OUGD201, evaluation

I have definitely learned a lot from this module, I feel it's been the first introduction into production outside of college work. The introduction of it which emerged from our chosen 'good' subjects, automatically made this module all quite independent, which I liked.
The inductions with Mike and Graham were very helpful, my skills on illustrator have developed therefore I was able to use it a lot more for my projects which helped a lot. Also, I became aware of some of the basic rules of type thanks to the sessions with Graham. I now know a little more about InDesign, and feel slightly more confident on producing a piece of type work, and it looking better than what I would have produced last year.

'Wrap it up' was a short and sweet brief, although panicked most of the time, I do work better under pressure. It was a chance to explore a variety of nets, and also learn the importance of an effective package. I was quite happy with the design on my work, but not so much the nets I chose. I feel they did work as a sold package, but I feel more research could've been done to choose something a little more appropriate. I think I wasn't quite sure on leaving my comfort zone, the nets I chose seemed easy, resulting in me being satisfied but not very much so. However, although I didn't use the other nets, I did learn about them and can use them for future purposes.

I started off this project (Design Production - Print) contemplating constantly about what I should finally decide as being my 'Good' subject. It seemed to be changing often and I was never completely comfortable with what I had chosen.
My 5 'good' subjects were originally,

• deep sea creatures
• family photos
• faces/mugshots
• piano
• film trailers

I decided to choose the catagory faces/mugshots, I feel I wanted to somehow work with mugshots/faces within my design work, as it is something I think looks effective independently. 

I feel although this project started off slightly off-balance, my final subject continued to change, I felt that 'mugshots' was too hard to connect to a valued piece of design. Once I had properly thought about things it became something I could really indulge in, I decided that I would use the mugshots in order to design for a product. Ever since I have started this course I have wanted to incorporate photography somehow into my work, this seemed the perfect opportunity to do so.

My research into the varieties of print methods was interesting, and I found myself liking quite a lot of 'type' based design work, this through me a little off track but it got me involved in the importance of colour as well.

  

Communicating a flavour through different colours and mugshots could be a way I could use my subject effectively? Questioning this option, it became aparent that my subject was no longer 'mugshots' but what I really liked from them, 'facial expressions' .  

Even after I had finalised my 'good' subject, things still weren't completely comfortable, I started to branch out into using Illustrator to draw cartoon animals to communicate the flavours of juice.

Visually this looked quite effective because it was a lot different to your average design on a bottle of juice, however, after discussing it with Lorenzo, I felt that it was too unrelated, and that I needed to take the photographs and try my original idea, to use facial expressions to express the flavour. Once I had taken the photographs and edited them in Photoshop, using a 'duotone' effect I learned in one of Mike's sessions, everything seemed a lot clearer. My designs seemed to design themseleves slightly, then again it was slightly what I wanted, the facial expressions themseleves to do the advertising. 

This project really enabled me to get in involved with areas I had never reached. Although I felt confident in my work because I was dealing with photography, this sense of satisfaction was balanced out with a healthy dose of unsurity (which I feel helps work develop). I was able to really enjoy this project, which towards the end I did. I liked working with photography, as well as colour, and juice. It was fun actually producing an actualy product at the end, even though all the juices but one, are actually edible.

However, I still feel my levels of research have to increase? I feel it doesn't effect me so much in my work but I never seem to do as much as I should. Perhaps if I did more research, more of my project would more easily pull together and faster too.

My skills in Illustrator, InDesign, Print methods, and colour have all developed throughout the duration of this module. I really enjoyed certain aspects of it. After a rocky start, I feel during the last few weeks I have really endulged in it. 

I want to start off as committed as I became these past three weeks for my next project, I think I was too lazy at the begginning and it became obvious how much more productive my work progressed into towards the end. Overall, a stressful, tiring module, but towards the end very enjoyable and informative. I have enjoyed it.

