2. This recipe card shows you how to make Tangy Leek and Ginger Soup. The colour
scheme chosen for the card is very clever in how it has been specifically selected
to match the colours in the food, or so it seems to be. As well as this, the greens
used links in to the fact that this is a Vegetarian dish. Green can be associated with
vegetables and nature, something which Vegetarians obviously eat and will make
the audience think the recipe uses all natural ingredients.
The image on the front of the card is taken by a high quality camera to show the
details and texture of the soup. Having the bowl of soup in focus and the
background blurry focuses the audiences attention to the meal that will hopefully
be the result of the recipe on the back of the card. Also, having clean surfaces and
equipment (like the spoon and the bowl) will make the photograph look more
appealing overall, meaning the contents of the bowl will instantly look more
satisfying also.
Having the name of the dish at the top of
the card ensures that the audience knows
instantly what meal they would be making
if they were to choose this recipe. The logo
of the company that made the recipe card
is in the lower left corner on the front of
the card. This gives the audience something that they will recognise in the future, if
they ever want to try other recipes by the same company. Also, having the
companies logo on the card means that the company name will be spread around
and if they are lucky will result in more publicity if their recipe cards become
popular. The body font used on the card is simple and easy to read. It is not complex
and adds to the fact that the method is easy to follow and does not use any words
that some people may not understand. It could be said that this recipe is written
almost universally, and most people are able to read and understand it without any
problems. There are contact details to the company on the back of the card. Like
with the purposeofthe logo, this will give people the opportunity to explore the
companies work further and gain them a larger audience.
3. This recipe card shows you how to make Carrot and Cashew Fan. The colour
scheme chosen for the card is a reddish orange, which brings out the colours in
the dish, which are also of a similar colour. The image on the front of the card
shows off the vibrant colours of the dish and also shows the care and effort taken
to make the meal look so perfect. This could encourage the audience to try this
recipe because they might want to get the same result at the end, though it is
more than likely that a professional cook has prepared this meal specifically for
the photograph. Making sure the plate and other surrounding surfaces that can be
seen in the photograph are clean is important in making the image (as well as the
food) look professional and sophisticated. The company obviously want to show
the audience that this dish is not quick to make, and will take time and effort to
get it right and achieve the finished result that you want.
The logo of the company who produced
the recipe cards is in the bottom left
corner on the front of the card. This gives
the audience something to refer to if they
ever want to make another dish from the
same company. This can also help the
company to become more popular as
their company name will be spread around by the people who use the
cards, making the recipes more popular and also gaining the company a larger
audience. This means they can make more of a profit.
The ingredients and method are clearly laid out on the back of the card. The font is
especially easy to read, making following the recipe as simple as possible. The
colour of the font is the same or, or a similar colour to the headers of the card. Not
only does this make the card look consistent and professional, it is a colour that is
clear against the white background. The text placed vertically down the right side
on the back is subtle yet quite important in the way it changes the look of the card.
The font used for this text is elegant and completely different to the body font. The
text is stating the name of the dish but because it is written in such a font, the card
instantly looks more formal and sophisticated.
4. This recipe card shows you how to make Fudge
Brownies. The colour scheme chosen for this card is
quite feminine and girly, with the pink and white. This
company obviously think that it is most likely to be
young girls or women who would bake brownies. The
feminine stereotype is consistent throughout the card.
The images used are simple. They are not full
photographs as there is no photographic background to
them. I suspect they have been copied and pasted onto
the pink background, possibly with the use of
Photoshop. The images are simple, and show the
brownies how they are supposed to look, as the end
result. Some of the main ingredients are pictured and
labeled at the top of the card, which in my opinion is
quite child-like. This links back to the stereotype of
younger girls using this recipe.
The font used resembles handwriting and looks more informal and fun, compared to the more sophisticated and elegant
fonts I’ve seen on other recipe cards I have analysed. This gives the impression that this recipe is fun and enjoyable to make.
This font is the only one used on the whole of the card, showing consistency and also is another aspect of the recipe being
simple. Though this font is not Sans nor Sans Serif, it is equally as easy to read. Though, for little girls it may be difficult to
read the font or understand the directions, therefore giving an opportunity for the parent of the child to help out with the
baking. The frilly border around the text is another girly feature, as well as the sparkles around the pictures. These features
may encourage or catch the eye of a younger girl who is drawn in by the pink and “magical-like” look to the card, and make
her want to bake these brownies.
