OUGD406 - License to Print Money - Digital Designs / Mock Ups

The above image exhibits a series of three digitals designs that I have produced for what I hope to achieve via the process of screen print to create my proposed university bank note concept. Designs have been produced for a £5, £10 and £20 note.

Each note design at scale is 149mmx80mm, however I would only be able to screen print two for my final resolution due to the paper size restriction on works to be featured in the exhibition - this being 210x260mm. This size is still eligible to fit inside a wallet, however is portrait in orientation for a change that is reflective of the changes within payment and transaction in our current times without inconveniencing any member of current society - young or old.

Each note has a light beige/neutral background self patterned with each note's corresponding value in the written word repeated at a point size of 10. This creates a subtle depth and visual interest to the note that otherwise might have appeared flat. The self pattern is created via slight variation in colour between the background and typographic information overlaid.

The next layer of the notes is the alternating colour information, including a darker beige, a deep red and a bright green on each respective note. These colours have been considerately selected as they are the colours of the University of Leeds, therefore enhancing the notes' communication of the university and allowing for visual connection and establishment to be enhanced. Each of these three colours communicates a vertical stripe to the left of each note with the numerical pound value set bottom, and The Parkinson Building illustration and vertical caption detailing and promoting what the building is to those who do not know when they receive a perhaps circulated note to else where set right.

The final element of the notes is the typographic information 'INVEST IN THE FUTURE' set at the top, flush left however sitting right of the vertical stripe. This quote embodies the concept of university students both investing and being invested in by attending university. I hope to screen print this in gold as to give the notes an element of embellishment that appropriately communicates the idea of investment and created worth.

Spacing and arrangement of visual information has been considered to provide the notes with a harmonious, balanced aesthetic that would be welcomed into the world of finance.

Following from this, my aims are to produce screen printing positive separations that will enable me to print each distinct layer on my university bank note.

*please note colours will vary when taken through the print process due to the requirement of personally mixed inks and addition of printing medium*

OUGD406 - License to Print Money: Parkinson Building Illustration

The above image exhibits an illustration I produced of the University of Leeds Parkinson building clock tower. It is perhaps the most easily identifiable of the University of Leeds buildings as it can be seen from almost all directions on entrance into the university sector of the city, therefore meaning it would make a relevant, appropriate and considered addition to the university bank note. 

I produced the illustration via an amalgamation of outlined black rectangles and squares, attempting not to over complicate the intricacies of depth the building has whilst supplying enough detail for immediate recognition. Although a simple, block illustration, I have managed to achieve some of the finer details which I am hoping I will be able to screen print with no issues. 

Having asked multiple people, each was certain they were able to identify the illustration as soon as the saw it. Below is a photographic image of The Parkinson Building for purposes of visual reference: 

OUGD406 - License to Print Money: Leeds University Colours

As the University of Leeds will be the representing university to visually communicate my proposed bank note concept, before I begin to consider designing, I wanted to acquaint myself with the colours associated with the university in an attempt to ensure a direct visual connection can be made and established through the bank note.

University of Leeds Colours 

As detailed in the images above, the University of Leeds colours are black, green, beige and red. This will influence my design decisions to ensure connections are made between the note design and university.

OUGD406 - License to Print Money: Final Rationale Critique

My proposal bank note will feature universities from across the UK. The concept works in the following ways:

• Promotes enhanced financial prospects of students who attend university and attain a degree.
• Representative of the investment made in students' futures, by themselves and others.
• Targets the future generation of the professional working/employed - earning money.
• Generates motivation for students to apply to university: More applicants means more graduates. More graduates means more working professionals. More working professionals means more business and therefore more generation of money which in turn will boost the economy.

Do you believe the concept effectively considers the future of money and prospects of the economy's contributors?

• Yes because we are the future and education is the key to building the people of tomorrow.
• Yeah I love how the design creates a chain link effect to boost the economy.
• Yes looking at how students are the future is a clever concept.
• Definitely, a grandpa wouldn't paypal his grandchild a 'fiver' over so uni students will always need actual money.

