One Hundred - Research proposal

My subject matter is:

Eyes

Possible categories will include:

• colour
• shape
• size
• science behind them
  

Research processes will include:

Researching the categories through the use of primary and secondary (both quantative&qualitative). I will get all my quantative research from the internet and various books, my primary quantative research will be gathered through questionnaires and forms of secondary research. I will aim to collect photographs of a series of eye shapes/colours/sizes. Hopefully I can bring in an actual eye?

What If... Evaluation

100 people could've been happier, 28 couldn't. Our primary research shows that it would be beneficial if we were to make people happier/smile. Our original general question was, 'Are you Happy?', this was problematic as it was giving us an answer that we weren't looking for. Most people said that they were happy, but what we really wanted to know was whether, we, could make them happier. Therefore, we changed our question to, 'Could you be happier?'

Our primary research was gathered through the use of a questionaire on a sandwich board. Our method seems to cover both qualitive and quantative, we were able to gather figures/percentages but also research that covered the qualitive description. This was researching into what actually made people happy. We asked the general public if they could be happier, the majority said 'yes'. We also managed to gather research on what made people happy, some of the results included:

• nice weather
• food
• friends/family
• weekends
• a good film

I found this research useful, it's qualitative primary quality made it authentic and also meaningful. The popular answer being, 'yes', although seemed obvious that everyone could be happier, surprised me at the same time. A lot of people that seemed quite happy, when it came to asking them what made them happier, said things that you wouldn't expect. It made our problem seem more of a problem, and we felt making someone smile would be an effective solution.

We also did some research into the effect of smiling/laughing. It is scientifically proven that even if you smile and you don't mean it, research shows it makes you feel better. Our aim was at least, just to make someone smile.

We originally were going to base our problem with Leeds overall, but after considering time and effectiveness, we thought it would be better to target a smaller audience, we focused solving our problem for people within the College of Art.

Reviewing our research, the majority of our results suggested that food makes people happy. Although, this was only the majority, our problem was trying to make everyone happy. We decided this was impossible, unless we focused our audience more (college of Art). For our first presentation/crit, we handed out bags of Haribo, this appeared to make everyone happy, it seemed the idea of receiving a free bag of sweets was appealing.

We then looked at sending out a small, cheery message to make people smile. There were ideas that looked at how people could get two cards and then pass one of them along, as in, spreading each others happiness. The cards could also be given out along with a little bag of Haribo. We aimed to make people smile/happier, photographic evidence shows that our cards and sweets did this.

Our problem, once recognised properly, was actually quite simple to solve. A free bag of Haribo appeared to cheer people up, and feedback like "I really liked your little cards" and "They did actually make me smile", shows that the cards that came with the sweets were also effective. However, if we were to broaden our research and it's solutions, we could perhaps branch out to other methods of making me smile/happy. Haribo was a good solution as it was quite general, but maybe next time we could focus it further to more specific groups, maybe groups/people outside of college. It's a campaign that could be addressed a number of people, but the key seems to be researching into more depth as to what makes certain people smile.

5 things I learnt about the design process:

1. You can start anywhere as long as you narrow it down effectively
2. The more you research, the more ideas you actually think of
3. Your first initial design thought is probably one of your best solutions
4. It's always good to get feedback from other people as you go along, to make sure it is communicating/working effectively
5. Normally, the simplest ideas are the best ones, as long as they work

5 things I would do differently next time:

1. Maybe try and think of a problem and act on it sooner
2. Develop research a lot further, I think because our problem was changed, we didn't have much time to research
3. I would have wanted to use the video camera at some point, I think it would have been a nice way to document the evidence
4. Focus our problem down to a smaller audience?
5. PLAN PRESENTATION (save powerpoint as correct format)

