Studio Brief 1 - Reflective Practise: OUGD405 Module Evaluation/Feedback

OUGD405 Module Evaluation/Feedback 

Looking at this module in retrospect I feel I have learn a great deal. I feel this module relied more heavily on the experiemental process of how I acheived my final designs, I think I have clearly documented my methodology throught the course of this module. I feel the quality of my outcomes in this module is of a higher quality than those of module one, I think this is because I have now eased into degree level study and have a clearer idea of what is expected through tutor contact and tutuorials. I feel I have aquired a range of new skills for example a more holistic knowledge of software such as Photoshop and Indesign through supervised workshops to acompany relevent briefs. I think this module has also helped me to develop concepts from initial in depth research to a fully developed informed sollutions to a problem. 

The first brief allowed me develop my skills in Photoshop through a range of staff lead tutorials to acompany the brief. It made me consider the importance of designing for a particular audience and client as my work needs to appeal to these two audiences otherwise the outcome cannot be considered a success. I was pleased with my outcomes as I felt they represented the target audience and would have been appropriate for a range of clients. 

Brief 2 was predominantly a research brief however as I could pick my own collection to research I found this brief interesting and engaging. I was able to experiment with different stock as the physical outcome had no real limitations, this allowed me to create two publications that very loosely introduced me to producing my own publications. 

Brief 3 introduced me to editorial design, I learned about different styles of page layout through informed research. I selected the most appropriate content for my publication and designed the spreads with a clear concept that  reflected the content. This brief also taught me about full bleed images, grids and gutters all of which I will be able to apply to briefs in the future.

Finally brief 4 allowed me to elaborate on the research complied in briefs 2 and 3. I was introduced to identifying my own problems and writing a brief to resolve this. I feel this brief was alot more creative than some of the other briefs I have been given as it gave me opportuning to produce 3D outcomes that experiemented with different techniques such as laser cutting and drawing through the vinyl cutter. 

Overall I am happy with my progress through the module and my development so far in the course. I feel I have learnt a host of new skills such as expanding my knowledge of Photoshop and Indesign which will allow me to create higher quality outcomes in the future. I feel I have a better understanding of the design process as a result of this module and think I have worked more independantly through the course of this module, managing my time according and organising my own bookings, inductions etc. I feel this module has given me more independance when designing through choosinh my own research topic and writing my own briefs, I have enjoyed the development of a concept from researcing to ultimately identifying a problem and solving it accordingly. 

I felt more prepared throughout this module as it followed a similar format to the first summative feedback I submitted. I felt more comfortable with this module as a whole as I had a better idea of what was expected of me and knew that I was properly documenting my  work from tutor feedback. I felt that I could experiment more within this module as I felt more comfortable to express myself and I felt the briefs were about more open to creating unique outcomes to the briefs. I was awarded 72% for this module which is consistent with a 1st level degree. I was extremely happy with this mark as it shows I am working at a very high standard. It also shows that I have improved since the first module I submitted which is good to reflect and and see how I have grown. I feel my outcomes and documentation were of a higher standard in this module and I felt I could experiment more putting more of my personality into my resolutions. I was happy with the tutor comments as they were extremely positive. I was especially happy that he said I have improved with my analytical annotations as this was an area he suggested to improve upon in the last module feedback. This shows how I can listen to constructive feedback and effective implement this into my work. I hope to continue producing work at this high level throughout the course. 

Studio Brief 1 - Reflective Practise: Leeds Print Festival

Leeds Print Festival 

Leeds Print Festival is an annual collection that each year features an exciting programme of workshops, print exhibitions, talks and a print fair. This year (its fourth year) is its biggest programme to date. The print fair is organised by my course leader Amber Smith and brings together a huge range of creatives including high profile printmakers, designers and internationally renowned lecturers. I felt this would be a great opportunity for me to learn about whats happening in the world of contemporary print and be surrounded by a range of industry experts. 

The print festival runs from the 23rd - 31st January with a the full range of activities spread throughout this time frame. I able to attend the opening night of the print festival in the gallery of Munro House which is a great venue right next to independent boo store colours may vary. There was a really good atmosphere within the opening night as it brought together a range of creative thinkers that all had an appreciation for printed design. I was surprisingly impressed my the detail and quality of the works on display as I had the preconceived expectation that print had to be simplistic and minimal and sometimes boring however this was not the case. I found the works to be engaging, eye-catching and of an extremely high quality which was extremely positive to see. 

I really enjoyed the opening night of the print festival I found the examples of work to be contemporary and innovative that demonstrated a cohesive blend between traditional and contemporary print processes. I think this exhibition has re-introduced me to print as a contemporary medium and I will consider this as the form of my resolutions to a brief in the future without instantly assuming digital print is the best process. Overall I agree with the sumitive statement from 'People of Print' magazine which said the the Leeds Print Festival  "is truly a celebration of all things printed and is great for fans of printmaking of all types."

