Instagram

Instagram plays a massive influence to my creative self as I following a range of creatives, adventures, musicians, celebrities, companies/design studios and people I know personally. As the app is quick and simple to use, I find myself browsing the content frequently throughout the day. This means that I have a constant feed of various influences whether that be whilst doing work or having down time (I find that my camera roll is filled with screen shots of posts that want to save and individuals to look in to more!) As well as using Instagram in a influential purpose it is also handy at finding out what is going on in Leeds or further afield. From this I learn of exhibitions that design studios suggest visiting or of upcoming exhibitions.

I hope to visit the KAWS exhibition before it ends in June as many have suggested the visit. 

Below are some of the accounts that have been a strong influence to me currently: 

The colour combinations and photography presentation on the profiles of the pages above are what first attracted me to the accounts. Once I started looking further into the profiles I then became more interested in the style that they were presenting, especially in the more illustrative profiles. Illustration is an area that I have previously worked with and have recently lost contact with. However, I am brining it back into my work in the OUGD404 Studio Brief 02 to expand my profile of work and primarily to work with something that is more interesting. These profiles have inspired me to be creative in this field again and I hope to experiment with illustration work further as well as using water colour for some smaller more detailed pieces.

I have recently started up a creative account on Instagram. I wanted an account that was separate from my social account so that it would purely be focused images rather than having social posts as well. This will also allow me to get my work out there a little and to expand my inspiration searches by having an account that simply follows photographers, adventures, graphic and interior designers as well as architecture accounts and illustrators. 

Lord Whitney

After an adventurous detour I finally made it to the studio. Firstly, I was really inspired by the space. Once Amy and Becca got talking, they explained how they had made their space their own using recycled furniture and what they could find on the cheap. This really showed how a space can be made your own without spending a large amount of money. The space also truly represented their style and character which has clearly been a large influence to their work as well as enabling them to produce what they have done.

I was not only inspired by the space but my Lord Whitney themselves. Hearing their story and what they have been through after leaving university is really inspiring. It has made me more confident to look outside of graphic design and how important it is not to get caught down with the one 'subject area'. It was also interesting to learn how alternative experiences such as volunteering at music festivals has broadened their contact and experience as this is not an environment I would expect to be particularly helpful in the creative industry. However, more and more festivals are inviting more money into the creative side therefore this will be something to keep an eye on as it is an area that I feel I would be interested in working with/in.

Alterations

As printing on the textured surface of the paper was successful I am going to continue with a double sided design. Taking into consideration the feedback comments that I received I am going to print two variations. The first version is more appropriate when the receiver is an individual who I have interacted with and I am giving the card just to provide them with my contact information. On the other hand, the second version is better suited to when I send out my self branding video as it is a more engaging tone of voice and plays on the fun element of the video.

Version One:

Version Two:

Once I had spoken to the technicians I was able to set up an InDesign document that would mean my prints would be double sided and aligned. I have also set up another document with multiple versions on A4 so that I can maximise the production when printing. 

Digital and Print

After experimenting with the paper mock ups I then took some of the designs further using InDesign. Due to file saving issues I was unable to reopen the designs therefore can only demonstrate the designs in screenshot form. 

When I went to digital print the outcomes have printed unsuccessfully. However, I am still able to see that printing on the textured size is successful and which design is more successful. After seeing the designs printed I was able to gain feedback and self evaluate the outcomes. This has helped me more forward with the design and continue editing the most appropriate.

Feedback
- the texture is an appropriate feature as it links with your video and also makes the design unusual
- the bright colour is the most successful as it stands out however the white and cream colours have a better reference to sheep wool
- The bullet pointed design is the most consistent and displays the information clearly
- I like how you have made the information into a small message, this is more engaging to read although the important information could be highlighted

Evaluation
From the feedback comments I am going to continue experimenting with the outcome of the business card. I am also going to seek help from the technicians so that when I go to reprint there is no mistake made therefore I do not loose any paper.

NEST 08 Launch

Going to the NEST launch has showed me an alternative way to use a space that isn't your typical white wall with natural and clean artificial light. I thought that the presentation of the space really enhanced the experience of the magazine and clear demonstrated the theme 'light'. Although there was no clear direction for the exhibitions in terms of following the space there ere interactive areas and hidden films. This highlighted areas of the space rather than just having all the focus on the walls. Having the videos at different eye levels also meant it was more interactive as you could sit or stand to view the videos and in some cases adjust your eye view to above your typical height. This sense of interaction with the space is something that works well with an exhibition therefore will be something that I will consider for future projects.

Photography Induction

The photography induction was based around learning how to set up a studio and various lighting as well as lighting techniques. As I took the books that I made in book binding I was able to photograph my own work.

Working in a group made it easier to control and experiment with the lighting, discovering what settings are appropriate at each times and how to produce a high quality photograph. These techniques will be important as I continue with my studies and development as a designer as it is important to document work in a high quality finish. This style of photography and lighting is important when documenting work professionally which is something that I hope to do more of as my studies continue. 

