Unfamiliar ground Project 1B: Research Through Design | Lauren Gualano 102144654

The sub-themes I brainstormed (Fig. 02) branch out from the ideas written and referenced in my visual essay (Fig. 03). Cultural Identity is a key focus of immigration that I wish to further explore and reveal through my design content as it is something that is a large issue at hand when immigrants move to a new country and undergo lifestyle changes that they often cannot control. It was revealed in my secondary research that food serves as an identity marker (Postiglione 2010, p. 1) for the majority of ethnic communities that migrate, which is why it is such a large part of their culture and values. Food and cuisine are something I wish to also explore within my primary research and design choices for this reason, but also because it is quite personal to me coming from a third-generation migrant family. In my visual essay, I touched on how food has the ability to confirm the familiar, reinforce belonging and reminisce on nostalgia that is tied to a specific place or feeling (Mason 2013, p. 383). This is an important aspect I wish to address, especially with how Australia's multiculturalism does this with diverse cuisines and restaurants situated in our local suburbs.

DOCUMENTING PEER CRITIQUE

I captured the critique from my peers in a studio pin-up session where my Project 1A Visual Essay (Fig. 03) was pinned up, and my classmates provided feedback by scribing notes and offering suggestions for areas of improvement (fig. 04). Because the critiquing process was a fast one, I felt that I was unable to grasp a full sense of what my peers were thinking, as some of the responses are quite short and rather are comments of admiration or visual aesthetics instead of in-depth feedback. Overall, the comments were relatively positive and alluded to how my use of image-making skills tied in with the narrative of migration in a historical context. I used old family photographs and photo-manipulated them to capture a scrapbook/collage effect within the composition. I also played with representing cultural identity as this was an integral theme in my paper.

One comment that stood out to me particularly was how the individual admired the "pixelated photograph effect as it plays on identity of a migrant". Another comment that was interesting to read suggested the exploration of food and immigration within imagery, which provided me with a path into thinking about how this can be addressed in my project. Food is such an important part of a culture. I found collecting peer critiques really useful, as it opened doors for further exploration but also "frequently progresses a design solution by bringing a fresh, expert perspective to a design problem or process" (Sadokierski, 2020). I will resort back to these peer critique comments throughout my design process as a way to refresh my perspective on my concept and also utilise these feedback points as a tool to fall back on when ideas seem to be heading off track.

Key Takeaways from Critique:

1. Incorporating food as an integral part of migration and cultural identity: I aim to explore more ways in which communication design can address the theme of food within my research question and how migrants have and continue to make great contributions to businesses and the hospitality industry in our country. I will respond to this through primary research and concept development in my process.
2. Visualising dehumanisation is an important branch of migration: I intend to further explore this idea of cultural identity through my research and designs, as I will be touching on perceptions surrounding migration communities that dehumanise these individuals and make them feel unwelcome. In my primary research, I aim to interview migrant individuals to gain insights into their experiences of how they have felt dehumanised at any point in their journey of settling in a new and foreign country.

CONCEPT SKETCHES

Fig 05. and 06. looks at exploring potential layouts for my magazine publication. The magazine will have four issues that look at a different theme surrounding the research question 'How can we explore the contributions of migrant communities in Australia?' (cultural identity, stereotypes, location/suburban contributions, food/cuisine). In Fig 05. I sketched out a more traditional magazine style that reads like a book but has an added sense of enjoyment to reading and interacting with the content by revealing text and images with tip-ins and fold out sections. I think adding these components creates a more engaging read. I still feel as though the concept for the format is lacking some excitement as I want my magazines to appeal to a young generation and therefore reflect this in a more casual and informal read.

With some futher thinking about how I can improve the layout of my publication and make it an overall more engaging and interactive read for my audience, I did some research into zines. I discovered that zines have come in and out of fashion, becoming popular in the 1970's and 1980's and also resurfacing again in the 2000's. Something about a physical printed booklet appears more real and interactive to the reader, whilst straying away from the traditional overwhelming and text-heavy publications that may deter interest from an audience such as Gen Z who are so accustomed to a short attention span. The idea of a zine being a small booklet that can open up to a large poster, they are seen "as vessels for activism, free speech, meaningful narratives, and good old-fashioned creativity" (What’s New in Publishing | Digital Publishing News, 2021).

In fig 06. I though about how each issue of the magazine will use this zine layout to open up to an A1 poster, in which the poster will relate to the overall theme. I chose an A4 size as I felt that A5 would be too small to thoroughly engage in the content, as I also want the clarity and texture of the images to be seen in detail. The inside contents of the magazine will include details such as images, infographics, interviews, and quotes that relate to each themed issue. The zine layout creates a fun and engaging read, with content that covers heavy topics such as migration and refugees, but also alludes to a younger generation in a contemporary style. It provides a more casual read and also feels more personal to the reader due to the format of the publication being a foldout piece - something that they can keep as a memento. The aim is to raise awareness about cultural diversity in Australia, specifically Melbourne, through the ethnic communities that contributed to our society many years ago and continue to influence our generation today. It will also touch on how there are still many ongoing issues within migration in Australia and we can initiate a societal shift to be more accepting of these individuals. The intention is to engage audiences in an ongoing and open discussion surrounding these related topics.

I began the process of creating my brand identity by sketching up some rough formations of type with the title of the magazine. I envisioned Unfamiliar Ground to have a dynamic feel therefore I experimented with positioning and different combinations of how the words could lock up. This helped initiate a direction to go in before considering making any typography decisions. Sketching it out without any references yet was also helpful as I did not need to rely on other designs for inspiration, but rather just think of the concept on its own. I enjoy how the word 'Unfamiliar' can be broken up into two seperate meanings when connected and disconnected. I thought further on how this can interplay with a logo and whether there may be multiple versions of one logo to represent the shifting identities of our migrating comunities.

