The document summarizes the evaluation of the author's research and planning process for creating an educational children's book about space. Some key points: - The author researched two existing products - a children's history book and a map book - to inform layout, colors, and text styles for their book. They analyzed aspects like company motives and historical context. - Planning included researching fonts, creating two draft layouts, and planning a recurring character. More ideas and detail could have improved planning and reduced production time. - Writing the text paragraphs went well, but bullet points of information may have led to a more structured writing process. - The low-poly art style on the cover was chosen to create

1. Evaluation

2. Research
• My research consisted of researching the components of two product in detail. Both of these products were in some way related to
what I intended mine to be at that stage. The two products I researched a children's history book and a book based on maps. I chose
these products as I planned on creating an atlas that was aimed at a very young audience. I used the children's book to learn more
about specific colours, text and layouts that are often used in children's books, I did this for the map book as well. While doing research
I also looked at the context of each book, this includes looking at the company that published the book and what their motives for
publishing books are, I also looked at when the book was published and what links it could have had to society at the time it was
released. I feel that in this area I got lots of helpful data that would prove useful when I created the final product. However there are
definitely improvements I could have made in this area. One such improvement is that I should have researched more products, as two
products is a very small sample size, looking at more products would have allowed me to develop an understanding for a far greater
range of styles that I could use to develop my product, it would also have made my future tasks far easier as I would be able to develop
my ideas further as I would have a greater understanding of what my product needed to look like. I also could have made a better
choice of products to analyse as the atlas didn't really end up impacting my product. My final product doesn't include maps, and it
would have been more beneficial if I had already made a cleared picture in my head of what my final product would be, this would have
allowed me to research products that would have had a far greater impact on my work.
• I also researched licensing and how it could have an impact on my work, from this I found information on prices and what I get from
specific websites that sell the rights to certain images. This was a good idea as it meant that I factored pricing into my production and
planning and made me focus on creating my own graphics and images rather than using other peoples. This its self was successful and
very useful, however I would focus on this more in my problems section if I was to redo this project as it fits in far more with that topic,
I would also have researched other areas around this that would have had a similar impact on my planning and production.
• I then created a survey which I targeted at a younger audience to find out key aspects of a child's book that they think are most
important. I asked questions based on the audience think about the text, the aesthetics, the genre, how/where they read books and
how important they think it is for the art style to link to the books theme. I personally believe that my question was successful as it did
go on to influence my final product in some ways, however I didn’t always refer back to it. It think one way that I could have made my
questionnaire more useful is by asking a much larger range of people, this would have given me a different outcome of results that is
more accurate to the actual age group I aimed my product at.

3. Planning
• My planning was in some ways successful but it definitely could have been improved. One of the strong points of my planning is how
much detail I go into when discussing fonts. I started the planning by looking for a range of fonts that I could use or take influence from
in my product, I found a range of different fonts. This worked successfully because all of the fonts were in ways unique while all still
being Sci-Fi themed. When researching these fonts I made sure to research which fonts I would have to pay royalties to use, this was so
that I knew which fonts would restrict me in my production. I then used these fonts in a mock-up page for my book, this was very
successful in letting me see what impact that these fonts could have on my book and it also directly contributed to the planning of the
pages in my book as I was then able to take direct inspiration from these designs. However, I definitely could have improved my font
planning, the clearest way that I should improve is by researching fonts to use in the larger body of texts, rather than just looking at
fonts that I am able to use for headings. If I had pre planned this it would have meant that I wouldn’t have had to have spent as much
time looking for fonts that would work aesthetically with my work, it would have also have made me confident in my product as I would
have had more time to tune the font to be the most perfect way for my work.
• I then planned two different layouts that I could use in my production, I did this more as idea generation rather than as a definitive plan
of how I wanted to structure. When using my planning this way I was very successful As it quickly lead me to create something I really
liked in my production that included aspects of both designs. For example in my final product I took the planets positioning on the left
page from my first design and then I put the title on the left side of the planet like I had done in design 2. There are quite a few issues
here though that I would definitely need to improve on next time around. Next time I would definitely need to focus on creating more
ideas, this would have allowed me to have a more ideas when creating the final product and would have helped to streamline my
overall production, it would have also then have been better to create a final design here as well that incorporated most of the ideas
that I was most fond of. If I had created a final design it would have meant that I would not have had to spend as much time working
out what I wanted my end layout to be in my production allowing me to spend more time on my individual assets.
• It would also have been more useful if I had added more detail into my layouts, including things like image ideas, what topics would be
in each text box, more detail on the actual size of each area. Adding all these little extra details would also have helped when it came to
my confidence in production as I would have more structure to my work, it would also have meant I didn't have to take my focus away
from my asset creation.