Group tutorial prep,

1. What is industrial experience?

- Preparing yourself for when you have to work in that type of environment, growing accustomed to industrial surroundings and methods of work. Professional situations.
- Producing work that can help you promote yourself and the type of work you are capable of designing
- A chance/place to learn  and gain from your mistakes 
- A temporary job that allows you to slip in and out of working areas, without having to destroy important matters of commitment
- A taster of how things work outside student life, exploring and growing in independence of dealing with real issues and matters of life




2. What can you learn from industrial experience?
- Becoming known in the world of work, you can widen your list of contacts and connections that can help you throughout your career
- Being able to explore in depth, different areas of an industry/company without having to be completely attached
 - Learning from mistakes/experiences in working environments that you may have originally liked, you then change your mind. Realising what you like and what you don't like
- The technology/skills and software that is available and keeping up with it, knowing what there is to work with
- What type of work suits you best, specific environments, freelance? collaborative? company work?

3. What form/format could industrial experience take?
- Developing a portfolio that I can take on with me to help promote myself and my work
- International/national work, work can lead onto bigger things and worldwide use, depending on the company?
- Help from freelancers, to improve my freelance work/skills and communication skills
- Working collaboratively, within a company, alongside expertise in specific areas of work to produce impressive design
- Working with briefs given to me, with little guidance but growing independence and knowledge

4. What areas of industry are you interested in?

I like photography, I think it's an effective way to communicate creatively with impact. I especially like this type of photography, rustic, vintage, rough snappy shots. I think this is just something I like, in today's art world it's probably quite hard to apply them to work/design. 

Couple of articles that have used photographs, they're not really that sketchy but, the simplicity of the design. I think photographs say so much, using them with little, if not any type, is something I want to develop. 

How I could use them?

Film posters

so excited

great film

great film

I love film. A good film poster can attract viewers to actually go and see it, it's the closest I can get to working in film other than acting (passion I've had since I was 8 ha). I love the idea of promoting a film through type and really good images. The images you can work can be so interesting. 

 Design contextual work, has shown me these,

Using portrait photography for other design work, nice print work as well, bit of spot varnish. 

I want to photograph famous people, I have kind of been interested in set photography on film sets. Seems pretty exciting. Not much design in that though I suppose.

NHS ad, using intense photography&type to inform/advise. Very effective.

I like the idea of working with the production of good advertisements, here are some I like:

An advertisement, if produced well, can be such an effective way to promote/inform a product/something. I like how they are also mini films, the art direction/production must be exciting and it seems that with the right equipment, anything is possible. 

FILM TRAILERS.

Although I love film/photography, I really like design work as well. I think this is my problem, I just don't know what I should do properly? I'm not sure where I should take my career, there are roads it could go down, it's finding the right one. 

Reminds me of the type of art I looked at during school/Btec. I like it, visually. 

vintage posters, simplicity, block colour. 

Art I like is all so different. 

http://c-elliot0912-dc.blogspot.com/

Design context, majority of work I have seen and liked, and also work that has aided my development and designs. 

mission statement, rough

In my opinion a piece of design doesn't have to be clear, but it does have to clever. I want to be able to communicate something purposeful, to make even a slight change through original and interesting ideas.

I like to communicate with a range of different medias, working towards work thst is simple but effective. I want to make my audience reconsider a decision, advertise by developing relationships, inspire, and let others experience forms of art through communication. Personal with drive.

what do I want?

• Research design companies? 
• Free lance work, areas of photography/film/lens based
• Film work?
• Worldwide organizations (travel with work?)
• Design work? What do I actually want to do?
• Ways to promote myself
• Who to contact?

What is good, progress crit, 3/11/10

This is the feedback I got from a group crit I had,

• Where would it be sold? juice van/vending machines/shops?
• Use an event to promote?
• Logo? Branding, name the product, nationalise 
• Take lots of photographs of people, lots of facial expressions to get the right one for the appropriate flavours
• Packaging, different techniques? Nets ? 
• Print, Spot varnish? emboss? 

To do

• Research design companies/companies in my areas of interest
• Freelance photographers/film/design
• Worldwide organizations (I want to travel with my work?)
• How to contact/who to contact

starting properly

1. What do I want to achieve this year?

I want to maintain a high quality level of work throughout the year so I can finish my second year with a decent mark and a positive direction to take into 3rd year. I also want to learn new skills I can take on with me throughout my future careers, and produce art work that will help promote me and convince me what I want to do. I also want to do work I enjoy and that relates to my favoured areas of design. I hope to also have secured placements that are relevant by the summer.