TYPOGRAPHY AND COLOUR EXPLORATION

Looking at typefaces that align with my concept helped me have a starting point to developing ideas surrounding my publication and overall visual style (fig. 08). Unfamilar Ground will have a focus on cultural identity and belonging, and exploring the themes of alienation and stereotypes, therefore I want my visual style and brand identity to capture this. I began by looking at typefaces that visually embody a sense of community and are unique - that stand out from the average letterform. This is something that migrants align with closely, as entering a new country or environment is daunting, and often they feel as though they stand out from the rest. However I also wish to have a sense modernism within the typeface as I wish for the publication to have a contemporary feel that aligns with today's current issues of immigration, whilst touching on the past and how it relates to a new generation.

Adobe Fonts was my initial starting point as they offer a wide range of typefaces that are categorised into different styles, themes and classifications. This made it simpler to narrow down the type of look I wish to explore. Below are some typefaces I gathered that I feel embody the type of style I wish to capture in my magazine publication:

Looking at the collected fonts as a whole revealed some themes and patterns that allowed me to file into different categories in order to address the key themes of my research question but also help me develop a look and feel. I first looked at key words that described the collected typefaces and paired them into categories based on their shape, style and personality. Brainstorming key words that align with these typefaces helped me gain a sense of which type of direction I wish to pursue with my project. I found that it put into perspective the various types of avenues and look and feels that can be possible with addressing migration to a younger generation, whilst also appealing to heritage and past migration experiences. In a nutshell, I aim to blend tradition with the contemporary:

• Category 1 (bold, activist, contemporary, loud, heroic, campaign): Termina, Neue Haas Grotesk, Ropa Mix, Komet, Botanika Mono, Rodchenko.
• Category 2 (friendly, inviting, welcoming, rounded): Mic 32 New, Halyard Display, Hoss Round Wide.
• Category 3 (nostalgic, timely, archival, mature): Ernestine Pro, Timonium, Louvette Deck.
• Category 4 (quirky, unique, display, diversity): BD Supper, Neuemond, Krok, Campaign Serif, Axia Stencil, Oblong.

"A dynamic brand is defined as a brand with more energy that can show change, movement and flexibility. Dynamic brands are often called living brands, because they physically change or move, reflecting the very definition of dynamism" (Bardell, 2017).

I then did some early experimentation (Fig. 09) with dynamic typefaces and how I could combine multiple typefaces to create the brand identity for Unfamiliar Ground Magazine. A dynamic brand identity that would change with each issue would strongly align with the themes of migration and cultural diversity, but also keep an element that is consistent across all. It would allow the magazine to not be so confined to one look and feel, and therefore change and transform depending on the theme explored in each zine issue. This approach embodies a living brand identity that can withstand the test of time, as it is constantly evolving with its audiences. My intention is to create something with movement and flexibility (Bardell, 2017), but also be at the forefront of the magazine's messaging. This is an integral idea surrounding my concept direction as it ties in with how important design is to communicate with an audience. I want my design to tell a story and entice viewers to find out more about the publication.

For the above experiments, my process was merging consistency with diversity. In this approach, I chose one consistent type, in this case Neue Haas Grotesk Display Pro, and tried different combinations of more decorative type to reflect this notion of merging tradition with the new. I enjoyed the process of mixing and matching typefaces and it was interesting to see how the personality of typography really shines through. The choice for using capitalised letters it for the brand identity to be loud and expressive, and reflect the celebratory nature of the magazine. I did not want something that was secluded or mellow, but rather showcase cultural values. As I am still in the early stages of figuring out my themes, I knew I wanted 4 issues of the publication all with a different focus surrounding the research question. The colour choices in this experiment are based various countries flags, culture, food and tradition. These bold primary colours are quite vibrant and diverse and connect well with a dynamic and modular identity. As I am mostly referring to Southern European/Mediterranean experiences of migration in Australia, I took inspiration from flags of this region, as well as food and dishes that reveal these bright vivid colours in their ingredients. Food serves as an identity-marker for every culture (Postiglione, 2010, p.1), therefore I experimented with how this can be represented, with reference to existing designs and an inspiration moodboard (fig. 10):

The colours that stood out to me in these images the most are the vibrant reds, oranges, blues and purples in the ingredients that tie with culture and cuisine. Thinking about how this colour palette has inspired my design choices, it can bring a sense of vibrancy and become a visual representation of diversity, community and relatability to audiences that come from migrant backgrounds. Taking colours from flags also shows representation and inclusivity, as these colours are identification markers for every country and culture.

For the inspiration behind my colour choices, I also consulted an example from my meta-analysis that tackles a similar topic of food and culture (fig. 11), particularly with the colour choices that reflect this through the brand identity. 'Eat Off Beat' is a "social impact food company that offers catering and meal boxes made by former refugee and immigrant chefs in New York" (Pentagram, n.d.), and has a focus on home-cooking styles from around the globe. It recruits talented home cooks who are former refugees, who are given the opportunity to share their recipes and celebrate culinary diversity. The colour palette is vibrant and unique, described by Pentagram as an "adventurous choice that expands palates with new tastes". The colour system is inspired by flags of the countries that the meals are from, and are used as an indication on the packaging for consumers to denote the culture. I felt inspired by this example as it was something that related to my research question and also embodied a similar aim. The approach to the colour system in the brand identity and packaging is something I want to employ in my own designs, by denoting each issue to a different colour scheme. I think it is an innovative way to use design to communicate to an audience from a cultural perspective, but also in a marketing and design perspective. The colour system not only is visually appealing and recognisable but it also helps organise the products and differentiate their country of origin.

