What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?
Throughout this module I have definitely developed my 'Adobe Illustrator' skills. It has been more self driven than tutor taught unlike the Photoshop induction. I have used Illustrator more so in 'Collection 100' than any other brief. It has been the main focus in the majority of my designs and I feel I have finally got to grips with the basics of Illustrator as well as some more advanced techniques- I am now confident using the programme to create physical designs initially in my mind.
What approaches to/methods have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?
Throughout this module I think that my research methods have highly developed- specifically primary research (qualitative and quantitative). I think i've been able to recognise what research is relevant to my project so that I can successfully communicate my message and create more informed designs. For example, in the Collection 100 brief I did a lot of primary research concerning money and people's thoughts, I communicated this research through three different infographic designs that visualised and solidified it. I think I realised research played such an integral part in my designs after the 'What if...' brief, which, I feel was lacking slightly in primary research. However, in the 'Collection 100' brief I had full control to do what I wished an applied this research accordingly.
What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?
Surprisingly in this module I have been more happy with my visual resolutions and how they have turned out. For example in the Collection 100 brief I am happy with the way my three posters look. They are visually engaging and in my opinion just nice to look at. I plan on capitalising on this by incorporating strong concepts with visually engaging resolutions.
What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully?
In contrast to the 'strengths' I think my weakness in this module has been fully formed concepts. I think that in the previous module I have developed strong concepts and failed to produce a strong visual resolution. Whereas now, specifically in Collection 100 my ideas have lacked depth and consistency. I will address this issue in future by always referring back to the brief to keep my thoughts on track.
I also found that I took to long in the decision making process. This is relevant to the 'What if...' brief along with the 'Collection 100' brief. My development took form too late on in both briefs because I was waiting for an amazing idea when I should've just worked with what I had and capitalised on this. Next module I plan on constantly working whether I think it is good or not rather than stressing out because I don't fell I have the best idea possible. The key is just getting on with it.
Identify five things you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?
- Experiment more with different mediums. I think this will create a more successful final resolution because I will know what works well and what is most relevant for the target audience.
- Book myself in the digital print room. I found that this became an issue when it came to printing my final resolutions. Rather than stressing out and coming in at 8 in the morning for drop in I need to pre-plan and book a place so that everything is ready in time for if amendments need to be made.
- I need to be constantly going back to the brief. This will force me to think about every decision I make and remind me that they have to have a reason behind them.
- Blog. Everyday. I think that I fell short this module in keeping up-to-date with blogging. Though I think there is a sufficient amount of work here I also think that if it was done on the day it would've been more in depth as it is fresh in my mind.
- Read more. More specifically the recommended books in specific briefs. I think there is a lot more to learn and I could also solidify what I have learned in taught sessions by doing this. This will develop my skills in less of a design sense and more of a theoretical sense- one which I think I am lacking.
How would you grade yourself on the following areas?
Attendance: 5
Punctuality: 5
Motivation: 4
Commitment: 4
Quantity of work produced: 3
Quality of work produced: 3
Contribution to the group: 4
Showing posts with label OUGD102. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OUGD102. Show all posts
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Monday, 7 February 2011
Visual Language brief: 'Book Works'
Brief title:
Book Works
The brief:
Come to a final book design revolving around and incorporating scaffolding and 'a's.
Considerations:
Experiment with a wide variation of different media, i.e.screenprint; illustration; stitching etc. Come to a resolution that reflects the idea and creates a strong concept.
Target audience:
Anyone who is interested in the construction/ anatomy of type.
General type enthusiasts.
Tone of voice:
Background:
Mandatory requirements:
All images should be supported by a broad range of visual investigation in the form of design sheets and notebooks.
An edition of ten books.
Deliverables:
An edition of ten books.
Studio Deadline:
1st March.
Book Works
The brief:
Come to a final book design revolving around and incorporating scaffolding and 'a's.
Considerations:
Experiment with a wide variation of different media, i.e.screenprint; illustration; stitching etc. Come to a resolution that reflects the idea and creates a strong concept.
Target audience:
Anyone who is interested in the construction/ anatomy of type.
General type enthusiasts.
Tone of voice:
Background:
Mandatory requirements:
All images should be supported by a broad range of visual investigation in the form of design sheets and notebooks.
An edition of ten books.
Deliverables:
An edition of ten books.
Studio Deadline:
1st March.
Collection 100, Course crit.
The feedback above is from the first crit. We left only our final resolutions in the studio whilst the tutors analysed them. Once they had finished we were told what they thought they were lacking, what we could do to improve them and what to just scrap all together. This crit was based on the idea that the work has to speak for itself without us being there to explain it. The general feedback I got was that the pieces were visually strong, but the concept was lacking depth.
