I chose D&AD’s Monotype brief because it gave me an opportunity to exercise my knowledge and understanding of typography that has developed over the two years. The brief was extremely broad which made identifying an appropriate culture to take forward a frustrating process due to the fact I had so many other concepts such as surfing, farming and gardening which are all current occupations/cultures that are unrepresented in the UK. Having the opportunity to speak to Andrew Cotton about surfing culture in the UK would have been really influential in my decision making process, however after organising an interview Cotton, he realised he wasn’t in the country and therefor I had to make the decision to choose a concept that I could gain primary research from. The street market concept developed from a feedback session where it was made apparent that the farming and produce concept could be combined in order to raise awareness of street markets. This concept provided me with a range of sources and I identified small organisations that are trying to save the market, however I didn’t imbed the facts from articles because I was conscious that they were outdated and I couldn’t be certain on the legitimacy of the facts. Having Kirkgate Market to my disposal was hugely beneficial as I explored a range of material processes informed to convey the raw experience of street markets, however I think I spent too much time considering material processes and aesthetics rather than developing a concept that can be distributed consistently throughout the campaign objectively. The fact that I managed to get an interview with one of the store holders allowed me to gain views and opinions about the market signage from someone working on the front line.
I gained a considerable amount of knowledge from the research stage, however the sheer amount of influences and diversity from the markets overwhelmed me and I struggled to develop an angle to which my campaign could work. Eventually my concept developed into a campaign spread across print, social media and promotional products with the aim to raise an awareness of street markets and encourage consumers to use markets as apposed to the big supermarket chains. The fact that I spent so long in the research stage made the design process slightly rushed, particularly for the social media video however I used the limited time wisely to draw all components of the submission together. Balancing the workload with numerous competition briefs and other modules was challenging however it allowed me to organise my time well enough to book print slots and photography shoots which made my work look a lot more professional on my design boards. Managed my time enough to get high quality images of the poster in context which was really beneficial for my design boards.
The brief made me more aware of the importance of language within design which is really important for reaching a specific target audience. The use of language within markets helped to inform this, particularly within the verbs and adjectives displayed on the posters. Moving forward, I intend to imbed my research more objectively which will help me to create a well rounded concept. I can achieve this by regular feedback and crit sessions as well as looking at more professional examples from the industry.
Working collaboratively was a great opportunity to experience working within a creative team. I really enjoyed the process because it allowed a range of styles and inspiration to come together. The group that I was involved with was extremely productive and we were lucky that we all shared a style which made transforming our concepts into outcomes an enjoyable process. The outcome is definitely the most developed and well executed project so far because working as a group allowed us to share responsibilities and ultimately get more done. The concept has transferred well over the numerous deliverables which shows how informed our concept was. My time management throughout this particular project was good, however balancing and struggling with the workload with other competition briefs made it hard for me to mock up my ideas so it is fair enough that some of my designs weren't considered. In the future, I intend to be more practical to avoid this. I would like to work for a cultural context again in the future because their is room for a lot of influence to be taken on the art form and imbedded into the outcome.
Chose to do the Penguin Student Design Award brief because it was an opportunity to create a conceptual outcome and potentially gain feedback from creative professionals. I enjoyed creating a solution that brings a new perception of the book which was very ambiguous but well informed by the themes and concerns within the book and also material from the 1930s. I used The Tab brief to experience branding within a commercial context. I haven't pursued a lot of branding this year so I took it as an opportunity to exercise what I've learnt through first and second year. Regular feedback from a range of peers informed my decision making process which was really useful when moving from the initial mockups stage. I believe my solution is appropriate for the tab because it's minimal style creates a bold identity that is flexible over a range of products and works over a range of scales. My main consideration for the solution was for it to work successfully over print and screen and the bold, rounded sans-serif achieves this. The brief was an opportunity to work with limitations of which I had to sacrifice aesthetics for function.
I had hoped to complete the MEPC artwork brief because it was an open opportunity to explore more of an artistic approach away from commercial briefs. However, I didn’t have enough time considering the amount of work I had on. I also believe that I need to take more influences from visual examples from professionals as I often take too much time researching into the context and subject, rather than visual solutions to solve the problem. This will also benefit my critical understanding of graphic design principles that I can use to built my knowledge and awareness as a designer. I have identified that I look to work within a cultural context because it provides more creative opportunities.
