Menu Research: The Pelican

The Pelican Menu:

Foreign Policy

Critique: Aside from the fact that the main information is center aligned, this is a really attractive menu. Hot pink and navy blue is a classic color combination that seems almost forgotten, and this design brings it back in an intelligent way. I most love the intricate border and how the same design is carried over onto the various mini-menus of the restaurant. The design uses line to frame and organize the copy really well, and even though there's a lot of information, nothing gets lost. This is definitely another favorite.

Menu Research: Bean & Berry

Bean & Berry Menu:

Nick Wagner

Critique: Overall, the menu seems a little plain, but it works for the general, old world theme. The illustrations seem a little floaty in places, but could be easily reworked into the flow of the design. I think what's really throwing me off are the slanted divider lines. There's a love-hate feeling I'm having with them. While they make the menu more interesting and create movement, they just feel too heavy and are distracting. It might help just to make them thinner. Aside from that, the bold, inverted headers were a great idea to add balance between the information and heavy border, and the information had a nice readability and is kept simple in its organization.

Menu Research: Dressage | Brand Identity

Dressage Menu:

Nikos T.

Critique: At first, I thought I was really into this design, but when I started to try and explain why I liked it, I couldn't think of what to say. Overall, it's just uninspiring. It offers the information well enough, it's easy to read through and there's nothing overly complicated about it. However, there's nothing unique to set it apart. There's no personal touch to enhance the design, no real style. It sort of feels like a word document. I love the logo and the cover, so incorporating a bit of that could enhance in the inner pages dramatically.

Menu Research: Cafe 76

Cafe 76:

Samya Arif

Critique: This is a very cute and homely design that uses a handwriting-styled type to its advantage. Everything feels hand done and personal, so they nailed the overall aesthetic. The use of color to divide information was a nice touch, as well. The cover gives off a brochure feel at first impression, though, and I think that just might be due to the colors used in the illustration's sky. Bringing in the parchment color from the other panels might help it escape from that brochure feel and tie everything together more.

Menu Research: Blokes & Birds Branding

Blokes & Birds Menu:

Maria Kuznetsova

Critique: 

Menu Research: Sweet Chick

Sweet Chick Menu:

No Entry Design

Critique: Being a menu that uses strictly typography in it's design, this piece is very attractive. It has so many elements that are being used - from inverted headers, outlined and drop shadowed headers, bold menu items, arched categories - and it still feels extremely organized and tidy. I really appreciate the intricate borders around each category, too. It completes the overall bistro aesthetic. 

Menu Research: The Cheese Shop

The Cheese Shop:

Charlotte Estelle Littlehales

Critique: 

Menu Research: Hatch & Sons

Hatch & Sons Menu:

Trevor Finnegan

Critique: There's nothing I don't love about this menu. The colors are soft, but rich against the parchment background, every category as its own little thinly bordered box with a unique header, and the logo at the top of each page keeps it all tied together. The design has so much going on, but nothing clashes. And all the information is neatly organized with various weights to set items apart from descriptions. This design mixes simple with complicated design, and for that, it's my favorite menu piece.

Menu Research: RedOniOn TakeOut Fast FOod Branding

RedOniOn Menu:

X A R C T I X

Critique: Using a chalkboard theme definitely gave this designer a lot of creative freedom. Using an erased, used chalkboard texture for the background was very creative, as it fades from lighter to darker as it reaches out, which draws the eye in to the information in the center. They made this fun with using lines that appeared hand drawn to separate information, and each page offers new elements to keep things interesting. This is a menu design that really does well in incorporating the feel of the logo with the entire piece.

Menu Research: Sunny Garden Spa Hotel

Sushi Menu:

Vlado Nacev

Critique: 

Menu Research: La Azotea de Benito

La Azotea de Benito Menu:

Alejandro Gómez

Critique:

Menu Research: Warehouse Restaurant Xmas/New Year Menu

Warehouse Menu:

Logs Matthews

Critique:

Menu Research: Shishalove

Shishalove Menu:

Michael Stylianou

Critique: At first glance, it looked like a nice piece. Looking closer, the way the information is organized makes the menu difficult to read. Everything, from the headers to the items and descriptions and prices, is centered. This makes the eye jump left and right when reading through because the center alignment makes for a jagged edge on each new line of text. Also, there's an awkward space between headers. Assuming that each page is made with two columns of info, the left column would have it's information aligned left, while the right column has it's information aligned right. Rather than doing the same with the headers, they aligned them center, which throws off the structure even more. It's just not a very readable design. 

Water Bottle Research: GL(E)AM

GL(E)AM:

Christian Serrano

Critique:

Water Bottle Research: Egyptienne

River Water:

Agnes Beate Hamland

Critique:

Water Bottle Research: Solaris

Solaris Water:

Emma-Jane Robinson

Critique:

Water Bottle Research: Purpleberry Issai

Purpleberry Issai Water:

Audrey Ma

Critique:

Water Bottle Label: Aqua Spring

Aqua Spring:

Moaad W. Khalil

Critique:

Water Bottle Research: S Water Bottle & Label Design

S Water:

Grafiket Adworks

Critique: This label is so minimalist, it might actually be too simplified for me to like. I can appreciate the subtleties like the soft but popping blue, the aristocratic-feeling serif font, and how it sets the bottle apart from the more bold, commercial label designs. But there really isn't much else to point out. I like it, in concept, but there just seems to be a little too little.

Water Bottle Research: Water Bottle Concept

Providence:

Eva Reese

Critique: Being one of my favorite designs, the label of this bottle puts emphasis on the fine details. The way 'natural' and 'spring water' mirrors each other makes for a really nice flow, and puts emphasis on the brand name, 'Providence'. The structure of the copy fits really well in the water-drop shape, and makes for an overall attractive piece.

Water Bottle Research: Mineral Water High Fashion Campaign

Mineral Water:

Erin McManness

Critique: This is a label design that properly combines illustration and type fluidly. The designer used wispy, whimsical type to accent the the wispy, whimsical lady illustrations, and it works without getting lost or feeling out of place. However, above the brand name, there's an arched line of text, and that does feel a little out of place. The arched line doesn't flow well with the lines of 'mineral', which you could say arches in the opposite direction, leaving a strange gap between the two. 

Water Bottle Research: Glacial

Glacial:

Carlos Zuniga

Critique: I personally like the overall design of the second label more, but I prefer the colors of the first label. I love how soft and clear the ice is on the first label, and it would be cool to see the ice illustrated on the second label in place of it's jagged mountain silhouettes. The second label uses a type that's more appealing because of its softer lines and better legibility.

Water Bottle Research: Font Vella

Font Vella:

Motxuel

Critique: I like this bottle simply for the crazy characters. The line-work and simple color choice make the design stand out without it being bright and clashing. Unfortunately, the pink font under the logo gets lost within all the illustrations behind it, and the logo leaves much to be desired. The logo is bold and to the point, but this doesn't mesh with the style of the background.

Water Bottle Research: Amvrocio

Amvrocio:

Dimitris Florakis

Critique:

Water Bottle Research: Sirma

Sirma:

Emrah Dogru

Critique: This is another minimalist design, but it has more details to explore. Instead of excluding parts of it's already simplified design in it's alternate label like S water did, Sirma alters colors and plays with new type faces and sizes. I feel like the white on light blue might be a little difficult to read on the first label, but it would probably look better when actual size. The hierarchy of type frames and accents the big and bold label on both designs, however, the thick stripe across the top feels heavy. Instead, a thinner strip could replace it, and the thick stripe with its text could be moved to the bottom of the label, which would help underline everything and balance out the design.