Pattern & Repetition - Julie Cirelli, Kinfolk

Pattern design is something that I have been drawn to through experimenting with illustration however the theory can be applied to a number of different areas of design. In the article on Kinfolk.com, it is said that our intuition is 'so strong that we're prone to seeing pattern even when there's none'. This is an interesting piece of science as it means that with any piece of design, an individual may see a pattern that another may not. This could specifically relate to a block of text where rivers are formed. In terms of pattern design, it is said that we find 'comfort in regularity' which could be why individuals favour a repeated pattern in fabric and art. This is also why many homes are decorated with wallpaper.

Wedding invitations

Completing the wedding invitation request has been an up and down process. This was due to the client being vary vague in their requirements then suddenly changing their mind with the theme/delivery of the invitation. These are tasks that I was able to overcome quickly due to my practice in time management however found the process highly frustrating. This was due to completing a range of designs, with elements from all being taken on to the next development stage. Once at this stage the client then changed their mind with the style and overall design of the invitation. 

'Dear Kathryn. This weekend we have been talking
2 designs... * can it just be an electronic invite that we email everyone? * one that says 'come & celebrate the day', one that says 'come & celebrate the evening'! * Could it have a simple front design & could it have an option to click to read the inside for the details? * the theme will be blackwatch tartan ( it is navy, & green colours), red bridesmaid- like the colour of the flowers on 2nd invite and a simple Scottish thistle. Can any of these themes be included? Even a simple thistle with a tartan border and a touch of red inside. * re the wording on the outside what about An invite to celebrate the marriage of Pauline and Rob. Inside we can say where when * 12 on 16th sept. Will send you the details of the venue etc Thank you so much, Polly
Although there were struggles with completing the invitations, with a number of the above comments only being suggestions, it has taught me how to communicate and work for a client. Although the 'job' was unpaid, I designated a number of hours of my spare time to complete the design. In the future I will be aware of the importance of receiving all the requirements at the initial stages and if these are not available then to postpone developments. This will ensure that time isn't wasted on experimentations that do not fit the likes/requirements of the client.   

Contacting Creatives

Through discussions with tutors it has been made apparent that the use of emails to contact creatives is becoming something that is said to be 'old' and not widely responded to. An email is very impersonal and the likelihood of the creative reading the email from an address they are not aware of provides its difficulties. Even if the email is read, there is also a chance that a reply will not be received. 

Other ways in which to contact creatives/design studios:

1. Go and visit - if the creative/studio is local then visiting their place of work is one option of getting in contact. Through discussions this has been said to be one of the most successful methods of communication. Having a face to face conversation allows the creatives to see that you are interested through the passion and ambition of visiting them. It will also mean that a reply will be more likely if communicating with them after the visit as they are able to put a face to the email address/letter.


Creatives to contact:

1. Ola Studio

- This studio was founded by Kate Goutefangeo, a printmaker and bookbinder. From her knowledge learnt in her fine art degree the studio has become a traditional manufacture of notebooks, diaries, cards and patterned papers. All crafted by local manufactures and their dedicated team. 
This studio is a demonstration of a route that I have considered for my future. Through contacting the studio it would be interesting to learn the direction that Kate took after graduating and how she achieved what she has. Although I know a lot of that would be through self determination, starting your own studio/business is something that I have limited to know knowledge of. 
2. Jade Fisher

- This is a small business based in Cardiff UK that I discovered through following Ola Studios on social media platforms. Their designs specifically focus on illustrative greetings cards, which is an area of interest that I have recently began practising. As I use their designs as inspiration for my own, this is one creative area that I would like to know more about in terms of how they produce their designs and how the business started. 

