OUGD201// Design for print production: End of module evaluation..

OUGD201// Design for print production: End of module evaluation;

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

If I am going to be completely honest with myself, then I would say yes I have learnt a lot throughout this module, but when it has come to the point where I should be applying my new knowledge to my design work I think I could have done a lot better. Theres things like the application of colour through print, my final solution was in black and white and there is nothing wrong with that but maybe I should have eplored colour further, just for my own investigations. When it came to producing a final solution for the Good is brief, I found that I understood a lot about print and I did propose things for the printing of my final designs, I just wish I had been more organised and actually put the effort in to try and do some foil blocking and embossing etc. I now know a lot about print and how important it is, I have learnt things that I would have never of thought to be important before.

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

I have found out that there is so much more to printing than what meets the eye, after going to TEAM and looking around a professional printers, I realised how much thought and time goes into even the simplest of things like birthday cards, they we may take for granted in terms of print. I think I most enjoyed learning about all of the print finishes and what effect they have on a design. Another aspect that I found interesting after going to the printers was die cutting, its amazing how each net for packaging or even something that needs to be die cut has to be especially made! I have also learnt a lot about 'real life' print, things like billboards for example, they are everywhere but its not until we had spoken about large scale printing that I actually wondered how they were printed etc. I have a billboard outside my window and I have watched it being changed twice now and I get really excited about it, because I now appreciate it.

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

I think the main thing I have found over the last week of the module, is that I am starting to find myself as a designer and I think that is very important at this time. It may not be a strength but it definetly helps when it comes to designing things. I am very happy with my final solution, it took me a while to get into the swing of things but I am happy with what I have produced. I have also started to do a lot more supportive research within this module which has helped me understand certain areas of design and how it will impact my own design work. This is something I need to continue to do as it helps inspire me when I hit a brick wall in my idea generation process.

4// What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future?

My biggest weakness through this module would have to be not trying things, like foiling and spot varnishing, I just dont feel like I made enough effort throughout this module and to be honest im disappointed in myself, I know I could have done so much better. I know that I would have enjoyed doing some foil blocking or even making a proper book for my work. I need to address this in the next module because not only will I actually enjoy trying new things, I will learn something new and my design ideas and work will benefit from it.

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

- I would of loved to have been a bit more experimental with things like foiling and spot varnishing, it just would have been interesting to see how it looked on my designs rather than me just proposing it.

- I wouldnt change my idea at the very last minute, I changed my idea 3 days before module submission which wasnt very smart. I didnt feel like my first idea was any good and I wasnt happy with it so I changed it. Next time I need to make sure I choose an idea that not only will I enjoy but will also work well as a piece of communication.

- I will try not to waste time or be lazy. I know for a fact that I have wasted a lot of time during this module messing about and I think this will definetly reflect in my grade. I had a 'i'll do it tomorrow' attitude and it did not help me at all.

- Try more things and generate more ideas at the beginning so that I have time to develop.

- Be more organised and stay late at uni, I know that if I go home I will get distracted so easily. I get more done when I stay at uni.

// Attendance: 5
// Punctuality: 5
// Motivation: 2
// Commitment: 2
// Quantity of work produced: 3
// Quality of work produced: 3
// Contribution to the group: 3

Design for print: Good is// Progress crit..

Peer feedback//

Comment on the extent to which the research and development of the presented briefs demonstrates a significant understanding of the chosen sunject matter/ problem//

Comments:

- Come along way in terms of research, good contextual research and experimentation of ideas, perhaps a few more drawings (for the booklet) to explore ideas.

- Explored a good range of existing polka dots thats relevant to what you're doing.

Comment on the extent to which the work presented/ proposed exploits the practical and conceptual potential of the brief//

Comments:

- Great experiments with composition and layout, both playful and contemporary. Possible development for merchandise for event/ other products? (You mentioned t-shirts etc). Maybe a bit more information in the book and try and make the circle of text round.

Comment on the proposed range of products/ deliverables/ media/ formats to be produced in response to clearly identified problems/ briefs:

Comments:

- Need to concentrate more on packaging as book and adverts seem quite developed.

- Push the event decoration further, look into whats usually used, huge banners, vinyls, floor vinyls, maybe try the event tickets, posters for while your there.

Additional comments//

- Really good use of black and white, contemporary, modern, sophisticated. Consider your use of stock as this could really effect your print quality/ aesthetics.

- Good shape and format for the book.

- The black and white works really well, if you imagine all the variety of colours that will be used in the show and that its probably best to keep this simple.

- Experiment with print techniques to explore and make more obvious with your original concept of the mathematical values.

- Signage and wayfinding.

- Could maybe try to use a spot colour that just appears in the logo.

Design for print: Good is// wrap it up crit..

This crit is for the packaging task of our 'good'.


Strengths//

- Like designs
- Logo well thought out
- Like the colours
- The logo cutout in the bottle neck works well, looks good

Areas for improvement//

- Needs more continuity
- Needs a bit more refinement on the curves of type
- Have something on the inside
- Consider the inside more
- Consider stock
- Could cover the whole packaging in polka dots

Additional comments//

- Could possibly cut out a few polka dots
- Logo is interesting but quite complicated, doesnt work as well small
- Could have punched out holes with solid colour inside
- Try using grids when putting the polka dots together so they line up more perfect
- Look at pop up business cards

Design for print// Good is// Rationale 3: Final..

Good is// Polka dots in contemporary fashion

Why?

- Polka dots have been used in fashion for well over 150 years.
- Polka dots are now back in fashion and have adapted to contemporary trends.
- They have been applied to many fashion items such as dresses to shoes.
- There are many different types of polka dots that will suite a wide variety of people.
- They continuously come back into fashion, which must mean something.

I intend to// (inform, instruct, persuade, direct, educate, promote to):

I am intending to create an event soley for polka dots. The event will promote the pattern within contemporary fashion and show how it has/ is having/ and will have a huge influence on future and current fashion trends. I want to inform my target audience of the polka dot, educate them about its history and promote it within the fashion industry.

A group of// (identify your specific audience or context):

My target audience will be between the ages of 16-25, they will be males and females who are interested in fashion and contemporary trends. They must also have an interest in fashion history as I will be educating my audience about polka dot history in fashion. I chose to target 16-25 year olds because they will be the new generation of fashion designers who will influence the polka dot pattern in contemporaru fashion trends. I could have focused on all fashionistas, but feel that is too broad.

That// (state your message, idea or concept):

My concept is based around the use of polka dots within contemporary fashion trends. The pattern is being used in different ways to how it used to be and I want to promote this as part of a huge event. I want to try and show how the polka dot pattern could adapt and evolve as we do, and how it could be change into something new and exciting. It has already had a huge influence in fashion from past to present, so it would be interesting to look at how it would influence fashion in the future.

In order to achieve this I will produce// (specify at this point what you aim to produce, the method of delivery, distribution, the context in which it will be viewed):

I am going to propose a big polka dot event, where everything will be polka dots! There will be goody bags and packs to give out to guests. Demonstrations on how to make a polka dot pattern and apply it to a fashion items.

Product// (what is your product):

I am going to design the promotion material for my event, a brand identity, packaging, and packs/ kits that will be given to guests. I am basically trying to 'sell' the concept of polka dots in contemporary fashion to up and coming fashion designers and fashionistas.

Range// (what range of deliverables will you produce/ propose):

As I will be trying to promote polka dots in general and my big polka dot event I will need to design a range of promotional material in order to get my message out to my target audience. Im going to design invitations for the event, billboard adverts to promote the event, flyers that will be distributed in busy shopping areas/ popular fashion retailers and boutique shops, a look book to educate my audience about polka dots in fashion history and in contemporary trends and packaging for my kits, look books and gift bags.

