1. Recipe Card Evaluation
Shania Carter
1Creative Media Production 2013

2. Producing Print Based Media
2

3. Visual Language
How have you chosen to set out your designs and why? (Reference
layout, image/text ratio, busy/simplistic etc)
I have chosen the designs to be aesthetically pleasing, meaning that the
design isn’t busy or too simplistic. I also tried to fit in a good picture to text
ratio, especially when some of the recipes were longer. On the back of the
card however, the design is more lenient towards the text. The layout was
chosen to be straight forward, so that it flowed, almost a leading line to
follow.
I made the designs so they didn’t overcrowd or emphasise too much,
therefore the card isn’t complex. I also chose the design to have
minimalistic visual language as the cards were designed to be traditional. I
also wanted my pictures to cover the space where the text wasn’t present
– to not make the cards look bare. The images are all associated with
China, the images also reflect the recipes.

4. Visual Language
The images that were used were sourced images, we had to use the contingency
plan because we couldn’t make the food ourselves. We also used traditional
colours of black and red to emphasise the Chinese theme we were implying. The
text was also in a Chinese style, the font used in the design was also quite
traditional. We sought to make the recipe cards ‘outside the box’ because we
wanted to make something for a market that is not sold much in existing products.
The text was also selected so that it was easy to read and still looked authentic.
The style that we liked a lot was ‘Japestyle’ as it had a soft tone to it. The images
we selected for the designs were not too professional or too shabby as we wanted
the images to have a feel of home-made, because we couldn’t take the
photographs ourselves. We also used Chinese symbols in our designs as they
offered elegance, we couldn’t find one of our ideas of a traditional Chinese lady
and had to revert to another graphic that could offer us the same feel. There were
not many Chinese vegetarian recipe cards existing and we wanted to make a
design that was unique but that would also draw someone in.
Discuss the contents of your final images and reflect upon decisions
made. (Content used- image/text/graphic, use of colour, original or stock
images. Compare to existing products.)

5. Visual Language
Discuss the semiotics and connotations created from the content you have
included. (What meaning or suggestions are created from the
images/colours/designs you have used? You could reference how they were used
in products you look at during the project.)
We used the text and the images to signify the Chinese culture from our recipe
cards. The colours are also important to the Chinese culture we put across. The
suggestions from the recipe card show that the recipe card is going to be
traditional. We also implied that the recipe cards didn’t have an overall soft tone,
with recipes that would be suitable for all age ranges. The meanings from the
designs, offer elegance. The designs looked at during the project had borders
around them, offering the Chinese element, whereas the designs on our recipe
card offer the Chinese element straight away. The images we had were of Chinese
symbols, dragons and lanterns. We wanted to embrace the Chinese culture with
our images, we created the images to have a darkened effect behind the text,
which would add mystery and also a soft look. The dragons and symbols we used
were in the centre of the page or to the side of the page, the dragon usually
represents the celebration in Chinese New Year and we want to celebrate the
Chinese culture – for vegetarians.

6. Audiences
Create an audience profile of your chosen demographic
(Age, gender, psychographic, geodemographic, NRS Social Grade, hobbies,
sexuality [if appropriate] etc)
Age range – 15+
Gender – Both genders would be appropriate for the recipe cards as the recipes don’t differentiate different
genders.
Geodemographic – Nationally
NRS Social Grade – Middle Class
Hobbies – trying new foods, experiencing new cultures, being creative, being curious about different
traditions.
Psychographic – interested in the way food is cooked, opinions on fresh food, fast food, cooking from
scratch or using pre packed meals.
Attitudes from vegetarians, checking their food products i.e. whether it is fresh and which type of farm it
has come from. Values – having a good meal, knowing where their produce is coming from. Behaviour –
negative or positive outlook on certain foods and designs.

7. Audiences
How have you constructed your work to appeal to this audience?
Include an annotated copy of an example of your work to help illustrate how you
have done this.
From our audience profiles, we constructed our work to values of including fresh produce and creating
meals from scratch. We also constructed our work so that the recipes would be affordable to the middle
class social group. We made the recipes appeal to both genders so that the market, if it was to bloom, it
would attract more people into the market. As our age range starts at 15+, some of the recipes are quick
and easy to cook, so that adolescence and adults could make the products. Some of the behaviour was a
very negative outlook on meat, therefore we tried to choose some recipes that wouldn’t have had meat in
at all or needed a meat substitute. One of the recipes is Sushi, not many people would try sushi, in our
audience profile, the hobbies we looked for was trying new foods. Initially, the audience was predominantly
male, we constructed our work so that both genders could enjoy the recipe cards and not create a sexist
environment within the vegetarian society. The audience profile also showed us that people liked to get
their vegetarian products from cheap and local supermarkets, we designed the recipe cards to their ideas,
so that the recipes were suitable.