The City Talking

1. The City Talking

- This is a publication that I became aware of through the research process for OUGD504 Studio Brief 01. Through the research I learned that the publication originally began in Leeds and has since then moved across other cities, focusing on stories of the individual areas. The content of each publication is described on the website as: 'We focus on stories, because that’s how we understand cities. Whether we’re talking to business or restaurant owners, designers or artists, athletes or musicians or people we’ve met in bars, we listen to their stories and then tell our readers about them, through words and images.' This makes the publication unique are more appealing to me as a creative. They are producing something that is different from your standard newspaper or commercial magazine. This is a field that I have an interest in due to the more independent element. 

- Editorial team:news@thecitytalking.com

- Address: Hebe Works
31 The Calls
Leeds
LS2 7EY
United Kingdom

- As the original studio is based in Leeds, this would be an opportunity to experience what they are working on through first hand. One way in which contact could be made with the studio is by visiting and asking whether they have time so show me round and have a chat about what they are currently working on.

Fabric screen printing

Prior to the fabric screen printing induction, to practise the printing method I decided to design and print a cushion. To give this brief purpose, the print will be for my mum. Having an audience to design for makes it simpler in ensuring that the design is appropriate. 

As it is approaching christmas I decided that this is the theme that the design would work around. Rather than going for something obvious I wanted the design to be personal to the receiver. This then led me to sketching a range of different designs in my own illustrative style. The most successful design was the robin. This design would allow me to experiment with one or more colours for printing. 

To prepare the design for print I then went onto use Illustrator to create a layered image of the design. At this stage experimentation with colour and design was important so that it would work successfully in print. Consideration was also taken into the thickness of the line length.



Illustrator:

Screen Printing:

Preparing the document for exposure is an important element of this design. From having previously experienced a bad exposure of the image, it was important that the pigmentation of the black ink on the paper was important. This would ensure for a clear exposure of the image on the screen. 

Learning again from previous experience, tests were completed before the final print of the design. As there are three colours involved in the image, three colours were used in print; brown, red and black. Due to the three different colours involved in the print, it became more complicated when printing. These complications then led to errors being made in the print. For example, areas of ink being printed where they were not supposed to. As I had exposed each section of the design onto the same screen, this meant that when printing, the design that I wished to not be printed had to be covered. This was very time consuming as well as the screen also having to be washed after each colour print. Having to separate and cover the separate designs led to certain print 'mistakes' being made due to the covering not being 100%. Although this adds to the handmade appearance of the design, it meant that the print was not as neat as I would have hoped. In the future this will mean that a bigger screen would be used to ensure that there is enough space for covering and therefore reducing the chances of mistakes being made. 

Through discussions with peers around me at the time of printing and then the technicians, it was concluded that the large black mark would not come out any more than it had through sponging with cold water. This is an error that I will be able to learn from in the future, and to ensure that all other areas of the screen that have been exposed will be covered before printing individual sections. However, through this I also learned that using a certain method of home cleaning can remove these marks. 

The outcome.

Catalogue

As working in a small studio is one of the areas that I am interested in knowing more about, I have been researching local studios who reflect my interests in design. The Leeds based design studio, Catalogue are a creative practices that specialise in graphic design, web design/development, art direction, visual identity systems, books and magazines. Having such a varied area of work is something that is appealing to me as a designer as I do not like to be limited to one area of design. This is enables a designer to bring in the various styles that they may have and to experiment with how they can work together under one outcome. 

I first came across the studio through their visual identity and creative direction projects through Instagram which appeared through the 'based on your likes' page. Through researching the studio I related to their experimentation of photography and illustration in their design as well as the production of editorials for clients.

 From having an interest in their work and being drawn to the various sectors of design that Tom and Oliver work in, I then went on to research the individuals further. This is when I came across the Alumni Profile on the Leeds College of Art Website, where I learnt that they are two alumni students from LCA. This page provides an interview with Catalogue which has provided a more indepth understanding of their work and how the studio came about. From reading this interview it has intrigued me more into the way that they work with clients and as a pair. 