I am going to propose large scale advertisements, printing onto vinal flooring for the event and printing onto marquees. I literally want everything to be polka dot, but I want to use it in a fairly sophisticated way. I dont want to bombard all my designs with a polka dot pattern but I do want to make it obvious that I am promoting the polka dot pattern.

Context// (define the context in which your products will exist/ be viewed):

My small scale promotional material will be given out in busy shopping areas, if they are given out in these sorts of places then they will more than likely be given to my target audience. Big cities will be a main area as they will be good for fashion retailers. The invitations could be sent to colleges and universities that specialise in fashion or that run a fashion courses, this means that they would definetly be interested in contemporary fashion trends and it is being very specific with my target audience and how I communicate with them. By doing this I know that my audience will be reached, whereas handing out flyers in a city centre, you are going to get people who just take a leaflet out of courtesy, but will throw it straight in the bin. Polka dots are also considered quite retro so I could hand out promotional material in vintage boutique shops, which could possibly target a wider audience.

Enterprise and Innovation: Study task 4// Who else is out there? How good are they?..

Task:

Based on the principles that you have been introduced to so far in the enterprise module and your responses to the previous tasks, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of three practitioners or design agencies as objectively as you can.

What opportunities for your own practise have revealed themselves to you as a result of this evaluation and analysis?

In responding to this task you will need to consider the following questions:

Who am I competing against?
What do they offer?
What makes me better?
What makes me different?

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BigFish

what we do

Since we started in 1994 we’ve created over
60 brand identities, over 1,000 items of literature,
and gazillions of packs, written 27 brand strategies,
32 marketing strategies, a hell of a lot of words,
designed & built over 100 websites, art directed
over 1,000 photoshoots, shot many 1,000's of
high definition images in our photographic studio,
written, designed & produced 140 press ads and
have directed & produced our first
cinema commercial.

Source: http://bigfish.co.uk/what_we_do.php

I came across BigFish when I was looking at a box of Clippers tea, BigFish had designed their packaging which was stated on the bottom of the box. So I decided to Google them, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the clients that they had worked with and the awards that they have won. The above piece of information states what they have achieved so far. I think that in terms of branding and identity they have produced some very successful pieces of design, in a style that I am inspired by.

One of many of their strengths is the variety of services that they offer, which reflects through the vast scope of different clients they have worked with. By offering innovative design services for well known brands, gives them a good reputation and will allow new opportunities to rise from this, for them.

Enterprise and Innovation: Study task 3// How will I promote myself?..

Task

Based on the principles that have been introduced in the Enterprise module so far and your findings in previous tasks, evaluate the most suitable marketing methodologies for your own practise and and the most effective methods to reach your potential customers.

It is essential that you make references to some of the methodologies in the 'Marketing communication mix' and evaluate the 'place' that will give you the greatest competitive advantage and be convenient for your clients/ customers.

What do they want to hear?
What should I say to them?
How will I communicate with them?

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My clients will want to know all about me, my strengths, my weaknesses and my personality. I need to inform them of who I am and what I do in a creative and clear way, so that they know what they are getting. If a client/ customer is interested in you and what you have to offer, you have to keep their interest by always surprising them and impressing them. You need to be original and exciting, make yourself stand out from the croud and let them know there is something special about you.

In terms of becoming a teacher and doung this, one thing your potential employer will want to hear is that you are perfect for the job, you are creative, enthusiastic and interesting. This may seem obvious but there is way to do this the right way.

Another Graphic Design area that I am interested in is Branding and Identity. In terms of 'getting myself' out there' in this area I would have to make sure I present myself through my design work with something spectacular! They will want to know and see that my work is original and special and they will want to know that I am the same. They will not want someone average, they will want the best and I have to prove that I can and will be the best designer for them. The important thing within this area of design is that you have to create cutting edge designs, because your roll as a brand and identity designer is to make a company/ business stand out from all other businesses that offer similar services.

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When it comes to what to say to them, you need to tell them what they want to hear and tell them what you want them to know about you. You need to appeal to your client but be honest too. They will have specific traits and skills that they are looking for in someone. Sometimes we are not the right person for everyone, so its best to know exactly what someone is looking for before trying to sell them something they do not need.

//

How you communicate with your client will depend on who they are and what they do and what they need. Education establishments for example will use goverment sources and links or if they are an independant establishment you can contact them directly. Websites are a big way of communicating with an audience, if you created a website about yourself and your work you could then direct your potential client/ customer to your website using mailshots or headed letters. All of this is communication and will be done in a way that is effective to your target market. If I am wanting to do designing on the side (if I was a teacher), I could design a brand identity for myself, including logo design and letter headers etc as well as a memorable business card.

In terms of communicating with a branding studio you will need to be outlandish and maybe slightly crazy to capture their attention and engage with them. Design a business card or creative CV that shows your brand, so that they know exactly what they will be getting. Try and think outside the box, do something that has never been done before and they will recognize that.

This is a good example of thinking outside of the box when it comes to creating an identity for yourself. This designer drew inspiration from an old coin, he then based his business cards around the idea of old money and pirate like gold. He hasnt just printed them out on a nice bit of card, he has literally made them like giant coins that he can hand out to potential clients. His information has been placed around the edge of the coin which again reflects on the original coin of inspiration. The most important thing that I think he has done is made his business card engaging. It is more physical than a standard business card, its almost like you wouldnt want to throw it away or lose it because it is a memorable piece of design.

Enterprise and Innovation// Study task 2: Who are they? How will they find me?..

Task:

Based on the principles that have been introduced so far in the Enterprise module, as well as the previous tasks, investigate, analyse and evaluate where your potential clients are located. You will need to consider the following questions:

- Where are my potential clients/ employers located?
- What media do my potential clients/ employers use?
- What do you need to communicate and how does it match what your clients/ employers need?

Analyse and compare these examples in relation to the Political, Economical, Social and Technological (PEST analysis) factors that effect their use of Graphic Design, choice of designer and trends that will influence their decisions regarding Graphic Design.

Once you have done this summarise your findings by focussing on one example and discussing how the clients location and/ or media will effect what you need to communicate to them and how you might go about doing this.

This is an exercise exploring and applying PEST analysis and related theories- it is not appropriate to write about the theory itself. Demonstrate your understanding of it by actually using it.

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From the last task which looked at who my potential clients are and what I am thinking of doing as a career, I am now going to look at where I could find my clients and how would I adapt my way of designing etc to suit the needs of the client in order to appropriatly and effectively communicate and connect with them.

I am currently thinking of working in the educational sector in terms of design and being creative. One thing that I am considering once I have graduated is doing a PGCE which is a one year teaching course. Therefore my potential clients/ employers would be places like schools, colleges and universities or in fact any place that is educational. There could be other places rather than just the obvious, I could look at how I would communicate with galleries and design museums, as they are educational creative places.

The schools for example could be anywhere, as they are obviously located in all sorts of places around the world. If I am going to focus on being an educator within the creative industry I need to find specific educational establishments that specialise in design and creative subjects. But then again I could go to a normal school and teach design to children who may not fully understand what it is. This will enable me to teach them something new, rather than teaching kids who already know about design.

If my potential clients/ employers are anywhere around the world, this will allow me to choose where I want to work and still do the same thing. If there is a particular country I wanted to work in, then it will be possible because schools are everywhere.

//

In terms of communicating with clients and employers within this area, I will need to think about what they look at in day to day life, what networking events they go to and how I can communicate with them through the ways in which they would live their lives if they were teachers etc. There will be things like educational organisations and events where potential empolyers may go to gather new information to help with their teaching programs. Teachers will also use the internet quite a lot to gather information and do research, this could be a way in which I communicate with them by sending emails and creating an interactive website and/ or blog for them to look at.