2. What do I want to achieve by the end of the course?

I want a good mark to leave with and introduce myself to future works with. I also want to have a collection of work that can help me direct me and promote myself (impressive portfolio). I want to have enjoyed myself throughout the three years, and have learned and done things that have made this course worth while. I also want to have produced a really good short film, or have really pushed myself in the film field. I also want a few connections/references to turn to when I leave as support.

3. What do I want to achieve in my career?

I want to engage in my job and enjoy it, if I am to take it home every night then it has to be something I can really get into. I also want to be recognised for it, a set of skills that I am best at.

WRAp it up, feedback

In my group I got 11 votes for the category, 'Best use of Type and Image'. The comments I received were:

• Really nice use of colour, striking imagery
• Fantastic colour choice, good scale for the poster
• Great use of colour and stock
• Colour and stock are visually engaging 
• Great stock and colour choice, the composition looks good too
• Very well done
• Colour looks great on the stock

I am happy with this feedback, the comments I received are complimentary and I did enjoy producing the work. I do like the image&type on the poster and little straw envelope, with the right audience I feel this does have potential to promote a product. For the box, I like how the strip that you rip off to open it, is patterned with strawberries. 

However, I am disappointed in myself for not perhaps using the print&packaging element well enough? I didn't get any votes for 'Best use of packaging nets' and 'Best print considerations'. I know I could've done better. I feel that I spent a lot of time on what I was packaging & why, the design, colours etc... that I abandoned the brief's real intention. I spend too much time thinking about what I could package, I should've chosen a word and an image more chaotically and just had fun with it. 

Some of the final products were very impressive and showed great amounts of creativity.

more photos uploaded soon

over summer...

1. Learn more about Illustrator, become a lot better at it
2. Get a job so I can afford to do things
3. Keep on blogging my design context throughout the whole summer
4. Try and get a good enough tan that can is completely natural
   
5. Find some really good design context, that will inspire me more for next year
6. Keep myself busy, do not become a massive slob
7. Try and go on a bike ride every day to try and get rid of some of the wobbly bits I have developed leading up to Summer
8. Get into this summer brief, I want to enjoy it and also pick the right 'good' things
9. Take lots of photographs (disposable&digital)
10. Read a really good book&watch a really good film
    

OUGD103, evaluation

I have liked how this module has taken steps from project to project, I have been able to experiment with a variation of production and process methods. From 'communication is a virus', I learnt that I definitely really like aspects of using video to communicate messages. I was able to develop my skills in Final Cut and work as a partnership with Sean Perkins, which was a lot of fun! I also like the work towards filming, story boards, inspiration, a lot of it can be done through imagination, which is how I like to work. I like to visualise work before I produce it.

Vogue was a nice little brief. It was something I had almost total freedom with, I liked being able to just produce a poster after given one word. It was such a simple, short brief yet also enjoyable just to have a little fun with producing a poster to be entered in a competition, with fingers crossed. I followed my gut when it came to this brief, I felt we had too little time to drift about, when I thought of Vogue, I thought of French. French colours, french text, handwritten almost like a sketch book along with a diary entry. The text is a short poem I wrote, about the pressure 'vogue' creates. I enjoyed this brief and would definitely like to do it again.
I also thought InDesign was a fresh project, the whole software was new to me and I enjoyed finding out about it, I feel it will be very useful for future projects. I liked how what we were being taught were double page spreads that you see every day in magazines and newspapers, and I feel after new knowledge about layouts etc.. I understand it all much more. I also liked this project because I like layout in design, I think it's important. Working towards an article was interesting as well, writing about someone and relating a piece of work to them seems automatically purposeful and exciting.
Speaking from experience was a project that I found fun to work with. The title itself already makes it something I can relate to myself, therefore audience and research is something I can really indulge with. I chose to promote my piece through posters and things quite visual, I feel that when I was a first year I was given so many things, that sometimes just a simple piece of visual graphic design can make a difference. The highlight of this project was actually the production method. Due to me being a bit unorganised in the fact that the digital print room was overflowing, my print slot was too late for my work to be ready for final presentation. I decided to screen print. Luckily, I really enjoyed doing it, and have basically learnt how to do it, I reckon I could go down to Vernon street and be alright with sorting it all out and stuff, cleaning screens etc... It also looks so much better then digital print, when dealing with block colours.
All in all a productive module I think, learnt, developed, enjoyed new processes and techniques. I feel I could've pushed myself a bit further though, maybe take things to the next step, challenge myself! Start now.