In the interview they are asked when they set up Catalogue. In the response, Tom goes into detail about how receiving the change to produce to prospectus for LCA was the start for them starting their own studio. To expand on this, it would be interesting to know the process they went through to organise their own business and the space that they work in. Through the interview I have already learnt that they completed an Enterprise and Innovation course that helped with starting the business however finding out more about this would benefit my exploration of directions after graduating.

Do The Green Thing

Do The Green Thing is an website that I came across whilst doing research for COP. They describe themselves as being 'a public service for the planet that uses creativity to tackle climate change'. This is a subject area that I am seeing on a more regular basis and have a growing interest in. Being aware of these impacts is important as it a current ongoing issue that is sculpting the way we live as individuals and as a population. This therefore has an effect on the design that we creatives produce.

Every two months there is an issue published that 'challenges the unsustainable status quo through long-form arguments and creative provocations.' These issues are written in a very real tone of voice, with a straight to the point argument that many would be intrigued yet shocked by.

The most issue released is named 'Why Santa must die'. The first of all shocking title demonstrates the serious yet playful nature of the article which goes on to explain the trauma that overconsumption is causing on our planet. As well as going into detail on how we as a population are harming the planet, the article also explains ways in which this can be taken under control. This is what sets this 'service' apart from others as many tell you what you're doing wrong but not how this can be changed. 

Country Living Fair

Attending this event is something that has become a yearly activity. Country Living is something that I personally follow through reading the magazine and engaging with the content through the website and social media. At the fair there are a number of stallholders who are all part of a small business/individual creative. Many of these are those who have featured in the magazine over the year. This opens up the opportunity to discuss with them the pieces that they produce and how they've got to where they are.

One creative that I engaged with was Hannah Knapton. This is a creative who I was previously aware of before attending the event and wanted to engage with her to identify how she produces the designs she does. Hannah set up her own design brand after working as a primary school teacher. She prints her own designs inspired by nature in her local design studio. The designs are then scanned and sent to a UK based printer to produce the various products; such as cushions, make-up bags and lampshades. This was interesting to learn as I was previously under the impression that the prints were produced by Hannah by hand. However, she was keen to explain that as her business developed she was able to produce the prints to a higher quality and therefore was able to use a secondary source to print her designs. 

As well as being able to engage with creatives at the fair, it was also a vast feed of inspiration. A process that I have identified as one that I wanted to better my skills in is fabric screen printing. I received many elements of inspiration that have given me a number of ideas of areas that I could practise in to practise this method of print. 

Joe Boyd

In the organised one to one careers session thanks to the launch of the Intern Magazine launch, I was able to have a chat with freelance illustrator and designer, Joe Boyd. In the original email sent by Alex it was introduced to the creatives who would be at the event. This meant that I was able to find out a bit about them before attending. Joe was one of the creatives who I was looking forward to meeting as his profession is an area that I have a growing interest in.

Through the one to one chat we discussed how important interacting with creatives is. His advice was to continue going to creative events and to not be be afraid of contacting a creative or design studio that I wish to start a conversation with. This is something that he did in his final year of university which then led to the opportunities he has now. This reassured my concerns that if people reply and are willing to speak to me, then an opportunity may arise from that new relationship with the creative. Joe also asked what I was currently working on which led me to discussing the Design For Screen brief with him. The overall discussion around this brief began wit me explaining the problem that I had identified and the ideas that I am currently working on. His comments towards this were very positive and said that it is important that I am identifying subject areas that I am interested in but not to limit myself to this and to continue learning. This is something that I feel I am doing with this brief as I am taking the interest in editorial to a different level in terms of experimenting with it on a digital format.

My overall experience of this one to one was very positive and thanks to the discussion with Joe, I feel a lot more confident in myself to have other discussions with creatives and to contact them directly.

Personal Practise

From attending the Glug event I have been influenced to consider what I would like my career to be after graduating. Defining and discovering what area of practise I enjoy and have an interest in is something that is important to determine as early as possible. From learning of others experiences, this will hopefully ensure or help the process after graduating. 

