The Sushi Variations
Blazing Sushi? That seems like a contradition in terms, given that one of the main ingredients of this popular dish is, in fact, raw. But in the world of design, clients with strange names are not unknown. Nor are design briefs that insist on including long strings of relatively dull text that must be somehow elegantly worked into a small area. These, and other perils, await the brave designer hardy enough to take on AbleStock.com Design Brief 8, currently running on Graphics.com.
For those new to the Design Brief, this is a series of design competitions with each iteration consisting of a brief provided by a hypothetical client requiring a book jacket, CD cover, condiment label, and so on. Participants post their entries in the gallery on Graphics.com, where visitors can comment and submissions can be subsequently tuned and resubmitted. Part of the fun is to watch designs evolve as the result of such suggestions. At the end of each Brief, three entries are awarded subscriptions to the AbleStock.com stock photo subscription service, which is the source of suggested imagery for the designs.
What's striking is the wide range of design solutions brought to each Design Brief. For the current one the client is Blazing Sushi, a "specialist in home delivery of sushi, busily opening up new markets across North America." The firm is in desperate need of a direct mail piece that "conveys the brand message of trusted quality, nutritious ingredients and speedy, reliable delivery."
The top entry, by Machus4u, approaches these requirements by employing a warm palette and a classic, retro feel. A lot of thought has been given to the hierarchy of information and how to best present this through type. In contrast is the modern, minimalist design below by Lessbetter. While also including all the required material, this manages to provide room for the various elements to breathe and uses a palette of dramatic contrasts.
You can submit entries until April 17, and I encourage you to browse—and perhaps comment on—the entries, even if you're not a participant.
Chris Dickman
Graphics.com
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