Studio Brief 2 - Self Branding: Research - Studio Inspiration

Research -  Studio Inspiration

I felt I could acquire a range of inspiration from notable design studios that I like as a designer. I decided to research a range of branding, from the branding of different designs studios to some of their branding projects. This will allow me to analyse not only how they want themselves to be perceived but the style of design they have created for their clients. I feel this will allow me to understand more about commercial branding and to extrapolate key design features that I feel I could utilise within my own personal branding. 

Sagmeister and Walsh

I really like the overarching aesthetic of Sagmeister & Walsh's personal branding. I like how their logo is simply an ampersand as this represents the partnership between Stefan Sagmeister and Jessica Walsh. I love how they have taken such a simple concept of the singular glyph and have made it unique to their studio and over time they have become recognisable for it. The studio uses a monotone colour scheme which I find contemporary and allows them to remain fairly flexible due to their vast portfolio of work

Artvvork by Face

Owned and designed by super minimalist design studio Face, Artvvork is their platform to express all the things that inspire them as creatives. I love the branding for Artvvork as it a clear extension of the minimalist ethos Face follows within its own branding. The simple and innovative logo really works for me, I really appreciate well thought out design. Its works in 80% black and white and uses a contemporary deign that is simple, minimal, elegant and open to allow its content to really shine though. I like how they have considered its purpose and effectively implemented a tasteful branding identity to compliment its content.  

Archtober by Pentagram

Archtober is a month long festival of Architecture and Design in New York City.  I feel Pentagram have succeeded in creating a representative brand for the event that is simple and contemporary.  It's simplicity lends itself well to the event which has a broad spectrum of architecture and design. The logo is well designed with a strong weighted typeface which stands out and a contemporary burst of orange within the box to make the identity eye-catching and exciting. I feel the logo is works well with the arcutectual nature of the event however feel it could be slightly oversimplified for my personal taste,  I still think it works though due to is contemporary edge. This logo design will work well across a range of collateral due to its simplicity and assertiveness that will be sure to make the event memorable. 

Looking back on this research, all the examples I have documented have been very simple, bold and of modernist desing principles. I think can to some extent represent my work thus far on the course as I like to use which space and a limited colour palette. I think I will take this as a sign to use a simple and contemporary aesthetic within my self branding, as it clearly represents the type of design I am interested in. I will however attempt to make my branding unique by adding additional features that add a sense of personality into the design as I feel modernist design can often look un impersonal and un-engaging. 

Studio Brief 2 - Self Branding: Research - Business Card Analysis

Research - Business Card Analysis

I felt that brands are typically reflected quite well through their business cards as they normally feature their logo, type choices, colour schemes and suggests the brands overall aesthetic. I felt this would be a good place to start my research by analysing a range of business cards to see if I can find any generic conventions that I feel make the designs work. I can then extrapolate these key features and look at implementing them into my own designs to ensure a successful outcome.

I love the sophisticated aesthetic of this design, the two-tone black creates an instant urge to look closer to fully appreciate the design. Although it is difficult to see from this picture the text and logo is overplayed with spot varnish to add another key visual element to the design, the shine from the spot varnish will catch the eye of the audience and adds a contemporary undertone to the business card. The overall design is very contemporary with plenty of white space, bold sans-serif typography and a minimalist aesthetic that I feel works together creating a sophisticated and aesthetically pleasing business card. 

I personally do not like the design of this business card although it is highly conceptual with the development of its logo and engages the user in an extremely interactive and personal way the overall design is too gimmicky for my taste. I think the design is too fiddly and the insert would likely get lost which renders the design obsolete as this hold all the relevant information. I like the concept and think people would remember this business card due to its interactivity however am not sure that it would be viable due to cost implication. I like the embossed typography however I generally prefer sans-serif typefaces but I feel this serif works well with the overall design. 

I like how this business card works as a series with a strong unified design that is then made unique with a range of colour combination. I like the design of the business card as it is contemporary and very minimal, the uppercase type as a bold assertiveness which works in contrasting the pastel colour scheme. The colour scheme is subtle and uses a rare of complimentary and contrasting colour schemes to create diversity within the design, I like this concept of having more that one colour scheme as it could make the design collectable and show that that business is diverse however feel these colours are quite feminine. Overall I feel this is a strong concept but could be tweaked to avoid a gender bias. 

