Studio Brief 1 - Reflective Practise: OUGD403 Module Evaluation/Feedback

OUGD403 Module Evaluation/Feedback 

Looking at this module in retrospect I have enjoyed the briefs and fee l have learnt a lot. I feel the module has been a great way to ease me into university life. I have quickly established the work rate is high and the quality of work is important and strived in order to complete all briefs to the best of my ability. I feel I have acquired a range of new skills for example I now feel confident working on illustrator whereas before I had no prior knowledge of the software. I have also expanded my knowledge of graphic design as a whole with workshops on the fundamentals of typography and introduced me to specifically relevant designers. 

The first brief taught me the basic principles of type and allowed me to creatively experiment with letterforms in practical relation to an assigned word and typeface, this tested my design skills to understand the brief and creatively modify letterforms in order to create a successful outcome.

Brief 2 was an extension of brief one and allowed me to extend my final concept to a full typeface. This required a very technical approach that involved a transition from hand rendered concepts to digital versions. Through a rang of supervised illustrator workshops I now feel I have a solid understanding of illustrator and feel confident in applying these skills to other briefs and projects. 

Brief 3 allowed me to demonstrate my research skills through extensively researching a particular story from current affairs. I implemented both primary and secondary data from a range of sources including newspapers, social media and online articles that allowed me to collate a vast range of data. I was also challenged with the presentation of this research that led to me understanding how to effectively display this style of information. 

Finally brief 4 allowed me to elaborate on the research complied in brief 3. I feel this was the most creative brief in the module and allowed me to use my own personal expression to convey a message determined from my specific research focus from brief 3. I learnt about how to affectively communicate a desired message through a range of mediums for example text, image and a combination of the two as well as learning how my outcomes can be strong individual concepts yet work well together as a set. 

Overall I am happy with my progress through the module and my adjustment to university life. I feel I have already learnt a host of new skills and expanded on my knowledge of graphic design. I love having my own space to work within in our studio as it creates a great atmosphere that oozes creativity, being able to ask like minded creative people for their opinions on my work is invaluable and these surrounds make me strive to produce the best work possible. I am looking forward to continuing through the course and progressing onto the second and third years. Through this module I feel I have made a good start to becoming the type of designer I ultimately want to be.

This is my first summative formal feedback for the first module I have submitted on the course thus far. I was slightly apprehensive as to whether I would do as well as I had hoped as this is the first degree level assessment I have submitted. I was happy with the feedback I received from the assessment and agree with the grade that I was given. I was awarded 65% for my first module which is consistent with a 2:1 level degree. I was happy that I was seen to already working at a significantly high level as it is my first ever degree level module. I agreed with the comments I received and was happy to see that my hard work was recognised for example my extensive developments. I agree that I should be more critical when analysing research and designs as for the most part I was fairly positive towards the majority of designs. From this I will aim to analyse things more critically when moving forward to future modules. 

Studio Brief 1 - Creative Networks - Matt Forsythe

Creative Networks - Matt Forsythe 

I went to the creative networks talk held at the college with Matt Forsythe (Adventure Time) / Cameron Stewart & Babs Tarr (DC Comics / Batgirl). I found this talk a really great way to engage with the industry as it was was leading professionals talking about their experiences which was great to hear. I found out a lot more about the creative world of illustration which was a great way to develop my knowledge hearing first hand from professionals. 

Matt Forsythe worked on award winning TV series adventure time. He talked about the process from ideas to screen. It is a storyboard driven show meaning the characters have deep storylines and personalities, the characters are organic dimensional characters which are drawn by hand which shows how it takes 5 weeks to make a story board for 1 episode. He called cartoon network the fun factory as a joke as there was intense pressure to keep on-top of the workload. He explained how the production team was a small team of 4 designers and they were required to draw up a full episode by hand one every week. 

This showed me how serious and intense industry level work can be, he explained how his passion for illustration helped him to keep on top of his workload as there was a lot of pressure and late nights to meet the production schedule. I was interested to find out a professional as talented as Matt Forsythe didn't go to art school and instead majored in political science in university. It was only later that he thought seriously about a career in illustration. I thought this scheduled event was extremely engaging, it was great to hear first hand about the industry and has broadened my knowledge of commercial illustration. 