The Tab Evaluation
I used the brief to experience branding within a commercial context. I haven't pursued a lot of branding this year so I took it as an opportunity to exercise what I've learnt through first and second year. Regular feedback from a range of peers informed my decision making process which was really useful when moving from the initial mockups stage. I believe my solution is appropriate for the tab because it's minimal style creates a bold identity that is flexible over a range of products and works over a range of scales. My main consideration for the solution was for it to work successfully over print and screen and the bold, rounded sans-serif achieves this. The brief was an opportunity to work with limitations of which I had to sacrifice aesthetics for function.
The brief made me more aware of the importance of language within design which is really important for reaching a specific target audience. The use of language within markets helped to inform this, particularly within the verbs and adjectives displayed on the posters. Moving forward, I intend to imbed my research more objectively which will help me to create a well rounded concept. I can achieve this by regular feedback and crit sessions as well as looking at more professional examples from the industry.
Working collaboratively was a great opportunity to experience working within a creative team. I really enjoyed the process because it allowed a range of styles and inspiration to come together. The group that I was involved with was extremely productive and we were lucky that we all shared a style which made transforming our concepts into outcomes an enjoyable process. The outcome is definitely the most developed and well executed project so far because working as a group allowed us to share responsibilities and ultimately get more done. The concept has transferred well over the numerous deliverables which shows how informed our concept was. My time management throughout this particular project was good, however balancing and struggling with the workload with other competition briefs made it hard for me to mock up my ideas so it is fair enough that some of my designs weren't considered. In the future, I intend to be more practical to avoid this. I would like to work for a cultural context again in the future because their is room for a lot of influence to be taken on the art form and imbedded into the outcome.
Chose to do the Penguin Student Design Award brief because it was an opportunity to create a conceptual outcome and potentially gain feedback from creative professionals. I enjoyed creating a solution that brings a new perception of the book which was very ambiguous but well informed by the themes and concerns within the book and also material from the 1930s. I used The Tab brief to experience branding within a commercial context. I haven't pursued a lot of branding this year so I took it as an opportunity to exercise what I've learnt through first and second year. Regular feedback from a range of peers informed my decision making process which was really useful when moving from the initial mockups stage. I believe my solution is appropriate for the tab because it's minimal style creates a bold identity that is flexible over a range of products and works over a range of scales. My main consideration for the solution was for it to work successfully over print and screen and the bold, rounded sans-serif achieves this. The brief was an opportunity to work with limitations of which I had to sacrifice aesthetics for function.
I had hoped to complete the MEPC artwork brief because it was an open opportunity to explore more of an artistic approach away from commercial briefs. However, I didn’t have enough time considering the amount of work I had on. I also believe that I need to take more influences from visual examples from professionals as I often take too much time researching into the context and subject, rather than visual solutions to solve the problem. This will also benefit my critical understanding of graphic design principles that I can use to built my knowledge and awareness as a designer. I have identified that I look to work within a cultural context because it provides more creative opportunities.
The Tab Evaluation
I used the brief to experience branding within a commercial context. I haven't pursued a lot of branding this year so I took it as an opportunity to exercise what I've learnt through first and second year. Regular feedback from a range of peers informed my decision making process which was really useful when moving from the initial mockups stage. I believe my solution is appropriate for the tab because it's minimal style creates a bold identity that is flexible over a range of products and works over a range of scales. My main consideration for the solution was for it to work successfully over print and screen and the bold, rounded sans-serif achieves this. The brief was an opportunity to work with limitations of which I had to sacrifice aesthetics for function.
Penguin Student Design Awards Evaluation
Researching into previous winning entries and looking at the profiles of the judges allowed me to identify what they are looking for in a winning design. I focused a lot of my concept on the fact that the judges are looking for a fresh perspective and to avoid repeating the obvious iconography from the many previous editions in print. This gave me the confidence to explore more ambiguous compositions using typography as the main focus. Having created the typographic weavings I still had unexplored concepts that had potential, however considering the amount of competition briefs I was tackling, I made the decision to go forward and explore material processes such as screen printing.