speaking from experience, self evaluation

I identified the problem through speaking from my own experience that, when you have freedom, independence and money you tend to make the wrong decisions. I aimed to help first years prioritise what they ate/bought etc... When I asked the current first years what they wanted, I received answers like "a really nice lunch everyday", and "a chocolate bar". When put alongside what they should actually get, in terms of what they 'need', the answers were "a homemade ham sandwich" and "special pens for my type and grid". I was aiming on constructing a piece of design that communicated the relation, and difference between what people want, but what they should actually get because it is what they need. My research fitted all into primary, with aspects of it including both quantitative and qualitative. I communicated directly to first years, I wanted to get feedback that actually happened to students this year, seeing as the brief was 'Speaking from experience'. I think my questionaire was useful, my overall project was dealing with quite a simple, straight forward idea which developed from a very simple design context. This method of research was easy to understand, relate to and also was fresh and realistic as it came from real situations. In terms of research development that could've helped me, I think I could have done more design context research in order to experiment with poster designs etc... Although I did find pieces I liked,

and they did influence me, there is never a limit on how much DC you can do. Throughout this project, basing my answers on design process, I have learnt:

1. Getting feedback from existing first years and yourself is more trustworthy and relevant, especially when dealing with a project that is trying to communicate to people who are currently in your own position
2. Never be completely satisfied with your work early on. I realised that trial and error is a good way to progress your work onto something better. I thought I was happy with the type and layout of my first design, but I changed it and tried something different and I actually preferred it a lot more.
3. Colour makes a huge difference, I have decided the colour pallet I used for this brief I actually really like.
4. SCREEN PRINTING IS LOVELY. I originally planned on digital printing my posters and all my work, for efficiency and just because I didn't think of any other way. Everything happens for a reason, my print slot was quite late and I wanted to have final visuals for Friday. I had a few days in which I decided to screen print, although the process itself is so long, the outcome is so much better. I also think the style of my poster (block colours, simple drawings, bold font), works well with screen printing. I will use screen printing again.
5. Sometimes simple is better, I went from choosing little phrases that would go on the designs, with detailed drawings, edited on photoshop etc... to just two type and two images set out in a simple way. This looked a lot more effective and assertive.

Next time, if I were to do things differently, I would:

1. Further research into my project, varied typefaces and design context.
2. Perhaps experiment more with overall content, what other ways could communicate this problem
3. Did I find a solution too early on?
4. Decide to screen print earlier so I could produce more of a variation of my posters, also, not produce 10 copies on the best paper
5. Maybe find a more complex way to solve this problem? Was it too simple?

OUPD101, self reflecting

Which of these words describe you as an individual?
-tolerant
-determined
-ethical
-decisive
-objective

Which of these words best describe your approach to life?
-objective
-laid back
-organised
-reflective
-direct

What do you want to be?
-critical
-flexible
-informed
-committed

Which of the following qualities do you look for in others?
-tolerance
-confidence
-responsibility
-punctuality
-commitment
-creativity

List ten things you have learned:

1. Working collaboratively to solve problems and produce work
2. Managing my time effectively
3. The effects of using video, and the software (Final Cut)
4. The process of screen print
5. The process of letterpress
6. My way around Leeds city and Leeds college of Art
7. I work best when I am at college
8. How good the lightbox is for enhancing overall appearance of work
9. Buying lunch everyday probably takes up most of my money
10. I really like using lens-based equipment for my work, but also like using specific type

List ten things you want to learn:

1. I want to be able to use the lazor cutter by myself, I think it's amazing
2. How to use a really complex video camera
   
3. The depths of Final Cut and other video editing software
4. I want to learn more 'design context', I want to find really amazing pieces of work that I really like
5. I want to learn Illustrator in more detail, I still find it confusing
6. How to produce a massive piece of letterpress work
7. Using clever typography
8. Where I can print onto objects
9. More about traditional methods of printing
10. Broadness of Graphic Design

Which of these words describe your ambitions as a designer?
-expressive
-commercial
-effective
-ambitious

What do you want your work to do?
-inform
-entertain
-promote
-change
-persuade

Which of the following words do you associate with your work?
-process
-idea
-message
-media
-concept

Which of the following areas have you developed your skills in?
-video
-photography
-idea generation
-composition

Which of the following areas do you need to develop your skills in?
-colour
-type
-research
-drawing

Which of the following are you interested in developing skills in?
-typography
-video
-photography
-advertising
-motion graphics

speaking from experience, first crit, feedback

communication is a virus- reflecting over collaboration

Why have you chosen to work with your creative partner? What are your aims?

• similar interests in terms of delivery methods and ideas
• what I initially got from Sean's poster was that he was interested in someone who liked using photography, lens based stuff, "looking for a good eye"

What are you specific areas of creative interest in this brief?

• I like the idea of using cinematography
• I got into weird, memorable advertisements on television&cinema, thought they were an effective way of communicating
• I liked the idea of doing something that could be broadly shown, screen worked seemed appealing.
• I also wanted to do something different, both me and Sean wanted to move away from printed work

What specific deisgn skills do you have to offer in relation to your chosen brief? How do you intend to use them?

• I like lens based stuff
• video editing, using Final Cut

What specific non-design skills do you have to offer in relation to your chosen brief? How do you intend to use them?

• Visual awareness
• We both said we liked thinking things, using our imagination, this was shown on one of our brainstorming sheets, thought best on the train and things like that
• I enjoy looking at other existing advertisements

What specific roles will you have?

• Maybe do most of the filming itself
• Will physically do the editing, but ideas for it will come from both me and Sean
• visual ideas
• collaboratively collect and research facts and inspirational pieces

What will your joint responsibilities be?

• We will both jot down what we think we should do in terms of story line, location, idea, specific shots etc...
• Pick and choose bits to help blend something we like both think will work as effectively
• Decide how our video should look overall, what music should run alongside it
• We will both prepare presentation boards and contribute in the presentations

communication is a virus- feedback !

what is a line?

the brief-
Using the manipulation of line, frame, format, media and colour you are to produce a body of work that visually investigates one of the following definitions of the word 'line':

"a formation of people, objects or things on besides/behind the other"
"a connected series of events, actions or developments"
"a mark indicating position, connection or boundaries"

considerations-
You will need to develop, document and catalogue a range of investigative and experimental approaches in response to the quote you have chosen. You will also need to document the application and evaluation of media.

constructing a line?
what media do you use?
what format? constant or changing frame?

background-
One of the numerous definitions of drawing (and recording drawing) is the act of defining the outlines of an object against a background, using a wide variety of tools and techniques. It generally involves making/applying marks to a surface.

mandatory requirements-
The work presented must represent the time given to complete this brief. You will need to set time aside to draw regularly. There is no point rushing this at the end of the module, time management is essential. You investigation should become part of your everyday life and developing design practice.

deliverables-
A set of notebooks/sketchbooks and drawings/images in an organised, rational and considered format.

VOGUE

the brief: 'don't panic, vogue' - produce a poster relating to the subject 'vogue', enter it into the competition on the 'don't panic' website

considerations: clarity, excitement, attraction, appeal

target audience: us (students)

tone of voice: semi-serious? delicate but pleasant

mandatory requirements: register with 'don't panic', A2 poster size

deliverables: final poster design printed out onto A2 size, 2 A3 print outs of the other possible outcomes, selection of 30 possible design treatments and supporting developmental work.

End of Module - self evaluation

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

I have learnt how to use the video editing software 'Final Cut', I was able to edit my footage appropriately, enhancing colours, slowing footage down and reversing it in order to create an effective video.