I think this business card works well in adding a personal touch, the use of physical a physical medium such as the watercolour creates a nice aesthetic that blends well with the digital elements of the design. I like the sharp tonal blues as they create vibrance that will attract the eye this is them complimented by the foiled copper logo and typography that contrast this hard rendered element well creating a well balanced design. I like this design however feel that the watercolour makes the smaller typography slightly illegible however the smaller design with the corner watercolour effect works extremely well. Overall I think this design succeeds in being unique as the majority of business cards are 100% digital which can sometimes lack personality and look uninspiring. 

When researching business card design I came across this nice graphic highlighting the psychology behind a good business card. This informed me of how to successfully use colour, type and alignment to create a well balanced and successful business card. I will be sure to reference this when designing my own business card as I feel this could help me to achieve a successful design and contextualises my design decisions. 

Studio Brief 2 - Self Branding: Introduction

Introduction

Brief:
Design, develop and produce self branding that effectively communicates and promotes you as an individual, designer and learner. To inform your design decisions you should reflect upon your learning aspirations and design direction. You should aim to communicate the context of your interests by referencing specific designers, studios, principles and audiences where necessary.

You should use this brief as an opportunity to explore, develop and demonstrate content, processes and areas of design that interest you at this point in time and may indicate your emerging creative concerns in Graphic Design.

Interpretation of the Brief: 
My initial interpretation of the brief was that I felt it would be difficult to create a personal branding strategy that I feel reflects me. I feel I am notoriously indecisive and don't like to pigeon hole myself into one particular direction this is my I feel it will be difficult for me to create a branding strategy that is direct yet not limited. I think this brief is an essential part of my development as it forces me to look more closely at how I want to perceive myself and what type of designer I want to be.  There is increasing need for a branding identity for myself as I start emerging into the real life industry through live briefs and looking for placements. 

Research Plan: 
I will start this brief by firstly researching a range of pre-existing business cards from primary and secondary sources as I feel the brand identity is encompassed within a business card as they typically show the logo, type choices colour schemes and highlight the design directions of the company. I will conduct research into what makes a good brand identity and how I can incorporate these essential aspects into my own resolutions. I will look at a range of studios that I like and analyse their branding and also branding work they have doe for clients to understand if there are generic conventions throughout these design that appeal to me aesthetically. Finally I will look closely at myself and determine what I want to represent, I will ask friends and family to give their opinions to get objective answers which I can then develop into initial ideas, from this  I can create a range of initial ideas that I develop into a successful resolution to the brief. 

Studio Brief 1 - Reflective Practise: The Print Project

The Print Project

We were given a talk by Nick from The Print Project which is a letterpress printing company formed in Shipley in 2010. He explained how he got into the commercially dead art of letter pressing which I found really interesting as he didn't plan this as a career it was just a hobby that kept on evolving. He explained how he worked with 500 year old printing technologies of letter pressing that is now commercially dead and only practised as a bespoke art form. His passion for letter pressing really came through in his talk as he said its at the heart of everything he does. 

I was interested in hearing how he set this business up from a hobby and has made it economically viable to live off as his soul means of income. He told us that he hasn't had a day off in 3 years and that he won't be a millionaire any time soon but that genuinely didn't bother him because he was able to say that he does what he loves every single day. I admire this and hope some day I can find a niche that I love as much as Nick loves letter pressing and home that I can somehow incorporate this into my practise. 

He told us that as part of his work he does a lot of talks such as this one where he educates people about letter pressing to make people aware it is still being practised today, He is also involved in a range of exhibitions up and down the county as well as taking on commercial projects for clients requiring letterpresses work. These works have been featured in design magazines such as Creative Review, Form Forty Five and Design Week and is an example of how I could transform my passion into a career path. 

Later in the day Nick held a print workshop, In this he showed us the basics of typesetting with a letterpress and demonstrated how the whole process worked from start to finish. He then gave us the opportunity to print our own word from setting the type in the metal frame to placing it in the letterpress applying the ink and producing our own letterpresses word. I found this process quite time consuming and difficult to navigate but I was re-assured that it would be difficult the first time. I liked the results of letter pressing as the texture added to the overall design. I think that this technique could work well for large scale type posters and now I have been introduced to it, I could consider using this process as a response to a brief if I felt it would be appropriate. 

Studio Brief 1 - Reflective Practise: Current Direction

Current Direction

I have had a lot of chance to develop and explore different styles through the first module OUGD403. I feel as though I have a new found appreciation for type for example I will consider my typographic choices more thoroughly in future however do not feel I would want to specialise as a typographer. I find the implementation of type interesting but feel it can be too structured sometimes with not enough room to experiment with more abstract designs. I like producing my own images and illustration and would like to continue to develop this further within the future, I especially like bold simplistic illustrations such as those I created for brief 4. I would like to develop this illustrate style further as I progress through the course as well as learning more about other specialisms within graphic design for example more photoshopped briefs and editorial design.