Editorial Design:

This is an area that I have a particular interest in and which I'm applying to my practise in answering the current briefs. Through having a discussion with a tutor, this is an area that I need to narrow down in terms of what type of editorial design I am interested in as well as a genre. This is something that I aim to complete over the next coming weeks. 

Illustration Design:

Illustration is something that I do in my own time. It is something that I have, in certain cases, been able to apply to my degree practise however is typically something I do for my own benefit and enjoyment. This is an area that I have recently been working more efficiently in which has helped develop my presence on the social media platform, Instagram. 

Donut Press

Donut Press are a design and stationery studio, started up by a husband and wife. I follow this studio on Instagram and therefore keep up to date on their frequent posts. Their work, similar to mine, is of a handmade illustrative style in the form of wedding and other invitations, cards and other stationery goodies. As the designs that they produce are similar to my own style I would like to get in contact with the studio and find out more about what they do and how they started up. This may hopefully provide guidance on how I can start something similar selling my own invitation/card designs. 

How to think of an idea

What to think about:

- The product - what is it?

- Range - How many things could it be? (don't limit yourself)

- Distribution (where will the audience view the product, interact with it, buy it from)

- Don't limit yourself with a budget. If you have the idea then someone can produce it

These are all useful tips that I learnt throughout the session. It has opened my mind up to the various areas that are behind one idea and the considerations that need to be made. This links with OUGD503 Studio Brief 02 as the brief allows for you to write your own brief. This means that careful consideration is needed to fulfil the aims that you have set as well as producing a range of ideas to discuss and work with. 

To put this knowledge into practise I worked in a group with two peers. The brief was: Make Yahoo! the world's most popular search engine. 

 

We first thought of a range of areas that could be considered when thinking of an idea to complete a brief. These were areas that we thought were of most importance however the list could have continued.

Through this task it was highlighted that adding emotion to a resolution makes the idea more distinctive than others. This is something to consider and apply to all briefs that I am working on.  

Glug Event

I discovered Glug through a discussion with Harrison, a visiting past student of the college. On attending the event I was unsure of what to expect as the structure of the night was unclear. However, the organiser was quick to approach me which led to a discussion about who I am and what my practise is about. I was then directed to two freelance designers who were interested to find out what my knowledge was on freelancing. 

Studio 12

 

The Studio 12 talk introduced the creative space that they organise that allows young creatives to learn and grow as a person. They have a wide range of materials that are available to those who wish to be apart of the studio environment. As well as hearing from the studio's spokesperson, there was also a young creative there who explained how the studio helped him develop himself as a person and how he has gone on to produce videos that have been recognised and featured on BBC. Working in the industry environment taught him that although he had the skills that were required he needed to 'up his game' to be successful in this environment. He also discussed how everything that he works on relates back to a problem and this enables him to use his problem solving skills to resolve the issue. This is something that relates to OUGD504 Studio Brief 02. Working with a problem is a successful way to answer a brief as there is always the reference point of whether you are overcoming the issue. 

Alec Dudson, Intern Magazine

Alec is a creative that I have been aware of since his talk with us in Level 4. Since then I have followed the development and stories of Intern. This was a talk that I was highly interested in as I have organised a 1 to 1 with Alec and the organisers of Intern. Key points that I noted down from the talk were 

- the hardest thing is deciding what you want to do but things are changing so don't panic

- you're not limited to one area of 'creativeness'

- find someone who appreciates you and your practise

She Does Digital

This talk involved two young proffessionals discussing how the digital industries are growing with an increasing demand for those with digital talent. They then went on to discuss how having digital skills is something that makes you unique. However, I would disagree with this. As young creatives at university have grown up with technology, these are skills that we are naturally aware of therefore to a certain extent we all have a similar skill set. One element that sets creatives apart is their skills in the more individual traditional print area. These are skills that not every creative has the opportunity to learn and experience therefore I would say that this, in certain circumstances, is an important skill set that digital skills. It would be argued that technology is the way of the future therefore these are just as important skills. 