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

Categorising is actually useful when researching, I can focus my research down to specific topics in order to find out what the most important facts/opinions are in order to help develop my research and relivance.

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

After showing people my video they seemed to be interested in the footage itself, the close up filming of pupils dilating. I think my topic, in the short term, is found quite intreging, however I think it could be stronger. I think flamboyance is a way to attract viewers with this video.

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

I feel my research could've been bumped up a bit, the initial research regarding the final video was probably appropriate, I didn't want to focus on the depth of eyes, but more of them as complete visuals. Sometimes I think my video lacks professionalism, whether this could've been resolved through more research, or just more testing out or software skills development. Although, I could've researched other video techniques, I only looked at one video specifically, the short footage from the 'Requiem for a Dream' trailer of the pupils dilating.

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

Next time I will

• review more films, trailers, short films etc...

I reckon I could get ideas from these, how the video would look like

• experiment with categorising the ways of filming eyes

This way I could explore eyes through a variety of outlooks. I could look at the films becoming a series? And I may find others work better than some.

• Test out more packaging folds

I would then be able to establish which one worked best and which was most effective. The packaging could somehow represent the contents, perhaps lure the viewers in even more?

• Continue designing the packaging itself

Although I am satisfied with the design of my packaging, could more be done? I would've liked to test out designs printing them onto individual discs so I could then see how they would look as a final.

• Box set?
  

I can imagine the short films as being a series, perhaps 'arty' ways of approaching and exploring things like 'eyes' in a creative, interesting way so that everyone can become slightly interested in the topic, even if it's just for one hundred seconds. I could create 10 films, therefore 10 dvds, all individually packaged and then all in another packaging, a box set. It could just be a clean cut way to transport, communiate and contain the 10 dvds?

I have enjoyed this brief. At first things were a little dusty as I wasn't sure what I was going to be doing with my chosen topic, when I first read the brief about having to solve a problem to do with you topic, I seriously considered changing it. I didn't know how I would express 'eyes' in a graphic way, and somehow 'product&package' such an untouchable thing? I always had in mind I wanted it to be photographically based, however I branched out to using video, this way I can focus on the photographic effects but have the stills as moving image. I was also excited to print on discs, this was another technique I learnt and now have knowledge of.
I often forgot how important the research was for the particular brief, and tended to get carried away with the video itself, it feels like I haven't used much of the research I gathered, but I did learn from it that people's main interest with eyes is just how they appear. Their colour seems to be the most attractive part of eyes, whenever the topic was brought up. Being influenced by previous footage, and particular music, I wanted to explore eyes close up and then be able to show this as a video.

100, evaluation from group crit

Issues raised:

• Is the video going to easily show one hundred within it?
• What type of packaging will I design for the dvd itself?

Actions to be taken:

• Look at short films, 'director's cut', see effects, techniques, cinematography etc...
• Make sure '100' is made clear
• Start thinking about the packaging I am going to use, how it is designed, what the design will be. It must be creative!
  

Problem Analysis - rationale

Brief:

a short video of eye footage, pupil dilation, colours, slow motion etc, with good music

Who needs to know?

Anyone really, it will be appropriate for everyone, but it could be a choice?

What do they need to know?

The integrity of eyes, how complex they are and how interesting they look.

Why do they need to know?

Why not? An amazing human organ that should be explored creatively

What will they respond to?

Visually interesting footage and music

What research is required?

Mainly primary, I will need 100 eyes, with video equipment.

secondary research includes, editing the video.

Collection 100...Rational

Product and promotion/packaging/distribution?
Product and distribution?
Why?
I want to create a final piece, that in some way could actually be distributed.
Who is the audience and how do you intend to engage with them?
Whoever chooses to watch/look at my product, can be viewed by all ages as it is appropriate. I intend to approach them subtly but with impact.
What is the function of this product? What has informed this decision?
This product will mainly be to entertain, could have slightly informative qualities as well. I feel my interest in eyes is purely visual and so I want to creatively explore this through entertainment, not necessarily information.
How will the audience interact with this product?
They will watch it