The company logo is located in two places on the card, while the full company name is given at the top. The companies
details are shown at the bottom right of the card in pink. I have noticed that the more important text is in pink, while the
rest of the text is in black/brown. Having the company details in pink directs the readers attention to the part of the card
which is important in gaining a bigger audience and/or improving on or making new recipes, and will help the company gain
publicity with a possibly wider audience. I doubt this company only make recipes for a ‘feminine’ stereotype, so having their
details on the card will help them reach a wider audience.
5. This recipe card shows you how to make
Homemade Vegetarian Meatballs. The colour
scheme is very limited and the only colours I can
see are red and blue. The card has been made to
look like it is written on a page from a
notebook, as you can see from the blue lines in
the background. This gives it a very informal and
homely look, making it seem like your
grandmother has just ripped it straight out of
her own homemade recipe book. Maybe this is
why the producer decided to use such a
background, because the recipe is for
Homemade Vegetarian Meatballs. There are no
images or photographs used on this recipe
card, which means that the audience might be
unsure of how the finished
dish is supposed to look. Not having an image makes the card look less professional and makes it seem like the producer
didn’t spend much time or put much thought into creating the card. The font used is similar to Courier and everything is in
caps. This recipe card is quite dull and maybe a little bit too simple. I don’t think with the current background, font and
layout that this recipe will be very popular because the card doesn’t catch the eye and it isn’t particularly appealing.
Although the actual recipe and end result may be good, the way in which it is being presented does not give that
impression. This card does not include any contact details or sport a company logo, which makes me think that it was not
made by a company but by a person simply wanting to share their recipe.
The ingredients and instructions are clearly written but they are quite vague, and the instructions lack in detail. Someone
who has never made Vegetarian Meatballs before may struggle when trying to follow the instructions on the card. The
audience for this recipe card could be the older generation or someone who is a bit more experienced in making meatballs.
I have made this assumption because of the general ‘look’ of the card. The older generation are not likely to be interested in
bright colours and patterns that are in-your-face. They may look for something that is straight to the point and brief. People
who are more experienced in making meatballs will find this recipe card helpful because they won’t need lots of
information. They will be able to make the meatballs with a minimal amount of instructions, which is what this recipe card
gives. More experienced people would find this card handy to stick on their fridge or corkboard when they forget what to
do next and need a little reminder.
6. This recipe card shows you how to make Devil
Food Pound Cake. There isn’t really a colour
scheme to comment on. The colours used
that are not part of the background image are
white and brown, which are both used for the
text. The body font on the card is not Sans or
Sans Serif, but one which kind of looks like it
is mimicking someone's handwriting. The
name of the recipe is written in two different
fonts. “Food Pound Cake” is in Sans
Serif, while “Devil” is written in a font that is
like posh handwriting and is very elegant. The
company could have done this because they
wanted the “Devil” to stand out more than
the other words. I have heard that it is called
the Devil Food Pound Cake because it is so
chocolaty
and large amounts of chocolate is usually seen as ‘naughty’, and almost Devil-like because it’s bad for you to eat that much.
The photograph used for the background of the card is professionally done with a good quality camera. The fact that the
cake is in focus and the background (space to the right) is not makes sure the audiences attention is directed to the image of
the cake and then the ingredients and instructions listed on the other side. The cake also looks to a high standard and this
will encourage people to try this recipe because they will want to achieve the same end result.
The layout of this card is simple but still appealing to the eye, and the instructions give enough detail for a beginner but still
don’t confuse you with large, complex words or phrases. Although the layout and overall look of this recipe card might not
appeal to everyone (children, teens, middle-aged, elderly, etc), the instructions are easy enough to read and follow for most
people of different ages.
The logo of the company is not shown on the card, but their website address is given on the bottom left. From the name of
the website I assume that a company who are hired to produce recipe cards for other companies was involved. Having their
website address on the card will help people contact them if they would like a product made, or will allow them to search
for other recipes the company had done if they like this one.