Matt Essam

Matt is a very passionate individual who focuses on helping creatives earn a living by doing what they enjoy. In the talk he explained the process that he went through and described his feelings towards this method of being where you want to be. Being in a job that he didn't enjoy was something that he highlighed as something that led him to discover his own morals and values. However, this is something that he described as being something that you can identify without having to be involved in something that you don't enjoy. This was a very reassuring talk as it highlighted that not everyone knows what they are doing when they graduate and it is something that you can help yourself with. 

Photography Book - Collaboration

Rather than a collaboration involvement that included myself producing the photo book in collaboration with the photographer, my role leant more towards offering technical support and design guidance. Providing technical support came in the response to Hilda using Adobe Indesign which is a programme that she was not familiar with. I therefore provided help in setting up the document and ensuring that the photographs were scaled to the correct size and colour format for printing. This has improved my skills in communication and teaching as I ensured that I did not just complete these checks myself but instructed Hilda on how to do so so that she is aware for the future. 

This was a collaboration partnership that has been different to my previous experiences however has taught me the importance of communication and that not having a design input does not mean that it is not a collaboration. 

'How to Defeat the Terror of Bad Design' "Design Harder"

Eye On Design (AIGA) is a website that I use to keep up to date with the creative news.  The article 'How to Defeat the Terror of Bad Design' "Design Harder" addresses why the former MTV senior designer, Erik Carter, has set out on his own in the design world. 

"When you’re an editorial illustrator, the kind of work that you get reflects the times that you live in, and the subject of my illustrations should speak to that"

"I've always been of the belief that the key to happiness is to live outside the system, and that's exactly what I want my life to be."

Robert Venturi - "Modernism is about space. Postmodernism is about communication. You should do what turns you on"

Through this article I was introduced to another creatives way of thinking at the aims that they set themselves. Carter is a passionate individual who tries to achieve a mix of modernism and postmodernism with his work. In the text he explains how he tries to 'add hidden meaning with abstraction'. This method of design is something that relates to the Penguin competition. Producing a design that is different from the obvious response is one approach to take when designing for a client/competition. This will hopefully ensure that the design stands out against others and is something that Erik Carter practises through his work. 

Casey Nesitat

Casey is a film maker who over the past year and a half has been a vlogger on YouTube. From March 2015 I have followed his work on a personal and creative platform. However, on the 19th November 16, Casey posted his last vlog video. This consists of him talking through his goals and aims for the future which is something that I have found highly inspirational.

Quotes from video:

'ambition only makes me hungrier'

'The only way to get to where I want to be in my career is to grab onto each opportunity'

'Success makes you very comfortable'

'Risk means jeopardizing what you have' 


Overall, Casey became comfortable in his daily work. Having success to him is important however he felt that this made him lazy and he lost his creativity and aspiration to push himself and his practise. This is something that he described very simply and is something that I can relate to. When producing work I feel I am sticking to a comfort zone with what I know and comfortable with. However, after watching the last Casey Neistat vlog, I have been inspired to push myself further as this will open more and more opportunities, rather than doing the same everyday (hopefully). 

Personal Practise

To practise the illustrative style I have started keeping a bank of images by the creatives that I follow on Instagram for an inspirationfeed. This means that when I come to produce something I can look through these images as a influx of inspiration. Through the creative Dinara Mirtalipove, I was inspired to start producing the illustrative designs in the form of cards. This firstly began with a birthday card that I designed and painted myself. Through posting the below image on Instagram, I was then approached to produce a set of christmas cards in a similar style. This is something that I kindly took to and produce a set of five cards of the same design. This has demonstrated to me that keeping up with regular posts to social media can lead to more opportunities in the field of design that I am currently practising. This has also given me the experience of producing something for another rather than just for myself.  