4. Planning
• After I had planned the layout I started to plan out the character that was going to be on every
page, this was so that I kept continuity throughout the product. While I had the idea to incorporate
a character into my product I didn’t really explore a specific designs and instead chose to pick a few
space themed objects, such as astronauts, UFO’s and space ships. This area could have been
greatly improved, to start with I would next time choose to create a mood board of characters that I
could have used, this would include characters from famous tv shows, films and other cultural
icons, doing this would have made me much more aware of what characters in this area normally
appear like and how I could use this in my work. Using the mood boards I should have then
generated a basic outlines of what my character could be, this would have allowed me to go into
production with a far better understanding of what to create, rather than having to think of ideas
during that stage.
• I then had to go into the copy stage, writing up the text that I would use in my end product. I
personally believe that I was very successful in this area, as I tweaked and worked on each block of
text well to make it read correctly with no glaring errors. I found key and important information on
people or objects linked heavily to each planet and wrote them into paragraphs that were
understandable and informative whilst also not being too long and boring for my young target
audience. A few improvements I could have made were probably creating bullet points of
information based around each topic so that I had all of the information Cleary laid out, this would
potentially have led me to write the paragraphs in a more structured manner. Another
improvement I could make is more to do with fonts but coincides with this text, when I picked the
bulk text in the final product the font dint have a correct character in there for “ń” and instead
replaced it with a square, in future I will have to make sure I pay attention for this so that it doesn’t
happen.

5. Cover
• I wanted to keep the cover simple but exiting using the same style as I
would throughout the rest of the book, I believe I achieved my goal with
this cover.
• The design style was key to this cover as it makes it look unique, which at
this time I very important as people are always looking for new
interesting things and due to the abundance of information a product
needs more than ever to stand out and present information in an exciting
way. I believe the style of my book does achieve the goal of being
unique, the style I chose to use is low poly. The low poly style works
really well when creating a sci-fi aesthetic as it creates a flat clear style
that allows the viewer to use their imagination to visualise the image, it
also shows that the book is as much an art piece as it is an informative
book. I have created this very successfully using very simple colours with
a few shades to convey enough information to the viewer that is
necessary for them to fill in the gaps and understand the alien character
and establish where it is. I also used size with this style very successfully,
the triangles in the background (behind the UFO and text) are far larger,
this was to show their segregation from the the key aspect of the image.
Another way I successfully used segregation in this image was by making
sure as many points of the polys in the UFO connected to one another
but didn’t connect to the larger polys that created the space behind.
Colour was also very important in this design as I wanted to use as few as
possible unless it was necessary. This is clearly visible as the majority of
the cover uses blues and purples to create the image, this was to create
unity in the image, as while it was necessary to show the separation of
the objects it is also important to show they are are all part of the same
universe. Using flat colours was also important, aesthetically and for the
target audience. It was important to use flat colours for my audience as
from my research I found that colour and style was very important for the
young audience I was targeting.
• The font I used was also very important, I wanted the title to stand out
and be clear and bold, I wanted my name to be clear and artistic but not
distracting. I personally do believe that I achieved both of theses aims.
The title has a clear sci-fi style, I created this by using a large bold font
with a halftone effect that gives it an effect of being beamed or
teleported off of the page, another key factor that makes it look sci-fi is
that it is a sans serif font, these fonts are normally for futuristic in
appearance than serif fonts. The reason that my name fits in with this
style perfectly is down to it being very reminiscent of the the text at the
start of the film alien, this is what I wanted to achieve with this as it adds
more familiarity to my work that may attract a greater audience, I would
possibly change this if I was to recreate this work as my target audience is
a bit young to understand the link to that film, however a counter
argument to this would be that the link could possibly attract an audience
of more mature people to the book.