This early exploration of colour and typefaces then led into the process of moodboarding and categorising concepts, which helped solidify a few different design directions and narrow down themes for each zine that may be plausible:

MOODBOARDS

My first concept moodboard looks at cultural identity and hones in on how culture is retold through generations, through written or spoken word, visual material such as photographs, and even locations and places that hold memories and history. The many contributions of the migrant communities are often re-lived through these artefacts, and with comes feelings of nostalgia. I wanted to convey this concept of identity through an archival and timely look that feels personal and nostalgic. As I am aiming to connect heritage and past stories with the new generation, I felt that it was appropriate to include both old photography with more contemporary imagery in order to blend this juxtaposition. Identity is such an important aspect of anyone's culture and belonging. The colours of this moodboard are subdued, soft, and have a vintage appeal which reflects the values of many family's ancestors and cultural heritage and the stories that have been passed down generation by generation. I have a personal connection to this moodboard particularly as I feel that it to my own family history, coming from a second generation migrant family. I have been told so many stories every since I was born about my nonno and nonna's journeys from Italy to Australia, re-told through photographs, objects, clothing and memorabilia.

My second moodboard relates to tradition and belonging to a community where rituals are passed down through generations. Tradition is a large part of any culture and is a way of keeping that particular culture alive and celebrated. As culture changes and develops over time, especially with globalisation and immigration, tradition finds itself to be the thing that holds it all together and unifies communities. Tradition is also found in family, not just culture as a whole. Most families have a tradition that ties into their culture, perhaps also relating to religious and sacred traditions. I found it important to tie in this aspect of tradition into my concept as it is such a large part of culture, and alot of immigrants that migrated to Australia bring their tradition along with them as a keep sake or reminder of their homeland. Many cultural traditions from around the world are celebrated in Australia by their respective communities through festivals or events, religious places of worship, restaurants and clothing. These celebrated traditions would not exist in our country or be passed on down by generations if it wasn't for our migrating ancestors.

It is also important to address pride and activism in culture, especially globally where discrimination and racism still exists in our society. Being apart of a culture is about being proud of where you have come from and how you have been raised. It is about being apart of a community where you feel welcomed by like-minded individuals. I created this moodboard using imagery of protests, with bold imagery and loud messaging. The wording on the posters really stood out to me and therefore became a source of inspiration to my research question, as it is important to also highlight the negative experiences of assimilating to a new country and environment at a time where diversity was uncommon. Exploring the contributions of ethnic migrant communities in Australia dates back to upon first arrival of these migrants and the contrast between themselves and the Australian society at the time of the post second World War period. I wish to explore the negative connotations that were associated with immigrants at this time period, immigrants referred to as 'aliens' (Prince, 2003) and other discriminatory language, and even with ethnic stereotyping still very much existing in todays society.

PRIMARY RESEARCH - SURVEY

Collecting primary research on opinions surrounding immigration in Australia is an important component of my publication as it will set up the foundations for discussions surrounding the research topic. I created a Google form that asked some questions about immigration and ethnic groups and culture in Australia and shared this with my peers across social media. With this, my intention was to gain an understanding of the attitudes towards these topics from a generation like myself and use this research as a point of discussion in my publication to see where opinions sit in the 21st Century, compared to many years ago when ethnic groups first started migrating to Australia.

Key Takeaways from survey responses:

• 60% of respondents think that immigration has a positive impact on Australia, with also 64% of respondents believing that cultural diversity is an essential part of our nation (Fig. 15).
• 50% of respondents agreed that food and cuisine is the first thing they associate with how immigrants have contributed to our society
• 56% of respondents have experienced discrimination towards their cultural background, whereas 44% have not experienced any kind of discrimination.

There are so many people and different communities who wouldn’t be here (myself included) if it weren’t for immigration. The community would be very closed-minded and I believe racism in Australia would be much more extreme without immigration (still an issue but not to the level it would be)." - Anonymous Respondent

• 48% of respondents believe that there are not enough resources in Australian where they can celebrate their culture.
• Majority of participants (96%) agreed that Australia would not be the same without the immigrants that arrived and introduced their cultures many generations ago.

Through the findings collected, I gained interesting insights and varied opinions of how my generation feel about immigration and their own cultural background. I found that most respondents believed that immigration is a large factor of Australias foundations as a country and how we respond to different types of communities from around the world. The majority of my respondents were between 18-30 years of age and come from a migrant or ethnic background, or are migrants currently residing in Australia. I expected most responses to be similar because of these dependant factors, however I did come across some more unique responses that outlined their thoughts of how well supported they feel in Australia depending on their cultural background. Those with European and Asian backgrounds felt well supported and celebrated, however a comment that stood out to me was that this particular respondent felt that they felt a sense of estrangement in Australia - "The population of my particular subculture is too small"; This allowed me look at my research question from a new lense and question whether some cultures are more favoured in Australia than others purely because of the size of their population or perhaps how well-known or 'common' it is.