8. Cultural context
What did you use as your design influences and why were they chosen?
(What existing media products influenced the final look of your work?)
The design influences were Chinese culture and the tradition. Chinese
dragons were widely the look that was used in existing products. The
designs were chosen because they reflected our ideas of everything tying
in together, the background colours, images and recipes influencing a
traditional but exciting Chinese outlook. The red was influential, as a lot of
traditional subjects i.e. the Chinese dress, has red encrusted into it. The
yellow also has traditional references, as it is used in lots of celebratory
ways. Also, the colour black is also associated with Sushi chefs therefore
the colour was incorporated with the recipe.

9. Cultural context
Do vegetarian products have a specific design aesthetic and how does your
project reflect/contrast this? Why?
Most existing vegetarian products are related to the colour green and the
recipes such as salads and stir fry’s. The recipe cards designed are
reflecting the Chinese culture rather than the aesthetics related to a
vegetarian recipe card. Some of the recipes include green produce which
does reflect the stereotype around vegetarians. The images normally used
in the recipe cards have side dishes to show the recipe, made by
professional chefs. In contrast, the images used were by chefs but were
not portraying the natural colours – green.

10. Finished products
Does your finished product reflect your initial plans? How? If there are any
differences, describe why changes were made.
(You can use visual examples of flat plans and finished products to illustrate this
At the very beginning of the project we had trouble finding what theme to
choose on. We ended up choosing Chinese which I feel was the right
decision because the recipes were fun to find and the ideas of designing
were also fun, creating a silhouette with the pictures to create an
atmosphere. We wanted the recipe cards to be unique and also reflect our
personalities. We also wanted the recipes to be for a set course, I think it
helped choosing different meals because we could explore more of the
ingredients and look into the different types of ways vegetarians can eat in
China. On our initial flat plans, there was going to be a border around the
recipe card, as our designs on the recipe cards got bigger, we decided
against it because we didn’t want the cards to look too busy and therefore
not easy to read. There was also a change in the design because we
couldn’t get a Chinese traditional lady and had to use another subject.

11. We always wanted to keep the recipe cards traditional because we felt that
the market would be drawn to the traditional style with a twist of vegetarian
because it is not seen in mainstream or used in existing products.

12. Finished products
Does your finished product match what you were set in the brief? How?
The vegetarian society brief stated that the designs were to be interesting and creative, I
think that our finished product does match that because we have been creative with the
designs and testing different colours throughout the project, which made the card look
interesting. I also think our recipe cards match the brief because we abbreviated a few of the
recipes so that they were shortened. We also made the method was pointed but not the
ingredients. The front and the back of the recipe cards match the brief because the methods
and the ingredients are on the back of the card and the logo, twitter and Facebook pages are
on the front of the recipe card, where the consumers are more likely to see them. With the
Chinese theme in the foundations, we made sure that the recipe cards had a clear theme to
them, the reason behind implying so much culture. Our recipe cards were designed for
people who had turned vegetarian, we decided that the recipes should allow that vegetarians
don’t just eat salad or greens. Some of the recipes are also vegan friendly, which is also
stated in the brief. We have a design on the front and the back of the recipe which match
each other, each recipe card then flows, and has a fixed theme, a thing the brief emphasises.

13. Finished products
How did the use of peer feedback help you in your production?
(Reference specific examples and their final outcome in finished product)
The peer feedback on the recipe cards was really helpful, it explains
where I could have improved and where my strengths are. I agree with the
peer feedback as it doesn’t impact any negatives on my work and I still
feel happy with the work I produced. I also think that peer feedback was
helpful because I got to know other people’s reflections – when creating
something for an audience you need to know this.
The strongest recipe card from peer feedback was the back page for
vegetable stir fry, the design is simplistic and not over powering.

14. I also think that the peer feedback can help me in another project when
working with designs, the more simplistic outlook was the more popular.

15. Finished product
Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your final product regarding its technical qualities.
Use box below for text or page space to include an annotated copy of your work to help illustrate how you have done
this.
Reference what you like and dislike about the work with consistent reference to correct terminology of tools/effects
used. Reference existing products.
I like how simplistic but stylish the design is. I like how both the
text and the design are bold. I used the multiply tool on
Photoshop to create the effect on the symbols. I like also that
the design is kept traditional as this was a theme throughout the
recipe cards. I like how the colours work together, I used the
paint bucket tool to make sure that the colours on both mine
and Aby’s cards were the same. I like that the text and design
are in a certain position, the rulers were handy in setting
guidelines for this.
I don’t like how there is a lot of space at the bottom of the
recipe card, the method was quite short and therefore took up
not a lot of room, I could have used the paragraph panel tool to
make sure that it was spaced out more. I also don’t like that the
image was big and took up a lot of space as it draws the
attention away from the text.