6. Back Cover• I wanted the back cover to be very similar in style and font to the front
cover as it normally the second thing that people will see when they pick
up the book.
• I personally believe I carried the style across very successfully, I did have
different challenges when using the low poly style here. The challenge
was mostly down to the restrictions that I had put upon myself with the
graphics. I wanted each planet in the line to be the correct scale next and
distance from the others, I quickly realise distance would be
unachievable when creating this as it meant that I would have to shrink
the planets down to a size where they are no longer visible or planets at
the end like Neptune and Uranus wouldn't fit on the page. So I decided
that I would instead make it so that the planets were only scaled as
closely as possible while making the distance only somewhat accurate. I
also used the same low poly size on these graphics and I personally
believe that the whole graphic came out extremely well. The low poly
technique worked as with it I created a unique cartoon style that showed
key details each planet in and interesting art style. If I was to do this
again I would possibly have been a bit more lenient with the sizing of
planets as the first 4 planets are very hard to see and differentiate, so I
would probably make these a little bigger so that they are clearer and
more visible.
• I put the title of the book at the top of the back cover, I made it much
smaller as it is not one of the key features on the back as most people
would likely know what the book is called by looking at the front.
However I added its so that there was some symmetry on the page and
so people will know the book if they take a quick glance just at the back
of the book. I have found that using it was far more successful in terms
of symmetry as it balance the page out aesthetically which I found was
important when doing my research. However if I did this again I would fix
the vertical symmetry as I have not aligned the title in the middle of the
page and it is instead positioned slightly to the left, so it would be
important to fix this in a second attempt.
• The bulk of text is informative on what the book is about in a short
concise manner. However it is clear to me that it definitely needs some
improving, this comes mostly in the form of the font. I used the same
font as the one I used on the cover for my name as it links the two pages
together in a simple way, however on a closer look the font doesn't work
in a large body of text, it is hard to read and confusing, I would replace it
for a similar font that probably isn't as tall and also doesn't have as great
a space between each individual letter. It would also be important for
me to reword some of the text where grammar and spelling is not
correct.

7. Double Page Spread
• The double page spread on all of the pages in my book are the same, I have 8, one
for each planet in our universe. Each page consists of a low poly picture of the
planet with is name shooting out from behind it on the left, on the right each
planets main atom and a size comparison to the planet that it follows (from the sun
outwards), on the right I also have a low poly image of an object/person that has
played a key role in the planets history.
• The Planet on the left is probably my biggest problem with the double page
spreads, this is mostly down to the way that I did the low poly effect on them. I
opted to use the line tool to create the low poly effect rather than using the shape
select tool to create the triangles. Doing this has made the style look very clustered
and un planned, it also doesn't fit in with the style of the book as it uses a slightly
different technique. Another problem I have is the way I presented the planets
name, its in the same font as the title on the front cover, however I have used
extended drop shadows on these instead and I personally believe that it has had a
negative impact on the overall presentation of the product. The way I would
improve this however is with a massive overhaul to the layout of the product. I
would shrink the planet down and use the other technique to create the low poly
style, I would then change the font so that it is straighter and more similar to the
way I presented the headings on the right side to create a unity between the pages.
I would then move both of these to the top left of the page, still larger enough to
draw attention first, but rather than using up an entire page it would then leave me
with the a large area to add text and images giving the reader more to look into and
find out. This is because currently I feel like I am wasting a large amount of area
because of these planets.
• I much prefer the right side and I believe that it has come out in very successful way
that is eye catching whilst still being informative. My graphics present information
clearly in an interactive and interesting way that doesn’t take up too much space on
the page. However I would make one change, I would change the inner part of the
atom changing the colours from yellow and green to represent the colour scheme
that I have gone for on each page as it would just unify the overall design more. I
am also pleased with the use of space on this page as there are no massive blank
areas as have either filled the page with a graphic or with information, even the
UFO really works in this respect as it creates a recurring character through the book
that doesn’t take up too much space either. However I could have a future problem
with the UFO as it is currently placed to look as though it has flown behind the
planet, so if I was to change the left page I may have to find a different location for
the UFO. The text on the page is also very clear and readable, rather than use the
font from the cover I opted for a more readable and clear font that didn’t take up
as much space. The texts layout was also vital when creating the aesthetic of the
page, as I used it to clearly outline the low poly images, using the wrapping tool also
helped to make it far clearer who that specific information was about as it almost
appears to attach its self to the person. However if I was to change something I
would have to change how close the text is to each of the portraits as it varies quite
a lot, as sometimes the edges of the text overlap with the portrait whereas a few
portraits where the text looks much further away, so I would create a distance that
was used throughout the pages. I would also spell check and adjust the grammar
that I use.