"The influx of migrants helped create the population boom required for Australia to further develop as a nation." - Anonymous Respondent

"I am lucky enough to have been raised by parents and grandparents who emphasised language learning and grew up bilingual. I believe I have the resources for celebrating my culture but wish there were more accessible events especially for Greek Australian youth." - Anonymous Respondent

I found this survey research to be really useful for my publication as it relates to the sub-topics of cultural identity, cuisine, discrimination and location that I will be exploring in more depth. The aim of conducting this kind of research was to create an open discussion amongst people of my age group around this topic that is sometimes forgotten or falsely portrayed by the media. I also decided to make my survey anonymous and free of judgement in order to gain a realistic scope of the opinions and attitudes of immigration from a young persons perspective.

After gathering this research and conducting early experimentation with my brand identity, I decided to have a look at what other designers are developing that can influence my though processes and the visuals of my outcome. I gathered design examples that relate to the themes surrounding migration, but I also collected examples that were for pure aesthetic reasons. Similarly to my concept moodboards, I split these collections into three seperate categories:

VISUAL REFERENCE MOODBOARDS

After first consulting my concept moodboards, I then delved into collating visual references that related to my topic area or consist of similar themes. Breaking these down into separate moodboards based on their 'look and feel' helped me associate the traits of these designs with my existing concepts and themes.

The typeface Wedding Gothic for Issue 01 (fig. 36) gives a solid presence and provides a strong contrast between its structured build, and the more simple feel of Neue Haas Grotesk. To me, this typeface evokes the ideas of identification, being true to who you are and what you believe in, and always staying strong to your values despite the challenges you may endure. This is exactly what I want to portray to audiences about the experiences migrants went through went entering an unfamiliar environment. Touching back on my research and the whole premise of the research question, this typeface and its combination with Neue Haas Grotesk in fig. 35 embodies feeling alienated and out of place in a society that treats you differently.

2. Issue 02 'Stories from the Suburbs'

Lust Script was used for the second dynamic brandmark, coinciding with the themes of suburban lifestyle and Mediterranean architecture of Issue 02 (fig. 37). The typeface is decorative and has elements of serif and script. It has a retro and traditional feel to it which I felt suited the fact that the content will touch on the past. I think it would work well as a juxtaposition against the more contemporary aspects of the magazine, falling back on the project aim to mix tradition with present-day.

3. Issue 03 'The Art of Homecooking'

The typeface choice for the third issue of Unfamiliar Ground takes inspiration from the topic of home-cooking and cuisine. The handwritten nature of the typeface is a direct nod towards recipes that are passed down through generations, but also brought to Australia by migrants in an attempt integrate these foreign dishes into the Australian diet (IHS Journal, 2003). Austin Pen has an authentic and raw essence that feels domestic and genuine, whilst it also features imperfections in strokes that take it to a level of realism. Pairing this with Neue Haas Grotesque sets up a unique juxtaposition between heritage and the present.

4. Issue 04 'Growing up as an Outcast'

Campaign Serif was my fourth typeface choice for the last issue 'Growing up as an Outcast' and I think the italic serifs are quite quirky and less sophisticated than a typical serif typeface. The movement and fluidity it holds in the strokes makes it a good typeface for display text. I will use this typeface throughout my concept development.

I also looked at colour combinations in fig. 35 and how these colours relate to each theme. For instance, a topic such as cultural identity is all about defining who you are, where you're from and telling a story. The colour contrast in blue and yellow complement each other well, and also represent the ups and downs of connecting and disconnecting with your cultural identity due to this stark contrast. I have taken inspiration from my moodboards and visual references with food for these colour palettes to create a concept around them that is further than just for aesthetic reasons.

I continued to go back to existing design examples when exploring the colour palette and typography combinations, such as the Yolélé Packaging Design in fig. 41, which was a key reference in my visual essay. Paula Scher from Pentagram designed the branding and packaging for the company, which sells food products derived from West Africa. I was inspired by the vibrancy in the colour palette which is a node to the colours represented in Western African flags - yellow, green and red being the most used colours in these country's flags. The hand painted typography also provides an element of handmade and organic value, and adds a genuine feel to the branding. The hand-drawn typography "extends into the full visual language" (Pentagram, n.d.) and the illustrative components such as the map shows the region in which the ingredients are from. This design also uses a colour system across different products depending on the flavour and taste. The hero colours are what stand out the most. This is something I wish to similarly achieve in my concept development.

PRIMARY RESEARCH - INTERVIEWS

I conducted various one-on-one interviews with family members and friends from various culture backgrounds in the Mediterranean regions to gain a perspective of their cultural upbringing and also the experiences of those in particular who had immigrated to Australia. I wanted these interview responses to be quite nostalgic and anecdotal, so I refined my questions to reflect this. I also categorised the questions based on the sub-topics of each magazine issue. These are the questions I asked my interviewees:

Cultural Identity (Issue 01):

1. What does Cultural Identity mean to you?
2. When you think about your own personal cultural identity, what memories come to mind?
3. Do you feel a sense of connection to your cultural identity? Why or why not?
4. Having experienced immigration first-hand, did your cultural belonging help settle you in Australia, and if so how?

"The Italian immigrants identity with a culture that is all about family, food, and also the way things were done in their home land."

Stories from the Suburbs (Issue 02):

1. Was there a reason behind moving to the suburb or location you grew up in?
2. What does your suburb offer for your culture? How was this different to when you were growing up?
3. How was finding work back when you first immigrated compared to now?
4. What sort of things did you used to do for leisure and entertainment in Australia after immigrating?
5. How did you continue your connection back to your homeland?

"Back then when my parents immigrated, there was so much work available for people like them who weren’t very educated and did not speak English."

The Art of Homecooking (Issue 03):

1. What are some memories that you have growing up with the cuisine of your culture?
2. What is your favourite dish from your culture?
3. Are there food traditions from your culture that were brought to Australia?