Studio Brief 1 - Reflective Practise: Creative Skill Set

Creative Skill Set

I was chosen to be part of a small selection of students to talk to a panel from the Creative Skill Set assessment board. I think this will be a good opportunity to interact with other years of the programme and talk to industry professionals that will make up part of the assessing panel.  Felt it was important to do some research into the Creative Skill Set to understand more about the process and what they do. 

I found that the Creative Skill Set works with the industry to accredit practise based degree courses that effectively provide students with the skills and knowledge required by employers in the creative industries. Courses that achieve the accreditation are awarded the Creative Skill Set tick which is an invaluable signpost for potential students and employers to indicate that these programmes provide the most up to date relevant industry training. The tick raises the profile of the accredited course/institution in the increasingly competitive Higher education table and employment market. This means that it not only benefits the university but also myself as this accreditation would show future employers that I have the relevant skills needed to seamlessly transition from university to employment.

The meeting itself was fairly relaxed. We were introduced to the industry professionals and a woman fro the accreditation board they explained they would be asking questions about our experiences on the course so far to get an idea of the type of work we do. There were students from all levels of the course to which the board asked a range of different questions. They asked me as a first ear why I picked this course over all the others to which explained the small cohort, lots of tutor time and high end industry standard facilities. They then questioned some of the second and third years which was really interesting to hear about as it gave me a clearer idea of the sorts of briefs and exposure I would receive as I progressed through the course. I was excited to hear about the range of competent briefs that I will take part in during the second year and how the third years have developed since they were in my shoes. I found this meeting invaluable to just year about the upper levels experiences on the course so far as it gave me a greater insight of whats to come. 

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UPDATE

I have been informed that the Graphic Design course at Leeds College of Art has received the Creative Skill Set accreditation. I think this is a great sign that the course has all the necessary skills and requirements to prepare me for a carer within the industry, It will also increase the profile of the college and will hopefully make me seem more appealing to employers as this shows I will have the necessary skills to work effectively within their organisation. 

Studio Brief 1 - Reflective Practise: International Design Studios

International Design Studios

Sagmeister and Walsh 

Sagmeister and Walsh is a New York City based design studio that has a vast range of services including Brand identity, Web, Apps, editorial ... the list goes on. For an small studio they have a large global reputation which means they can be selective with the clients and briefs they accept to ensure their work is always unique, innovative and top quality. Their Avant-guarde style of design is innovative and makes the studio stand out amongst others, I particularly like their poster campaign for the School of Visual Arts in NYC as this highlights just how experimental you can be with graphic design to create a lasting and memorable campaign. I admire Sagmeister and Walsh's unique style of design and would love to work in a studio that can be selective of its clients to ensure they produce the type of work that excites them. 

Vignelli Associates 

Vignelli and his wife formed Vignelli Associates in 1971 and this studio has grown and grown with its reputation. The studio covers nearly every field of design including advertising, identity, packaging, product design and architecture. His work is always very clear and concise with no clutter or unnecessary material. Labeled as the Godfather of modernism Vignelli's design clearly reflects these principles. I appreciate modernist design but feel Vignelli took it to its extreme which can sometimes look too structured for me personally. Based in NYC Vignelli Associates still strives to produce top quality design even after Massimo Vignelli's death last year. I take inspiration from this modernist style of design however prefer to add personality to my designs but I do agree with Vignellis ethos of removing unnecessary components. 

Studio Dumbar 

Dutch studio formed in 1977 has grown in size and reputation over recent years. They portfolio is diverse ranging from high end clients to government and non-profit organisations. They create strong visual expressions of a brand or organisation to achieve the best results. They pride themselves on being an international studio with strong dutch heritage which I like that they have continuing roots to their starting place. I like the majority of the design that Studio Dumbar have produce, particularly the signage for the TNT hear office. Their inspiration seemed from the buildings sustainable design. I love the bright colours and innovative simplicity within the symbols that work cohesively together to form a unique collection. I like the work Studio Dumbar produce and notice they have an application for 3 month work placements, this is something I could consider in the future when trying to gain experience before leaving university. 