End of Module - self evaluation

1. What practical skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?

I have become much more confident regarding digital print. I now understand the impact of something professionally printed makes to a pieces of work. My eye for making something look professional/neat has also improved, I enjoy making my work look presentable as a final piece. I am becoming quite a perfectionist when it comes to producing a final piece. After a few sessions learning about 'Illustrator', I now know how to use it. I find this very useful as the techniques I have learnt, and the opportunities 'Illustrator' has to offer, are all very useful. I feel I have applied this new skill quite effectively, I produced my A1 poster with 26 different versions of my chosen letterform. I now look to use it far more with my work. My photography elective has introduced a few modes/camera settings to me, I can now use them to take better photographs. We have also looked at lighting, this will enable to be able to take very professional/clean photographs of my work as one way of presenting it.

2. What approaches to/methods of problem solving have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?

I have developed my initial starting point process, brain storming has become very useful and an effective way to jot down a lot of ideas. I also find it useful to work predominently digitally. I feel my work looks how it would look as a final piece, quicker, and also can be sharpened up. I can also test my ideas out with more impact, if I can render them on Photoshop/Illustrator. Asking for other opinions is also very useful when problem solving. If i'm not sure if an idea is being communicated effectively and correctly, I can ask other people and get feedback to improve my work.

3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitlise on these?

I think I am quite good at the layout of my work, I enjoy seeing where things would look best on a page and I think it is very important. I also like incorporating English into my work, using phrases, comments, taglines etc... rather then big paragraphs. Although I haven't used much photography within my Graphic Design yet, the photos I have taken for my elective I think could be used in future designs. I also really enjoy trying to communicate something through image and a small amount of type.

4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully?

I feel sometimes my work is not developed enough, I tend to think of an idea straight away and go with it. Obviously I have to develop it, but I feel I could take some ideas further maybe so they work better. I also want to branch out further, maybe layer my work more, rather then just having type and image as a flat document on Photoshop.

5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what you expect to gain from doing these?

• More brainstorming - more ideas to work and choose from
• Develop my ideas further with the extra time I have - may communicate/work better as a whole
• Get feedback from others sooner - acknowledge where things aren't working sooner, so I can work around the problems before I feel it is too late
• Test out ideas in more detail - may get a better idea of how they would look, therefore might actually choose them over the chosen idea?
• Don't settle for the easy option - Don't always think less is more, sometimes this isn't always the case

6. Are there any things we could have done differently that would have benefitted your progress?

I think asking for help is something I got at school, but getting less at university will actually benefit my skills/problem solving.

Message and Delivery - Final Crit Feedback

For my final crit, I had to present my posters and then my mail shot to a group of peers and a tutor. The feedback I got was negative and positive, I learnt a lot from it, received some good ideas/solutions and went away with a productive task to do.

Issues raised:

• My posters were much more visually ingaging then my mail shots
• The colours I used for my posters (green and white) worked better and communicated better then my mail shot colours (orange and navy)
• It was aparent that I had been more excited when producing my posters, as they looked more like a piece of graphic design- more thought
• My mail shots were hard to understand, posters communicated better

Actions to be taken:

• Relate my mail shots more with the style I used for my posters
• Design and make one version of the new mail shot
  
• Use green and white, as apose to orange and navy

Even though my mail shots were not as good as my posters, I feel I haven't wasted two weeks as I learnt something by doing this. I was more excited about my posters, and I think that showed through the design. After getting quite negative feedback relating to my posters, I took the approach I thought would be best, I eliminated that idea completely. I know now, I should've worked with it further.

Message and Delivery - Group Crit

I had 3 minutes to present my ideas, thought processes of my 10 mail shots. After the 3 minutes I was given 4 feedback sheets from others in my crit group. This feedback was very useful.