Intern Magazine

Through receiving an email from Alec Dudson, I have organised a one to one session as the Intern Magazine Issue 4 launch night. Prior to the event I have purchased the issue to be more familiar to the content, as well as learn from the articles that are in the magazine.

Issue 4 is based around 'Creative Career Paths'. This is appropriate to my practise at this time as I am beginning to consider my career after graduation and what I can do now to influence that. There are many articles in the magazine which are extracts of interviews taken with young creatives.

Through reading the article about Liv Siddall, I have been influenced to consider the connections that I can start making with studios/individuals that are involved in editorial. From reading the article in the magazine, it is clear that Siddall's success after graduating came from the connections and experience that she gained whilst still completing her studies. Through her four year job at It's Nice That, she then went on to work at Rough Trade magazine. She has taken use of the opportunities she has been given as well as finding her own, 'the more you do, the more you get offered'. 

Development of Aims Set

Something that I highlighted as being an aim for level 5 was the confidence I have in myself and my work. To do this I have continued with my online profiles on Instagram and Behance. Not only have these platforms allowed me to post my own work but I have also been able to connect with other creatives. This has allowed me to view the creative events that they are attending as well as gain inspiration through their work. 

Posting regularly on Instagram has resulted in me being contacted by an individual to produce some designs for a wedding invitation. Although this individual is someone I have an acquaintance with, this experience will be highly beneficial to my practise as producing work for a client is not something that I have done before. 
The individual has given me a very open brief however has specified that that it be a minimalist yet personal design. It was also said that she contacted me due to being a 'fan' of the work that I produce and post to Instagram. 
Although she has only requested for a range of design to be produced with no deadline to when these should be presented by, I would like to be able to work on a range of different resolutions to present and gain feedback on from the individual. Maintaining a level of communication will hopefully ensure that the resolution is appropriate to the couple and will be used for their wedding invitations for September 2017. 

Collaboration

A photographer that I collaborated with in Level 4 has approached me and asked whether I would work on a photography book with her. To build on this request we have regular discussions in the direction that she is taking the content for the book so that I have an indepth understanding of what the book will withhold. This is something that I learned from Studio Brief One, OUGD504 - The content must inform the design. 

Once the photographs have been taken I will be able to request for more defined guidelines that she would like the book to follow. This is important in producing a book that reflects the photographers personality and practise. 

Abandoned Yorkshire Photography Exhibition

Through discovering this event on facebook I registered for tickets and was lucky enough to attend the opening night of the exhibition. The exhibition was a display of photographs taken by urban explorers in Leeds. This is an area of interest that I follow through social media therefore this was a great opportunity for me to attend. 

As the exhibition was held in an abandoned building itself (Left Bank) it set the perfect scene for the photographs to be displayed in. Through discussions with those who I attended the event with, we decided that the content was enhanced by the surrounding that it was displayed in. This demonstrates the importance of displaying work in an appropriate environment and is something that I have learnt and will be able to apply to my own work. Although I do not produce work to be displayed in an exhibition, this is something that can be reflected through photographing work in an appropriate environment. 

Reflection

Today's session has been an indication to how different creative people can work together to produce an end piece as well as produce a range of creative ideas. In the initial pairing, I was with an illustrator. Having an alternative direction for ideas to come from was inspirational as ideas were pitched that I would not have thought of myself/alone. Being with an illustrator for the idea generation also meant that if we had issues in describing our thoughts, they could easily be understood through drawing. This enhanced the idea process and gave the ideas a visual presence. 

When it went to moving into a bigger group, I found it difficult to get my voice heard as some had very direct views of where they wanted the idea to go. Although this is something that we are all getting used to, it has also indicated that as a creative you need to fight to have your voice heard and to keep pushing at something that you want to be heard. This ensures that the group can successfully work together and all have an equal contribution.