Dessein 

Award Winning Australian design studio Dessein specialised in brand identity and packaging design which allows them to create a strong body of work that is of a superior quality. Established in 1987 Dessein was set up straight after college by directors Geoff Bickford and Tracy Kenworthy this studio has rapidly expanded to become one of Australia's most prominent design studios. I love some of the work they have produced such as their editorial work for the Black Swan state theatre as this merges complimentary colours and subtle design elements that give the campaign a great aesthetic.  I like the style of Dessein and think I will look to their portfolio for inspiration within future projects. 

Face

'Supermoderninst' design studio lives under the ethos that "Simplicity Works" and for them it certainly does. The Mexican studio specialises in creating 'Honest' branding projects around the world, they offer services in web identity and branding that all follow a contemporary super-modernist design. I like their clear 8 step methodology that goes into solving a brief, this clear guide ensures they fully understand the problem before they can achieve a successful resolution. I like this thought process and feel I could easily work under a similar strategy. I especially like their ultra effective and simplistic branding for Orange real estate and transform oil, they both use bright contemporary colour palettes contrasted with white space and effective type treatments to create engaging branding identities. My favourite of Face's works has to be their identity and editorial work for P magazine. This project utterly demonstrates how quality and simplicity can work hand in hand to create an exciting and engaging outcome, I would love to work on similar projects and feel I will definitely take inspiration from this studio within future projects. 

Having researched a holistic range of Local, National and International design studios I feel now have a far better understanding of the industry and they different styles of design that currently on trend. I think I have researched a vast range of studios from large corporate agencies to small independent studios that cover a range of specialisms within graphic design. I feel this will help me when progressing throughout my time on the course as I can take inspiration from particular studios I have researched to contextualise my practise. Finally I now have a better understanding of design studios and this research has helped me to identify ways in which I can contact studios to further my development from making enquiries about their styles to looking for work placements. 

Studio Brief 1 - Reflective Practise: National Design Studios

National Design Studios

Pentagram 

Pentagram is the world's largest independent design consultancy. The firm is owned and run by 19 partners, a group of friends who are all leaders in their individual creative fields. I especially like that Pentagram states that each client deals personally with one or more of the partners as this adds a personal touch to a large business that is active internationally. I love the fact the vast range of specialisms that mean they can offer such versatility for a broad client basis. Some of the work pentagram have produced directly appeals to me, I found examples their poster work especially engaging and aesthetically pleasing. I would love the opportunity to complete a work placement with pentagram but would have to look more closely at how I would apply for such placement as I anticipated that the demand would be extremely high for a placement at such a prestigious studio.

The Partners

The Partners have a rich client base with the likes of the BBC and Jaguar amongst the list of happy clients. Founded over 30 years ago 'The Partners' have become a front runner within UK Graphic Design. I Love their work for TUSK conservation awards as it show how well a big budget project can be executed. Their host of awards demonstrates how they have built an extremely successful sustain that continues to produce high end graphic design. I would love to eventually work for a high end design company such as The partners as their high profile clients and large budget projects would allow me to follow a creative vision with a large budget that could be fully implemented to ensure a highly successful outcome. 

Wolff Olins 

Founded by the godfather of Branding Wally Olins, Wolff Olins is a creative design brand consultancy formed in London in 1965. They aim to remove 'corporate camouflage' of brands and replace this with individually democratic design. I love this statement as I can sincerely identify with it. I love create design that is innovative and fits the client/ audience/ purpose. As for the style of design they produce I feel it is very high end, quirky and individual, I personally love the style of this studio and will take inspiration from this moving forward with my own works. I especially like the simplicity of their branding work for the Qatar Museum, its simple bold and vibrant that will attract and audience and gives and modern and contemporary feel to the museum that can often have connotations of dull and boring. I would love to one day work for a studio such as Wolff Olins as I love their style of design and agree with their ethos. 