Teacher training days, websites to do with education, galleries and museums and other places of learning. I need to put something out there that shows I can offer something new and exciting and make it appeal to a teaching audience, if I promote something that isnt worth while to a teaching program and the pupils then they wont look twice at it.

//

If I really want to become a teacher I need to show that I am out going, enthusiastic, creative and knowledgable. Educational establishments look at new employers to have good communications skills, patience and good understanding of what they will actually be teaching to children. I will need to have a good portfolio of work and possibly industrial experience. This means I will need to gain experience within a design field before teaching to show that I really do know what I am on about and im passionate about it.

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Another thing that I would be interested in doing as a career would be a branding and identity designer.
My potential clients/ employers would be existing companies/ organisations that feel like a re brand or upcoming businesses that need to create an identity. Potential clients would use the internet and design events to find a designer to do their branding. I would need to be there and waiting with business cards and a portfolio. If I were at an event I would be organised and networking to get myself out there. This is where business cards become very important because they are something that need to be memorable and easy to give to anyone, anywhere at anytime!

Enterprise and Innovation: Lecture 4, 6 Easy steps..

How to successfully promote yourself in 6 easy ways

- advertising
- merchandising
- publicity
- exhibitions
- personal selling
- sponsorship
- and so on..

Every day we each see around 5000 different advertisements and visual offers. There is so much noise and too much for us to take in. As designers our job is to make ourselves and our work stand out against everything else that is out there. We have to offer something special and original so that we get clients who really want to work with us.

Here are the 6 easy steps:

- 0// Do nothing, get nothing

This is pretty obvious, your only going to stand out if you try your best to do so. You will only get out of it what you put into it.

- 1// Get their attention:

Memorable business card
Advertising
Events
Radio interviews
Write articles
Run a blog
Exploit social media
Publicity

- 2// Build their interest:

Website
Portfolio
Information packs
Catalogue
Curation
Exhibitions

- 3// Convince them:

Artist statement
Value statement
Recommendations
Testimonials
Awards
Community engagement
Professional bodies
Charity events

- 4// Make your offer irresistable:

Value proposition
Pricing strategies
Packaging
Try before you buy
Recommendations
Differentiation

- 5// Close the sale:

Convenience
Buy it now
The right time, the right place
Delivery
Personal selling
Interactive website

- 6// Reinforce:

Aftersales service
Advertising
Personal relations
Longivity
Merchandising
Maintaining contact
Building relationships

AIDA//

Attention, Interest, Desire, Action, Ignorance, Attention, Interest, Conviction, Desire, Action, Reinforce.

- Never see a sale as an end, it is just the beginning of the relationship you could build with that client. Dont burn bridges, build them. If you can build a healthy and trustworthy relationship with a client, not only will they use you again but potentially recommend you to others.

- Thats how and what= who?// Everybody
- There is no such thing as a product for everyone, it isnt appealing if it is for everyone.
- You must define your target market audience, be specific.

- The use of Facebook has become very important when using advertising to target a particular audience. This minimises waste ads and spam, it is also known as hyper targeting.

- Media usage
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Radio/ TV
- Internet
- Social media
- Trade magazines
- Public space advertising

B2B// Business to Business

- Make it personal, make sure it gets to the right person

- Media usage
- Specialist industry magazines
- Marketing magazines
- Business magazines
- Radio in the car
- Airline magazine
- Industry exhibitions
- Conferences
- Networking events
- Broadsheet newspapers

This is all about looking at your target markets lifestyle and choosing the right way of getting your message to them. If its a stay at home mum that you are targeting then you wouldnt advertise in a business magazine.

- Consumer segmentation
- Demographics
- Geographical factors
- Lifestyle
- Media usage

These are all important factors to consider when you are trying to target a particular audience in a particular place, they must be wearing the right hat at the right time.

- Dont assume they will see your advertisements if they are not in the right frame of mind to do so.

Good is: Revised Rationale two..

After having a feedback crit with my peers and looking at my initial concept boards, I have revised my rationale to suit my changed idea for the brief based on the feedback I recieved from my peers.

Good is polka dots in contemporary fashion//

Why?//

- Polka dots have been used in fashion for well over 150 years.

- They have had a huge influence in fashion throughout the years, including mens, womens and childrens wear.

- Now they have come back into fashion and can be found on more than just clothing. Homeware is now a big market for the polka dot.

- There are such a huge variety of polka dot patterns which means there is a polka dot for everyone. These vary from small dots and large spaces to large dots and small spaces etc.

- The way in which the polka dot is being applied in fashion means that it is evolving to fit in with modern culture, it is also bringing back the vintage look as the polka dot was a huge fashion unfluence in the 1930s- 50s.

I intend to/ inform, instruct, persuade, direct, educate, promote to//

- I intend to promote the polka dot within contemporary fashion. I want people to understand why it is a huge influence in fashion and how it can be diversly used. I would also like to educate people the history of the polka dot in fashion to see how it has evolved and adapted.

A group of/ Identify your specific audience or context//

- My target audience will be fashion enthusiasts who attend/ are interested in London Fashion Week. I want my target audience to be focused around the age of 16-30 year olds. I am aiming my project at this age as they are the younger generation who will have the biggest opportunity to really put the polka dot back on the fashion map in a modern age. They have the chance to change the way it is used in fashion and make it a pattern that is used massively in contemporary fashion.

That/ State your message, idea or concept//

- I am going to try and communicate the importance and huge influence the polka dot pattern is having in contemporary fashion. By doing this I hope to influence the younger fashion generation to continue to use the polka dot in fashion but by adding a modern twist to it. I do believe that the polka dot has the ability to evolve and adapt to modern fashion and therefore it keeps itself in fashion. Often people say that by wearing polka dot clothing today makes them look 'vintage', the polka dot needs to be made its own thing again within fashion today, rather than always being associated with an older fashion generation.

In order to achieve this I will produce/ Specify at this time what you want to produce, the method of delivery, distribution, the context in which it will be viewed//

- I am wanting to create a polka dot promotion brand, that purely promotes the use of the polka dot in contemporary fashion. I will create a look book that shows the different polka dot patterns and fashions that they have been used in. The look book will allow me to look at editorial design and the different ways in which I can use print to produce the final product. I also want to propose billboard designs that will promote the polka dot in association with London Fashion week. I aim to create promotional material such as flyers and mailshots to send to the target audiences of London Fashion week. They will contain information about the polka dot. I want to produce fairly simple designs that really capture peoples attention, this is where print becomes important. My products will be viewed within and around London Fashion week, I will propose the use of a stall and a catwalk specifically for polka dots.

Range/ What range of deliverables will you produce, propose//

- I will be proposing  a catwalk set up, which will include large posters or printed stickers for the catwalk. I will have my look book that will be packaged and given out during the Fashion week. The billboard is another deliverable I am going to look into. I could also have large scale posters created that would be placed on buildings around fashion stores to promote the polka dot at London Fashion Week.

Context/ Define the context in which your products will exist, be viewed//

- I am using London Fashion Week as a way of promoting polka dots within contemporary fashion. This week is a huge fashion event held every year in London where all the top fashion designers and new and upcoming designers come to 'showcase' their latest designs. This is where new trends are set, if I can make an impact during this week then whose to say that next year the polka dot could play a whole new role within fashion.

Good is: Concept crit// Peer feedback..

This feedback was given to me by 4 members of my peer group. The aim of the crit was for my peers to give me feedback on my concept and how I can develop it.

Comment on the extent to which the initial research and development of the concept demonstrates a significant understanding of the chosen subject matter:

Comments// Good level of exploration but only fashion and clothing looked at initially. Look at how it can be applied outisde of fashion. Be clearer that you are focusing on the mechanics of the patterns.