Please leave an additional comments that you would like to make?

n/a

OUGD406 - Exhibition Branding: Group Contract

Today Chloe and I met up to draw up the Group 6 contract. The contract detailed areas of focus for each individual, however stated that all taken endeavours regarding the Exhibition should be done collaboratively as a group. I was made responsible for the research and contexts sector primarily. The contract we produced follows:

OUGD406 - Exhibition Branding: Independent Research

First Direct Bank

First Direct will be in association with the college/sponsoring the 'License to Print Money' exhibition.

• First Direct is currently Britain's most recommended bank (customers of the bank are more likely to recommend than customers of any other major British bank).

• The First Direct Bank is open 24/7 - available online, via telephone, mobile and tablet.

• At Midnight on October 1st 1989 First Direct took their first ever call.

• They are the first UK bank to offer ab 'always open' service. 

• First Direct offer all usual banking services, such as current accounts, saving accounts, mortgages, loans and insurance etc.

• ALL First Direct calls are taken  by people, no machines, no robots.

• First Direct customers are able to use HSBC Banks due to them being a part of the HSBC group.

• Began proving PC banking service in 1997.

• Text message banking provided in 1999.

• Internet banking introduced in 2000.

• First Direct wins numerous awards, including Most trusted financial provider (2015), Most recommended provider (2015) and Best overall satisfaction (2015).

• First Direct is a division of HSBC Bank Plc.

• The Bank have over 1.25 Million customers.

• They provide superior customer services. 

What is inside a normal bank? What can you do in there?

• Cash Machines.
• Express Banking - pay bills, transfer funds, open savings account, cancel and amend payments, set up standing orders/direct debits, check balances, print statements.
• Pay in cheques.
• Cash Deposit.
• Internet Machine.
• Telephone Banking.
• Facetime/Video call mortgage appointments.
• Counter service/cashier.
• Bank Manager.
• Cheque Books/Cash cheques.
• Vaults and Safes (safe keeping)
• 'Contents unknown' to the bank (safe keeping) Sealed in envelope.
• Other side of cash machine - 4 cassettes/boxes of money filled up.
• Cash deliveries - Securicore.

Whats the future of Banks?

• Digital Branches. No counter, just two members of staff showing how to use self service .

OUGD406 - Exhibition Branding: Brief Information, Interpretation and Initial Ideas

Group 6

Stephen Dale

Polly Vadasz

Chloe Holt

Ben Cooper

Emma Harwood

Jonathan Killick 

Today we were briefed on OUGD406 - Studio Brief 03: Exhibition Branding. The brief details we must work as part of a creative team put together a pitch for the concept, branding, identity and promotional collateral for the License to Print Money exhibition at Bank House.

Our set task is to create an engaging identity and promotional campaign for the License to Print Money Exhibition, identifying what is unique about the exhibition, how the content, location, exhibitors could potentially inform our design treatment, who the target audience is and what they need to know. Our outcome needed primarily to be engaging.

Material Produced needs to be concerned with:

• Social Media
• Way-finding 
• Exhibition / Layout
• Advertising
• Research and Contexts 
• Production 

Brief Interpretation

Upon receival of this brief today I am apprehensive due to my difficulties in having the confidence to speak to other people, however do not want this to jeopardise any opportunities we have to create a good pitch and will therefore try my hardest to contribute.

My initial thoughts are that due to my Mum working for HSBC Bank, as a group we might be able to find out some information to inform our practice that no other group will have access to - giving our group an extra-informed edge to produce appropriate and considered concepts that have insight into the sector we are considering. 

Initial Ideas

In our first session together we have been able to generate a few distinct ideas that have potential to go on a be explored further.

We plan our next meeting will take place on Wednesday 9th March to feedback the individual research tasks we have set ourselves/one another.

It is my task to research banks in general, first direct particularly and find out from my Mum what is inside a bank that ordinary people would be unaware of.

OUGD406 - License to Print Money: Bank Note Established Rationale

My proposed idea for the future of the bank note depicts universities from across the country on the front. This concept hones in on the enhanced financial prospects experienced by those who attend university and attain a degree. The inclusion of universities on the note is symbolic of not only the students investing in their own future, but others investing in them as the future of business and working professionals who will eventually be earning more money (due to their degree) and therefore circulating more cash into the economy. The purpose of the notes is to generate influence and motivation for students to apply to university. More applicants means more graduates. More graduates means more working professionals. More working professionals means more business and therefore more generation of money which in turn will boost the economy.

Although I will focus my production of the note on Leeds University as an initial representation of the concept, other universities may include:

• Glasgow
• Manchester
• Nottingham
• Brighton
• Sheffield
• Cambridge 
• Oxford
• Durham
• York
• Ravensbourne (London)

OUGD406 - License to Print Money: De La Rue (Research)

De La Rue is the world’s largest commercial banknote printer and passport manufacturer and is a trusted partner of governments, central banks and commercial organisations around the world. As well as bank notes and passports, the company also produces security paper and provides security products and software solutions. As a trusted partner of governments, central banks and commercial organisations around the world, De La Rue considers itself  at the forefront of the battle against the counterfeiter.

The world’s largest commercial currency printer and papermaker, De La Rue worked on the banknote designs for 40 countries in 2013. Solutions provided by the company include specialist physical and digital products and services, including identity solutions, cash processing, revenue and brand protection, and financial and secure documents. These services are available individually or as a whole.

De La Rue offer leading design capability in the production of innovative security components, manufacture of security paper and polymer substrates and sophisticated printing of banknotes, all contributing to trust in the integrity of currencies.

OUGD406 - License to Print Money: Discursive Critique

The critique format experienced today was that of a discursive nature, with a large group sat around a table sharing the research they have carried out and the concept(s) they had come up with for the future of the bank note. 

Through this critique it was my aim and objective to identify just one concept to take forward dependant on the feedback I received. The 5 concepts I pitched, as can be seen in the previous post and reminded of below, we given consideration and deliberation by the group. 

• Concept One - Future Monarchy

• Concept Two - Famous Landmarks

• Concept Three - Use me instead of 1000 pennies

• Concept Four - Universities

• Concept Five - Famous Shopping Streets

Feedback received from tutors and peers highlighted that Concept Four, that concerned with universities, was the strongest in showcasing the most potential and supported ideologies for a bank note that would relevantly and appropriately respond to the brief ands its requirement to produce my own proposal for the future of the bank note. Following on from this I next goal to achieve is a more comprehensive rationale for the concept detailing the thought processes that support it. Below are some comments I was able to note down from the critique:

• Great that you have considered how the note can be used to boost the economy.
• The notes use circulation to their advantage.
• Different places for different notes.
• You won't be able to do all the cities so maybe choose 1 to represent the concept as a whole.

OUGD406 - License to Print Money: Ideas and Concepts

Having explored and investigated the current situation regarding payment, money and banking within society, I feel I have been able to since consider a range of distinct, varied and individual ideas/concepts that could be selected for development in producing a response to studio brief 02 and its requirement of a visual proposal for the future of the bank note. These are detailed below alongside images and/or representative sketches.

Concept One - Future Monarchy

A bank note featuring the inclusion of alternate Royal family members or family image (other than Queen Elizabeth II). A family Portrait of Prince William, Princess Kate, Prince George and Princess Charlotte would represent the future of the monarchy, and therefore source of the countries income and economic growth via tourism, whilst also utilising the British public's self identification with them as a family who try to appear as 'normal' as possible.

Concept Two - Famous Landmarks

Bank notes featuring landmarks from across the nation that will inspire travel and tourism of the country and as a result boost economic growth. Places and locations are also provided with the opportunity to be promoted as points of interest, travel destinations and significant areas.

Concept Three - Use me instead of...

Light-hearted typographic banks notes that promote use of the note over all other transferability of funds. Notes that read 'use me instead of 1,000 pennies' for a £10 note.

Concept Four - Universities

Bank notes that feature universities from across the country in an attempt to promote the enhanced financial prospects of those who attain a degree and the economic growth experienced as a result of these prospects becoming a reality. Concerned with investment in the future via students.

Concept Five - Famous Shopping Streets

Bank notes that inspire people to shop locally on high streets and famous shopping streets, promoting the locations and their heritage. Economic growth supplied by travel and tourism opportunities as well as people are made aware of places that may have been previously unbeknownst to them. These streets may include Briggate (Leeds), Oxford Street (London) etc.

I plan to take each of these concepts and ideas to critique to identify which to carry forward into further exploration, development and production.