16. From the three designs here, I like that they all flow in layout and incorporate the
clipping mask to give the image a rounded edge.
Egg Fried Rice – I like how the image is big and covers the page, I also like how
the text and image are structured, i.e. looking at one after the other. I like how the
clipping mask has captured the image and brought an effect to the actual dish. I
also like how the text also brings out the Chinese culture and how it almost
matches the colour of the food. I used the multiply tool again so that the black of
the design blended in well with the red.
I don’t like how the image looks like it has been squashed at the top of the page. I
like the clipping mask but don’t like the black edges as I think it doesn’t fit. Although
the image is big, what I wanted to achieve, I don’t like that it is higher up the page,
I think that the rulers I used could have been lowered.
Mango Pudding – I like how authentic and different the design of the old man of the
tree is and how it relates back to the roots of China. I also like how the image of
the food is at the top of the page as a leading line is created which enhances the
consumer’s motivation to make the recipe. I like how the colour of the banner also
matches with the colour of the food and contrasts well with the background. I like
how the title of the food looks like its hidden and makes the recipe card that bit
more interesting. The use of the multiply tool for the images is used heavily
throughout the recipe cards as it creates a colour scheme and one which we
decided on the style sheets.
I dislike how the use of a clipping mask of the images as I don’t think it works due
to the original roundness of the bowl. I also dislike how low the title of the food is,
although it gives the recipe card a much more interesting feature. I dislike how
much space the design takes up as the other designs are much simpler.
Sweet and Sour Quorm Chicken – I like how the design of the flowers runs up the
side of the page as it is different and doesn’t attract the eye straight away. I also
like that this recipe card has a leading line. I dislike that the image of the food has
a black edge, the image of the food already looked like it had a rounded edge.

17. Finished product
Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your final product regarding its
aesthetical qualities.
Strengths: Back Page
The design on the recipe cards is bold and simple. The text to picture ratio
flows smoothly. The colours all work together and creates a nice colour
scheme. I like that the design touches on the traditional Chinese colours and
cultural aspects, I also like that the symbols show the versatility and takes
away the usual relatable things to China; koi fish, bamboo, flowers.
Weaknesses: Back Page
There is a lot of spare space at the bottom of the recipe card. There isn’t a
lot of spacing in the method. The design could have been made smaller as it
is the main attraction of the recipe card and the attention is taken away from
the main body of the text.
Strengths: Front Page
The image of the food is big and therefore shows of the recipe. The colour of
the title of the food almost matches with the colour of the egg fried rice.
There is a running flow of a colour scheme.
Weaknesses: Front Page
The design of the flowers is squashed up at the top of the page. The black
edges around the image make it look unprofessional. The image of the food
takes up a lot of the room, could fit a bigger design on the page to even it
out.

18. Strengths:
I like how the multiply effect makes the designs on the
recipe card create a colour scheme that brings out the
traditional colours of a Chinese theme. I like the font
used for the method and ingredients as it adds a soft
tone to the overall recipe card and is also in a style
associated with the theme. I like that the dragon design
is placed centrally as it breaks up the text as there is a
lot of information. I also like that the designs are in
different places even though the text is still in a set
layout.
Weaknesses:
The title of ‘Mango Pudding’ is quite hidden with the
design of the tree. The clipping mask on the image
doesn’t work as there is already a roundness in the
image. The images on the back pages look too
stretched and therefore being blurry.

19. Strengths:
All of the recipe cards incorporate a cultural and
traditional feel to them. The images and designs used
in the background linked with Chinese traditions.
Weaknesses:
The colour on the last recipe card looks orange due to
the original colour of the lanterns. The image of the
vegetable stir fry isn’t exactly central.

20. Finished products
What skills/knowledge have you gained/developed in this project? How could
these be applied in future practice?
I’ve learnt how to use the multiply tool on images which has
come in really useful – having a red background, I think that the
multiply tool will become useful in the future if I use an image
with a white background and need to blend the colours.
Another skill I have learnt is how to apply the rulers to a page
so that I can stick to a layout, which could be used in future for
creating layouts and having a certain space to place an image
or a piece of text. The knowledge I have gathered from this
project has mainly been from Photoshop, I am now able to
create sizes when placing images, using x and y. I think that
now I am confident to use lots of tools on Photoshop and
InDesign when creating something, getting the logos to the
right size and making sure they had a transparent background
was hard getting around. I have also learnt how useful a
contingency plan was, especially as we couldn’t make the food
ourselves, although this wasn’t a major setback, we also
encountered photography issues which we also had to use our
contingency plan for. I also think that I have learnt to become
more creative and open to versatility in projects, when working
to a theme. I think that all these skills would be handy when
creating a set design and having a flow of layout.

