Example Dice Game Mock Up | Prototype Sample Game | The Eager Elephants Case Study

Creating a prototype sample game is a challenging task.

During lockdown, a client commissioned me to create the visual design and hard copy prototype of their dice game. This post shares all of my processes and stages used to help create the packaging mockup, as well as some of the details involved in creating a prototype physical game.

To share the journey, let us begin with what the game was supposed to be!

Prototype Sample Game Box and packaging




“ I wanted the would be buyer to feel excited by what they see. Enough so that they may even take the game to the till to buy!”

What is ‘Eager Elephants’?

Based on the initial instructions that were supplied to me by the client, ‘Eager Elephants’ was a dice game directed toward children and families. Although only in its earliest stages, the game was to be a reasonable size for a shelf, educational, and fun.

The hard copy prototype was to take that idea closer to reality.

It was a dice game that encouraged children to think creatively and problem-solve. But I must confess, I was not involved in creating the game mechanics – the rules are now hazy.

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What Is a Prototype Sample Game? ( Alpha Prototype )

In this case, the ‘prototype sample game’ was the first draft sample to stress test how the game played and looked in real life.

This copy also offered a detailed look into what the final packaging may appear. This was not the beta sample or pre-release sample.

This alpha prototype was an early production copy. Below is a photograph of the sample product.

Here is more on my part in the project.

Prototype Sample Game product sample

Creating the Box Lid & Cover Design – Graphic Design

One of my main roles in this project was to create the cover artwork for the box lid.

The cover artwork needed to set the tone for a game and excite those who picked the game up.

The design needed to appeal to an audience: Young Children, Mums, Dads and Families.

With that in mind, I tried to imagine the would-be customer handling the game on the shelf.

Cover art - Prototype Sample Game box lid
Prototype Sample Game | Cover artwork
Prototype Sample Game example inside cutter guide
  • What was the game about?
  • Who is this game for?
  • Would my children, grandkids, or whomever be excited by this game?

With some of those base questions, I then considered ‘the how’.

Although this was only an early sample, I still had the idea in my mind that this would become a real game. When handling the game, I wanted the potential buyer to feel excited by the game and potentially purchase this from my client. This is exactly how I would want to think about this game.

When designing a piece of packaging or cover artwork, I try to put myself in the shoes of the client. When working on a design project, I try to avoid pressing my tastes onto a piece of design, this can cloud a customer’s first approach to a project. Ultimately, it will be the end customer and purchaser that will be the product.

Not me, not the client, the customer.

I wanted the would-be buyers to feel excited by what they saw. Enough so that they may even take the game to the till to buy!

*I was not involved in creating elephant illustrations FYI.


Creating the Box Bottom / Back For the Prototype

Purely aesthetic, I wanted to create a contrast in colour that complemented the already bright yellow on the box. In this example, I used a blue.

Soft on the eyes and a great background colour, it still made it easy for any customer to pick up the box and scan the content that was written on the back.

Colour swatches

The contents, bar code, and conformity were designed by me in such a way as to make it the box easier to navigate and find useful information.

As with the top. I worked with pre-existing cutter guides.

Prototype Sample Game box bottom


Graphic Design For The Rules & Scoresheet


If truth be told, my part in creating a scoresheet was considerably lighter than the rest of the project. Much of the score sheet had already been considered, I just added the finishing touches helped in getting it printed, and added that final sugar coating.



Helping The Client To Get The Prototype Sample Manufactured

Another key stage for this assignment was for me act as both the guide and intermediary for getting the prototype manufactured. A daunting process, even for those with experience!

Getting a physical hard copy sample can be one of the most exciting stages of a project both for me and the client. It can be this stage you can test and measure a game as well as get an idea of the final impression of the game if it were to be manufactured.

After I had run through the stages and processes with the client, I set about getting the artwork print-ready.

Once the core aesthetic was complete, this is what followed:-

Getting Prototype Sample Game Ready For Print

  • Finalising artwork
  • Colour-proofing and checking artwork
  • Working closely with the manufacturer and adhering to their rules and guides
  • Making sure the artwork is positioned correctly within the dielines and templates
  • Packaging design assets and sending this to print

After the prototype was manufactured the sample was sent directly to me to quality check the product before passing it across to the client. After this sample is checked by myself and notes taken, I will then send the product to the client. I also retained a sample for future reference

I own an external website that goes into elaborate detail on how to get a prototype product made. If interested, do feel free to read.

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What I didn’t do in this project

For clarity, I want to be clear on what stages and processes I wasn’t involved in this project. Please read below.


I didn’t work on the elephant drawings

Although I am an illustrator, as well as a designer. I did not create the elephant illustrations. These were supplied before I got to work on the graphic design. The credits are mentioned on the packaging box.


Game mechanics

I have been commissioned to come up with game mechanics on previous projects, but this was not the case for this project. I was commissioned to create the visual design, packaging, and sample of this project.

If you are interested in seeing how I have been involved in working in-game mechanics in the past, this post may be of interest. Testing game mechanics.

Beta testing game and playtest

Thank you for reading, here are some other links.




Prototype Sample Game – Other board game projects

Prototype game example - STEM
Button
Further details on my design services…

3rd Party Websites

Jimmsdesign.co.uk

Dragonbonegames.co.uk

What Is A Graphic Design Process? An Illustrated Explanation

What is a Graphic Design process?

As in the creative process used by professional Graphic Designers.

This is a common question I hear from both new and old clients. I have illustrated this article to educate and explain the basics of the ( a ) graphic design process.

What is a graphic design process title graphic with steps



Before providing a generalised overview of ‘what a graphic design process’ is, and how it works, I wanted to dispel some common misconceptions about the graphic design process and discipline as a whole.

  • Conceptual graphic design does, or should have a process.
  • Graphic design isn’t just about making things look pretty. It needs style and substance. It should have an objective.
  • Good or relevant graphic design does not manifest from thin air.
  • Commercial graphic design is different from just ‘pure art’ and expression.
  • Graphic design existed long before the Adobe Creative Suite.

Those are some points I wanted to raise and resolve before going into the details of how a Graphic Design process works for many designers in a commercial setting.

So…

What is a Graphic Design Process? ( Short Answer )

A graphic design process is a series of steps Graphic Designers use to create visual content. This content can come in the form of logos, advertorial, online media, and print collateral. The design process will typically run in stages, often starting with the project brief and objective, the creation of ideas, through to development of the final artwork.

The design process is not only great for managing the workflow and adhering to a design brief in an efficient manner. It is also a great way for both the client and designer to explore the possibilities and potential outcomes of the design journey.

As part of the process, It is common for experienced Graphic Designers to assess a brief, plan a course of action for the design, and execute what needs to be created. While also keeping an open line of communication.

It is common for some Senior Designers ( and some Junior designers ) to openly discuss their design aims so that objectives set by a client, team lead, or managers.

As a breakdown, these steps may resemble the following – depending from designer to designer.

Core Design Steps May Involve:-


That is, of course, a simplification of how a graphic design process works as a commutative approach across the industry. Each company is different, as is each designer and sub-discipline with ‘design’. As well as Graphic Design.

My bias and perspective on the design process

Before going into the details of my design process in steps, I felt it responsible to mention to you as a reader, I work and have worked in graphic design.