Issues Raised:

• Needs to be seen by people who don't know the real potential of existing young people in todays society. Is just posting it to schools as beneficial to expressing my point, as it could be?
• How will you seal it?
• How will I make sure when the envelope is opened, it is not ripped, otherwise that would ruin the poster/image inside before it has even been looked at

Actions to be taken:

• I think I will now post my mail shots to other places as well as schools. I may look into advertising companies, those who produce posters that are put up in public places, trains, etc... Community centres? Hospitals? Newspaper companies? Journalists?
• I think I might use a very small amount of spray mount just on the tip of the seal
• This point raised was very useful as I hadn't thought about it yet, but I am thinking about having on the envelope in small, something along the lines of "open me carefully". Something similar.
  

No News Is Good News - Message and Delivery

I have to produce 10 mail shots that are based around my previous subject matter that fueled the creation of my 3 posters. They must be of a particular scale and also able to fit through a letterbox, they also have to be practical as one of them has to be sent to Leeds college of Art. The other 9 addresses have to exist, but I won't be sending my mail shots to them, but my reason for choosing the specific addresses has to be valid.
CONCEPT BUILDING

What?
Persuading people to to stereotype young people

Why?
Young people are stereotyped too much in today's society, their achievements should be recognised as well as their bad behavior.

How?
I think I am going to have it as an envelope that when you open it, folds out into a very small poster/flyer. It's contents will be simple, straight to the point, trying to communicate my point in quite a laid back way.

Who?
Busy places, with lots of human traffic. I think it is something that generally should be known, schools? Community centers? Hospitals? Maybe advertising companies? Journalism could be a good connection to broaden the communication of my message.

Inform/Instruct/Persuade/Promote?
Originally I thought mine was to inform, but there is no actual fact or proven statement on my mail shot, therefore I think it would be between persuade and promote. The nature of my image inside the envelope is quite laid back but also with a slight comical value, it seems to be persuading...softly.

Format?
An envelope that opens out simply into a small flyer/poster.

Colour/stock?
White paper, with navy blue and orange colours

No News Is Good News - Poster - Feedback

We had to assess at least 2 posters that had been done by others on the course, this was the feedback I got back:








The feedback I received was a big help for me, a lot of points raised I already was aware of, but some was critically constructive. I found that my main problem was my point was not being expressed as clearly as it could, perhaps I could keep the idea but just include more text to clarify what I am trying to inform? Then again I want to keep it nice and simple.
These can be studied and hopefully overcome when I start to deal with my 10 editions of my mail shots.
I aim to clarify my message and render the text, do I also need another image/layout?

No News is GOOD NEWS

WHAT A WAY TO TREAT OUR HEROES

a tale of two very different young men

Concept

The difference between lifestyles, those from 1914-18 and 2009, focusing on the younger generation. 

What is encouraged/introduced in todays society (for young people)?

However...

Is it stereotyping teenagers? There are young men who have fought and died in wars today.

Also, is a lot of the worst behavior alcohol driven?

Ideas

1. Teenage alcohol consumption
2. Number of teenage deaths, due to war, heroism (1914-18)
3. Number of teenage deaths, due to war, heroism (2009)
4. Rate of teenage bad behavior when alcohol is involved
5. Why are teenagers always stereotyped as being such thugs?
6. The lifestyle of teenagers these days, e.g Freshers

THREE IDEAS, TAKING THEM FURTHER

1. Alcohol inflicted crime rates regarding teenagers
2. Number of teenage deaths (heroic) 1914-18 and 2009
3. How teenagers are stereotyped

Formative Feedback

Strengths:

• Looked into a number of possibilities and themes
  
• References to different fonts and lots of research gathered around illustration
• Good consistency between letters, work well together
• Nice line quality, nice touches of colour on the name badge

Weaknesses:

• Illustrations are more of a decoration to an original typeface
• Look for wider aspects to consider instead of taking the bugs bunny image straight away
• Restricted developmental work?

Actions:

• Manipulate the letters/typeface more, perhaps blending images of bugs bunny into the letters
• Incorporate bugs bunny as part of the actual letter, not just a decoration

NickLovegrove's typeface- final eval

Which personality traits did you choose to respond to and apply the typeface?