21. Production process
Do you believe your work is creative and technically competent? Why?
(Reference specific examples (use images if this will help) of where you believe
your work is particularly visually or technically impressive. Reference
professionally productd work and compare your products to them)
We worked as a team for most of the project so that we both made sure each
recipe card had the same cultural effects and theme. As there wasn’t any Chinese
recipe cards professionally we made sure that the recipe card was creative with
designs. We paid a lot of attention on getting the technical aspects of the recipe
cards right with the sizing of the logos and sticking the rulers in to make sure we
had enough space for everything. I believe my best visually impressive is the back
page (see below) as it offers a traditional elegance to the card, without realising a
colour scheme has appeared of the colours that would normally be associated with
China. For the usual recipe card I think that this is more aesthetically pleasing
because it has a bigger design and has a clear theme. I also believe our work is
technically impressive because each recipe card matches each other with a
leading line and a fine structure.

22. Production process
How effectively did you manage your time?
(Could you have used time more wisely? Did a particular aspect of the project
take longer than expected? Did you complete everything on schedule?)
The timing of the project wasn’t a problem as we finished ahead of
schedule, I had a few problems that needed to be sorted but that was
completed pretty quickly. We also shared a lot of the project and split the
recipe cards between us so that we could get the designs done soon. We
also both had the same ideas about the recipe cards so the planning of
the project also went quite smoothly. I think we also stuck to our schedule
well, although some tasks were completed ahead of schedule, we made
sure that the production was spaced out in the time we had as we are
normally fast workers. The longest part of the project, for me, was getting
the logos; twitter, Facebook, tumblr and veg society to the right size and in
proportion to the rest of the page. Looking back at some of my final
designs, I think that more time could have been spent on choosing images
that would not become blurred when enlarged.

23. Production process
If you could repeat the process what would you do differently?
If I could do the whole process again I would choose a totally different
theme, and focus on a particular country that wasn’t popular. I would also
have one set of meals to choose from and not have a majority of main
meals and a couple of puddings. I would also change the colours up and
go for a more vibrant look with greens. I am really happy with my final
product so there is nothing too much that I would do differently. I would
also try and take the pictures myself so that the recipe card would feel
more home made.

24. Working to a brief
24

25. Constraints
What constraints did you encounter and how did you consider/avoid them?
Legal:
When using sourced images for the foods and designs, the majority had
watermarks on them, making it difficult to find a good quality image to use.

26. Regulatory:
We did not come across any regulatory constraints.

27. Financial:
We did not encounter any financial difficulties during the project, we didn’t
need to buy the food ourselves or create designs.

28. Management
How did you work as part of a group?
(Did you lead the project? What parts of the project did you take charge of? Did
you enjoy working as part of a group? Why?)
During the project we both lead the group in designs and in production. I
enjoyed working in a group because there is lots of ideas to work with. I
don’t think I took a lead in the project as we were both working on the
same level throughout. I also enjoyed working as part of a group because
you can share the workload and also compare to the other people in the
group so it was equally effective.

29. Management
How important is communication when working in a group?
(Use specific examples from working in a group on this project)
Communication is key to every project and especially when working in a
group, during the project as we were working as a partnership it was
easier to talk to each other about how the designs were and how effective
our recipe cards were becoming. We talked a lot about how we wanted the
layout etc. to be and I think that the communication between us was good
in making the recipe card.
We worked in production as a team for two weeks, none of us fell ill or
didn’t turn up to the lesson so we had a good communication level in
levelling the work load and having a good plan for the recipe cards.
Originally, we planned to make the food ourselves and do the photography
ourselves too although we changed our plan. We had good
communication with this originally because we kept in contact outside of
college of our plans for the project.

30. Management
How important is communication when working in a group?
(Use specific examples from working in a group on this project)
It was important that we also had a good connection throughout the project
and it helps that we are good friends. We listened to each other’s ideas
rather than talking over each other. We also didn’t have any
disagreements throughout the project which kept our communication
levels high so therefore our recipe cards were at our highest standards.

31. Management
What have you learnt about working in a group and how will you apply this to
future practice?
I have learnt that you have to listen a lot as well as do the talking, I have
learnt that also working in a group takes a lot of time and compromise
when two people have different ideas.
I will apply this level of working in a group to future practice when in the
middle of another project or a group debate.
I also learnt that you both need to reflect each other during the project and
in a group so that you are both working at the same speed and still have
individual but partnered ideas.
I will apply this to future practice if I have to work with something similar
when studying at university or in a job.