Already having in depth knowledge of the story put me at an advantage as the themes and concerns throughout the book provided useful inspiration for an original concepts. I based my cover on the fact that the book is narrated from Jem's point of view, the youngest of the Finch family, and how her idealistic view of the world just isn't true. By weaving the names of the mockingbirds that are uncovered throughout the story not only creates a visually engaging outcome but also communicates the blurred perceptions of society throughout 1930s America. Through feedback I was recommended Cecil Toochan, a fine artist who deconstructs type through weaving which meant that I was able to research into methods of applying type over the top of the chaotic contrast of shape and negative space.
I struggled with the blurb because I wanted the cover to be cohesive from back to front. However my research into previous editions gave me an insight into the artistic and expressive methods of typesetting encouraged me to break the grid. This research, combined with my knowledge on the events of the book, helped me to develop the half drop typesetting. I found having a definitive concept to work with allowed me to work effectively.
I feel the overall outcome is successful due to the fact it is well informed by the themes and concerns within the book and also material from the 1930s.
OUGD504 Evaluation
Throughout this module I was being introduced to new techniques and processes which I found challenging to balance with producing a professional solution. This was particularly evident in Studio Brief 02 because I had never designed for screen before and user interface was a new approach to me. However, I really enjoyed the experimental freedom that design for screen provides as my knowledge progressed. The After Effects and InDesign workshops were really influential as they helped me to prepare documents for publishing in print and on screen which will be valuable skills to take forward into the industry. Having the opportunity to tackle a digital brief has broadened my practice and I will consider producing both print and digital solutions in the future. My increased knowledge on the capabilities of design for screen made me realise how important it is to stay up to date with the evolution of digital graphics.
Considering the module was emphasised the importance of production methods, I experimented with various techniques and processes which influenced my outcomes and both outcomes for Studio Brief 01 and 02 use influences from both print and digital processes. My naivety towards design for screen was limiting my practice, now I feel confident in combining both print and digital solutions in order to encourage interactive features that immerse the audience.
My time management hasn't been evidenced, however I have produced thoroughly researched and considered solutions in time with the submission which comply with the briefs mandatory requirements. Having managed my time more objectively, my concepts could have evolved on a commercial scale. Considering industry standard techniques and promotion in the future will present my work in a professional format. I feel that I have let my work down due to how I have presented it on my design boards, especially for Studio Brief 01 because my images of my final resolution wouldn't be accepted on commercial sites.
Researching into previous winning entries and looking at the profiles of the judges allowed me to identify what they are looking for in a winning design. I focused a lot of my concept on the fact that the judges are looking for a fresh perspective and to avoid repeating the obvious iconography from the many previous editions in print. This gave me the confidence to explore more ambiguous compositions using typography as the main focus. Having created the typographic weavings I still had unexplored concepts that had potential, however considering the amount of competition briefs I was tackling, I made the decision to go forward and explore material processes such as screen printing.
Already having in depth knowledge of the story put me at an advantage as the themes and concerns throughout the book provided useful inspiration for an original concepts. I based my cover on the fact that the book is narrated from Jem's point of view, the youngest of the Finch family, and how her idealistic view of the world just isn't true. By weaving the names of the mockingbirds that are uncovered throughout the story not only creates a visually engaging outcome but also communicates the blurred perceptions of society throughout 1930s America. Through feedback I was recommended Cecil Toochan, a fine artist who deconstructs type through weaving which meant that I was able to research into methods of applying type over the top of the chaotic contrast of shape and negative space.
I struggled with the blurb because I wanted the cover to be cohesive from back to front. However my research into previous editions gave me an insight into the artistic and expressive methods of typesetting encouraged me to break the grid. This research, combined with my knowledge on the events of the book, helped me to develop the half drop typesetting. I found having a definitive concept to work with allowed me to work effectively.
I feel the overall outcome is successful due to the fact it is well informed by the themes and concerns within the book and also material from the 1930s.
OUGD504 Evaluation
Throughout this module I was being introduced to new techniques and processes which I found challenging to balance with producing a professional solution. This was particularly evident in Studio Brief 02 because I had never designed for screen before and user interface was a new approach to me. However, I really enjoyed the experimental freedom that design for screen provides as my knowledge progressed. The After Effects and InDesign workshops were really influential as they helped me to prepare documents for publishing in print and on screen which will be valuable skills to take forward into the industry. Having the opportunity to tackle a digital brief has broadened my practice and I will consider producing both print and digital solutions in the future. My increased knowledge on the capabilities of design for screen made me realise how important it is to stay up to date with the evolution of digital graphics.