“Growing up as a kid I remember coming together for a family dinner when my grandma would make a home cooked meal that was a traditional Turkish feast. I think the best part about coming together was that no one came empty handed."

Growing up an Outcast (Issue 04):

1. What were some challenges you faced growing up ethnic in Australia?
2. Did you experience any discrimination because of your cultural background?
3. Do you think the acceptance of immigrants has improved since you or your parents first immigrated to Australia? Why or why not?

“I also couldn’t speak English when I started school and I found it very difficult to fit in with my classmates.”

PRIMARY RESEARCH - IMAGERY

Sourcing my own family photographs (fig. 42) is a large component of the concept surrounding my zine - mixing old with the new. As the topic of immigration is something that is quite personal to my family, I collected images of my parents, grandparents and extended relatives when they lived their lives in their hometowns of Italy but also moments when they first moved to Australia. I was fascinated by the contrast in the images of both type of environments as they look starkly different. I will use these images as visual content throughout the publication to add a personal and nostalgic feel to the design and also create a relationship between the text content and the visual content. The responses generated from the interviews and surveys will be supported by these visuals.

I also photographed my own imagery (fig. 43) that would reflect the sub-topics of each issue of the zines, including images that involved food, family, children, work life and domestic life. It was important to not overly rely on old photographs as there needs to be an element of current life in the publication in order to relate to a young generation.

A large portion of my content will around old family photos and artefacts, however the I also mix of my own imagery to balance tradition with the contemporary was integral. I took photographs of areas in my nonna's home that hold symbolism for when she first immigrated to Australia. I also took photos of food and ingredients that relate to tradition. The architecture of suburban homes also intrigued me, and would be specifically useful in the content of Issue 02 'Stories from the Suburbs'. This popular Mediterranean-style exterior that was commonly purchased by European migrants when first arriving in Australia, as seen in fig 44. below, were "often were terraces and small Victorian and Edwardian-style cottages, often run-down or in ruin, which were then renovated in what came to be known as the ‘Mediterranean style' " (www.coasit.com.au, 2006). Decorative fences, front gardens, brown bricks and narrow large back gardens of these vernacular homes are a common sight to see in Australian Suburbs, a lot which are still standing today. I found inspiration behind these homes to dedicate one of my issues towards suburban lifestyle, as it is also something quite personal to me and my upbringing.

SITE VISIT - LYGON ST, CARLTON

Conducting a site visit to one of Melbourne's most iconic culturally influenced suburbs

I decided to do a site visit to Lygon St, Carlton, which was one of the first suburbs that immigrants took under their belt in terms of revolutionizing their culture within Melbourne, particularly the Italians, coining it 'Little Italy'. The communities of the post-war period gravitated "towards Carlton because of job opportunities or sponsorship by relatives, the industrious nature of Italians formed a bustling and close-knit community" (lygonst.com.au, n.d.). It was important to make reference to this suburb as it was a pioneer in meshing Italian culture into Australian society, and still holds a lot of symbolism and heritage to this day.

"...the sense of community and village life created by Carlton’s Italian community is still evident to both visitors and residents of Carlton." (Borgo 2006, p.3)

Seen above in fig. 45, I took photographs of original restaurants that have withstood the test of time, the iconic Piazza Italia (Argyle Square) which is still used as a meeting point and area of congregation, and is "dedicated to the Italian community and its cultural legacy" (Borgo 2006, p.6). Visiting Brunetti's was also monumental, which holds a lot of history in Italian coffee culture. These images will relate to the comments made in the interviewees responses, as many mentioned the importance of Lygon St, and compared its presence back then to what it is now.

GRID STRUCTURE

Setting up the grid structure was my initial starting point in putting together my publication. With already having in mind that I wanted to design a zine layout with 8 A4 pages featuring an A1 poster on the back, I explored some options of potential grid structures. I wanted something that was quite flexible and offered room for many possible layouts, something that also complimented 2-4 column paragraphs. I wanted an interplay between experimentation but also more structured compositions.

Option 1: Modular Grid

A modular grid allows for flexibility in the composition and are set out in squares across the grid. This would be a useful grid structure for a publication such as a magazine as there is room for wide range of different column arrangements, with also room for images of various sizes. In the above example (fig. 46) I created an 8x6 grid with 5mm gutters, and a margin width of 12mm. I do like how simple it is to arrange elements however I feel that it is a bit basic and has some limitations.

Option 2: Baseline Grid

The second grid (fig. 47) I created consisted of 7 columns with 3 split columns with a gutter width of 4mm. The margin is slightly wider from the top, spanning 25mm, and 15mm all around. I also added a baseline grid on top, based on the body copy size and leading of 8/10. I much prefer the structure of this grid as the baseline grid adds more freedom to the composition but keeps it organised, by implementing a vertical rhythm that keeps typography consistent (Haydn, 2019). As I do want as much freedom and flexibility as possible in my grid, I also wanted some level of formality, especially when dealing with type hierarchy. The baseline grid allows me to do that whilst not being so confined to strict gridlines.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT OF ZINE

The early stages of my concept development came from refining my dynamic brand identity and applying a set typeface to each magazine issue in order to set up a look and feel for each sub-topic. I looked at how typography can strengthen the communication of a message, and influence the dynamic nature of the brandmark in the publication style.

My first zine covers the topic of 'Cultural Identity', therefore I felt it was fitting to include a portrait to convey that sense of identification and representation of self. The subject is my nonno, who migrated to Australia from Italy in the 1960's. This portrait of him is very striking and his expression is firm and adament. He was always very stern in who he was and what he came from. With wanting to make a better life for himself in Australia he worked hard to build a life for himself and his family. This portrait embodies the messaging behind my magazine, but specifically the issues expressed in this issue. The colour palette of blue and yellow provides a great contrast, but adds a subtle playfulness through the yellow.