Mock Ups

Before going to straight to the computer after the sketches I wanted to have something visual to work with. From researching business cards I have learnt that there is no fixed size, however when considering where the card will be kept and for usability, it is common to stick with a credit card size, or something similar. 

The paper that I have used for the quick mock ups are of 175gsm. This has highlighted to me that a higher gsm is needed to improve the durability of the product.

Although this design is the most engaging and relates the most to the video I think that it would be impractical in reference to the legs being fragile therefore easily damaged. This could result in something that ends up being damaged therefore thrown away which is not what I want. To overcome this issue I have experimented with using the shape within the original rectangle. This is a design that I am going to take forward digitally and see what I can come up with.

Sketches

I have taken elements from my research and brought them together to sketch out a range of ideas. I wanted to keep the sketches distinctively different from each other so that when i take them further with experimentation I can look at traditional and digital based print methods. I would also like to look at producing a handwritten piece. 

When sketching I had a number of different ideas and elements of consideration. I put these into a mind map so that I can continue to reference back to the ideas and the desired outcome for the business card design.

Brief Reflection

I have found the previous briefs we have completed challenging as I have not had a personal interest in the topic areas. I feel that this has limited my work as I have struggled to experiment with something that I am not confident with. However from completing briefs that I have lacked interest and experts in, have realised that I can still apply my knowledge of other areas to make the brief interesting.

As Secret 7 covers a subject area that I am more interested in, I have found thinking of a range of ideas and completing the brief has come easier to me therefore feel I have been able to experiment with alternative methods that I would not necessarily thought of in the previous briefs. I feel that having a balance of areas that I am confident in and some that I am less confident in has help me to understand techniques that I know are successful and interested in, as well as the areas that that I would like to improve in. The Secret 7 brief is also making me think more into the area that I would like to work in.  

Video Alterations

Once I had edited the photographs I began putting the video together. The programme that I have used is iMovie. As I have not used this programme before I watched a number of youtube videos however I found that each programme is different depending on which version the person has. This is when I turned to my peers for help! Doing this meant that I was able to receive help on the version of the programme that I have as well as being able to apply the knowledge I had learnt from youtube.

This was the beginning of the video where I started experimenting with the duration of each image and the composition of the video. From feedback comments and to my own realisation, I am going to experiment with reversing the order of the images so that it appears as though I am walking towards the camera rather than walking away. This will lead into the next section of the video more fluently. 

At this stage I felt as though the video was coming together more. Readjusting the image order makes the video flow together and gives the movement direction. To develop the video further I would like to experiment with adding an instrumental song to make the video more engaging and fun to watch.

As the video was nearing completion I wanted to get feedback from individuals who know me well and those not so well. The comments were all consistent, focusing on how well the photographs had worked out and the fun theme that it created. However, the main comment that stood out to me was that if you do no know that I come from a sheep farming background, then the sheep images appear slightly random and out of place. This lead to questions being asked that could not necessarily be answered if I were to send this out to those who inspire me. To overcome this issue I am going to reorganise the image order so that the 'Country Girl' clip is just before the sheep inspiration images. I am also going to experiment with the wording of this slide so that it makes more sense to those who do not know me as this is who the video is primarily for. 

At this stage it was only slight adjustments that needed to be made to the video. For example, there is not enough time to read all of the boards therefore extending the viewing time needs to be adjusted. Through feedback comments it has also been said that the text on the 'farmer' board is difficult to read and that adding another slide of my work would be beneficial. These are comments that I am going to take into consideration when altering the video.

After having the feedback comments I noted what was said and have made these adjustments. This has made a vast improvement to the video as it makes the video informative of how I am and what type of designer I am. 

Screen Printing

Screen printing has been something that I have been waiting to do since coming to university. After having the induction it has inspired me further to experiment with this printing process and has given me a number of ideas about how I can link this to current and future projects. 

Research

As the video is now complete, I can move on to the second part of my self branding. At this stage I have grown confident with the use of letterpress and digital print therefore they are two areas that I would like to experiment with for this section of the brief. Before diving straight into illustrator, I have sketched out a number of ideas for the design of the business card taking into consideration the research that I have conducted. The business card will be something that is not only given out by me personally but will also accompany my video when being sent out to those who inspire me. This means that the card needs to maintain the element of fun from the video but the seriousness of myself as a creative learner.

Research: 

Video

Once the photoshoot had taken place and the appropriate images then edited I began making the video. The use of the white board will allowed me to experiment with a range of typefaces to determine which is best suited to myself. Although this is an important factor I didn't want to spend too much time on this area  as making a video is an area that I have not previously experimented with therefore I want to schedule enough time to ensure that the process was done correctly.

Typeface:
For the typeface I wanted a typeface that represented my own handwriting to add more personality to the design. 

Monaco

Gurmukhi Sangman MN

Lucida Grande

Although the typeface that is the only one without the arc of the 'a' is Monaco in terms of similarity for the rest of the letters, Gurmukhi Sangman MN is more suited. 

Manipulated Images: