Brochure with a Map – Instructions

For this design project, you’ll create a large 6-panel brochure (5.75” x 11” when folded) with a custom die-cut top, two folds, and an inside spread featuring a map and wayfinding system. Start with the template provided below. You may alter it as needed to fit your project. 

Grading Checklist 

  • Design one 6-panel brochure for a subject/client of your choice (see some client options below) 
  • 5.625” x 11.25” when folded, two folds, custom die cut front, with a map on the inside spread 
  • Write your own copy or direct AI to create it for you and edit it as needed (ChatGPT or similar) 
  • Create your own illustrations or direct AI to create them for your project (Adobe Firefly, DALL-e, or similar)
  • Use ChatGPT to generate your text (https://chat.openai.com/)
  • Use Adobe Firefly to generate all your other assets (https://firefly.adobe.com/)
  • Present your work to the instructor and class for critique and feedback 
  • Print and make a final mockup of your brochure on heavyweight paper (12 x18, duplex-printed, folded, and trimmed)

Research 

You will research and find three current maps similar to your chosen subject/client to use as reference and inspiration. These can be web images, websites, or actual brochures that you will present to the class. 

Copywriting 

You may write your own copy for the brochure, or you may use AI-generated copy, or a combination of both (recommended). 

Art Images 

You may choose to illustrate your map in vector (Illustrator) or raster (Photoshop), or you may use AI-generated illustrations that you direct AI to create. Make sure that your illustration style is consistent and matches your design style, design elements, color pallet, and typeface choices. 

Subject/Client 

You may choose your subject/client, or you can choose from the following: 

  • Zoo or wild animal park, showing locations and routes to each animal exhibit, bathrooms, picnic areas, entrance, tickets, food court, etc.

  • Community garden, showing the layout and route to each area where a specific food/spices/herbs/flowers are grown, along with maybe a fertilizer/tool shed, water hose locations, entrance, and bathrooms.

  • A wildlife or nature walk preserve, showing the route through specific areas like a scenic overlook viewing a lake or bluff; flowers/native grasses to identify; birds/hawks/eagles nesting, lake with beaver/otters/muskrats/fish, and maybe insects and bees to identify in an area.

  • A nature path/hiking trail, showing the route through a forest that features unique overlooks, natural landmarks (rock formations, bluffs, mountains, caves, dams, etc.), wildlife, exercise stops, picnic areas, playgrounds for kids, dog park, restrooms, and other interesting stops along the way. 

Download the Template

Brochure-with-a-Map-Template.ai.zipDownload

Here’s what the Illustrator template looks like. It’s set up to print and duplex with guides, and fold and trim marks.

An example showing how a die-cut could be done and how the front panel looks against the second panel. Sometimes this can look quite interesting and provide depth to your 2D brochure.

What AI to use?

I’d suggest you use Adobe Firefly to create your AI art assets (https://firefly.adobe.com/), and ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com/) for your body copy (text). Feel free to explore other AI-generating websites too. Some require you to create an account, others require payment. I’ve used OpenAI’s DALL•E (https://openai.com/dall-e-3)(account required).

Another option is Microsoft’s AI generator, Copilot (https://copilot.microsoft.com). You have to sign in to generate images. I was able to sign in with my Western email/account.

Gencraft.com is another option to create AI-generated images. You need to create an account and get 10 free prompts.

Examples for Reference and Inspiration

AN IDEA: Try generating a zoo map in AI, then generate the individual animals. Then composite them together in Photoshop.

How I did it – Step-by-Step Tutorial

Here’s a step-by-step tutorial showing how I created my first design project with AI-generated assets

1. GENERATE TEXT (with ChatGPT)

I chose to do a 2-sided flyer that advertises my newly created fresh salads food truck (fictional company). I was quite surprised by the accuracy and efficiency of ChatGPT.

Here’s the request I entered:

The marketing message launching a new specialty salad food truck with locally sourced fruits and veggies

Here’s the marketing text it generated:

Introducing “Farm to Fork Greens” – Your Local Salad Destination!

🌱 Fresh, Flavorful, and Fun! 🌱

Are you ready to embark on a culinary adventure that celebrates the vibrant tastes of your community? We’re thrilled to introduce our brand-new specialty salad food truck, “Farm to Fork Greens,” where delicious meets wholesome and local meets global. Get ready to savor the freshest, most delectable salads on wheels, all made with love and sourced right from your neighborhood.

🥗 Our Promise to You 🥗

🌿 Locally Sourced Ingredients: We believe in supporting local farmers and markets, which is why we use only the freshest fruits and vegetables sourced from nearby farms. You’ll taste the difference in every bite!

🌈 Flavor Explosion: Our salads are a burst of color and flavor! From zesty citrus-infused dressings to hearty mixed greens, each salad is a work of art for your taste buds.

🌍 Global Inspiration: While we take pride in sourcing locally, our recipes are inspired by flavors from around the world. You’ll find Mediterranean, Asian, and Southwestern influences on our menu.

👨‍🍳 Handcrafted with Love: Our team of culinary artists is passionate about crafting the perfect salad. Every ingredient is carefully chosen, and every dish is made to order just for you.

🚚 We Come to You! 🚚

We’re bringing our culinary creations to your neighborhood. Look for the “Farm to Fork Greens” food truck at local events, festivals, and farmers’ markets, or request us for your private gatherings. We can’t wait to share our salads with you!

🥑 Menu Highlights 🥑

🌻 “Harvest Delight” – A vibrant mix of seasonal greens, topped with colorful veggies and your choice of protein, drizzled with our signature vinaigrette.

🌮 “Taco Fiesta” – A Southwestern-inspired salad that’s like a fiesta in a bowl, complete with black beans, corn, avocado, and salsa dressing.

🍊 “Citrus Bliss” – A refreshing blend of mixed greens, citrus fruits, and grilled chicken, paired with a zesty citrus dressing.

🍍 “Tropical Paradise” – Transport your taste buds to the tropics with this delightful combination of pineapple, mango, and coconut flakes on a bed of fresh greens.

🥕 “Garden Fresh Kids’ Salad” – We haven’t forgotten the little ones! Our kid-friendly salad is a delicious way to introduce your child to the joys of fresh, healthy eating.

Join us as we redefine the salad experience! Follow us on social media for updates on our location, special offers, and more. “Farm to Fork Greens” is your new go-to for a healthy and mouthwatering meal on the go. We can’t wait to serve you!

📱 Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter: @FarmToForkGreens 📍 Check our website for the latest location updates: www.farmtoforkgreens.com

Farm to Fork Greens – Where Local Love Meets Global Flavor! 🌍🥗

2. GENERATE IMAGES (with Adobe Firefly)

Next, I went to Adobe Firefly, Text to image, and entered the following requests (artwork results are shown above each request).

logo for “Farm to Fork Greens,” a new specialty salad food truck with locally sourced fruits and vegetables
logo “Farm to Fork Greens”
logo “Farm to Fork Greens” with carrots, tomatoes, peppers
fresh vegetables on a roadside stand

One thing that was hard to control was keeping the style of the illustrations consistent. I used the regular setting for all the above, but they didn’t come out as consistently as I would have liked. It looks to me like the plates of food are just a photo with a stylized effect placed on them. The salad and food truck illustrations look much more like digital illustrations than the rest.

3. Start Designing

I really liked the first food truck as a logo, so I downloaded the image and opened it in Photoshop. Firefly gave me an image that was approx. 7″ x 7″ at 300ppi.

As you can see, it didn’t do so well with the text. So I had to design that myself.

I found these two typefaces from Fontsquirrel.com. I liked how the humanistic, hand-drawn feeling of the Gorditas matched the style of the illustrations.
Here are the background files I created in Photoshop. Try as I might to get Adobe Firefly’s AI to generate a whimsical, hand-drawn border, it just couldn’t do it to my satisfaction. So I drew it myself with the WACOM tablet and pressure-sensitive brush setting in Photoshop.
Here’s the final 2-sided flyer after I added the type in Illustrator. I am happy with how it turned out.

Final Observations and Summary

I was impressed with ChatGPT’s ability to write my body copy so quickly and effectively. It gave me all the marketing copy I would need for this type of marketing piece on the first try.

As for the illustrations, I was impressed with the food truck and salad bowl illustrations. The style of both of them, even though it’s a very common and popular digital drawing style, was impressive. It won’t win any points for originality, but I suppose I could get better results if I played around with the settings and used it more. I’m sure it’s more powerful than I’m giving it credit for. And I’m sure I just need to gain more experience with it.

The one thing AI couldn’t do (yet) was to actually design the two-sided flyer. It was able to generate design assets, but that was it. I feel that, for now, at least, the graphic designer’s skills, audience knowledge, and marketing knowledge are valued and needed by employers.

An interesting example of AI-generated design work

Ai’s design work looks cool and impressive at first glance. But a closer look reveals it still has a way to go. This final image is only available to download as a 1024 x 1024 JPEG image. That’s only enough resolution for a social or web graphic. It won’t work for my print poster, which is 11 x 17 inches. It also really misses the mark when it comes to message delivery and reaching my target audience. I guess I could have tried to put more info in about the audience, but I did mention it was for college students. And while the design and illustration styles are consistent, I don’t even know what some of the images are or how they are meant to help deliver my message to my audience. This has been the main complaint about AI for graphic design. For now, it can’t quite tie together complex thought patterns into a coherent design. It struggles to create design work that effectively considers the complex relationship between message, audience, and the complex world of design’s colors, typography, layout, principles, elements, etc.

Here’s my prompt for Microsoft’s Copilot AI Generator:
Design a poster for our Design Showcase college student event that includes this text:
Design Showcase
Join us for a FUN community event
Celebrate the SUCCESS of our graduating students
Interior Design, Graphic Design, Digital Media Production
April 16th, 2024 • 5–7 PM • Open to the Community
Lunda Center • 333 7th Street North • La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Student Design Examples

I’ll post these as students finish them and hand them in. This project is still new, so it might take a few weeks for me to upload examples.