Identification task

Identify 5 things you have learnt so far:

- It is important to be apart of the world outside of graphic design for inspiration and direction when it comes to a brief

- The way you present an idea is sometimes more important than the idea itself

- More than 1 idea exploration

- Having a schedule to work towards is important

- Collaboration is important (don't do it all yourself)


Identify 5 things you want to know more about:

- Editorial design

- Where do illustrators start

- How to have a successful online and social presence

- How to contact proffessionals and get a successful response

- How to approach an internship, placement 


Identify 5 skills that you think are your strengths:

- Time management

- Organisation

- Managing a team

- Idea generation

- Stressing out 



Identify 5 things you want to improve on:

- Communication with other creatives

- Having a constant feed of creative news that I go to everyday

- Pushing the boundaries with work to take it that one step further

- Screen printing & use of in work 




Identify 5 practitioners that demonstrate your interests in graphic design:

- Aaron Draplin - the way he works through an idea process 

- Laura Hom - creative letter forms and colour

- Violaine & Jeremy - illustration & editorial pieces 

- Irma Boom - book designer

- LCD Design - packaging design, editorial, branding


Identify 5 websites/online sources that demonstrate your area of interest within the creative industries:

- Ted Talks

- It's Nice That

- Creative Review

- Instagram

- Pinterest 

- How Design

Violaine & Jeremy

Violaine et Jeremy is an illustration and graphics arts studio based in Paris, France. The studio has a 'We like it, we do it' motto however they typically work with; artistic direction, illustration, textile pattern design, graphic identity, web design and editorial design. This is a design studio that I have recognised as being a studio that I would like to contact. Editorial and illustration are two fields that I have a specific interested in and therefore would like to experience the fields firsthand. As they're based in Paris, this may be more difficult however, contacting them via email or phone call are other options. I would like to know more about how they work will illustrators and how they maintain this relationship throughout a project. 

Fabric screen printing - induction

Fabric screen printing is a skill that I have identified as one that I would like to learn. Through a discussion with the technicians in the print room it has been made clear that the process is different to that of paper screen printing. This discussion then led to a workshop being organised to be inducted into the process. For this workshop to run, a group of 10 students had to attend which is something that I organised with my peers. 

This induction has meant that I am able to experiment with fabric screen printing and can therefore bring it into new projects. 

Reflection of Level 4

Before coming to uni I had the whole summer to reflect on my education years as well as thinking about my aims for uni and the future. Looking back through my sketchbooks and some of the beginning posts on my blog, I was able to reflect on whether I have achieved my aims for first year.

Aims before university:

- expand influence horizons

- to learn alternative techniques as I have previously felt limited to digital based work 

- to find confidence in myself to produce high quality work, would never have done a presentation in front of people before no

-to work with a range of people and learn from their design process

Through my presentation I have explained each of these aims and whether I think that I have fulfilled them and how. As I feel as though I have completed the aims I have now started to think about what I want to achieve and work towards in Level 5. 

Aims for Level 5:

- Continue to grow in confidence with my work and in myself

- I've already started this by creating an Instagram account,  this is to start beginning to get my work out there and being more active as a designer

- To do more work in the editorial element of graphic design as I don't feel limited in this area

- I hope to do a summer placement with a design studio that work with editorial design

- Placement in editorial sector

- Continue perfecting my skills in traditional print and continue to learn new methods and techniques


What have you learned and what do you want to learn?
- how to present more confidently
- how to gain worthwhile and effective feedback
- important to still have a life outside of graphic design as this is an important influence
- traditional print techniques, expand my horizons and creativity with my work
- how to over come issues and work with that I have by adjusting the design 


What mistakes have you made and how have you learned from them?
- not having a schedule for a brief. this has meant that things have been overlooked and rushed as I have not had enough time to explore my ideas
- not investigating and planning for the future that a project could go in which has meant I have had to adjust designs that I feel has lowered the quality of my work


 How will this affect your future development? 
- In the future I will have a stronger plan and aim after being briefed for a project. This will allow me to have more time experimenting with my ideas

