking. However they are successful in the way that they do not distract from the frame design, which is the most important aesthetic when on a shop shelf. The frames are not fancy, they are very basic so the designs match in that sense quite well.

The colour schemes are uninspiring and cheap looking, but what can you expect from a 'bargain' store? I wasn't impressed by any of the type choices, again they shout CHEAP at the customer. "brighten up your space" is in a very ugly type which seems to be trying to give off an informal, friendly vibe but it is very offputting. The small body text is a little less offensive but still not to my liking.

Poundshop

I found some of the Poundshop backing papers more tasteful than Wilkinsons, as the text is smaller and doesn't dominate the whole frame. The first design is in the style of a fancy wallpaper, which suits the traditional-looking frame very well. The second design is very unsuccessful in my eyes, the photo is incredibly generic and dull. It seems very hard to pull off photographic designs.

All of the frames seemed to have the barcode on the backing designs, which shows the cheapness and it doesn't look great aesthetically; it lets the whole product down. 

Tk Maxx

 I liked a fair few designs that I came across, probably because the frames are more higher end, as the shop is generally made of big brands that have been reduced.
The designs that had images of people in them seem very fake and plastic, I think that they are always the least successful as they feel very forced.
The other designs I photographed seem to really match the frames they are in, the first two are quite fancy looking and the colour scheme is consistent. They seem to be trying to give off a high-end feel.
The third and fourth photoframes seem to be more creative and interesting looking, so the backing papers seem more colourful and arty, these are my favourites. They have a nice homely feel without trying too hard.

 Marks & Spencers

Marks & Spencers have very minimalistic themes for some of their frame backing paper, and it is consistent throughout the different types of frames. I'm really fond of these designs as they are straight to the point and very clear. It can be very hit and miss when using a lot of imagery so by avoiding this they have been quite successful, it is just the basic information needed. The colours suit the frames very well and it is all quite neutral and classic.

For the slightly more expensive frames, more detailed backing paper is used; the designs are trying to portray homeliness and a strong sense of stylish-ness. I really like the third design, the colours are calm and fresh looking, and the image is simple and suits the simplistic frame; they can't clash.

The White Company

The White Company is a very high-end homeware store, full of white and silver colour schemes. The frames are very clean and shiny looking, giving off a very expensive feel. All the backing images were photography of families, which may be a little cliche but the photos are very high quality and don't look cheesy or cheap like in other shops. They give realistic examples of what will be displayed in the frames. The details and measurements on each individual frame has been attached on a tag with a small bow, which I did not see in any of the other stores; this makes the frames even more like they are in a real home as the text isn't on the backing paper.