8. Double Page Spread
• One of the other key aspects of these pages is the
portraits of scientists. I opted to include these
portraits as it builds more of a personal connection
between the reader and the person they are reading
about. I believe it does this because they can see the
person/object that is being discussed which relives
the audience of the burden of having to imagine the
person, which allows them to concentrate far more
on the information. Using the low poly style here
was very effective though as it brings a very modern
style to the images which are mostly paintings, this
creates a unique mix of styles from different times.
However there are definitely some improvements I
would have to do if I were to go back to this product,
I rushed certain parts of the portraits so in certain
areas you can see where I have gone over the original
image, so aim to remove these areas I I was to do it
again.
• Colour scheme was also important with this product
as I wanted each page to be unique, I believe that I
did successfully achieve this. I based each page
around two specific colours that were quite
contrasting, I then used these colours throughout the
page, this includes the title, the three headings and
the parts of the atom. I think doing this created a
uniform look on each page that was interesting and
attractive whilst also making each page individual
from the others. However I definitely could improve
it, a few colour schemes are very similar so I would
pay far more attention to what colours I had already
used previously if I was to remake the product, also
some colour schemes don’t stand out from the
background very well either and can be quite hard to
read, so I would work at making these easier to read.

9. Emotional Problems
• At one point during my production a family matter had a very
negative impact on my attention and time management. I had
already not managed my time very well which meant I was behind,
so to start with one thing I would improve is how I planned my work
out and create a more organized plan of my schedule, for example I
could in future create Gant charts to plan out my time. This did
however increase the stress I was under as it meant I was behind,
this did have a negative impact on my work as it meant that I didn't
have as much time to work on the production which meant I had to
rush making certain assets. This is in the form of not going into as
much detail as I wanted to, this means in areas such as the low poly
effect where the corners don’t always connect properly which
means there are little gaps where you can see the original image
that I have edited.

10. Feedback
• What age group do you think my product is targeted at? Why?
• I think that the product is targeted at a young audience because it is an educational book that
parents can buy for the children studying science.
• Do you think that I have successfully made each page unique? Why?
• Yes because you have included profiles of different scientists that helped contribute to the
discovery of each planet. There are facts that apply to each different scientist which is what
makes each page different.
• Do you think my cover would draw in an audience? Why?
• Yes because it is really colourful and grabs your attention. The simplistic design is what makes
it stand out from other scientific books.

11. Feedback
• What age group do you think my product is targeted at? Why?
• The bright colours, easily read text, engaging visuals, and lack of
overcomplicated information make this product a good fit for many
demographics, but particularly children due to being more focused on
appealing to a wider audience instead of overemphasising the scientific
attributes.
• Do you think that I have successfully made each page unique? Why?
• Yes, while each page repeats the same format, the variety of styles keep
things unique while still keeping certain elements in repetition, making a
product that is both individually distinctive yet cohesive.
• Do you think my cover would draw in an audience? Why?
• Yes, due to how it is bombastic and in the audience’s face, not allowing
hem to ignore it.

12. Feedback
• What age group do you think my product is
targeted at? Why?
• Do you think that I have successfully made
each page unique? Why?
• Do you think my cover would draw in an
audience? Why?

13. Feedback 1
• I agree that the colour schemes do
often work well as I chose colours that
clearly contrasted with each other
whilst still being appealing and not
grotesque , however this wasn’t always
accomplished because in some cases
such as the mercury page where it is
fairly difficult to distinguish text from
the background and that’s due to the
colours I chose.
• I agree that my product isn't too
crammed, I think this is down to my
want to keep a consistent distance
between most of my assets, or to at
least have a clear space between them.
However this has negatively effected all
of the pages on the left of my product
as they all appear extremely empty and
look to be a waste of space.

14. Feedback 2
• I personally believe that the the style I have
gone for does work really well at being eye
catching and appealing. However I don’t
believe it aims at children and more at younger
teens, which isn’t what my original target
audience, however it slowly did become the
target audience as I progressed through
production. So in future it will be important for
me to chose a more suitable target audience
description and research into the target
audience I have chosen in far more depth. I
agree that the fonts I have chosen do fit with
the style very well, however I would change the
font style I used on the left pages as it doesn’t
coincide with the text on the right page ruining
the uniformity of the product.
• I agree that in future if I was to remake this
product I would need to make far better use of
space, as on the left page it does feel very
empty and this makes it look unprofessional.
However I do not believe using other litter ships
and stars would work as this would just make it
look more crammed, having more facts and
information however I agree would work much
better.