Prospectus

Richard gave out to us copies of the LCA 12/13 prospectus, freshly printed and ready for the freshers of 2013, if they choose to come. Anyway, we were told to look at the use of type, it's aesthetic, style, stock, layout and intended audience and write down what we like, what we dislike and our criticisms in our groups. I think we had a lot of dislikes with the publication written down that's for sure, but rest assured there is some positives to it.

Firstly, the dislikes, here's a few bulletins of the dislikes, followed with a explanation:

• It doesn't feel like a publication suited for a University, corporate feel.
• It comes off flat and bland. 
• Little logic to the layout, throughout it.
• Generic photographs.
• Confusing order of information.

The prospectus straight of the bat reads of as a stock image corporate portfolio. The bashing of the keywords plastered on one or so pages: 'Success through creativity' and 'Gain practical skills'. I can't help but feel the audience in question here would be putting the prospectus back down. It needs to loosen up, it's too formal. It's supposed to be appealing to the future students, not lawyers. The principles welcoming image is nice and all, but to a student what relevance does the image hold aside from that, as well as the header. Maybe this is sound all a hit on this page, but it's a theme felt throughout the prospectus. Cold and corporate.

A true cold open.

The second point been it's flat and bland. Below, one of the opening pages, it doesn't excite nor does it entice me further into the publication. It's flat. It's a powerpoint in print. I love one of the quotes from the first page is: "Our unique blend of traditional and state of the art facilities promotes creation of next-level work, aware of its context and heritage." In the exact format as the example below. Brill. It shows none of that. I want to see something creative, especially when I open a prospectus for an Art College. Come on. 

Death by powerpoint.

Thirdly, in regards to design principles. I think a lot of them were lost in the process to print, it really feels like they could have got this really spot on. The images just aren't really aligned to anything, or flow to each other. The big gap divide in the middle is staring right at you, you're drawn to the negative spacing. The hierarchy  of information in places like this is just totally lost and just jars together in a big lump. The images are brilliant for showing art and design. They just don't work together as art and design in the way they've been arrange, it's a real shame.  They could have just stuck to a grid layout and helped them selves out there.

At least it looks good though.

I really admire some of the photography work throughout the publication, however. Some of it just doesn't really string in with the rest of it. 'Leeds: an amazing city.' What's so amazing about it? It has light trails? What, I guess it looks nice? A group of students enjoying them selves might have been maybe more appropriate out in the town, or near the art gallery, which is pictured off centre below. I don't really know how to expand anymore on that, It's great photography. It just doesn't fit, well.

It's make for great photographs too.

The ordering of the publication seems really off as well, I get to see the degree route and whatnot, browse the courses. Then I find out after about entry requirements. Shouldn't this come before I'm been teased of the  courses I could attend? If I was in my shoes as of last year, the entry requirements where on the forefront of my mind. It's not really incorporated into the course pages as well that much either which is irritating. It's the least they could have done. Course and entry requirement on their pages.

The prospectus is a nice piece of candy, I admire the work in it. But It feels like they forgot their aims and sight half way through production. It looks great, but like yeah, it's just not well suited and in places made, for what it's intended. I do like the typography work in it, I'm glad they put in the typefaces used in it. The front cover's typeface however feels like a half-done typeface from dafont with it's weirdly proportioned type forms. I would pick up the prospectus, but I don't feel I'd be enticed and probably look more into it. Coming from what I already knew of LCA before I came. At least I'd know the place was rather professional, maybe turn up to the interview in a suit as well.