Idea And Plan Stationery Products by Polin Kuyumciyan

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DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?

PK : My main inspiration was how the process of ideation and planning. And thus, the IDEA and PLAN series. I like obvious titles and pops of colors. These two mixed, make up the series.

DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?

PK : I wanted people to have an item on the desks or in their pockets/handbags, which would lighten up their day and make planning and ideation more enjoyable. I asked a couple of friends about their ideation processes and from there on, I made a list of musts to go into the notebooks. The series other items, notepads and magnets came later. People like the idea of having a set of items. And it's always better to offer people a couple of products to buy, rather than just one.

DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?

PK : I want to advertise it more in order to reach a wider range of clients. Also, it would be a dream come true if IDEA and PLAN series start selling internationally.

DI: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?

PK : I always keep a small notebook for inspirations and ideas. This was one of those ideas and I have sketched a cover for it a few yerars ago. When Keskin Color wanted a stationery series design from me, I went back to my archives and stumbled upon a sketch for the IDEA notebook. I changed it quite a lot but the sketch gave me a starting point. So, from the first sketch to the end product, it took me a total of three years.

DI: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?

PK : My client and partner, Keskin Color, wanted to work with me on a stationery series. I have a stationery products brand and Keskin Color, one of the biggest printing houses in Turkey, produces most of my products. So they are familiar with my design style. That's why they wanted a typography based, whimsical, concept based designs from me. As I already had a notebook cover sketch for the IDEA notebook, I elaborated on that and presented it to my client. Later on we decided to add notepads and magnets as well. I make a lot of lists and sketches on several notebooks simultaneously and the process of planning and ideation is always intriguing to me.

DI: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?

PK : This series is produced by Keskin Color and has been on sale for the past year.

DI: What made you design this particular type of work?

PK : Since I have a stationery products' brand, I usually get requests to design for other companies as well.

DI: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?

PK : It was only me. But my partner and my client, Keskin Color, asked me to focus on a typograpfical series. So in a sense, they showed me the first step.

DI: Who is the target customer for his design?

PK : Office workers, dreamers, designers, artists, anyone who needs some color and order in their daily lives.

DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?

PK : Usually planning and sketching for ideas take place on loose paper or in just random notebooks. This series is designed specifically to find permanent homes for these ideas and plans. It stands out from other to-do list notepads and sketchbooks because this series contain notebooks as well as notepads and magnets.

DI: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?

PK : The notebooks are literally made to aid people ideate and plan. So the name of the series is pretty self-explanatory.

DI: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?

PK : This projects was done in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign.

DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?

PK : It's playful, colorful and loud.

DI: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?

PK : My customer and my partner on this project are the same: Keskin Color, one of the biggest printing houses in Turkey. I found the concept and designed, they printed and distributed the series.

DI: What is the role of technology in this particular design?

PK : The whole series was designed in Adobe Illustrator and InDesign.

DI: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?

PK : I always consult in a group of friends and family members from different professions and backgrounds. Listening to their comments help me make vital revisions on my designs.

DI: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?

PK : The biggest challenge on this project was to design something that could stand out among all other stationery products. That is why I specifically went for the bold colors and big typography.

DI: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?

PK : Since their first production, this series got really nice comments and people told me they found the products very useful.