- I will plan in advance of physically producing work to ensure that it is all consistent and fulfils my aims for the brief

 What have you enjoyed and why?
- Secret 7, working with a live brief that is more of the design area that i am interested in compared to the previous briefs where I have felt limited with my work 
- Design principles; this module has allowed me to be more free with my work that means that I can explore more areas that I have an interest in and would like to explore further


What have you disliked and why?
- I didn't and still don't have a large interested in typefaces therefore I felt as though I struggled with this brief. This meant that I found it hard to produce a range of ideas and to be creative with the brief 


How does this affect your ambitions?

- It has shown me areas of design that I do not desire to work in. However, it has highlighted areas that I am more interested in (editorial)

What did you want to get from the year?

- Working with a range of people that have different styles and approaches than myself

- growing in confidence when speaking about my work in large and small groups

- started to be interested in the future and what I would like to do once I graduate although I still do not have a clear goal 
- learn more traditional print methods

Have you achieved this? 

- I think that I have achieved this and have reflected on my aims through my presentation. Although there are areas that I still feel I need to work on, such as my confidence, I have become more confident in myself and creative with my work

    To structure my presentation I have taken elements of this reflection and brought it together to summarize whether I have completed my aims for this year and what my aims are for level 5. Within this I have also talked about what I have enjoyed and the type of design that I am growing an interest in. To ensure that the presentation is consistant with my self branding, I have used the template style that I designed at the bringing of PPP, as well as using the same typeface that I have used in my self branding. This brings consistency to my work as well as making the presentation personal to me. 

Country Living

The Country Living magazine is a huge influence on me as a designer as well as a person. Not only do I enjoy reading the content of the magazine but as a growing design I have picked up on some of the editorial techniques that they use. This makes everything about the magazine appealing to me and I am always stealing a copy from home to bring back with me on the train!

The resent issue has a number of articles on creative projects, some of which I have experimented with myself. Such articles inspire me to bring out my more creative traditional print design which is something that i've recognised as wanting to do more in the future.

End of Module Self Evaluation

After completing all the practical work that I set out to complete, I have had time to reflect on my work and myself before the hand in of this brief. Although the outcomes have been successful and I have been able to overcome any issues that have been thrown my way during the process, I feel that there is still room for improvement within the designs to be more personal to myself and to reflect the type of designer that I am. I struggled with this element as I felt it is too early to be self branding myself, however I have realised the importance of this therefore have tried to make the designs appropriate to the stage that I am at now. If I were to be given this brief again at the end of the year, I would like to bring in the more traditional print methods that I enjoy and want to work with more in the future. However, as I continue to grow as a designer and start to work in areas that I would like to specialise in, I will be able to adjust the designs I have already started working on and expand them where necessary. For example, I hope to be able reproduce the video using my own photography of sheep, making the design and photography more personal to myself. The current resolution is mainly acting as an example of what is to come. 
As I have previously recognised that I am not experimenting with a range of ideas, I feel that I have been more successful with this process by sketching and creating a number of different mock ups for the business card as well as producing a plan for the photography side of the video to manage my time. Although I find this process difficult it is something that I am going to continue to practise to improve my work and design attitude in the future as it has meant that I have produced a high quality piece of design that is appropriate and successful in terms of my self branding.  

Watercolour

From recently setting up my Instagram account I have started experimenting with techniques and styles that I have picked up on from those who I follow. Today I wanted to look at the work by @carolynj who is a designer for Ecojot. I first came across her prints on Etsy which then took me to her Instagram account. From this I am able to see what she is working on on a daily basis.

As I am inspired by her work I decided to experiment with this style myself. Watercolour is something that I have always done in my own time however have recently lost touch with. I hope to continue to practise with this style and hopefully bring it into my work in the future.

I also received a comment from Caroline when the post first went up which was lovely to receive. This connection with my work and those who inspire me is something that I wanted to get from the account and is proving to work!