Through typography experimentation, I wanted to further push the idea of the dynamic brandmark. In fig. 49 and 50, I played around with how type and imagery can be combined to emphasise the ideas being communicated in the design. In these examples, the 'O' of Ground is layered on top of the eye of the subject in the portrait, which alludes to the metaphor of an eye being an identification and expression of character. We as humans are identifiable mostly by our eyes, we use them to see the world and they provide us with a perspective of our own world. In fig. 50 I pushed this idea further by masking the shape of the eye with the type to make this relationship more obvious.

Since issue 02 is all about suburban lifestyle, domestic life and family values, I used my own photographs of the typical Mediterranean home as outlined in my primary research (fig. 37) to construct the cover design for this issue, seen above in fig. 51. This was a large inspiration to setting up the foundations of this particular issue, with also using my colour palette from fig. 35. For the type, I used the same colour blue from the issue 01 cover in order to begin implementing a colour system that would appear cohesive. I enjoy how the pillars are emphasised through contrast, which alludes to the 'kitsch' style of these traditional homes. The chosen typeface for this issue's brandmark Lust Script has a decorative serif style that meshes well with the antique family-style homes of migrant communities in Australia. Experimenting with typography on this cover, I found it interesting to use the pillars as negative space element, and hide some of the text behind them. This elevates the typography, and makes it appear more fluid and dynamic as if it is actually living and three-dimensional. Rotating the words also gives it an architectural feel, creating that relationship with type and imagery even stronger.

Along the way of merging my brand identity development with each look and feel of the issue covers, I needed to have a bit more freedom in the design and push some boundaries and adding more freeform in the composition. The hand-written type on this cover, as mentioned in my brandmark development in fig. 38, provides a homemade and nostalgic feel to the visual language. Using an old photograph of a relative in Italy, the image represents domestic life and the importance surrounding food in many cultures. Green was my chosen hero colour for this issue, as I took inspiration for the food colour palettes in my early development in fig. 10. I found green to be a recurring colour in a lot of Mediterranean dishes, flags and ingredients in the fresh leafy greens in many recipes. It also alludes to the concept of organic cuisine, taking ingredients grown locally or in peoples homes, making it extra authentic. Again, using the vibrant pink shade from the previous issue cover as a consistent system that allows all the magazine issues to feel a part of one another as a series, but also as stand-alone artefacts. Playing with a collage style effect, I added texture to the image by increasing the grain and also using the blend modes to create a layered effect. Adding a illustrative component in the scratchy outline also complimented the style of the typeface.

The cover design for issue 04 pushes the boundaries a bit more in terms of breaking the grid and implementing texture. The themes of this issue is all about growing up feeling out of place or out of touch an unfamiliar environment, particularly children of migrant parents, "in a time when there was a considerable amount of discrimination" (IHS Journal 2013, p.g 6). Things such as learning broken English from their parents or being mistreated for coming from a foreign migrant family are all issues that are discussed in this issue. Following the concept of the dynamic brand identity, I did a similar type treatment as of Issue 02 and 03 (fig. 43 & 43) but having the title be hidden by the subject matter. I think I need to develop this further so that it is still legible but slightly covered. I changed the typeface for this issue to Tomarik Serif, below in fig. 54, as it had a more raw style that wasn't as structured and clean looking as the previous typeface Campaign serif (fig. 40). I also changed the title of this issue to 'Growing up Ethnic', although I think I prefer 'Growing up an Outcast' as it is more fitting to the topic.

SPREAD DEVELOPMENT

I began to develop zine 01 and 02 based on the look and feel of my cover designs. As I already had the content from my interview and survey research, the process mostly involved laying out where information would sit and how the viewer would read it. I split up the zine into three categories: the introduction spreads - which discussed Unfamiliar Ground and the themes of the monthly issue, then the interview content spreads, and lastly the infographic spread which reveals the data relating to the issue from the survey responses. The rationale behind this order is to introduce the topic, then for readers to understand the topic from a historical perspective. The last spread relates it back to present-day.

Using the colour scheme, I interchanged the used of yellow and blue throughout the spreads, but allowed the blue to remain as the hero colour. It was also important to keep some components of white space, which I think breaks up colour and allows the spreads to be more readable. Taking on the grid structure of option 2 baseline grid (fig. 47) I used a 2-3 column text box for my type. I was inspired by existing design examples from moodboard 3, seen below, as they use a magazine-like style for typesetting with narrow columns and hierarchy. The narrow columns work for paragraphs that are not too text heavy. Esquire's 'Manual for a Stylish Life', referenced below, uses a modular grid structure and the composition is very organised. I think it works for that particular layout, however for something like my publication where there is many themes and concepts driving the design, I did not rely on this contextual anchor too much.

The design of the infographic spread was my main challenge, as I did not want the layout to be too formal and sophisticated as it would clash with the intention behind the publication being an informal and casual artefact. Therefore I simplified the graphics of the pie charts and graphs, and also implement typographic hierarchy. I aimed for a less structured approach although I think it still needs work in terms of adding some more imagery that would push the design even further and extend the visual language from the other spreads.