Considering the module was emphasised the importance of production methods, I experimented with various techniques and processes which influenced my outcomes and both outcomes for Studio Brief 01 and 02 use influences from both print and digital processes. My naivety towards design for screen was limiting my practice, now I feel confident in combining both print and digital solutions in order to encourage interactive features that immerse the audience.
My time management hasn't been evidenced, however I have produced thoroughly researched and considered solutions in time with the submission which comply with the briefs mandatory requirements. Having managed my time more objectively, my concepts could have evolved on a commercial scale. Considering industry standard techniques and promotion in the future will present my work in a professional format. I feel that I have let my work down due to how I have presented it on my design boards, especially for Studio Brief 01 because my images of my final resolution wouldn't be accepted on commercial sites.
In some respects I feel like I have over researched which has caused a divide in my concept development. In the future I aim to be more objective with my research so that it informs the concept, not just the production methods. Realising this now, I can improve my research and blogging techniques to make referring back to my research more efficient.
OUGD501 Evaluation
Reading through the research project, I know that it is not a true reflection of my potential as I really struggled with identifying a question. I think this is due to the lack of contextual knowledge about design which lead to indecision and a lack of confidence. My research came from a range of sources; internet, essays, books and editorial however I struggled with identifying facts from texts which lead to longwinded points that kept repeating themselves. I have identified this as something that I need to work for COP 3. An interest in the topic of experimentation lead me to topics such as objectivity and subjectivity which was interesting, however I found it hard to apply the approach to an essay where I had to triangulate, as well as come up with a practical outcome. Having struggled with academic writing in the past, I went to Student Support where I had a talk with a tutor. I found this useful, however gaining a lot of different perspectives from peer feedback, tutors and student support was overwhelming at such a late stage in the project which held me back. A positive that I can take away from this is that I was proactive, however I need to plan ahead in order to imbed my feedback more objectively. The topic of authorship was also very hard to research and apply to an essay because the term itself has doubts as to its legitimacy in design, however I made sure that I noted this in my conclusion, 'design as well as authorship is in constant flux'. Looking forward to the COP 3, I aim to make sure that I choose a question that I am passionate and has relevant sources of theory and context. The lack of time management and changing my research question at such a later stage meant I fell behind on all areas of the module which is evident through my submission. The broadness of my research meant I found it hard to find a focus. Researching the topics, I found understanding the texts really challenging which had a detrimental impact of my confidence. I don't want this to happen next year for my dissertation so I intend to nail a topic and a question as early as possible so that I have time to research and gain an in depth understanding to create relevant arguments. Due to poor time management, my practical response was rushed and I discovered more potential for my research project however I didn't have enough time to work this into the current essay draft.
OUGD501 Evaluation
Reading through the research project, I know that it is not a true reflection of my potential as I really struggled with identifying a question. I think this is due to the lack of contextual knowledge about design which lead to indecision and a lack of confidence. My research came from a range of sources; internet, essays, books and editorial however I struggled with identifying facts from texts which lead to longwinded points that kept repeating themselves. I have identified this as something that I need to work for COP 3. An interest in the topic of experimentation lead me to topics such as objectivity and subjectivity which was interesting, however I found it hard to apply the approach to an essay where I had to triangulate, as well as come up with a practical outcome. Having struggled with academic writing in the past, I went to Student Support where I had a talk with a tutor. I found this useful, however gaining a lot of different perspectives from peer feedback, tutors and student support was overwhelming at such a late stage in the project which held me back. A positive that I can take away from this is that I was proactive, however I need to plan ahead in order to imbed my feedback more objectively. The topic of authorship was also very hard to research and apply to an essay because the term itself has doubts as to its legitimacy in design, however I made sure that I noted this in my conclusion, 'design as well as authorship is in constant flux'. Looking forward to the COP 3, I aim to make sure that I choose a question that I am passionate and has relevant sources of theory and context. The lack of time management and changing my research question at such a later stage meant I fell behind on all areas of the module which is evident through my submission. The broadness of my research meant I found it hard to find a focus. Researching the topics, I found understanding the texts really challenging which had a detrimental impact of my confidence. I don't want this to happen next year for my dissertation so I intend to nail a topic and a question as early as possible so that I have time to research and gain an in depth understanding to create relevant arguments. Due to poor time management, my practical response was rushed and I discovered more potential for my research project however I didn't have enough time to work this into the current essay draft.
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