I wanted to show how Nick seems quite easy going, laid back and pretty simple but with a few kooky, interesting traits. 

What are the reasons behind the design decisions you have made for the typeface?

Bringing Bugs Bunny back to life, peeping in and around the letterforms. Nick's hidden characteristics that are there, they're just not obviously striking at first.

In what ways are the results effective?

Bugs Bunny is recognisable, and the simple, traditional font seems to compliment the contrasting cartoon character.

What personality traits do you interpret from the typeface designed to represent you?

When people get to know me, I think they discover more about me, inner personality traits. I also care a lot about my relationships with certain people, which is represented through having two letters combined as one? The typeface also doesn't look that simple, I would say i'm quite a complex person. 

Describe what you think of the typeface:

I think it is very well designed, although the idea if described could be pictured as quite heavy, this typeface still remains delicate and sophisticated but not boring. 

In what ways is it effective, and in what ways is it ineffective of representing you?

The meaning behind the typeface is positively descriptive of myself, and overall it can represent me pretty well. I like how there is not too much going on, and not a particular trait represented mainly throughout the typeface, as I couldn't explore myself through one trait. However, I would say that the typeface is quite neat, and I would say that my font for myself may have been a bit rough around the edges. 

NickLovegrove's typeface evaluated

How are the four words selected to represent the typeface being explored?
Kooky, simple, smooth and interesting - I chose a simple font but with serifs to make it slightly interesting. I didn't want anything too heavy though because I wanted to incorporate bugs bunny in a 'kooky' but sophisticated/creative way. Also the fact that Nick wanted Bugs bunny to be brought back to life, the way bugs bunny seems to sneak around the font suggests creeping back.
Why is the existing typeface that has been selected to manipulate an inappropriate/appropriate choice?
BELL MT - simple with serifs, not too much and can easily be manipulated.
What are the reasons behind the design decisions you have made for the typeface so far?
I decided to focus on Nick wanting to bring Bugs Bunny back to life, I felt this could be explored through little parts of Bugs Bunny peaking through a font Nick also liked.
Actions to be taken?

1. Complete the draft alphabet, seeing which parts of Bugs Bunny work best with each letter
2. Scan the alphabet, use Photoshop to enlarge each letter to an appropriate size that I can then trace onto the A1 poster.
3. Print these out - roughly 4 on a page
4. Place each letter onto A1, working out their best positions, and trace
5. Clean up my final poster, making any last minute corrections.
   

HOW TO...self evaluation

What roles did you take on in the group?
I helped design the series of packaging our group produced, but specialised in one particular. I also contributed to the group discussions when we discussed the ways we could go about completing this brief.
How well do you think you performed in the role?
I think I performed quite well, my outcome solved the problem. However, I reckon we could've worked more collaboratively.
How well do you think you worked as a group?
We brainstormed ideas, and had many discussions as a group, but we were all quite indecisive. We ended up discussing a lot as a group, but then producing individually.
What were the positives of working in a group?
Discussing the problem as a group meant we could maybe solve it faster, or atleast have more ideas in a shorter amount of time.
What were the negatives of working in a group?
When it came to group discussions, solving a problem this way was effective and useful. Although, it was harder narrowing down all of our ideas, and choosing an appropriate solution that everyone liked.
What will you do differently next time?
Plan our final outcome more as a group, perhaps produce collaboratively. Doing this could also enable more of a direct link/product resemblance. I would also maybe develop my/our ideas further.
Where could you have improved your resolution?
I think I would change the font at the back of my solution, so it could relate and connect more with my groups work. Also, I think I would've just developed it all further, perhaps produce more of them and maybe some flyers/posters to help promote ourselves.
What are the strengths of your presentation?
We all communicated what our problem was and how we solved it, as well as presenting each individual product fairly clearly, describing it's point and purpose.

This year I want to...

experiment, explore, mess up, learn, progress, specialise, communicate, create, inspire and be inspired.