The concept development for issue 02 took on a slightly different approach, still keeping the typography conssitent in order to align with the branding, however the colour palette has slightly changed I switched out the blue for yellow, as I thought it had a more vibrant presence when paired with the pink hero colour. However, I ran into some issues with legibility in colour contrast (fig. 57). Colourcontrast.cc allowed me to check the legibility of different colours, and unfortunately the yellow and pink wasn't working well. Although this is mostly for web, I wanted to test how the colours would present when printed. I left the colour palette in its current state and kept in mind this issue for further refinement in my design process.

After gaining some feedback from my peers and mentors in class, I felt that my zine was lacking an authentic feel and it was looking a little too formal in its layout, which is not exactly what I want to achieve. It was also mentioned that the spreads felt flat, and more texture was required in order to bring the images to life. Through my concept development so far, I have began to include elements of paper collage treatments on old photographs to bring a sense of nostalgia and heritage to life - however I wasn't gaining that real feel through using digital programs like Photoshop. I needed a way to make these feel more authentic, like a family photo album or scrapbook.

EXPERIMENT LOG

I decided to create my own paper collage, as seen in fig. 58. I printed out scanned photos of various portraits from my collection of old family photographs, and ripped and layered them until I achieved a textural and dynamic composition. As this cover is relating to issue 01 of Cultural Identity, the idea behind collaging and morphing different faces together reveals the different identities of migrant communities. I was particularly interested in the subject's eyes, as they hold stories and memories, but I also continued the notion of my concept development an eye being a representation of our identity as humans. Printing out these photos first and then scanning them back in to further manipulate them in Photoshop adds a different element to the design that you cannot achieve purely using digital software.

I was inspired to create this collage/journal effect from my visual reference moodboards and analysis of The Atlantic's 'Make America Again' cover by Oliver Munday. I enjoyed how this example layered imagery in a similar manner, also using different primary colours in various sections of the collages to add some colour to the design. The ripped edges of the images is what I found to be inspiring the most, and I applied this style to the above experiment log (fig. 58) to cross paths of traditional and contemporary design.

DOCUMENTING PEER CRITIQUE (WEEK 10 PIN-UP)

Taking on the feedback and developing my first two zines further, I focused on adding more textures and elements in the composition, and remove any unnecessary empty space. I implemented the new cover design from my paper collage experiment log (fig. 58) and that provided me with more direction in the visual language. Zine Issue 01 has more images included and more diversity in the text layout, which is the main development that I have made (fig. 59). Zine Issue 02 made some development in terms of typographic treatments and hierarchy, but also on the last infographic spread by keeping the colour scheme consistent and switching out the black in the previous development to white (fig. 60):

After pinning up my work and making a smaller scale mockup (fig. 61), I received some feedback of my designs in order to move forward (fig. 62) . The comments were positive overall, with most mentioning how they appreciated the concepts around the zines and the typographic choices, particularly with hierarchy. One peer commented that the choices typographic hierarchy "create emphasis around the connotation of 'immigration' ", which was great to hear as I was progressing with my look and feel and establishing that sense of hierarchy well. They also suggested that in my infographic spreads, the percentage symbol could be the same point size as the numeric value, which I agree with and will take on board throughout my development and refinement.

Another comment also mentioned my use of contrast and how it is quite strong. As I was unsure about my colour choices for issue 02 in fig. 57, I noticed that when printed out the colours came out darker than expected. Although this was fine for issue 02, the blue in issue 01 appeared too dark and lost its vibrancy, especially in the blend modes and image treatments. Moving forward, I will pay closer detail to refine my colour palette and make sure that it works holistically as a series, but also individually with each zine.

Multiple comments mentioned how the format of a zine and poster is a great reminder to audiences about the messaging behind the publication, and suggested that it could be handed out at an exhibition in order to reach a wider audience. I took this on board and thought about the distribution of this type of publication. I have mentioned throughout my process that

Key Takeaways from Critique:

1. More dynamic composition and elements of texture: I will explore further methods of elevating my designs to be more lively and vibrant, and really express what is being written in the content. I wish to emphasise the relationship between the written and the visuals, and retell the stories that are being told. I]
2. Refine colour palette: I intend to further develop my colour palette and figure out how I can keep a consistent look whilst also seperating the issue's from each other. This will allow the zines to be expressive on their own and relate to the look and feel of each brand identity, but also visually symbolise the concept and messaging that is being told.

FURTHER CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

Taking on the above feedback, I continued to develop my designs and work on issue 03 and 04 in reflection of the look and feel that was starting to solidify in the first two issues:

I developed issue 01 even further by taking on the feedback in the pin-up session and filling up sections of the composition so that it felt more full.

Taking the experiment log from fig. 58, I felt that it lacked some white space and contrast. Taking the design into Photoshop to manipulate it further, I took away layers to reveal the hero colour in the background, which really allowed the collage pieces to stand out. I experimented with texture through grain, halftone and darkening certain sections. The original collage was too heavy and brought challenges to layering type so that it was visible. By taking away some elements to reveal a solid colour, it allowed more areas for the type to be fully legible.

The development of these spreads has been further enhanced, aiming to include more texturing and layering in the image treatments and also allude to more suburban imagery in order to relate to the content. I am content with how far this zine has come, as it feels more fitting with the rest of the issues. The vibrancy is eye-catching, and appeals to a young and contemporary audience by have some elements of modern design.

The previous development of Issue 02 felt flat, and the contrast in the colour scheme was also not working. I decided to increase the intensity of the pink to a more red tone, which allowed the yellow and blue elements to pop and stand out further. Checking with the colour contrast checker, it successfully passes as being a legible combination.