Before becoming a ‘Freelance Designer’, I worked in-house at a company for over 8 ¾ years. During this time I had the opportunity to work on a broad variety of graphic design projects both online and offline. I learned a lot. I could have cried sometimes too!

My skills, my processes, and my steps had a significant influence on my previous employers. Not only just on creating the final design but in the processes that lead to that final design. This post is not about my skills and experiences, that is what CVs and about pages can be used for.

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What is a Graphic Design Process? | The Caveats

1 ) Not all graphic designers work in the same way.

2 ) Some designers are at different points in their careers.

3 ) Some Graphic designers have worked in different sectors and industries.

4 ) It is quite likely that you will meet multi-discipline designers who may have a mish-mash of the process illustrated in this post.

All and more of the factors above can influence how a designer works. Please keep this in mind.

Graphic Design Process Diagram | Illustrated Explanation

Below is a simplified diagram of the graphic design process used by many Graphic Designers, including myself. Although this is a simplified version of the core workflow and processes, it does offer a simple overview of the whole design process employed by many graphic designers.

Graphic Design Process Steps – Overview

This is a breakdown of the design process and core stages. Each paragraph explains each step in detail and allows you to read and re-read certain stages at your leisure.

Stage 1 ) The Graphic Design Brief

What is a graphic design process Stage 1 )

The ‘brief’ is a crucial part of a design project, be it in Graphic Design or any similar field. The design brief is an opportunity to establish core goals and objectives for a project – normally set out by a client or business owner.

You can also imagine the ‘brief’ as setting a mission. This mission is given to a designer so they know what the aim of the project is. Without one, the end objective of what a design needs to achieve is left to costly guessing and piecemeal assembly of what needs to happen.

A design brief is very important. You shouldn’t work without one.

How can you or a designer find a solution when neither party can establish what the problem is?

Or… what the aim of the project is?

It is also harder to plan a budget for a project without one.

It is best to establish a clear brief as early as possible. This will save time, headache, and money for both designers and those setting a project.

What happens if you work without a design brief?

Without a brief – especially a written and mutually agreed one, proper communication between the designer and the person setting the brief is more likely to fail. This lack of clarity can also lead to the disintegration of a working relationship, poor budget control, and potential and unnecessary resentment between both parties.

Make sure to create a brief.

A brief can act as a mutual ‘project map’ to establish what, when, and how a design project needs to be fulfilled.

As for myself, I will often refer back to a brief or a “specification and agreement” to see what I’m working towards with the client. It could be regarded as a loose recipe to follow also for want of a better analogy.

1.1 Quickfire Tips For Constructing a Basic Design Brief

When creating a design brief for a graphic design project, try to consider some of the following :

  • Who?
  • What?
  • Why?

These are all things I consider when working on a design project.

When creating a brief you may wish to consider formats, mediums, and any restrictions or limitations that may impact the project. It is better to give detailed thought at the beginning, rather than part way through.

The “Who, What, and Why” can act as a great starting point and framework for creating a brief. If you can establish the who, what and why. Designers such as myself can establish the how and the details – it can help us better solve problems or avoid them altogether.

However, it is not also uncommon for me to collaborate and consult a client and the, who, what and why. It can be this that helps to craft a brief and point the client in the right direction.

Graphic designers don’t know your business!

The majority of designers, most likely, won’t understand your business as much as you do, especially if working on short-term freelance project.

When constructing your brief, it is better to assume that a new designer, or a designer you haven’t worked with previously, knows absolutely nothing about your business. From here, write all that is relevant to share with the designer in translating your initial thoughts into a well-rounded, well-described brief, with a clear direction.

This can be trickier than it sounds and there is no harm in seeking tips and advice.

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Stage 2 ) Collecting Information & Research | An Important Stage In The Graphic Design Process

What is a graphic design process stage 2

When looking at the stages and steps to a graphic design process, collecting together information, data, files, images, and text are all important aspects of the creative process. Especially when exploring new ideas.

The degree to which research is carried out for a graphic design can vary from project to project, but there are common patterns that are adhered to by many designers.

The preliminary research can be carried out by the client, designer, or both parties. In this stage, it can be a case of collating together: photos, data, logos, or anything that is useful in aiding the designer to create a compelling piece of visual design.

*Designers: When working with clients, encourage them to share research or at least mention that time will need to be set aside for research projects, this is something I do. I have listed some examples of what may be collected together for graphic design research.

2.1 ) Collecting Information

Collecting information together for a design project may consist of the following:-

  • Data
  • Photography
  • Fonts
  • Logos
  • Things can inspire
  • Plans

Initial copy or ‘text’ is a common requirement for design projects. As a designer, I tend to request this as early as possible so I can plan the space around and accommodate the word volume. This can apply to books, webpages, and many other mediums that require written words for the project.

It is quite common for a designer to also be aware that a certain amount of editorial changes are likely to arise later in the project and allow for wriggle room. It is still best practice to have as much of the word count calculated sooner rather than later.

Images and photography may also be sourced or collected together in the early stages of the design process, along with logos and brand guidelines.

2.2 ) Graphic Design Research

Research, or ‘design research’ is an important stage when it comes to the design process. Research can help form, inspire and guide the overall direction of a project.

For large or medium-sized projects, research is a vital tool in not only greasing the design wheels of your project but in helping to form a better more polished product. I am a big advocate for good research across various mediums, design being a key one.

Here are some examples of what the design research stage may consist of, noting that the criteria can vary from project to project and designer to designer.

What design research may consist of :

  • Studying competition.
  • Searching areas such as Pinterest, magazines of similar platforms for certain ideas.
  • Checking what types of design will appeal to your target market.
  • Looking for any relevant or inspirational criteria that can impact your final design.
  • Avoiding accidental copyright infringement.
  • Considering what courses of action will serve the project.

These are just some examples of what the design research phase may include.

Some freelance designers may prefer that the client does the majority of the research before contact. This can leave the designer to focus solely on the creative aspects of a project. I am of split opinions.

On one hand, I like to know that the client has at least carried out some basic research for their own product and business before speaking to me.

On the other hand, I also like to add to the research and build upon what the client has already found the further steer the course of a project, I tend to tweak and steer this from brief to brief.


Research Examples | Core Design Process

With the links below, I have pointed to where you can read more on case studies and research I used for some projects.

Here are a couple of links that may be of interest :

kiosk design
Aardman
Part of design process for Aardman project




Stage 3 ) Initial Ideas | The Ideation Stage

What is a graphic design process Stage 3

“On the other hand, designers have to be realistic. People change their minds.”

It is common practice for graphic designers, especially those of a more conceptual vein, to come up with an idea or a selection of ideas early in a project. However, strictly speaking, this is not a default practice for all designers.

Some designers may only work with one idea and revise this single idea as opposed to working with a variety of ideas and short-listing the strongest.

Depending on fees, time, and requirements, design ideas (ideation), can vary drastically in quality and finish. Each designer may only create a short selection of ideas and others may create a broader selection of ideas to illustrate intent and potential avenues a project can take.


In the earliest stages of ideas creation or ‘ideation’, what is presented may be little more than a rough drawing or digital sketch to illustrate what will be created.

Speaking for myself, I will often use this stage to discuss what has been created and why I have made the choices I have made. Here is an example idea.

Early project ideas


Each designer is different, and our tools and methods may differ. But as a generalisation, design ideation may be presented in the following formats :-

  • Rough sketches and drawings on paper
  • Digital drawings
  • Or rough digital mock-ups ( as proof of concept )
  • Loose thumbnails ( small drawings )
  • Doodles
  • A selection of ideas with labels
  • Annotated concepts showing reasoning

The idea and the idea development stage can blur when it comes to developing a design.

To illustrate this flow – here is an image from another blog post – Design Journey.




For many conceptual-based graphic designers, the idea stage is a core stage in the design process. As a conceptual design. Here are to projects and case studies that may further illustrate how a project may go.

( Important ) The Ideation Stage May Need To Be Revisited


*There is no guarantee that the original ‘proof of concept’ from the selection of ideas will become the final product. Although costly, time-consuming and frustrating, it is not uncommon that a designer will need to backtrack to this pivotal stage once a project is near completion. I have on occasion had to do this on graphic design projects.


List of reasons as to why a graphic designer may need to revisit the ideas stage:

  • Executive discussion outside of design influences has come into play
  • Senior management wants to revisit or change course
  • An idea isn’t as good as originally hoped
  • New criteria and information have come into play that weren’t known before
  • Fussy clients
  • Too many people have differing opinions on a project
  • Weak project planning or thought given to the brief in the first place
  • A better idea came along

These are just some of the reasons why a designer may need to return to the proverbial drawing board.

Whoever said design was easy needs to actually work in design, or at least share their secrets to make it easier for them.

Revisiting or needing to backtrack to the ideas stage of a design project is sometimes required – there is no way to avoid it. However, it is best avoided for the sake of the client and the designer. Budget restrictions and time constraints can lead to rows between both parties if, for example, the culprit is a poorly written brief or the disregard for the sign-off stages.

On the other hand, designers have to be realistic. People change their minds.

If the design journey was a straight line, both the designer’s and the client’s lives would be a lot easier. Many internal and external forces will require a designer to revisit other ideas, even if the first choice was put into play.


Do all graphic designers create a range of ideas? ( Ideation )

No, not all graphic designers will create a range of ideas for your brief. As mentioned above, it will vary from designer to designer and from skill level to skill level. Not all graphic designers are conceptual designers. Some graphic designers will have certain leanings towards ‘creative artworking’ , marketing, etc.

It is beneficial to discuss with a graphic designer before embarking on a project. Ask about their process and methods. Make sure there is a clear brief between the designer and the client.

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Stage 4 ) Development Stages | Graphic Design Process

What is a graphic design process stage 4


How this stage translates in reality will vary from designer to designer. But as a general rule – it will work accordingly.

Once both the designer and client ( or clients ) have shortlisted the preferred design idea or ideas, this will then lead to that idea being developed. Being ‘developed’, or ‘developed further’ may consist of the following actions:-

  • Polishing the aspects of the design
  • Building upon the visuals to establish the viability of a concept
  • Moving the design to a delivery-ready stage

In layman’s terms, the development stages translate to the spit and polish applied to the shortlisted idea. The development stage can also be further proof of concept, in which an idea is built further.

Speaking for myself, this is the stage where I straighten up text, remove burs, tweak compositions, and add the final ingredients to get a design over that proverbial line.

The later development stages are when a design moves towards completion. Be it a piece of print media or as a digital project.


Common Situations That Arise In The ‘Development’ Stages

From my own experience, the development stage is the part of the process in which an idea is stress-tested against the brief.

It not uncommon for senior managers, CEOs, business owners and anybody else in between to have additional opinions on overall design direction – some relevant, some not. This is the reality of working with humans on a design brief.

Project requirements change. What was initially established as the winning idea, does not strictly translate to what was hoped when it comes to Graphic Design. Project scope can change, and external influences can derail the path of your project – there are many various factors when it comes to design.

Even in the development stages, I have had situations in which 2 of the same idea ( colour change for example ) have been created side by side.

Imagine A Development Tree ( illustration )

Design development can be one of the heftiest stages of design. I wanted to illustrate the development flow for the mid-to-late stages of a graphic design project.

This is a scenario.

A favourite idea has been selected. This idea has been polished and presented before the ultimate decision-makers. They like the design, however, somebody wants to see the same layout but on a different background. You have run with the same idea and made some minor changes. A sub-version of a main version – sound complicated?

What is a graphic design process idea selection - diagram
Range of ideas selection graphic design diagram

A single idea has been selected. This idea will make up the trunk of the flow and energy to design.

From this single idea – the trunk of a tree – a single branch or node will stem.

On some projects, as is the case with experimenting with some minor variation of core ideas. 1 or 2 twigs will stem.

These ‘Twigs’ may be little more than a colour variation, or position change. Or some minor experimentation alignment.

Development Versions

Or to further illustrate, as a tested method I have used in the past. It makes look like so:

  • Version 3.1
  • Version 3.2
  • Version 3.3

Or it could also look like this.

development - graphic design process




The number 3 could represent ‘Idea 3’ and the variant or version ‘1’ and 2, and 3. And so on. It is similar to version releases.

3.0 = The main version

3.1 = May equate to almost the exact same look, perhaps a text change

3.2 = Still much the same as 3, only that the text and, text colour were changed to a lesser degree

4.1 ) How to communicate with designers regarding project development

Communication is an integral part of graphic design.

The very nature of graphic design is visual ‘communication’ and open dialogue is a must to ensure that the project is the best that it can be.

Communication should not stop with the end visuals.

Not being able to keep an open and frequent line of communication between the designer and client ( or manager ) allows more room for errors, misunderstanding, and needless time wasting which could have been easily averted with conversation. I am a big advocate for working as close with a client as possible as emails alone can miss those ‘water cooler’ moments.

Communication is important from start to finish, not only in the development stages but throughout.

Typically, communication in the development stages of a project will take the form of feedback on what has already been created by the graphic designer. A client will offer a point of view as will a designer. ( hopefully ).

Communication and feedback may come in this form :

  • Exchanges between emails
  • Phone calls
  • Video meetings
  • In-person meetings
  • Platforms in which you can message your team
  • And SMS – And Whatsapp ( both of which are my least favourite lines of communication when it comes to design )

4.2 ) Design Feedback

“ Can I just ask…”

“ This is will be quick…”

When an idea has been chosen and developed, it is at this latter stage that a client, client or team member will offer further feedback with regard to a design. And, if you are a designer reading this, it is a stage in which you brace yourself.

Once the feedback has been communicated to a graphic designer, they will then respond and act accordingly to that feedback.

This feedback to the designer may resemble the following :

  • Make some minor tweaks and adjustments
  • Listening the what the client has to say and offer polite help and advice in return
  • Refining the design
  • Preparing for completion
  • Or potentially going back to the conceptual stages
  • ( Or crying )



Stage 5 ) Core Design Steps – Refine Design

What is a graphic design process Stage 5

Refining the design typically entails polishing ‘the developed’ artwork to completion. A project will be at a level of final draft in which the artwork is ‘near ready’ to be sent to the client, production or print. This is the latter stage of a project.

Refining a design can involve minor tweaks, minor changes, or the very last touches to the design and a once-over from the person giving a sign-off.

It is common for me to hear some of the following types of phrases at this stage ( paraphrased ) :

  • Could I add an extra word?
  • Can I add a comma?
  • Let me show it to management again!
  • It looks lovely thank you!
  • … ( silence )
  • Can I just ask…
  • Could the thumb be moved 2 pixels
  • Let me know when you are ready for an invoice
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Stage 6 ) Core Design Step 6 – Deliverables & Sign Off

What is a graphic design process Stage 6

The final stage of the process – the Sign off. This phase may seem self-explanatory, but for the sake of completeness, I will elaborate.

The ‘Sign Off’ can refer to the stage in which a head of a team ‘signs off’ a final design or interim stage of a project. This may be a verbal or written formal declaration that what is being presented, is the artwork to be passed to the next stage.

In this instance, the ‘sign off’ on the final artwork – completion.

The ‘Sign off’ in the design process may take the form of the client saying that they are happy with what they have seen and wish to sign off the whole, or part of the project.

When at this stage, It is also wise for the client to assess their artwork closely before agreeing to sign off any design work. When artwork has already been sent to print as a PDF, it can be costly or sometimes impossible to remedy any mistakes once a project has been printed. Any mistakes need to be remedied with hacks and workarounds.

This is not strictly speaking as rigid as digital design, as projects tend to be easier to remedy and amend but this is still not a guarantee.

The Graphic Design Process | What Are ‘Deliverables’?

What are deliverables in design?

Speaking in terms of graphic design, the deliverables are the complete assets and artwork made by the designer. All completed artwork, files, and supporting documents are often referred to as ‘deliverables’ or final artwork. The completed artwork and supporting items are often handed to the client or owner when a project has been marked as complete or signed off.

This is how the deliverables may come into play at the end of the graphic design process.

Once a graphic design project has been signed off or marked as complete, it is common for the graphic designers to send the final print-ready artwork to other the new owners of the artwork.

Or if working internally the designer may package the artwork into a PDF and this is passed to another department for validation and QC for being shipped or sent to print.

* It should be noted however that companies do have their own ways of validating and signing off projects, do keep this in mind.




6 .1) Scenario 1 | Design Process | What Is a Freelance Design Project Sign-Off?


‘Sign off, marked as complete, green-lighted’ or any other similar terminology can all be markers to signal the end of a project. When working with a client on a design project, I will ask the client to sign off on the final artwork before sending the final versions across.

This is a rough example of how a Freelance project process may flow towards the later stages of a project :

  • Client sees work
  • Requires small changes
  • These changes are then sent to a client
  • The client then sends across their approval, assuming that they do approve of what they see
  • Project is either sent to print or packaged up and passed to a client or both


6.2 ) Scenario 2 | Design Process | Internal Design Team Sign-off

As above, ‘Sign off’, ‘marked has complete’, ‘green-lighted’ or any other similar terminology can all be markers to signal the completion of a graphic design project.

A key difference based on my experience from working in-house design positions, ‘a sign-off sheet’ or an Excel spreadsheet may be used to mark off the stages or parts of a project that have been completed.

There are often more people with internal teams when it comes to the sign-off in-house who will want to see or understand the status of a project.


What is a Graphic Design Process – Conclusion

A graphic design process or workflow is a process or system in which a piece of graphic design or visual communication is created following a sequence of important steps. These steps will often include research, collection of data and information, ideation, development of an idea, and the delivery of that idea in print or digital form.

This process is what follows as the end result of what was assigned in a brief.

You may also find this post interesting.

What is a graphic design process journey




Other topics around the graphic design process:




Or if you have a project and brief, feel free to get in touch via my portfolio website or read a bit more about me.

Example animated Gifs created using Adobe Animate | Samples

Here are some of my example animated gifs created using Adobe Animate – the successor to Flash.

Whether you pronounce it ‘JIF’ or ‘GIF’ ( I’m in camp GIF, with a ‘G’ by the way!) the humble .gif format has been around for decades. It’s simple, fun and universal. Gifs are great, and you can use Adobe Animate to create them.

For the sake of show and tell, I wanted to share some of my smaller animated projects. A batch of animated Gifs I made using Adobe Animate CC and its predecessor Adobe Flash.

I have already shared other types of example projects created using Adobe Animate. Such as what you can make using Adobe Animate ( formerly Flash ).

Example animated gifs created using Adobe Animate

Adobe Animate, or when it was called ‘Flash’, was the 2D animation software of choice in its heyday. I’ve used Adobe Animate for making web components, animations, small games, and various other forms of multimedia before it lost its popularity. Adobe Animate still has plenty to offer in my professional opinion. From creating 2D animations to very simple games, videos, and general multi-media in the form of HTML5.

Another benefit of Adobe Animate – it comes as part of the Adobe Creative Suite ( Creative Cloud ). So if you are already a license holder, this is another tool in your arsenal.

A distinction that I like in the way Adobe Animates works for motion graphics, is its granular approach to frame-by-frame animation.

It adheres more closely to traditional methods of frame-by-frame animation.

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Example Gifs created in Adobe Animate – My Animations

My example animated gifs created in Adobe Animate.

Example animated gifs created using Adobe Animate - Thunder cloud animated gif
Example animated gifs created using Adobe Animate - Chip
Floppy disk gif animation
Slider gif
loader gif

My history with Adobe Animate

After studying for an HND in Graphic Design, I decided to embark on another course that built upon my knowledge of working with Adobe Animate – Multi-media design and digital animation.

I still use Adobe Animate for ‘small-scale’ animation projects from time to time, as it is well-suited to creating frame-by-frame animations and small-scale projects.

But, it is no longer my default motion tool for making multi-media applications and animations.

Example GIFS created in Adobe Animate – Shorthand overview of the process

To create the example animated GIFs (or gif) as shown in this post, I did the following:

  • Mocked up some very rough ideas on paper to help brainstorm and visualise my ideas.
  • Created the vector illustrations in Adobe Illustrator.
  • Imported the Illustrator artwork into Adobe Animate.
  • Created the animations through a mix of frame-by-frame animation and ‘tweens’.
  • Exported the GIFs from Adobe Animate – ready to be distributed.

In the paragraphs below, I go to more exact detail of what of what I did in each paragraph.

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Drawing the artwork in Adobe Illustrator

I didn’t illustrate the artwork in Adobe Animate. These examples shown in this post were created in Adobe Illustrator first and then imported into the project library in Adobe Animate.

In the early stages, I created the drawings the way I wanted. I then drew them in such a way that parts of the illustrations could be pieced together and broken apart according to how I wanted the animations to work.

Why not just do it all in Adobe Animate?

Because I find it easier to illustrate and draw in Adobe Illustrator using my Wacom Tablet. Adobe Illustrator is made for drawing.

I can do some basic drawing in Animate, but Illustrator is a lot more capable as far as I’m concerned for drawing, and fortunately, these 2 applications are good bedfellows now they are part of the Adobe Creative Suite. This has not always been the case.

I have written a bit more here, on the merits of drawing with Wacom Tablet, and why I used Adobe Illustrator when drawing on a computer.

Example GIFs created in Adobe Animated | The ‘importing’ stage

Adobe Illustrator enabled me to have greater control of how I wanted the artwork to look. Gradient shading on the artwork, bold highlights, crisp lines etc.

Once I had created the initial illustrations, I then exported these from Adobe Illustrator – some pieces of artwork were direct imports from either single or multiple artboards.

I then got animating the artwork.

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Creating the animations on the main root timeline

Importing complete, assets ready.

This is a similar process I have been using since I was taught how to use Adobe Flash ( Now Animate ) back in 2007. Although the process has changed to some degree and I have streamlined it substantially, the essence of this is more or less the same.

Before using Adobe Animate, I used it to draw it all in Animate – Formerly Flash.

Working on one animation at a time, I pull the components of individual drawings onto the main stage. The white background. I then commence the process of creating animations via a combination of tweens, keyframes, and incorporating simple effects.

When creating the . GIF animations, I try to stay conscious of their intents and purposes. To be used on websites as loops and to be multi-purpose.

I then ‘Exported’ the gifs from Adobe Animate, doing a certain amount of testing and measuring, and tweaking as and when needed.

Caveats – don’t bury in sub animations

Note to self and a lesson to the reader.

Don’t insert the animations into animations. Eg, from the main timeline.
And don’t create an animated clip inside another animated Movie Clip.

These don’t tend to work correctly when exporting from Adobe Animate in most cases.

A strong USP ( Unique Selling Point ) for Adobe Animate

The ability to create frame-by-frame animation is one of the best and most unique selling points when it comes to using Adobe Animate. For me, this is also incidental, as Animate, which was formerly “Flash”, comes as part of the Abobe Creative Suite. No need for extra or new licenses for 2D animation.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post on example gifs created in Adobe Animate and taking the time to watch my animations. Animate, in my opinion, was and still is a great little program for creating animated gifs or 2D animation in general. If you know how to use it.

If you would like any help in creating animated gifs be it for a website or something else, then please do get in touch.

Other topics around example animated gifs created using Adobe Animate

You may also find these subjects interesting around using Adobe Animate.

Other websites

– My brochure and portfolio website & services – jimmsdesign

External Project Website ( takes you away from this website )

Part of my project samples – Example gifs created using Adobe Animate – Copyright Jimmsdesgn

How to draw on the computer with a Wacom Tablet & Stylus | FREE tutorial for complete beginners

How to draw on the computer with a Wacom Tablet & Stylus… ( updated 2024 )

To those who have never drawn anything on a computer, it can feel overwhelming to know where to start.

Before investing my time and money in using a professional Wacom tablet, I first started out with a basic roller ball computer mouse and MS Paint. Yes, it was that long ago!

This method of drawing on a computer with a Wacom tablet predates how I learned how to draw commercially on a computer. Before attending design college and building a design career.

When drawing on a computer, the mouse is the first obvious tool to use. As you invest your energy and education into drawing on a computer, you will want to seek out better hardware and software to support your digital drawing journey.

The mouse should be your first step, but don’t stop there!

This post is a great introduction if you are considering using a tablet to draw on your computer.

How to draw on the computer with a Wacom Tablet & Stylus - Title graphics - picture of purple vector Wacom tablet overlaid onto dark background

Drawing with a tablet | overview – why use one?

One of the best ways to draw on a computer is by using a Stylus & Graphics Tablet in conjunction with a powerful art creation program. Using a tablet will afford you a greater degree of artistic freedom and finesse once you have become accustomed to the nuances and sensations of using one. However, This is also assuming that you can draw to a certain degree in the first place.

How to draw on the computer with a Wacom Tablet & Stylus- Blue ball raster graphics
How to draw on the computer with a stylus & tablet – blue vexel ball example

How to draw on the computer with a stylus & tablet – Quickfire answer

In terms of how to use a stylus and tablet ( or ‘drawing tablet’ ) from a technical standpoint, it is typically a case of plugging your tablet into your computer, downloading and installing the latest drivers and software, and then calibrating your drawing tablet.

Once this core set-up is completed, you can then set about installing drawing in programs such as Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop.

The technical setup is not that complicated when comes to how to work with a drawing tablet.

How to draw on the computer with a stylus & tablet with regards to technique.

Treat the tablet as you would a sketchpad and pencil. Apply light strokes and heavy strokes, bold strokes, and small strokes. Get used to the pressure and sensitivity of your tablet. Learn to ‘feel’ the tablet ( cringe ). And give it time.

The video below is me drawing a blue ball using a Wacom Tablet and Photoshop.

*If you have applications installed on your computer.

This is a hyper-lapse of myself creating the blue ball above – ‘vexel’ a combination of Vexel and Pixel.

For more information on how to create digital artwork on the computer, read on!

“you will need to practice, practice and then more practice.”

Wacom tablet and stylus example
Tablet & Stylus – Wacom
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How to draw on the computer with a stylus & tablet | Managing expectations

Not wanting to lead any readers or budding designers astray, I feel one of the first things I should touch upon when learning how to draw on a computer with a drawing tablet such as a Wacom, is managing expectations.

Although knowing the technicalities of how to draw with a stylus and drawing a tablet on a computer sounds like a golden bullet. The technicalities are only the first part of the journey when it comes to drawing on a computer.

The real knack for making your own artwork comes with practice – not the tools. A piece of high-tech equipment won’t provide you with the soulless magic results like an AI generator.

That is not how it works if you want to create your ‘own’ artwork.

To get your digital artwork or design to the place you want it, you will need to practice, practice, and then more practice.

If however, you are of an arty-illustrator vein. Then ignore what I have said above. You may take to drawing or designing on a computer like a duck to water if you are already a proficient artist or illustrator! Let your flair flourish and shine!

Here are a few examples of what I have illustrated ( drawn ) on a computer with my Wacom Tablet. Followed by some simple steps.

What I have drawn ( illustrated) with a Wacom Tablet on a computer

Character illustrations I have created with my Wacom tablet
Characters illustrated for a board game.
Board artwork illustartion - How to draw on the computer with a stylus & tablet
Illustration of a stylus
Drawn a wacom - illustartion of stylues base / well

Step ‘0’ ) How to draw on the computer with a stylus & tablet – Be able to draw

As a pre-step, I can’t assume too much.

You will need to make sure you can draw to a certain degree with a pencil or pen before you can expect to draw on a computer with Wacom or a digital tablet. No matter what hardware you own.

If you want to create your own artwork away from AI art generators, you will need to be able to draw to some degree.

The technology and hardware, will not magic your hand and eye into creating what you want.

Even if you can only sketch, this will be a huge advantage when drawing with a stylus on a computer. This is a pre-step warning!

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Step 1 ) The required equipment to draw on a computer

To draw on a computer with a tablet … you will need to own the required equipment. Or borrow. This should be a given. I have used the following bits of equipment in the past ( aside from a mouse ):

  • Wacom Bamboo and pen – a more entry-level drawing tablet at the time ( now legacy)
  • Or a Wacom Intuos Pro & Pen ( medium ), this is what I’m using at the moment.
  • * Or a Cintiq ( I’m jealous )
  • A working keyboard
  • A computer that is compatible with a tablet
  • An operating system that is compatible with your drawing tablet
  • *Your computer will also need to be able to run both the drivers, the tablet, and the software
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Step 2 ) Understanding the type of digital art you want to create ( not genre )

When considering how to draw on the computer with a stylus & tablet, you may wish to consider the type of artwork you want to create.

This can steer the type of software required to draw on your computer. I have attached an example here.

Vector Art and raster art example - How to draw on the computer with a stylus & tablet

style examples, Photoshop Vs Illustrator

You will notice the different styles above I have created using certain software with my drawing tablet. You can create certain types of finishes in varying programs.

Vector Illustration ( left blue ball )

Imagine drawing with cut-out shapes, knives, sprays and pieces and pieces. With the types of programs that allow you to draw and create vector artwork, you can create a range of slick illustrations.

With vector artwork, the appearance can appear clean and tidy. You can also scale the work up and down without loss of quality. Vector artwork lends itself well to commercial logos, large format graphics, icons, and UI’s.

Here is an example of some of my other vector artwork.

Token vector illustartions for board games - drawn in Adobe Illustrator

Bitmap based artwork – Raster ( right blue ball above )

You may notice the ball on the right has a more painterly feel ( refer to the illustration above). For this more textured appearance, I digitally painted this in Photoshop. Some may find this approach more akin to drawing or painting using traditional methods.

Bitmap format or digital painting in particular lends itself well to a more painterly, textured, or grainy appearance. If you have painted in acrylics for example, you may prefer this approach. But it doesn’t always lend itself so well to all circumstances in print.

Blue ball painted in Adobe Photoshop

Is creating digital art easy?

Yes and no, getting started with creating digital art can be very easy and low cost. Getting to a stage where you could call yourself a professional artist takes time and years of practice. The best way of getting started with creating digital art is by downloading graphics software and practicing to improve your digital drawing techniques.

I wish I could find my very first digital drawing, it was created on a Windows 3.2 in the era of the awesome floppy disk – you can read a bit about me here.

This is perhaps a topic I would like to dive into again in another post.

Digital art can be accessible with the right tools and equipment. Working with the Wacom Tablet for example can streamline the process further.

Step 3 ) What digital art software should ‘I’ use?

There are so many to pick from, but for the sake of just creating something you can call ‘digital art’, as a hobbyist begin with something you may already have, MS Paint In Windows.

Gimp Icon
Gimp Logo

There are other art programs out there that are also free such as Gimp and Krita. I have personally never used Krita but the results on the website show what it is capable of and it has also been given a recommendation from a reputable digital art magazine IFX. This magazine is dedicated to creating fantasy, digital, and traditional artwork.

Advanced digital artwork software ( what I use )

As both a designer and digital artist, I use 2 main programs to create my art and design work, these programs being: Abobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator often gives a very clean-cut appearance that you may see in books, posters, lifestyle magazines etc – this is called ‘vector art’.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is a versatile piece of software that behaves like a drawing and painting tool and offers an intuitive workflow.

It should be noted that these programs can both be tricky to master and you may be more drawn to one than the other. You can get a free trial or purchase a subscription to use the software by going to Adobe Creative Cloud.

If you are just starting out on your journey to becoming a digital artist or illustrator, I would test a free program first.

Use the images above as a reference if you are just starting out or if this is part of a hobby. For me, it works like so.

Simple differences in what type of artwork Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator creates.

  • Clean cut, modern vector artwork = Adobe Illustrator
  • Grainly, textures, and painterly = Adobe Photoshop

How to draw on the computer with a stylus & tablet | Deciding on software

As a budding digital artist, designer, or illustrator you will want to consider how you want to draw with a Wacom Tablet. What sort of outcomes are you looking to achieve?

If you are unsure and just trying your hand at creating digital art on a computer, you may want to consider the selection like so.

Adobe Illustrator may suit you more if you want to become a designer or a clean-cut vector artist. The way a vector drawing behaves inside a program is quite different from a raster art program such as Photoshop.

Adobe Photoshop is great If you want to work as a traditionally styled illustrator, digital painter, game artist etc.

There are thousands of examples of digital artists on social media with websites and professional blogs.

Here are some examples here of my vector artwork.

This person here is a terrific vector artist and designer – Vicky Doodles

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Step 4 ) Grab Your stylus, and your Wacom Tablet and start drawing

Assuming that you have now decided on the type of artwork you want to experiment with, now is the time to start using the equipment.

To continue with an overview of how to draw on the computer with a stylus & tablet. Make sure you have plugged in and installed your tablet correctly.

If you have started with Adobe Illustrator as your application of choice. I would recommend starting the tool that is in tune with the Wacom Tablet, eg the brush or pencil. My first port of call would either be the Pencil or the Brush tool.

Start making small strokes with the stylus on your Wacom and see how the stroke behaves.

Or if you prefer, start working with some of the most basic shapes first and move these around your artboard as you would with a mouse.

Short overview of how to draw with a tablet in Adobe Illustrator

  • 1 ) Firstly you will want to start up Adobe Illustrator.
  • 2 ) Create a new document of your choosing. You can start with A4 for the sake of experimentation.
  • 3 ) Select the brush tool “B” and start making some marks and feel how the tablet responds to you and Adobe Illustrator. You can always undo it if you make a mess.
  • 4 ) If you prefer, you can also try to create an image with shapes first if you are familiar with working with vector graphics.

Illustrations – working in Adobe Illustrator and making marks.

Short overview of how to draw with a tablet in Adobe Illustrator - demonstration
(M) for rectangle tool in Adobe Illustrator

If you read on, I have also created some short exercises to play with – for free! Hopefully, these will get the juices and familiarity working when using your Wacom Tablet.

How to draw on the computer with a Wacom Tablet & Stylus - method fro drawing in adobe illustrator

Short overview of how to draw with a tablet in Adobe Photoshop

If you have decided you would prefer to create artwork in Photoshop on your computer then this is the paragraph for you.

How to draw on the computer with a Wacom Tablet & Stylus - using adobe photoshop for practice
  1. ) Goes without saying, but open up Adobe Photoshop – and create a new document.
  2. ) Select a brush tool and start painting/ drawing onto your blank document. Remember, this is only to get used to using your Wacom Tablet and Stylus. I used black.
  3. ) Press ‘F5’ to open your “brush settings”, select a tip you like and tick “transfer”.
  4. ) Now start painting and building a feel for your Wacom tablet. Another tip, play around with the opacity to help build your brush strokes on top of one another.

When learning how to draw on the computer with a Wacom Tablet & Stylus, the snappy overview above will hopefully get you started. But, I have also created some exercises for you in the next step, to really give yourself some time when drawing with a Wacom Tablet.

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5 ) How to draw on the computer with a Wacom Tablet & Stylus | Exercises

To further develop and play with your Wacom tablet. I invite to to take part in these exercises I have created for you for free. The illustrations below should guide you on what you need to do when drawing on a computer with your Wacom.

Exercise for drawing in Adobe Illustrator with your Wacom & Stylus

How to draw on the computer with a Wacom Tablet & Stylus - Exercises and practice, adobe illustrator
When practicing drawing with a Wacom Tablet, it may be easy to save and download the reference exercise above. If you want to use this for learning feel free to take it and save it to your computer. Although it cannot be used for commercial purposes. Feel free to credit and link back to this page – How to draw on the computer with a Wacom Tablet & Stylus

Exercise for drawing in Adobe Photoshop with your Wacom & Stylus

How to draw on the computer with a Wacom Tablet & Stylus | exercise, drawing in photoshop

How to draw on the computer with a Wacom Tablet & Stylus | Concludes Steps

That concludes the step and general over of how to draw on the computer with a Wacom tablet & stylus. By all means, feel free to revisit the steps and stages above. Or if you feel this was a lot to remember, why not save this page as a favourite or bookmark. ( thanks )

But hey, I am not yet finished, I have also noted some key differences when drawing on a computer.

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Wacom & stylus vs drawing with a mouse

Very old computer mouse for drawing on a computer!
If you are actually drawing on a computer with these legendary relics… Kudos to you. Image Source – Wikpedia

If you are still wavering as to whether you want to draw with a Wacom. I have gone into a little bit of additional depth. A bonus section that is a supplement to the ‘how-to’.

A computer mouse in action

This example shows the end result of some digital artwork created using a mouse in Photoshop. It’s a bit trickier to use although it’s not bad for straight lines!

Drawing with a mouse! Visual example
Drawing with a mouse! (An Apple Smart Mouse)

I would advise moving on from a computer mouse at some stage if you are thinking of getting serious with drawing on a computer, be it for graphic design, illustration, or your own sanity.

If you are thinking of spending many hours drawing and creating digital artwork, using a different input will save on potential wrist aches.

The day I plugged in a Wacom graphics tablet, was the day I changed the way I created digital artwork on a computer. Using a drawing or graphics tablet can make the experience of creating artwork on a computer much more organic.

A Wacom & stylus in action

Below is an example of me sketching something in Photoshop using a stylus + tablet. It’s a quicker, smoother, and much more human way of creating a drawing.

Drawing with Stylus and Tablet example
Drawing with Stylus and Tablet. Handles, curves and waves, and is much easier to flow with

After using a Wacom Tablet for a few years now, I would struggle to return to drawing with a mouse. Outside the less control, the amount of RSI I used to get from drawing with a mouse, would be enough to put some off the profession.

Give a drawing tablet a try. I love them.

Summary | How to draw on the computer with a Wacom Tablet & Stylus

And that should conclude the basic overview in steps of how to draw on the computer with a Wacom tablet & stylus. As an overview, here is what we can do.

  1. Buy a stylus and drawing tablet of your choice.
  2. Install the hardware on your computer.
  3. Check the drivers are up to date – calibrate the software to your computer
  4. Download a graphics program such as Photoshop or one of free applications mentioned previously.
  5. Open the software.
  6. Start creating digital art!

Aside from the technicalities of the hardware, the real skill comes from lots of practice. Make sure to follow the short tutorial/exercises above to get you started with drawing your Wacom tablet.

Credits – All the best with your digital art journey and creating digital awesomeness on your computer

Thank you for reading, hopefully, this post has given you some insight into how to create digital artwork with a Wacom Tablet and an idea of tools you can use to draw on a computer.

If you would like any professional assistance please feel free to contact me on my website.

You may be also interested in reading this :
Handling black in print
Creating artwork for game
Reducing Banding in Photoshop
How to reduce banding on Photoshop
Editing text on your playing cards in Indesign

Case study | graphic design and making a game
Home

Project Post | Creating a board game prototype

Creating a board game prototype. It was past time I shared a new project on my blog, and in this post, I wanted to share my efforts in making a board game prototype.

These are some of the processes used for creating a board game prototype for a past client – ( Conway Council ).

I would like to say that the initial brief was simple, and in truth, it was simple, on paper at least. But it was also simple to point out vague.

Nuances came up that I had never experienced in my career so far. I could tell that the people commissioning the project, were not familiar with working with board game designers, and that was fine.

I was also there to help and guide them.

From the outset, I knew I would need to roll my sleeves up to make a playable game. Like the image shows.

Board game prototype for streetwise board game

What I gleaned from the initial brief:

  • The board game needed to be educational
  • Palatable for teenagers
  • And teaches teens about the hard knocks of life ( and youth homelessness )

Conwy Council was going to use this game with charity organisations such as Shelter and other companies based in Wales.

“teach children about youth homelessness”

Core steps and processes used in making this prototype

  • Discussed the initial brief. After a basic telephone call.
  • Create the first brief ( the entirety of the project was actually several smaller projects ).
  • Created very rough rules
  • Creating the initial game mechanics based on the rules
  • Visual design, characters, rules, packaging, and general graphic design art direction
  • Created a mockup – in full colour
  • Ran first playtest
  • Refined game
  • Create a design-ready prototype for photography and further development
  • Worked as the middleman, project manager, and between client and ad prototype manufacturer
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Creating a board game prototype ( overview )

The aim of the game was to create something that teaches children and teenagers the dangers of youth homelessness. It is the ‘gamification’ of how to better manage personal finances, and work with general property pitfalls and debt. All these situations can lead to you losing your house and home.

The message of the game was stark, but we needed to establish a way to make the game both enjoyable, educational, and palatable.

For the brief, I was initially given a spreadsheet of depressing phrases that were more akin to a sad flashcard game than a board game. I used these phrases and situations as inspiration for the game mechanics. These phrases acted as a springboard.

After all, the main purpose was to create an educational game with a root meaning: try to look after yourself and not end up homeless. That, would be my hook for how you lose the game.

“I didn’t want to make the game so hard and depressing that it completely crushed the players’ souls. The game ‘could’ be beaten.”

But even with the best-laid plans, and being careful with money, things can occur. That is another core mechanic built into the rules. It was another lesson subliminally buried in the core game play.

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1 ) Crafting the basic rules

When creating a board game prototype, a viable game mechanic and rules are essential to a game that is both playable and fun.

I hate it when you buy a board game and realise that gameplay is not only flawed but utterly broken. I feel cheated.

When making the rules, I didn’t want to make the game so hard and depressing that it completely crushed the players’ souls. The game ‘could’ be beaten.

Nor did I want to make a game that could be cheated. This is why playtesting your game is important. and with strangers better still.

These rules were alpha-tested by me.

Notes were taken, the game was enhanced, and artwork was then ( Note then, after making a playable mock-up) created.

Here is more on creating a mock-up for creating a board game prototype.

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2 )The first iteration of the game

In the very early form of the game, I constructed it from bits and pieces from my studio and my partner’s office. Nothing fancy.

Creating a board game prototype the initial game pieces

Photo taken from the earliest iteration of the game.

When creating the early form of the board game prototype, here is an example of those bits and pieces.

Creating a board game prototype – Alpha Scrap Components

  • Post-it notes
  • Bits of bric-a-brac as game pieces
  • A sheet of white A3 paper
  • Note paper
  • Scraps of paper as currency

As I said, nothing fancy at all when developing the game mechanics.

It was whatever I could fashion together to make a playable game. For this project, this was all that was required, but you can buy prototype kits also.

Once I had established some very basic rules and core game mechanics. I then set about testing what some of the different cards might work and play like.

cards and tokens

When creating a board game prototype, this is a crucial stage! Before graphic design was even considered. They game needed to be half-decent to play.

Seeing what components you need earlier in the development process rather than later, will save time, money, and headaches. You can then move on to the graphic design stages and artwork. Which brings me to the next part.

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3 ) Characters & the visual design for creating a board game prototype

Once the first iteration of a playable game was created, I stress-tested the rules. I then set about creating some initial visual design for the game – the graphic design.

I sketched out some characters, titles, the general look and feel of the game, and the cover of the box of which there were several iterations. And a segment for the game board for the client to see. I will often refer to this stage as ‘Early design, design roughs, early development or first phase of development’.

There is no use in creating an entire project only to show the client at the end something they don’t like. Make life easier on yourself, and create a sample. Speaking of which, here is a sample from this projects of some of my process and journey.

Initial artwork for a board game ( design ideas )

Creating a board game prototype early idea generation

in this part, you can see me experimenting with different card designs to present to the client. The preferred cards would be funneled and developed further in later stages.

Character illustration for board game
Characters
Cover artwork

Creating a general look and feel for the cover and some of the typographic experimentation. This is in essence part of the cover and box packaging ( including the cover art )

Creating a board game prototype early board segment

An early sample of the game board! More game board design can be seen either in this post – snakes and ladders game or The London Pub Crawl.

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4 ) Graphic Design & Core Components ( Development )

Below are some of the components I designed and illustrated for the prototype. After the first stages of the visual design which was a large part of the project, the ideas that were short-listed were developed further.

These designs were readied in Adobe Illustrator before being imported into a cutter guide. These cutter guide templates and PDF’s were then sent off to a factory for a batch print. ( although I made a more basic version for further playtesting )

The same premise was similar to the cards, rules and the first designs, only polished and developed further.

Here is another post on how to import text into card artwork using Indesign.

The developed graphic components

Card design for the board game
event card designs
Creating a board game prototype developed board segment for game
Top down of board game visual
Creating a board game prototype full game board graphic
Tokens for a board game - illustration

“Then playtest it again. And then… when you have had enough. Playtest it once or twice more. “

5 ) Playtesting

When creating a whole game, I always advise my clients to play test their games, and this project was no different.

Being the one at the helm of making a fully working game, I wanted to practice what I preach. And if money would have allowed, I would have carried out more player testing on a wider audience.

For those of you wondering how to make a board game prototype ( 3rd party link ) Never ‘ever’ skip this step, playtest your game.

Then playtest it again. And then… when you have had enough. Playtest it once or twice more.

I have a post here ( the play test of a client project ) that goes into greater detail. This is another important stage when creating a board game prototype.

Creating a board game prototype board game play test photo

6 ) Take notes from the playtest, and adjust accordingly

After watching real players play the game on 3 separate occasions, I took notes on people’s play styles.

People playing board games try to break the rules. Many players I have witnessed when creating a game will try and break or circumnavigate ( cheat ) the core rules or ‘interpret’ the rules differently. There is no right or wrong here, you need to observe and shut up as a board gamer developer and see how people may realistically play your game.

Remember this when making a board game.

For this project, I had to tweak some of the rules, re-jig the board, and amend the artwork after running the latter playtests.

Although I was by and large relieved, not much needed to be amended. Mostly re-working and some graphical aspects of the board, and rewording. This comes under “development”.

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7 ) Final Stage – helping the client get a prototype made

In addition to coming up with the core design, the rules, making a playable prototype, play testing, and everything else in-between, that is involved with making this game.

I was commissioned to liaise and organise a prototype production of the game.


Basically, I helped to guide the client through the first iterations of making a viable, polished prototype. ( and the batch production ) I amended or prepared the artwork as was necessary for prototype makers.

Here are some photos of the board which I took on my bridge camera, and isolated on white in Photoshop.

Printed game board
Creating a board game prototype game board in action
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Creating a board game prototype | The Unique Challenges

This project came with a range of different and unique challenges that I’ve never encountered before.

Initially, I wasn’t given an exact brief outside of “make a game”. The initial brief that was given to me amounted to little more than a set of unfortunate key phrases listed inside an Excel spreadsheet.

This did not amount to a full brief. I had to convert these statements listed in Excel, from a long list of misery into a playable game to educate children and teenagers about youth homelessness.

Here are some details about the projects, and lessons I may have learned!

Wordy

Fundamentally this is an educational game and not a game for fun sake.

With each card, there would be a short paragraph describing an ‘event’ and whether a point is lost or gained. In addition to this, there would also be the Welsh translation.

The cards were very busy as each card needed two statements placed in them. Saying that the space became tight was an understatement. Some cards needed to have the amount of text reduced to fit.

Instead of creating 2 different languages for the game, 2 languages were usually next to or near to each other which did offer some unique challenges for the graphic design. This was carried through not only on the cards but all visual and written components of the game. I feel I managed to make it work though – just. Please observe this card again with the double language on a single face.

Unable to read Welsh

I have nothing against the Welsh language, I just don’t know how to read or write it.

With this in mind, this is potentially one of the most unusual challenges I’ve had to work with on a project. Not being able to read or write the copy whatsoever, even at a superficial level posed a significant challenge for this project.

By and large, I technically didn’t need to know how to speak, read or write in Welsh. But, when copying and pasting the Welsh language onto the cards, even by happenstance, I couldn’t flag any issues.

You may be correct in assuming as I am not the copywriter, that I don’t need to worry about it. But in the same breath, I needed my client to complete and finish this project. I needed to be paid. And generally the more eyes on a project, the more likely you are to pick things up and share your concerns. I was unable to do this here.

Waiting and relying on their team to spot or change their mind with the wording on an already very wordy game, made this very challenging to work on in the latter stages.

Not being able to read it, even at a basic level, slowed the project down at the last hurdles as I could not make edits to the text properly from my side, it was then that I thought about this type of article, how to edit card text for your game would be very helpful for my clients.

A member of their team could amend the text on their side, For me to spot these edits was near impossible and impractical in both capability, time, and budget.

I spy with my retail eye

With my past experience in both designing and creating mostly flat 2D products and games. These past products and projects have always been with retail intention at the fore.

As a designer, I was sympathetic to the product and helping a business make a sale, not all designers think like this, especially junior designers or design generalists. Not all graphic designers, think and operate in the same way. I was taught how to design for retail, build a brand, etc.

I understood that the packaging needed areas for barcodes, addresses, strap lines, age badges, warnings etc. In addition to all of this, making games appealing to the masses and shelf-ready.

This post here shows some of my past retail packaging.

For this project, the above didn’t necessarily apply, as it was for demonstration purposes mostly in an educational setting such as a school or town hall.

Retail design example

I hope that Conwy Council took care of this game and that children are enjoying it, and playing today… and perhaps better off than some of the characters I created for the project as part of the vector art.

Project Post | Creating a board game prototype, Testimonial



Jimmdesigns is the perfect partner for anyone interested in creating a board game.  Jimm supports with all aspects of creation from the initial concept, design process, development, play test sessions, through to the production of the prototype and manufacture. 
Jimm is able to break down the complex processes into easy to follow step-by-step actions for individuals who are new to the game making process. 

Jimm has essential contacts in the industry and is able to manage all stages of the process.  We highly recommend Jimm’s services, he is extremely patient and flexible with timescales and concepts” 5****

Faye Willet – Conwy Youth Service

And that concludes making ‘streetwise’

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3rd party websites ( Dragon Bone Games )