Comment on the extent to which the concept proposal exploits the practical and conceptual investigation and application of Design for Print:

Comments// Range of print is quite limiting, further exploitation needs to be explored.

Comment on the proposed range of products to be produced in response to a clearly identified problem:

Comments// Range of products is good, look at branding as a whole.

Additional comments:

- Its not so much about the designs on the t-shirt but the brand and range.

- Refocused audience- polka dots classicly associated with women- I could see men wearing these t-shirts.

- Maybe look at ads rather than doing a catalogue, think of your time frame.

- Explore different colour schemes.

Action plan:

// Actions:

- Range of products needs to surpass that of t-shirts, dont limit yourself.
- Reason// A fashion brand sells on 'look' and not just individual products. What makes it 'cool' in a sense. TARGET AUDIENCE?

- Branding as a whole, dont just focus on what consumers would need.
-Reason// Focus on creating a strong and full identity.

- Look at the possibilities of the mathematical side.
- Reason// How the equations can be incorporated into the designs and used seperately to create seamless and a complete range of designs.

Good is: Concept crit..

The feedback below is in relation to my 4 concept boards and the ideas and research which I have proposed for this brief.


Strengths:

- Researched into history followed up by more modern uses.
- Development of the polka dot.
- Clever logo design.
- Considered packaging

Areas for improvement:

- Work on the message to the audience (polka dot isnt dead).
- Need to consider types of print to carry out the work.
- Maybe make the logo more legible.
- Need to be creative with packaging designs.
- Look at how the polka dots work aesthectically, how/ why do we like them, what is appealing?

Additional comments:

- Modernising the polka dot- hard to wear polka dots without trying to look retro. Bringing it to current trends? Appealing to peoples geeky side. Create a look book rather than a catalogue/ not so much info.

- Logo maybe too similar to the '69' symbol- Maybe make 'pd' more legible. You want your logo to stand alone and not remind you of anything else.

Good is// Rationale one..

Good is polka dots in contemporary fashion.

Why?

- Polka dots have been used in fashion for well over 150 years.
- Polka dots are now being applied to so many different things.
- The polka dot is now back in fashion, which means it holds great influence.
- Polka dots can be found in fashions for almost anyone.
- There is a polka dot pattern to suite various styles/ people and personalities.

I intend: Inform/ instruct/ persuade/ direct/ educate/ promote// to promote a fashion brand which uses the finer details of polka dot patterns within their designs.

A group: Identify your specific audience or context// of 16-25 year old fashion enthusiasts who appreciate polka dots and the finer details in contemporary fashion.

That: State your message, idea or concept// Polka dots are interesting and currently have a huge influence on contemporary fashion, therefore they should be informed about how they are being used in fashion now.

In order to achieve this I will produce: Specify at this point in time what you aim to produce, the method of delivery/ distribution/ the context in which it will be viewed// a brand identity and fashion designs for a polka dot inspired clothing line. Delivered through promotional material of the brand.

Product: What is your product// My product is a new clothing line inspired by the finer details of polka dot patterns. I will design t-shirts and other clothing.

Range: What range of deliverables will you produce/ propose// I want to design the t-shirts, packaging (shopping bags), brand identity and clothing tags.

Context: Define the context in which your products will exist/ be viewed// I will design a proposal for a new shop (boutique) where my clothing would be sold. I could also design a catalogue exhibiting my clothing range which could be distributed through larger retailers with a strong interest in contemporary fashion.

Study task 2// Group Tutuorial prep: Industrial experience..

Task:

Identify at least five responses to each question and find appropriate primary and secondary sources of information (including visual material) that will supprt your findings. You will need these at your group tutorial and will form the basis for the group discussion.

Use your findings to develop initial ideas about your own views, opinions, aims and ambitions in relation to industrial experience, internships and/or work placement opportunities.

Summarise your research in a set of 10 short but qualified statements posted to your blog.

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1// What is Industrial Experience?

When I think of industrial experience I think of work placements, visits and internships. Work experience is something most of us had to do at school, so I sort of know how that works. I guess its very different at our level of learning, you have to come across more professional in order to get someone to take you on for a few days, they will want to know you are keen to learn and genuinly interested about learning about their profession. Work experience can count from as little as a day to a month or more. Work experience is unpaid but if you make the most out of it the experience will be invaluable! Being lucky enough to experience working with a professional business is something you can put on your CV to help you get more placements. Also with it being a hands on experience, it will allow you/ help you to decide on whether or not it is something you could/ would want to do as a career.

Visits are another thing that could really help you understand an industry you were considering going into. Visits could include studios, printers, companies, galleries, pretty much anywhere that is related to what you want to do. This isnt as full on as work experience but it still allows you to ask questions about the profession and find out all sorts but from an outside point of view. I think visiting places you are considering looking into work placement for before you jump in at the deep end is a good idea. That way you find out if its worth you comitting anymore time to it if you dont actually think you'll enjoy it. I think that visits are a good starting point too because they are probably easier to organise than actual work placements.

Now I think Internships are the hardest to find, they are sort of like the apprenticeships of the HE world. They are something you could maybe build up to. Find places to visit, see if you like it, if you like it sweet talk the professionals and ask about a few days work placement, once you have built bridges with a few studios/ businesses etc ask them if there is any chance you could arrange an internship with them. Its all about getting in there and making connections with people, if you show your keen they'll be interested!

2// What can you learn from Industrial experience?

There is so much you can learn from industrial experience, not just about a particular industry but about yourself too. It allows you to experience all of the career ideas you had and decide whether you still want to pursue them. You learn what skills you need to have to work in a particular industry, what sort of person you need to be, how committed you need to be etc. The more experience you gain the more you will learn and the more you will find out what it is you want to do and who you want to be.

You could make a visit to a paper making factory just because your fascinated by how paper is made and how they create different paper weights and stocks. It doesnt mean that you want to make paper as a career but it gives you an insight of how things work and where things come from that are an important part of Graphic Design!

In a way its up to you what you want to learn, it can be anything. Maybe you want to learn how to manage your time better, contact a freelancer and find out how they organise their time.Maybe you want to learn how to print onto a metal tin, contact a printers that does it and go and find out.

3// What form/ format could Industrial Experience take?

I think Industrial experience can take many forms, it all depends on what you want to get out of it, how you want to do it and what you want to learn. I think that it can be from anything from an email to a visit. If your wanting to learn something where maybe a visit isnt needed then an email or phonecall still counts as industrial experience in my eyes. You are still contacting and talking to professionals and asking them things about their career that you want to know. If you email or ring a professional for a question you may well end up going to visit anyway.

Studio visits or visiting places of interest are probably the next level to phone calls and emails. It allows you to go and look around a studio, factory etc. You most probably get a grand tour and a narration of how it all works. This gives you the chance to present yourself to a professional, ask them lots of questions, take lots of photos and most of all learn about things first hand by seeing it all. Visits may be a little easier to organise with professionals, than say placements, it means they will probably have the time to show you around when they have a free half day. By meeting someone first hand like this it allows them to also get to know you, which then means you may be able to build bridges with them and ask for placement.

Placement is the next level in my eyes. By going on a few visits, you have built bridges with a professional. Placements can be anything from a day to a month or more, the longer you can get, possibly the better (if you enjoy it). Placements allow you to get involved, I guess its a bit more hands on, whether thats making coffee or photocopying, your still getting involved. Everyone has to start at the bottom to get to the top!

You've then got internships, which are like work placements but longer. Internships are almost like trials, the professionals get the chance to really get to know you and how you work. You get a real taster out of it and I guess it allows you to decide/ or even just help, on what you might want to do as a future career.

4// What areas of industry are you interested in?

I think that the more I learn on the course, the more I change my mind of what I am interested in! I have been considering a few things lately and I want to gain some experience in them to make my mind up. The first one is teaching, theres just something about a teacher that can be so inspiring to others and ive found that alot since coming to LCA. Teachers have the ability to really motivate and inspire someone. If I was to become a teacher I would obviously want to teach Graphic Design as I would be able to share my knowledge, I would want to teach GCSE level as I think this is a crucial point of a young persons life. It where they decide what they are going to do at college which could then lead onto uni and then work. I want to be able to teach them loads about Graphic Design, so that if they did have an interest in it they can pursue their interest at a higher level. I did Graphic Design at GCSE level and I wasnt entirely sure what it was, I then did ND Art and Design at college and focused on Graphic Design. I started to understand more but not as much as I would have liked. I want to be a teacher that helps students at that age to understand what Graphic Design is before they pursue it.

Another area that im interested in is branding and identity. I really enjoy designing logos and find that it makes me think more outside the box and allows me to understand my visual communication skills and how to use them, so I can create a simple logo with a big meaning and a clear message. After doing the logo challenge that Fred set us (see design practise blog) I just really began enjoying logo design. I just think its pretty cool how a small word or image can represent someone and sometimes logo designs can be so clever!

Something else that I find interesting is editorial, although I dont know if I would want to pursue it as a career, its just that I have started to actually use InDesign properly now and I really enjoy playing around with layout. The print manual brief was enjoyable because I experimented with layout and really liked the final outcome. This would be useful to organise experience in because I am undecided about it at this moment in time.

Type is also beginning to catch my attention. Obviously I know some stuff about type, but the sessions with Graham have really started to interest me. Again I think its really interesting and cool how you can use the written word to communicate something, just by changing the font, weight or point size.

5// What are your concerns about Industrial Experience?

My main concern is not knowing where to start?! I know we are told start anywhere, but I feel this is easier said than done. If I was going to write an email to a studio for a visit, I wouldnt have a clue what to write. I have a slight lack of confidence when it comes to ringing strangers too, which isnt good. I just dont know how you go about asking people for visits ect.

I know and understand why Industrial Experience is so important and I know that I need to gain experience to help me decide what I want to do as a career.
To be honest I dont think I have any other concerns apart from not being able to get any experience at all! I guess its just one of those things where you've just got to pull yourself together and get on with it.

I know that we will get a lot of help and guidance on where to start and how to prepare ourselves. This is a big concern for me, obviously I am creative or I wouldnt be on the course, but its things like writing a CV and designing a business card that I am fretting about because I dont know who I am yet.


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Here are some creative CV's that I found on this website:

http://creativenerds.co.uk/inspiration/20-creative-resume-designs-which-will-amaze-any-potential-employer/

I found some really cool creative CV's on this website. I think that this will be something very important when it comes to looking for industrial experience because it allows you to tell someone who you are and what your about in a creative way that they will not only understand but also engage with. This above CV uses the format of a Google search, its a really clever idea as Google is so well known. It makes it fun, easy to read and engaging.

 

I really liked this one because it was in the style of an old newspaper advertising section. It is unique to the designer and their style of design. This is good because it allows the company/ studio to gain an understanding of what the intern is inspired by and how they work.

This CV is inspired by video gaming. It's an interesting way to show the strengths of the individual in a fun way. I dont think its one of the best looking CV's but I think it's a really clever idea and if it means that this is what represents the designer then good for them.

This one has a really engaging layout, you have to move it around to be able to read it as there are lots of different angles. I like the style of this one, it has a hand rendered illustration feel which I think feels more personal and creative.

Enterprise and Innovation: Value// what are you worth?..

- Why do people need the creative industry?
- What is the value of our creativity?

- Drucker: 'Innovation is the tool of  entrepreneurship.'

' Creativity is a process by which culture is changed'

- Mihaly:

'Creativity is the act of seeing things that everyone else sees whilst making connections that no one else has made.'

- Creatives help to interpret the world and help others see it in a different way.

- Philip Cotler:

- C: Creating
- C: Communicating
- D: Delivering
- V: Value
- T: To a target market
- P: At a profit

- Project management: Creating value
- Brand management: Communicating value
- Customer management: Delivering value

- Open technology, open innovation
- A brand is a promise, it should inspire everything you do, practically and emotionally.

- Co creating with customers means you get to know your target market and find out what they really want and need. By working closely with your customers you can find out what they love and what makes them tick.

- Creatives are people who collabrate with other creates to get the most out of what they want to achieve, its an open source.

- As people and living in an ever evolving society our needs have actually not changed that much from 10s of thousands of years ago. We still need food, water, sleep, shelter, all basic needs in order for us to survive.

- We need each other to socialise with and co operate with, we work together and thrive as we cannot do it alone.

- We do have symbols of heirarchy though so represent our social status, simple things like office door signs, the clothes we wear or even where we buy our food. These are all symbols to show heirarchy status. Its like animals in many ways, the deer with the biggest antlers would be alpha etc.

- We also have spiritual needs, we have to constantly challenge ourselves, whether it be climbing a mountain or becoming part of a religion, it is for our personal satisfaction.

- Maslow's heirarchy of need:

1: Pyhsiological: These needs are essential to our survival// breathing, food, water, sex, sleep

2: Safety: We have a need to feel safe and comfortable// security of our bodies, family, morality,health

3: Love/ Belonging: We need that sense of belonging// friendship, family, sexual intamacy

4: Esteem: We need to feel like we can do anything// self esteem, confidence, achievement, respect

5: Self actualization: This is more spiritual// morality, creativity, problem solving

- Design is applied psychology
- Engineering is applied science
- Art is applied philosophy

- An important value to have is to be forever useful and entertaining, keep telling people why you are useful, dont lose your place, stay at the top of your game, keep delivering with useful ideas, stay interesting in peoples minds.

- Where is the money?
// Greatest human needs = greatest market potential: food industry, housing, medicine, transport
// Reduced human needs = lower market potential: organic farming, health spas, luxury sports car

- Value propositions:
// Short, specific, customer language, passing the seat of the pants test.

- Value proposition definition:

A value proposition is a promise of value to be delivered and a belief from the customer of value that will be experienced. A value proposition can apply to an entire organization, or parts thereof, or customer accounts, or products or services.

- Specific aims: These set out the difference you hope to make// Outcomes.
- Objectives: These set out how we plan to go about achieving our aims// Output.

Who am I, who are they?

Task:

Write a list of all the possible client groups that use Graphic Design in the development, production, distribution, promotion and/ or communication of their products or services. Identify one client group that reflects your current ambitions within the Graphic Design area (music industry, retail, publishing, education etc) and focus on identifying:

- What skills/ interests you have and how they relate to the needs of your client group?
- What skills are needed and what skills do you want to develop?
- What are your professional/ creative aims and how do they relate to the needs of the client group?

There are so many different client groups that use Graphic Design within their industry, whether it be to promote, distribute or communicate their products. Theres the small clients like local take aways for example, someone designs their menus, okay they may sometimes look crap but its still Graphic Design and they are using it to inform their customers what they have to offer. You can then start looking at larger client groups, things like the Argos catalogue, they have an in house Graphic designer who works on designing the catalogue (editorial design) and also all the POS material (point of sale). Graphic design is everywhere, from road signs (a typographer would have designed the typeface for them) to instruction manuals to credits at the end of a movie (digital designer) the list is endless!

In terms of looking at the 4 P's in relation to the task I have picked an example to look at:

- Argos/ large retail companies:

- Product: Argos for example offers thousands of products in its catalogues and even more online, because they offer such a large amount of different products they have become popular for having a product for everyone. Theres products such as watches to lawnmowers to kids toys!

- Price: One of Argos's values is to provide great value! They strive to provide affordable prices for everyone by offering a high and low end cost for a range of products. This means that they can extend their customer audience. One main line that offers great value is the Argos value range, they then also work with other manafacturers of high quality to sell to customers who can pay that bit more. They dont restrict their sales by only selling expensive products. Many students shop at Argos because things are so cheap.

- Place: Argos now has about 500 stores in the UK and Ireland, they have small stores in villages to large stores which have sofas on show. They have been made accessable to most of the UK.

- Promotion: In terms of their promotion and getting themselves out there, they have their catalogue, website, POS in store, their delivery lorries, leaflets and flyers and tv advertising. When a new catalogue is launched twice a year, the company sets targets to distribute X amount within the first week, the first few days are crucial to them as the more people to own a catalogue, the more people that are likely to purchase their products.

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1/ What skills/ interests do I have and how do they relate to the needs of my client group?

One main value of mine is the ability to help people. I am the sort of person that wants to give, give, give. From helping someone with work or just giving them a shoulder to cry on. I love helping people and making people happy. I know that as a Graphic Designer you would have to be a person like that, but I mean it in a different context. I would love to teach someone something valuable or make someones day by getting them involved in something new. I am a very generous person, at christmas I spend more than I need to just because I like giving. Time is also another thing I give, just being there for someone to talk to or using my time to help someone else.

I guess that skills and interests along these lines means that I would be good at teaching or running creative workshops.

2/ What skills are needed and what skills do you want to develop?

If I was thinking of becoming a teacher as a career I would need to have a great deal of patience as young people can sometimes be a handful or not understand something, I would need to be able to have the patience to sit and go through something 100 times if that young person needed me to. I would need to be knowledgable and aware too. Something that I would like to work on is my confidence, even now in my 2nd year I still dont feel like I am as confident as I should be/ would like to be. I dont always have faith in my ideas when I am sharing them with a group and I often find it hard to explain an idea that I have in my head to other people. If I was to become a teacher I would need to be able to have good communication skills and the ability to explain things to people confidently and fluently.

3/ What are your professional/ creative aims and how do they relate to the needs of the client group?

Teaching is something I am strongly considering at the moment, it gives me a chance to give something back and to share my knowledge with other, it also means I can insire young people to become involved in the creative industry. I would also love to set up a charity/ business where I provide creative opportunities for disadvantaged yound people, like working in community centres doing work shops to keep yound people out of trouble and get them inspired to be creative. Another ambition is to open a small shop where I can sell pieces of my work and maybe do some freelancing. I know that if im wanting to do any of this I am going to have to work reallly, really hard. With the idea of starting my own business I know im going to have to try my hardest to understand Enterprise and Innovation and make the most of what it is teaching me, as it is invaluable!

If I was to start my own business I would need to write a clear business plan of what I am going to provide, who I am going to provide to and the reasoning behind my idea.

Enterprise and Innovation: Lecture 2, Ideas and Opportunities..

Notes:

- What is an idea? occurs anytime, to anybody, anywhere, randomly, seldom materialise

- What is an oppportunity? environmental factors emerge, the right conditions, the right place, the right time

- converting idea into opportunity, knowledge needed

- to convert an idea into an opportunity you need to find out infromation to see if your idea would be practical and realistic

- supply and demand: whose already supplying a service similar to your idea

- P.E.S.T: politics, economics, socialialogical factors and technology, you can apply a pest ananlysis can be applied to anything

- idea/ opportunity that worked at the right time: the concorde

- with any idea/ opportunity you need to be aware of whats going on around you, are you aware? do you have an informed opinion, politics are local, national and international.

- you will need to consider things like trade laws, tax breaks, human rights and legislation

- other things to consider are: work/life balance, eco awareness, ageism, debt recovery etc

- what kind of creative are you? revolutionary or evolutionary

- are you a manager or an opportunist?

- are you cautious or a risk taker?

- what is a creative entrepreneur?

- own worker: one man bnad type thing/ freelancing, you are in charge, downfalls you are limited by your own capacity but you are in charge of your destiny.

- owner manager: this is where you still are in charge but you have an assistant to, things like this work in small creative practises or business partnerships.

- owner entrepreneur: project managers, coordinators, directing other people to create work for you, for example Damian Hirst is an owner manager, he finds others to do their work whilsts they come up with the concepts.

- where do opportunities come from?

- trends, technical development, political change, economic boom and slump, human need, problems

- Nike had a problem with the grip on their shoes, they found an opportunity to convert an idea they had and thats when the waffle sole was born

- Innocent smoothies found a problem, its hard being healthy in modern society, they started their business at music festivals selling smoothies, theyre recipes then hit high supply and demand thus giving them a successful business now. They looked at what the customer wanted and delivered.

- opportunities: technological push and market pull, the pull is a new product/ service or concept and the pull is what the market demands

- where does the creative fit in?

- project management, you need to know how to find the right people to help you, you need to know where to source stuff, work with a team, you need to be able to work with all kinds of people, be optimistic and have good communication skills.

- project management skills;

- 1: define the problem
- 2: build confidence
- 3: problem solving
- 4: risk analysis
- 5: physical resources
- 6: planning skills
- 7: human resources
- 8: quality control

- all = communication

- so you think you've spotted an opportunity?

- look at the skills, technicals and process

- appitudes: teamworking: entrepreneurs do not do it alone

- predisposition: risk/caution, evolution/revolution, manager/opportunist

- how do you know if you have a good opportunity?

- you need to look at competitors: how many already provide a similar service to yours? how well are they doing it? what do they do well? what could you improve upon with your service?

- supply and demand factors:

- assessing competitors: their strengths and weaknesses, opportunities, what threats do they bring, do a PEST ananlysis and remember the four P's, use all this to examine your competitors to determine whether or not the opportunity is worth it.

- asses the quality of the opportunity for the benefits of yourself, the customer, the planet and other stakeholders and anybody who would be effected by your business.

- internal environment: your skills, resources and lifestyle
- micro environment: network of friends, competitors, suppliers, local community and stakeholders
- macro environment: world market conditions, economics, technology, social trends, politics, the environment and anything that is out of your control.

- SWOT analysis:

- strengths
- weaknesses
- opportunities
- threats

- PEST: step, steep, steeple
- SWOT analysis for personal, own business and opportunity spotting

Enterprise and Innovation Lecture 1: How to get yourself out there..

Notes:

- Marketing ideas, self promotion.

- www.designcouncil.org
- www.artscouncil.org

- Marketing/ advertising/ market research, not just about selling a product or just yourself, its about understanding what people want.

- Apple: people prefer their products because they love the style of his product so much they could lick them/ they have an emotional connection with Apple.

- Harley Davidson owners sometimes tattoo branding on them, emotional connection, part of their personality.

- All businesses try to develop relationships with their consumers.

- 6 functions:

- customer needs
- developing right prices
- promote products effectively
- identify best distribution
- add value to the products/ extra benefits
- monitor the performance of the product/ get feedback/ get the customer involved

- how do small businesses do all this?
- they build bridges/ networks with other companies for help and support
- Seth Godin

- Marketing basics: universally known, the four P's

- product: service, object, design service etc complete with personality/attention to detail/ politics etc value proposition, emotional attachments to a product which makes it stand out from the rest.

- price: get the price right/ make or break it, understand how much customers want to pay for your product, dont over or under price your product, understand the people you are selling to.

- place: not just about location/ where you are going to make it available, about population, atmosphere, enviroment, the kind of services you feel need to be attached to your services/ how you promote yourself and product/ websites, posters, leaflets, depends on where, you need to know what you will use to go where.

-promotion: how will you promote yourself/ 5000 different messages everyday/ overwhelmed by messages all day, you must be unique, dont do the same as everyone else. be resourceful, use all your personality and imagination

AIDA ATTENTION, INTEREST, DESIGN AND ACTION

promotion is never effective if its one off/ keep their attention until they desire to engage with you or your product, not until then will they buy/ invest/ colaborate/ raise awareness/ give them information, tell them your values, capture their desire.