With further developing issue 03, I also aimed to create a more layered feel. The content is all about food and cuisine, and intention of migrants merging their food traditions while assimilating into society "in the bid to show Australian's a different type of cuisine" (IHS Journal, 2013). I wanted to emphasise this combination of tradition with aspects of today's food scene. I further examined the content and what was being said, as this was a major drive in the concept design of the spreads. Because the theme of the issue was all about home cooking, I wanted to further push this idea in the design, by 'roughing' up image treatments and not having them look so perfected. I think this approach really added an element of uniqueness to the zine. With typographic treatments, I also went for a more free approach and did not stick to the grid in some areas. Mostly with pull quotes, I wanted there to be a contrast in the structured body copy with the larger headings.

I explored into using duo-tone filters in Photoshop on my images (fig. 68) so that they can feel consistent within the colour palette of each zine. Below are some of the image outcomes (fig. 69) that I manipulated and included in issue 03. Although the look and feel were developing further, I still felt that the images were lacking texture and a sense of authenticity and diversity.

These images of food and ingredients (fig. 69) are significant to Italian and wider European cultures, as they form part of many recipes, dishes, and traditions. They represent belong to a community, and coming together as a family to enjoy a special meal.

The cover development of Issue 04 appears strong and aligns with the concept of feeling alienated as a migrant in an unfamiliar environment, however, I feel the rest of the spreads lack the visual extension of the look and feel that is present in the other 3 zines (fig. 70). The colour scheme also seems to be lacking, when compared to the other colour palettes, it is not as vibrant and saturated, therefore it feels out of place. I intend to refine this colour palette further in my design process.

ARTEFACT REFINEMENT

Reaching the point of refinement of my artefact has taken a lot of work and the development of ideas. I feel that my zines have the foundations of the look and feel that reflects the themes of cultural identity, suburban life, cuisine and discrimination, however they require further refinement in order to address finer details and really bring the whole artefact to life.

Throughout a lot of the imagery I really pushed the duotone-style treatment further (fig. 71) which works well for keeping the publication quite consistent and cohesive in its visual style. Because I refined some of the colours across the zines, I applied this to the image treatments also and therefore they increased in intensity and also impact. They appear more lively and not so shadowed. They also have a significant amount of contrast to be visible amongst the more colourful pages, which was important as in previous iterations they got a bit lost in the background of the composition.

I was feeling more confident in the look and feel that was progressing, and I further experimented with duotones in Photoshop and creating images that felt nostalgic through collage and cut-outs. I also sources more of my own photographs, as a key feedback point was that I needed more images to related to the content. In fig. 72, it is evident that I have refined my ideas and established a more solid concept. The process so far has helped me achieve this successfully.

It was suggested by my mentor that I opt for a handwritten typeface that had more purpose within the brand identity, and was also more legible. I experimented with writing out my own lettering for the 'UN' in the brandmark (fig. 73), using thicker markers to achieve that effortless stroke. Taking these letters, I used the image trace feature in Illustrator and outlined these into a vector object. The length and width of this refined handwritten type was a much better fit against Neue Haas Grotesk. I refined the edged slightly, however I did not disturb the original shape too much as I still wanted that element of imperfection and it to actually feel written in a recipe book.

Applying the new typeface style to issue 03 (fig. 74) elevated the design even further, and added a sense of historical and cultural context to the concepts being expressed in the spreads. I also explored the colour palette in addition to what I previously had, and looked at orange being a potential option to pair with the green. I liked how this outcome turned out. The typeface also provided more direction to play with the front cover, by overlapping a cropped version of the lettering over the front cover image, to appear 'painted on'. I reflected this also in the inner spread as an extension of this visual treatment.

I still wasn't content with the colouring of issue 04, so I looked at another possible colour combination of lilac purple and a warm brown (fig. 75). It appears more muted and serious, however I still feel that it falls out of place with the vibrancy of the other zines. I did however change the typeface of this issue to Piepie, seen below in fig. 76. The chunky and rounded typeface is a great fit for the themes of feeling like an outsider when migrating to a country you are unfamiliar with. The contrast it provides when sitting next to Neue Haas Grotesk is bold, and juxtaposes two ideas. This typeface also allowed more exploration amongst the composition for larger-scaled text, pull quotes, and type manipulation. I used the curves in the letters as imagery by upscaling the typeface and layering different hierarchies of text.

Refining the colour scheme in the last two zine issues (fig. 77), I was finding it challenging to pick an appropriate colours scheme that allowed contrast, and legibility, and also fit in with the rest of the design artefacts. I consulted my original visual references of Mediterranean food as inspiration for colour palettes (fig. 78), and this provided me with more direction. I was intrigued by the deep purples seen in these two images, and played on that idea in the fourth issue.

For a more cohesive look, I made the decision to include the same colour yellow in all the zine issues to tie them together as a series. Yellow is a prominent colour in Mediterranean dishes, as also referenced in the below images. It was a successful match in all the zine colour palettes, with provided legibility in type and imagery.

BRAND IDENTITY REFINEMENT

Seen above in Fig. 79 is the resolved brand identity for Unfamiliar Ground and the dynamic variations for each issue. The typeface choices have come along way through my design process, and they feel more complete now when paired with the look and feel of each issue. Not only did the brandmarks define the visual language, but they created a relationship between the themes being expressed in the content and the visual treatment of the communication design. Readers will be able to signify how the typeface relates to the content, which therefore creates a cohesive branding that constantly shifts and transforms.

ARTEFACT MOCKUP

Before sending my final files to the printers, I made a small-scale mockup of what my zine would look like and ensured that everything lined up and folded correctly (fig. 80). It turned out well, and all elements line up. The colours also came out vibrant and contrast well against each other.

FINAL ZINE SPREADS AND POSTERS