Bibliothèque

I liked Bibliothèque's blend between print and digital works within their portfolio. I would suggest they follow slightly more modernist design principles that other studios I have researched, I still feel I need to experiment more within my own practise to determine which style of design I am most influenced by. I loved their branding identity for 'Black' eyewear, I felt it was so simple yet extremely effective. Personally for me some of their designs are very minimal and are not as expressive as other design work I have researched however this still works well to fulfil the brief I am just unsure I would want to work in that style. I really like how they offer a range of services including packaging, posters, branding and digital as it gives a sense of continuity, I feel as though if I were to go on placement with this studio I could learn a lot about different aspects of design. 

Stranger & Stranger  

Bespoke design consultancy Stranger & Stranger have no intention to conform as their trademark is 'DON’T FIT IN, STAND OUT ™' Stranger & Stranger have established their niche and have developed a unique and inspiring studio as a result. They specialise in packaging design and brand identity for alcoholic drinks and their portfolio is amazing. From high end luxury drinks to low cost supermarkets, Stranger & Stranger invasively design and package these alcoholic drinks with such an aesthetic they could change the earth. Their style ranges from hand rendered script typecast to more modernist sans serif choices all deliberated to which will fit the brand. I love their studio and if I decided I would like to specialise in packaging design I would definitely consider getting in touch with this studio regarding a placement. 

Studio Brief 1 - Reflective Practise: Local Design Studios

Local Design Studios

As I am new to Leeds I felt it was important to understand what sources of creativity the city has to offer. I wanted to look at the range of Graphic Designs studios that are present within the city as I will aim to interact with these studios during my time on the course. I also felt that these studios would be the most likely to approach for possible work placements in the future as I am already living in the city and I feel there will be more opportunities here for placements that in larger cities such as London. 

Rabbit Hole

The first studio I looked as was Rabbit Hole Studios which have studio spaces in Leeds and London. What instantly attracted me to this studio was the alluring contemporary website that looked fresh and inviting. I loved that they are a 'Full service design studio' this was explained with a great aesthetic on their website through the contemporary graphic 'X' graphics that made the whole thing not a chore to read. As I feel I am no-where near specialising in one particular field I liked the fact that rabbit hole offered a holistic range of services that meant for me as a designer that if I took place in work experience at a this studio I would find it especially rewarding as it might help me to determine which areas of Graphic Design I find particularly engaging. I loved that this studio already has ties to music artists and record labels such as Warner Music Group as I am really into music  and feel as though I would like to learn more about the production of album artwork which could be facilitated by engaging with rabbit hole studios. Overall I liked the aesthetic of rabbit holes website and found their style of design particularity engaging, I feel as though I could learn a lot from a work placement at this studio as they specialise in a range of different services that would give me a holistic knowledge of a range of disciplines within working in the creative industry. 

Rabbit Holes engaging services

Analogue

Another multi-discipline creative design agency that I liked at was Analogue, a creative studio based entirely in Leeds. When looking at their online presence I especially liked their ethos of "Everything we create, no matter the medium, harmonises with our clients’ brand DNA and business objectives." I felt this was particularly effective in communicating their key message effectively and shows how they create continuity within a brands image.  I liked their body of work that they demonstrated through a well designed show reel however feel that this studio focus heavily on web design which I am not sure I would want to specialise in at this stage of my development. However I do like their branding work such as that for Pizza Express and Cielo Blanco and I felt they both worked well for their clinch and audience. I really liked the Culture section of Analogues website as  I felt this was a particularly inventive way to brand their 'blog' section of their website which highlights their current inspirations and things that they are finding aesthetically pleasing. Overall I liked the feel of analogues website and studio and feel I could learn a lot from interacting with this studio especially with web design of which I currently have a very limited knowledge of. 

Analogues Culture "blog"

Elmwood

Founded in Leeds in 1977 Elmwood has become a leading design agency, both nationally and internationally with offices in London, Singapore Melbourne and New York. I like that Elmwood still have an office in Leeds despite it being a smaller city than its other sites this shows their dedication to local talent and where it all started for them as a company. Elmwood's website had a much more corporate feel to the previous studios I've research which I don't necessarily mind however feel this makes them less approachable for a design student such as myself however would probably appeal to the type of high profile clients they work with. I don't feel their showreel was as engaging as that of analogues yet they demonstrate different aspects of the studios for example elmwood forces on their history and achievements whereas analogue uses bright colours and contemporary music to promote their portfolio. I would love to take part in a work placement at elmwood as I think it would be a great opportunity for me to develop and feel this would look great on a CV which could also link in with opportunities to travel due to their number of studios which is an ambition of mine. 

Elmwood Homepage

The Hungry Sandwich Club

The Hungry Sandwich Club website was the most user friendly studio site I have viewed thus far within my research, its playful bold and bright which instantly creates a burst of excitement. We were told that the Hungry Sandwich Club were graduates of Leeds Collage of Art during our freshers week which gives me as a student a good start in contacting them as they were in my position on the same course only a few years ago, with the added bonus that the tutors know them quite well having taught them. I like the style of design they produce its bold fun and playful however I feel doesn't add too much diversity to their work it boarders mostly on really cool playful illustrations as opposed to textbook graphic design, I feel I would have to experiment through my progression of the course to find out if this sort of illustrative style is something that I would want to consider specialising in however talking to this studio more could help me identify if I might enjoy this type of design. Similarly to analogue it features a mostly web based portfolio which is another thing I would have to consider if I wanted to look more into during my time on the course however I find their designs really fun and engaging which is good as I feel it will make me remember this studio above others. 

Bold Colours & Playful Illustrations

Thompson Brand Partners

By the name 'Thompson Brand Partners' it is quite clear to suggest that this studio specialises in branding and it does this very well. For over 30 years this studio has been a leading Leeds based design studio producing high end branding for a number of notable companies. I would say my current interest of Graphic Design is currently strongest in Branding and Visual Identity however I haven't had much time to explore other things through my exposure to Graphic Design thus far so am excited to learn more about other aspects such as editorial design. I would like to get in contact with Thompson Brand Partners during my time on the course as I feel they could help me to develop my current interest in branding and I feel working with them could help me to understand if I would like to specialise in branding as a career after university. I liked the style of design they often produce work that fits the client and audience well and could see myself working in a similar style in the future. 

Overall I would say there are a range of great design studios based in Leeds I think this is a good opportunity as I will aim to contact a number of these local studios during my time on the course. I feel I could learn a great deal from the studios I have researched but feel I would want to develop as a designer and focus on what I enjoy designing before contacting these studios directly. 

Brief 1 - Reflective Practise: Interpretation of the brief

Interpretation of the Brief

Brief: 

Collect, categorise and reflect on a body of investigative research and creative references, which documents your ongoing development as a Graphic Designer and your engagement with contemporary creative culture via your PPP course blog. You should make regular posts to your blog that demonstrate an increasingly individual/independent exploration of Graphic Design, the broader creative industries and general visual culture. You should use this brief as a starting point for the development of an increasingly informed understanding of the nature of contemporary graphic design practice and its role in our local, national and international culture

You will need to maintain an ongoing evaluation of your individual progress in Level 04 of the programme by regularly reflecting on what you have learned, how you have developed and how this relates to your own creative ambitions. As part of this process you should post copies of each End of Module Self-evaluation to your blog in order to maintain an ongoing recored of your reflective skills and analytical responses to your own development.

Certain Tasks will be set and you will need to record your responses to them but you should use them as a starting point for your own independent research activities

Interpretation of the Brief: 

I think this brief will be a great way to reflect on my first year of the course as I feel looking back on the whole year will feel like one big blur however if documented correctly I will clearly be able to see my progression over the course of the year. Starting university straight from A-level means this is the first time I have been able to focus solely on graphic design and I am excited to be able to practise within a creative discipline everyday with no other academic distractions. 

Although I am only in my first year I do see the importance of looking ahead to the future, so over the course of the year I am inevitably going to experience a range of fields within graphic design and I will attempt to understand which disciplines I would like to specialise more in when moving forward into second year and a future career. I also know the importance of having a solid basis of experience in order to be fully prepared for life after university so I plan to research a range of design studios so that I have a holistic knowledge of what is happening within the industry, I will then identify key studios which particularly appeal to me so that in the future when I start to look for creative placements I already ave an idea of the type of studios I would like to approach. 

I will aim to document my ever-changing sources of inspiration throughout my first year on the course, I feel this will help me to identify how I have developed over the year and if my inspirations have changed the style of design I want to produce. Through all this documentation I hope to achieve a comprehensive documentation of my first year at Leeds College of Art that I can use to highlight where I have come from to where I want to be as a designer. 

Study Task 1 Getting to know people

Study Task 1 - Getting to know people 

As part of our formal Personal and Professional Practise (PPP) briefing we were given out first study task to complete. This required us to be split up into small groups and given a specific design studio to research and create a presentation for in a short space of time. This requires time management and communication skills to ensure the task was executed within the short time period. We were tasked with finding the following information about our given studio; 

• Who are they?
• Where are they based?
• What do they do?
• How do they do it?
• Why are they unique?

As there was 5 members in our group we quickly assigned each member a question to independently research in order to ensure all the questions would have been fully researched before the presentations. I feel this worked well as it allowed us to collect in depth research before explaining to the group what information we had individually uncovered so that we could prepare an effective presentation. 

Our assigned studio was 'Snask' of which no one in the group had heard of this studio before, this made it exciting to research a contemporary studio with no prior knowledge. 

Snask Logo

Who are they?

- Swedish creative industry.

- They believe in standing out and having an opinion that would be stood up for.

- Within their branding they want to tell a story and be very personal.

- Snask stands for Candy, filth and gossip. 

Where are they Based?

- They originally studied in Carlisle in 2007.

- They are now based in the heart of Stockholm where their work continues even today.

What do they do?

- Snask is an internationally renowned Design, Brand and Film agency, who create the heart and souls of brands and reinvents existing ones. 

-They have 10 point manifestos which look like the 10 commandments that we see in the Bible. One of their examples is "If you don't like your work quit" 

- They create designs, graphic identities, short films, tv commercials and many more. 

How they do it?

- Create their work based on opinions and what they stand up for.

- Do so by challenging social conventions.

- Brand Strategy .

- Brand Identity.

- Brand Story.

Why are they unique?

- They believe in standing out with there strong opinions and ability and willingness to question and challenge social conventions.

- Their confrontational style makes there studio bold and unique.

- There colloquial style brings a new social concept to the industry with the reinvention of client relations.

- They stem from the ideology of making friends which has allowed them to become world renowned as a studio with clients saying extremely positive things such as 'young, fresh, competent and professional' and as summarised by John Watters.

Overall I think we as a whole worked very well as a group, all tasks were performed efficiently and to a high standard which is important under time restrains. I really like our assigned studio, there bold designs and confident unapologetic ethos is infectious. There alternative approach and colloquial style works well for them and is a refreshing change to the monotonous corporate studios, ultimately I admire Snask for branching as different and unique yet remaining professional and efficient. 

Introduction to Study Task 1

As an introduction to study task 1 I was asked to contemplate a number of factors that lead to my decision to study and Leeds College of Art. This included what I wanted to learn during my time at university as well as a self assessment of my current strengths and inspirations. The task was structured in a questionnaire type fashion, to which I had to share my answers with the group. I found this activity extremely interesting as I was able to hear other students opinions and inspirations. 

IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 5 REASONS WHY YOU CHOSE TO STUDY ON THIS COURSE?

• I chose to study Graphic Design and Leeds College of Art because the small cohort appealed to me. I felt this would lead to a more personal learning experience, with extensive contact time with tutors and the ability to form a closer bond with other students. 
• When attending open days and interviews, both staff and current students talked about the high quality the of the course. This included how well it was written and structured in order to get the most out of the higher education experience. This appealed to me as the course content had been carefully considered in order to provide students with the best learning outcome possible. 
• One of my design teachers at A-level studied at Leeds College of Art and she loved her time at university. She spoke highly about the reputation of the college and her enthusiasm towards the university was unparalleled to any other course I considered.
• Being a small specialist institution meant that I would constantly be surrounded by creative thinkers and practitioners. This appealed to me as the the university is subsequently very focused on design as opposed to being a small singular department in a large mainstream university. 
• My final reason to study on this course is that Leeds as a city has a good reputation in a number of aspects, for example; it is culturally diverse which could provide me with new sources of inspiration, It has a great student network and there is an extensive range of activities and opportunities available in the city. 

IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 5 THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO LEARN DURING YOUR TIME ON THE COURSE?

• During my time at Leeds College of Art I would like to acquire a holistic knowledge of designers and design styles that can influence my work. I want to expand my knowledge of design to obtain a deep and thorough understanding of theory and practise that will ultimately prepare me for a career in industry.
• I would like to obtain a better understanding of how to use essential design software, such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. I can currently use both pieces of software but I often find myself using trial and error in order to perform the correct function. I would also like to expand my knowledge of more traditional art forms such as screen printing as well as being able to become independent on equipment such as the letter press and laser cutter. 
• Learning about how my work can have real life application excites me, I feel I could learn about this through live and competition briefs. Seeing how my work could fit into the industry and potential careers will help me to asses which area of graphic design I would like to specialise in. 
• By the end of my degree I would like to have an extensive knowledge of typography and layout, as currently this is the area of Graphic Design that my knowledge is weakest in. I feel it is a significantly large part of Graphic Design that I need to expand my knowledge of. 
• Finally I hope to learn from lecturers and tutors about a career in teaching. I would be interested to find out their reasons behind choosing to teach Graphic Design at degree level, what qualifications and experience this entails and how they still interact with the industry and creative practise. 

IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 5 THINGS THAT YOU THINK ARE YOUR STRENGTHS? 

• I feel one of my key strengths is optimism.  I am able to keep focused and enthusiastic throughout long projects and periods of time, this ensures my work remains of a high standard from beginning to end. This optimistic mentality ensures I remain motivated and on task in order to produce good quality outcomes.
• Punctuality is another key strength of mine. This allows me to meet deadlines and attend all essential lectures and studio sessions. I would not intentionally miss contact time with tutors for other non academic reasons as I consider my education to be paramount. 
• Perseverance is important to me as it allows me to produce the best outcomes possible. This encourages me to use trial and error in order to find the best solution to a particular problem, no matter how long it takes. Only then when the best solution has been implemented will I be content with the outcome. 
• Similarly to perseverance I would also call myself a perfectionist. These two qualities share similar characteristics, such as striving to make the the outcome the best it can possibly be. This ethos allows me to strive for perfection and remain motivated in order to complete the task to the highest possible standard. 
• I would consider my final strength to be the ability to use an alternative perspective. This ability allows me to think creatively and produce ideas that form abstract links with the brief as opposed to forming linear structured ideas that can sometimes be less intriguing and innovative. 

IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 5 THINGS THAT INSPIRE YOU? 

• Inspiration can literally come from anywhere, personally I find organic foods a great source of inspiration. l love the bright bold colours and great flavours that are produced from 100% natural sources. They require no added chemicals, sugars and unnatural substances yet still look and taste incredible.
• I find that the concept of success inspires me as the future can be a daunting thought.  Success can be measured in multiple forms from small everyday successes to success that can define a career, relationship or moment in time. This constant strive for success inspires me to apply myself to every type of situation.
• I find natural structures intriguing, imagery such as the mandala fascinates me because of the perfect geometry that seamlessly intertwines to create an aesthetically perfect design. This appreciation for natural structures extends beyond the mandala to other natural forms such as spiders webs, to which the patterns and shapes are so delicate and intricate that they form a distinct design that is a byproduct of its function.
• Culture inspires me as I find it genuinely intriguing, I love talking to people from different places, countries, backgrounds to find out about their life experiences. Finding similarities between complete strangers and learning about vast differences in subcultures allows me to gain a broadened knowledge of the world. 
• I feel knowledge is the pinnacle of everything around us and it is something I strive towards increasing on a daily bases. I am genuinely satisfied I have expanded my knowledge on a particular subject and can see how it can be successfully implemented into everyday life.