- What are my values and special personality traits??

- 5 values:

- Equality, I dont like people who judge others because of how they look, what they do and where their from

- Im a vegetarian, I know that me not eating meat wont save the animals but it makes me feel better.

- Recycling is important to me, I think its always good to re use old things, I often pop into charity shops to buy things, one mans rubbish is another mans riches!

- Being friendly, a smile or hello can make someones day. I work in Argos and often have long conversations with customers. One lady made me cry as she said my mum must be proud to have a daughter like me and another man told me his life story. Its nice just to talk to people like people.

- Helping others, I want a job where I know I will be giving something worth while back, whether that means I teach as a career or help design promotion material for a charity.


- 5 personality traits:

- Great sense of humour, Im not a serious person but I am when I need to be

- Thoughtful, Im always thinking about others and how I can help someone

- Ive been told I can be quite motherly, in terms of being organised and organising others

- Optimistic, I have a very optimistic attitude, always look on the bright side of life!

- Perfectionist, I can be quite fussy about details. I used to have bad OCD, everything still has its place. I like to put time and effort into everything to make sure its the best that it can be.

Be honest, be yourself, be bold and use your unique qualities.

Why am I here- What do I want to learn?..

5 reasons why I chose to study on this programme:

- I heard so many great things about Leeds and the universities, that was when I started looking at courses within the city. I did look at Leeds Met but the course didnt seem to cover a lot.

- If im being honest I didnt come to an open day so I wasnt sure what the college was like in real life, I had only seen from the website and the prospectus. But after I had come for my interview I just knew that this was the uni for me, there was just something about it!

- My interview was different and more creative which made me even more excited about getting onto the course. The questionaire and chit chat with a tutor made me feel so relaxed, and the tutors were so passionate which is always a good sign.

- The course structure itself is so well thought out, everything that you need to know to become successful in a Graphic Design career is covered. Also simple things like having so much contact with your tutors was brilliant, I know some courses leave you to get on with it and you may not see your tutors more that once a fortnight!

- Once I had been to my interview I just had my heart set on this course, I had told my parents that if I didnt get in I would take a gap year and re apply! I cried when I got!


5 things that I want to learn during my time on the programme:

- The first thing that I really want to learn is who I am in terms of Graphic design, I want to learn what I love and what I hate. To find this out I know im going to have to try lots of new things and be open to new experiences.

- I want to become a pro at the Adobe suite, im slowly getting there day by day. Sometimes I just lack the confidence or motivation to really try and not give up when things get tricky. One particular thing would be to master tracing or creating all shapes using Illustrator, at the moment if its curved its just not happening!

- I want to learn how to write a banging CV and covering letter and also how to write emails to studios and designers that I want to visit. My CV is rubbish and I dont even know what a covering letter is for. As for emails I always write them too informally and chatty!

- I would love to set up my own website, at this moment in time I wouldnt know where to start. Learning how to make a website and how it all works etc would be so useful.

- A list of 5 thinsg really isnt long enough, I want to learn everything and anything. You can never learn to much, im open to trying new things and learning new techniques and skills, I guess i'll have to see what the year brings!


5 skills that I think are my strengths:

- I think that my people skills have grown a lot since starting first year. I found it hard to explain my ideas to my peers and tutors during crits and I also found it hard to give feedback. I think it has grown because of the different ways we did crits and presentations, it has helped me loads!

- I am a fairly well organised person, although sometimes I do find myself leaving things till the last minute I always met deadlines and got things done. I have a part time job too which can sometimes leave me with less time to do things but this year im determind to work hard on the course and save some money too. Im also fairly good when it comes to time management, I always get to uni and work 20 minutes before im due to start!

- I have a basic knowledge of how to use the Adobe suite, although im not an expert yet I do feel that its one of my strengths to be able to use the programs independently.

- I am willing to try new things out rather than sticking in my comfort zone, last year I tried screen printing for one brief as I hadnt done much of it before, I also had a go at designing t-shirts, stickers and packaging. Something is always worth trying whether or not it works. I try not to limit myself with coming up with one final design or idea, I try to try a few things to then decide which would be the better and most appropriate option/ method.

- I am a big fan of hand crafting and I think I can say that is a strength. Some people I speak to about the course think that Graphic Design is all computer based, which its obviously not. Last year I hand crafted 100 pairs of card glasses for the collection 100 brief, a new flat mate of mine saw the montage of photos that I made into a poster and asked who bought it! I told him I made it and the glasses and he was astonished :) So I guess I can say its a good skill to have.


5 things that I want to improve:

- I want to improve my people skills and ability to work in a group. Its not that I dont like working in a group (although sometimes I do), I just lack confidence in my ideas when im working in a group. I always think that my ideas are silly, I often just go with the flow even when I dont agree. Maybe I just need to be brave and speak up!

- I want to on my critical studies, last year I found it really interesting but it often confused me. There are a lot of long words and information to take in. I need to ask for help when I need it and research something if im not entirely sure what it is or means. I also need to complete tasks when I get them.

- I would love to do a bit more of my own work this year, that isnt linked with uni. I know some people have Behance, Etsy and websites set up where they are selling work and putting themselves out there. I always think im not ready for doing that but I think its more down to me not having confidence in myself.

- It would be useful for me to improve on my overall knowledge. It does sound like a silly thing to want to improve, but I mean in terms of technical words and meanings and just basic knowledge of being a Graphic designer. I want to become a Graphic designer dictionary and know all the fancy words and meanings!

- It would be really useful for me to improve the way in which I annotate and evaluate pieces of work that I find that I like. I often find myself saying the same thing for several different pieces of work but just jumbling the words. I can find it hard to explain what it is that I like or think is good. I feel I need to be a bit more constructive for my own benefits and for the people that are looking at my blog.



5 ways in which I will evaluate my progress:

- I think that one of the best ways to evaluate my work is to ask my peers and tutors what they think. Feedback from other people gives you a better veiw than just giving yourself feedback. I could ask them how they think I am getting on or what they think of a particular piece of work.

- It would maybe be useful for me to look back once a month on what I have been doing and evaluate how I am doing, looking at things that are going well and things that arent. This way I will always have something to improve on.

- My parents often look at my blog at home, I think getting someone from home who doesnt know the course would be useful, it would give me a completely different kind of feedback. As they wouldnt know the brief I would have to make it so my work is clear and understandable for anyone, which I guess is something I should be doing anyway.

- Make a list of things I want to improve on and go back every so often and see if I have or not. Maybe something like a to do list format as theres no greater satisfaction than ticking off to do lists!

- One important thing that I need to learn is to be more critical with myself. If im not 100% sure on an idea than I need to be able to step back and really think about it. I dont want to take the easy way out, im not always brilliant at taking critisicm but now I just need to take it on the chin and work harder!


5 questions that I want to find the answers to:

- What do I want to do with my life career wise? I know that second year is all about finding ourselves and who we are as designers. To me this is so important, I know a few people who know exactly what they want to be/do, but I literally do not have a clue, so I guess finding the answer to this question will be very helpful.

- Will I be able to find some really cool studios to visit or work in. Again I know this is something that we will have to do, but I dont want to end up going to places that dont interest me. I want to go to places that are exciting and different and that I will gain something from.

- How many ideas can I think of in an hour? This would be a good challenge to set myself with every brief, I need to exhaust an idea to make sure that I give myself enough options to fulfill the brief to its full potential. I guess it doesnt matter if the ideas arent realistic, it will still help me to think out of the box!

- I really want to learn about stock and paper for printing. I dont really know much about ISO and paper qualities. It would be handy to find out what stock is best for what purpose etc.

