The grid
Looking at the traditional A4 format and trying to think of something original we can do with it. Coming up with the grid by dividing the format in half, then again, and so on indefinitely. Calculating all margins and even grid baseline spacing for standard formats. Creating gradient bars that add originality and allow to add pictures to the middle of the page for printing with bleed. Proportions of all bars are 1/√2.
Making the typeface larger to improve legibility on screen. Shortening down all the text.
Advertising inserts
The designer generates ideas for ad inserts.
1. A large mug to fit the entire page on black background.
2. A rocket mug with flames.
3. Katafotus reflective badges: a picture from the video on the announcement page.
4. Mushrooms in the dark or fireflies.
5. Three people or dogs holding a Frizbus flying disc in their teeth.
6. A full-page calendar for all months so that people can print it out themselves.
7. Shy naked documents without covers.
8. Three girls wrapped in Shtorkus bath curtains in a tub, or Shtorkus as window curtains.
9. Natalis chopsticks and Russian pelmeni.
10. A photo of a pencil from the Moscow set in front of the object that it shows.
11. Moscow-themed products in a heavy-duty bag.
12. A bag with the Moscow logo with a Matryoshka doll or something else people usually buy in Moscow.
Art director: The second one, but launch several mugs in different directions.
Creating and typesetting.
Trying to show the third idea from the point of view of car drivers but with some kind of a monster instead of the mushroom. So, a driver sees something creepy in the dark with Katafotus eyes.
Creating a Zhgun-inspired design.
Art director: Number six is passive advertising. Let’s put several months on the same page and decorate each one as if it is used by a different person. One would have flowers and unicorns, the other some doodles, etc.
Starting to work on it.
As for number seven, deciding that the main selling point of the Documentikus passport covers is that they are fun. And it’s fun to imagine cops holding documents in these covers.
We already had a picture like that, so we don’t need to change anything.
Adding a whole dish of pelmeni to accompany the one being held using the Natalis chopsticks, photographing and retouching.
We need another idea for the Atmarkus 3G mug.
The idea to create a nice reflection of a girl in the mug results in splashes, lemons and oranges.
Toys
Taking a template, adding products and making the layout more lively.
Accessories
Solving the problem of collection placement: we can either distribute products over the pages or put them on the same page.
Patterns
We need to show patterns in such a way that would make them stand out among other products. Making an emphasis on fresh designs. Sketching an idea. Overall, it works.
Not bad, but still slightly boring. Adding patterned objects. The art director asks to rotate only one or two of them, not all. The rest should be centered.
Creating a separate page about pattern licenses including information on purchasing.
Interior items
Typesetting along a grid. Running into difficulties while working with collections. The art director asks to equalize the scale of objects and add real-life pictures that would show how the products are used.
Stationery
Working on the scale of the objects, typesetting a page for the wrapping paper.
Starting to work on the calendar page. We want to hand-draw several months in different styles. Putting together a composition, leaving one of the months unmarked.
Giving printed calendars to managers and designers and asking to fill them in. Getting the calendars back, scanning and adding to the layout. Showing to the art director.
Looks good, but the logic behind the idea is questionable. Besides, Katalogus layout has also been changed. Reworking.
Art director: OK.
Sending for retypesetting.
Books
Sketching the section. Bringing book dimensions to a single scale, fixing margins. Adding links to related products as well as tags from the online store.
Typesetting e-books.
Showing the book search page on the website.
Confectionery
Using a template and a flat plan to typeset pages about coffee. Making sure the coffee packs are in proper scale. Updated coffee labels come in just in time.
Concept products
Typesetting the section, adding pictures and text. Showing the result to the chief typesetter.
Chief typesetter: Let’s try to put the red watch on the red background. Also, the emphasis on the Vspyshkus page is unclear.
Making changes—et voilà!
Putting it all together
The appearance of the Katalogus changes almost daily. One day it gets updated typefaces, the other patterns create a problem or decide they want to be on the cover instead of the noble concept products.
Half-titles
Sketching first ideas. The art director asks to abandon stylized design and suggests to use borders and outline graphics.
Deciding to replace the graphics with studio patterns. We also need to decrease the number of products on half-titles.
Nope, too boring. We need to do something about the half-titles. Cutting down the number of products to 4–6 per page and making the layout more fun.
The cover
Finding an idea for the cover in the studio’s Brain Storage.
The artistic director makes the selection.
Done.
