Design - The Disorganiser - (Making cont.)

Colour reference collected here - link

Idea was to capture colours that suggested that the product was expensive and well-crafted, designed to last.

Reds golds and browns were my primary focus. I wanted a lot of wood and metal to create something that was robust and fit within the time period and matched the materials and technology of the period.

click image to enlarge

I did the B series first, then went back and copied the colour scheme onto the A series from right to left.

A big question I faced here was - would Sybil (Vimes' wife) purchase something that looked showy and lush, knowing how much he hates that sort of thing, or would she buy him something that, aesthetically, suited his personality? Bear in mind her tendency to encourage him to take part in the higher part of society and also her understanding of how much he dislikes taking part.

Roll a dice? The result: make it look like it suits Vimes' personality. So ditch the red.

A2 and B2 use a medium toned wood with a gold trim, and light wood to pick out the buttons and door.

A3 and B3 use a red painted or felted wood with occasional gold trim, exposed darker wood with a gold-plated paper patch and light wood to pick out the buttons. In B3 there light wood is only used for the buttons, and as such they become too prominent. Also the contrast surrounding the buttons is too dominant.
The red and gold create a sense of affluence and lushness, also quite showy - unlike Vimes.

A4 and B4 - tried out a lighter wood trim around a darker wood base. Played with picking out the door in dark red and then repeating this dark red on buttons, etc, to tie it in. Could darken horns to push them into background a bit more. A fair amount of detail on side lost in the dark wood too. White trim feels like bone - gives it a more spooky, darker feel.

A5 and B5 - too few colours, too monochromatic. Didn't bother repeating for A.

A6 and B6 - bright red and gold look very childish - red should be darker and richer.

A7 and B7 - Tried lighter wood colours and a more silvery metal. I feel the gold creates a more expensive looking product.


Revised version:
Gold or brass trim adds a bit of style and expensiveness, but also practicality - the wood won't chip, etc around the edges. Brightened the gold on the lid, and subdued the horns - these can be a darker metal - maybe brass. Added lighter wood to bring out the detail along the side. Very dark reds gives a more serious and less flamboyant look. Brightened border of buttons to frame them nicely and make them slightly more dominant