DieCut Invitations & Typography

Objectives

• Study different elements of typography (leading, kerning) and use them in your design.
  
• Analyze serif and sans-serif typefaces in order to understand their different usage. 
• Study diecuts and how they affect printing and design. 
• Analyze techniques to prepare files for printers.
  
  

Vocabulary:

• Leading
  
• Kerning
  
• Hierarchy
• Serif
• Sans-serif 
• Crop marks 
• Mockup, dummy
• eps

Background:
Who wouldn't want to be invited to a lavish and extraordinary party? Perhaps one thrown by Gatsby? Parties and events are an exciting part of our lives, so why not use an invitation to set the tone for your fabulous party? In 2014, many invitations come via Facebook or e-vite, and receiving a printed invitation makes the party even more special and exclusive. Graphic designers are tasked to create wedding invitations, bar & bat mitzfahs, engagement parties, and more.

Description
Your assignment is to create a diecut invitation to a lavish party or soiree thrown by you! The invitation must include the following text: Name of the party, date, time, location, and any other pertinent details. It must also be diecut, meaning that an irregular cut is a part of the design. Diecuts are unique, but they are also more expensive.

Steps:

1. Look up invitations on Pinterest. Pin 5 pins of invites that speak to you. 
   
2. Read Part 1 only of this presentation on typography. We will learn part 2 later.
3. Create a sketch of your invitation on paper. You must create a mockup of the invitation, complete with diecut.
4. Design the invitation in Adobe Illustrator. You can choose the size and shape of your invitation. But remember that you must design the inside and outside (meaning you will have two different artboards).
5. Print out the design on the laserjet printer as another dummy. Cut and fold it to check it out. 
6. Print and prepare the final design on paper.