Publishing Design Task 1 - Exercises

21st September 2026 (Week 1)  -  2026 (Week 4)

Insha Thahirah Rajab - 0360671

Major Project  - Section 01

Bachelor's Degree  in Creative Media (Honors) - Taylors University

Final Compilation

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CONTENTS

Lectures

Instructions

Exercises

References

Feedback

Reflection

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INSTRUCTIONS

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TASK 1

Task 1 - 

ome may not have the opportunity to have yet. I took inspiration from Georges Lepape, "The Red Mirror" which is a depiction of a woman during World War I. My work is a direct juxtoposition of that standing, and adopts Lepape's beloved art style and dull colour palette. Several design principles are also implemented in my work. My design is harmonious and consists of a balanced symmetry. The use of a bright contrasting pink against the unified muted palette creates an emphasis to the mental images. The background is purple yet connects to the subjects head, creating a distinct silhouette through the use of principle of figure-ground. All of this comes together to create a subtle yet powerful message to women out there, whilst remaining aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

WEEK 1

22/09/2026: We were briefed on Task 1, which was to create a design kit for Parkson's Diwali collaborated event. For the official competition, we were to design a few money packets and paper bags. However, for the final, a full design kit and any other UI/UX design assets were to be created. Afterwards, we watched a video on the importance and meaning of Diwali in order to fill up the first worksheet for the week. When discussing this worksheet, we were able to make comparisons to that of our classmates. Secondly was research on Parkson, determining if it was a company or a brand, and diving deep into the brand's concept, values etc. In-depth research on Parkson helps our design decisions, along with knowledge on the purpose and aesthetic of Diwali. 

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FEEDBACK

Week 1

Specific Feedback: -

General Feedback: You cannot use AI in your final work, you can however use guided AI as part of your drafting progress. You cannot use any religious imagery as part of Parkson's guidelines as this may be sensitive or offensive information. Next week we will have an allocated time (1-2 hours) of no screen time. Bring the following materials for class to work on an activity together for sketching: print out your Parkson notice and Worksheets we did in class, a blank sketchbook, pens, and a laptop (with Gen AI tools).

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REFLECTION

Experience: Exercise 1 was fun, introspective, and helped me understand the basics of packaging and how to amplify a message and branding to audiences. Classes were easygoing but educational, I understood the purpose of packaging and what makes a design functional and aesthetic.

Observations: Many observations were made during this exercise, mainly the observation of badly designed packaging, and identifying key issues, as well as relating it to a target market. By comparing good and bad design, we are able to conclude what makes a good package for a specific product. Identifying each product's form: box, bottle, can, and tube, we can note how each packaging varies and what features are included in each.

Findings: Through research, I understood what each demographic of each market, and what they are looking for in a packaged product. I learnt the difference between strong and weak branding, and how this can be implemented in their design, as well as their entire concept/ messaging to the consumer. I researched competitor brands and identified factors which made them stronger to other brands, and how w