- Will I do better this year than last? Obviously the answer should be yes, but I know for certain last year I didnt put 100% into everything and this year I know it all counts towards my final degree so I need to put 110% into every little thing I do!

End of module self evaluation OUGD103...

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

One of the main skills that i have started to develop further because of this module, is experimenting and trying out new things. As it is the last module of the first year i felt that this was my last chance to really go all out and use methods i hadnt yet used. Things like screen printing for the Communication is a virus brief, i really enjoyed the process and the outcome, although it takes a long time it is so worth it. It is defiantly a skill that i want to keep progressing with into the second year. I feel like my confidence has grown too, i have really tried hard in this module and find i have more confidence in my designs and ideas, i am also starting to find an approach to Graphic Design that i really enjoy.

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

With the what is graphic design for? brief and communication is a virus, i did a fair amount of research but feel that i still havent grasped the importance of good research, with the speaking from experience brief i did a lot of primary research to try and solve my problem, i also did work on my design context blog looking at packaging design and survival kits that already existed, to give me inspiration and an idea  of what should go in my own.

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

Strengths that i think i have gained and improved on throughout this module, include experimenting more and trying harder. I know these are both things that i should have been doing anyway but i feel that i am really getting into it all now and i wanted to experiment with more methods and mediums than i had before. Things like screen printing, transfers, making stickers and designing packaging. These are now skills i can develop further in the second year. I am becoming a bit better at researching for briefs too which is a very important process, i wouldnt say that i still do enough but again this is something i can really push myself with when entering the next year. Another strength i think i have developed a lot would be time management, i have really tried to do work when i get it (apart from the what is Graphic Design for? brief, which i have left till the last few weeks). When i was asked by people if im on top of everything they seemed really surprised which then made me think i had missed something out or forgotten something important!

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

Even though i mentioned in my strengths that i was improving on research methods and gathering, i feel that it should be a weakness too as i still havent fully mastered research or the understanding of its importance. I think its good that we point out our weaknesses as it motivates you to do better next time.

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

- Research, research and research some more, i feel i really need to get it into my head that research is VERY important!

- I wont leave research briefs (what is graphic design for) till the last minute, this is a brief and a process that i should be doing all the time. Looking at other designers work for inspiration is very important, it will help me to learn what is good, bad and graphic design that i like and aspire to be like!

- Not panic! At the beginning of the module i was ill and missed out a lot of things in relation to the Opposites Live brief, i panicked thinking i would not catch up, but after speaking to my mum she said i could and would do it! I think really believing in myself is something i will do from now on!

- I think that when we worked as a group for the communication is a virus brief, it would have been good if we had worked just that bit harder as a group. I guess everyone finds group work hard because we all think differently but next time i would like to put more effort in.

- Listen to feedback more and respond to it, i wont lie sometimes i dont even take feedback into consideration because i feel i dont always need to. But sometimes your peers know better than you and the feedback is there to help you, its not them telling you your idea is crap!

 

6. How would you grade yourself on the following areas? 1= poor, 5= excellent

- Attendance: 5

- Punctuality: 4

- Motivation: 4.5

- Commitment: 5

- Quality of work produced: 4.5

- Quantity of work produced: 4.5

- Contribution to the group: 4

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Additional comments:

Overall i have really enjoyed this whole module and feel i have put nearly 100% into it. I have learnt a lot about myself, like how i work, what i like and what i dont like. It has had its good bits and bad bits and its quite sad that its the last module of the year! Bring it on second year!

Speaking from experience..final crit...

- Problem analysis: Identification and evaluation of key issues relating to the brief including creative opportunities. Target audiences and appropriate contexts.

Comments:


- Not effectively linked together through design, 2 different approaches.
- A lot of effort can be clearly sen, strayed away too much causing confusion.

GOOD


Contextual understanding: Awareness of the creative and professional context for the work produced, informed by the critical analysis a range of appropriate contemporary creative practises and methods of distribution.

Comments:

Understanding of the amount of ways you can approach one problem. Thought about promotional material. Scale it down. Needs something to tie it together, too much going on at once.

VERY GOOD


Research: Evidence of the ability to gather material from a breadth of sources using a range of diverse and inventive primary and secondary research methods appropriate to the brief.


Comments: No physical supporting evidence, would of liked to have seen how you got to this stage, there has been a small element conducted for the book.

SATISFACTORY

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

- Overall a lot of effort, in approaching a range of methods and mediums.

- Clear amounts of design work/ lack of development, would like to see how the outcome was achieved.

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I am fairly pleased with the feedback i received in the final crit, they appreciated the amount of work i had done, but didnt see the link. I think that my worked linked together through the colours and branding, the comment about too much was going on i didnt really understand, as the pack was supposed to have a range of things within it. Concerning my research, i have done a fair amount but didnt take it to the crit, but all my research can be seen on my blog.

Speaking from experience..first crit...

Crit feedback:

- i have a strong concept, which has the potential to work well.

- they don't see the relevance of the 10 small boxes that i wanted to make, this is because i wanted to make these purely because i wanted to do packaging design.

- packaging/ method of delivery needs to be thought about more and more original and relevant to my product.

- an idea was to create a survival pack for 1st year students, that they would receive within the first half hour of starting the course. It would be something that they could look at together in the group, kind of like an "ice breaker" pack.

- possibly having an item or object for each 'commandment' that is relevant and interactive.

Speaking from experience: time management...

Because this is the last brief of the year and i really want to do my best with it, i need to make sure i manage my time the best i can, so i can use my time effectively over the next 3 weeks.

Below is my plan of action, i will evaluate this plan each day and will do so honestly. I will then evaluate each week to make sure i have done enough work.

Plan of action:

/ tuesday 3rd may: 

- go into uni early to do some design work, experiment with logo designs and packaging- draft one.
- take photos ready to print out on the wednesday to trace. take at least 20 good photos tonight.

/ wednesday 4th may:

- go into uni to print photos and trace, edit on illustrator and see what i can come up with.
- print out concept boards in digital print and book slots for the next few weeks.
- research more for the brief

/ thursday 5th may:


- stay behind after uni to do work.
- make sure i have everything ready for first crit on friday.

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Wednesday 11th May

Came into uni today to do work, i have a print slot at 6pm (digital print is so busy lately). Came in at 1pm and have been on the mac all day. i have a huge to do list, with things like:

- make hotdog book ready for print today
- print out name stickers
- print out pencil case
- print out packaging
- produce more designs
- start getting stuff ready for submission i.e opposites brief.

- update blog:
- all recent design work needs to be analysed and evaluated
- first crit needs to be written up

After doing a plan of action that i didnt really stick to i figured that i dont really function like that, but i still feel that i am getting everything done that i need to. There just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day and time is going so quickly!

Speaking from experience..problem analysis: rationale 2...

- The Brief: (what is the problem you intend to solve)

How to deal with homesickness

What do you need to communicate? (be clear and specific)

How to deal with moving away from family and friends

Why do they need to know? (the concept for your problem)

Moving away from home can be stressful for some students and hard to come to terms with at first. I will give advice on how to overcome homesickness and enjoy student life- can be written in first person and from personal experience.

What will they respond to? (will they see/ watch/ buy/ wearing it etc)

Feel good posters, postcards with advice on, maybe some designed letter writing kits for students to write letters to family and friends. Could design a calendar where students can cross off the days till when they next go home.

Where do they go? (how will they access/ recieve/ discover etc... the resolution)

Advice can be found somewhere like student union, student advice or student halls.

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Feedback on this rationale:

- not everyone in my target audience will experience home sickness

- maybe choose something that the students can interact with for the resolution

- feel good posters a good idea- will grab people attention

- try and make it more relevant to GD students