The feedback below was from the final crit. Here we left our final resolutions with all of our development work and received feedback from our peers. I found that sometimes the feedback was pointless and un-constructive. However, the feedback that I did find constructive I am going to take on board and consider before the module hand-in.
Friday, 21 January 2011
My Time Management 'Challenge'
My time management skills are almost non- existent. My plan is to create a 'To Do' list everyday for three weeks (supposedly this is the amount of time it takes to change a habit) before I go to bed. I think it's going to put into perspective exactly how much work I have to do and when I can do it.
I plan on scanning in a list daily. The idea of putting it up on my blog means that I have physically wrote down that I am going to do this, and if I don't do this I will look bad, and I don't like looking bad- this is my incentive.
Jan 21
-Today is the first day and is only half a day so will not be as long (I would imagine).
Todays 'To Do's':
- Create some direction sheets for my moving image and info graphics piece.
- Talk to Amber about general direction, see if it's all going good. Or not.
- Get yesterdays moving image Flash induction up on blog.
- Take a picture of my bag and trace on Illustrator.
- Put yesterdays scans on Practice and context blog.
Jan 24
Jan 25
-FINISH ESSAY.
Jan 26
-Get some more secondary research together about money- given my new direction.
-Do some more design sheets for sure- lacking in that area.
-Scan in Vis lang work for blog.
-TAKE BOOKS BACK!
Jan 27
- Update blog in general.
- Check out work for the 'design for screen' brief. Get on that.
Jan 28
- Print everything off for the crit.
- Get on with whatever comes out of the crit.
Jan 31
- Complete current infographic.
- Do some more primary research for current direction.
- Get on with final design.
- Scan everything in on blog.
Feb 1
- Print images off for Vis Lang.
- Update blog.
Feb 2
Feb 3
Feb 4
-Print off current poster designs for the crit.
Feb 7
-Work on the posters, make amendments from fridays crit.
Feb 8
Feb 10
Feb 11
Feb 14
- Sort out leaflet- finalise.
- Print off final resolutions.
- Get images up on blog.
Feb 15
Feb 16
Time Management
We were asked to document what we did for a week so that we realised how much time we were spending on different activities.
So I made a book to record what I did on what days.
I found that I spend the majority of my time in college and in bed. However, when I am not doing these things I am pretty much never productive. I spend my time watching films and talking to people, along with the main issue- getting worked up about what to do for my current brief, thus not achieving anything but getting worked up, rather than doing something, being pro active.
I have decided to give myself a time management "challenge". I've come to realise I get very little done but have the drive to do it, it's just the majority of the time I have no idea what i'm supposed to be getting up to.
So I made a book to record what I did on what days.
I found that I spend the majority of my time in college and in bed. However, when I am not doing these things I am pretty much never productive. I spend my time watching films and talking to people, along with the main issue- getting worked up about what to do for my current brief, thus not achieving anything but getting worked up, rather than doing something, being pro active.
I have decided to give myself a time management "challenge". I've come to realise I get very little done but have the drive to do it, it's just the majority of the time I have no idea what i'm supposed to be getting up to.
Friday, 14 January 2011
'What if...' Evaluation
Self Evaluation,
The problem we first identified as a basis for the whole project was 'How do we make people more aware of the amount of CCTV within Leeds and how much they are being watched?'.
The subject matter of CCTV cameras came from mine and Bens' research prior to the group brief. We had surprisingly focused on the same thing. When we came together we had a reasonable amount of research- images/ facts/ quotes etc. This formed a stable basis for the beginning of the project so that the rest of the group could research some more so we knew as much as we could about our subject.
The method's to collect the research included:
Primary methods:
Qualitative: - Images of CCTV cameras
- Survey of what people thought of CCTV cameras/ the amount/
if they were aware of the amount that existed/ are they a good thing or bad thing etc.
- Walking around leeds checking out their visibility and how many there were.
Quantitative: - Totaling up exactly how many cameras we could find on Briggate.
- Producing pie charts on peoples opinions of CCTV cameras and how they feel about
being watched.
Secondary methods:
Qualitative: - Youtube online videos on CCTV cameras. More specifically on their visibility and the amount
that exist.
- Leeds newspapers/ online articles about the amount of CCTV within Leeds.
Quantitative: - The number of CCTV cameras within Leeds (internet).
- The annual cost. Along with the cost for one taxpayer.
From the research we found that every single CCTV camera was well above the average head height. Which means that unless you are looking up it isn't in your eye-line. So, it makes sense that barely no one knew how much they were being watched. The majority of our poster designs revolved around this issue of height and visibility. We reacted to this problem by incorporating arrows within the designs- as arrows signify direction it made sense to use them.
When we went out to make the brief live we got a lot of attention. We stood under the cameras with the posters and said nothing. I found that mostly people just looked at the posters- which is successful in its' own right because it is attracting attention. However, some people began talking to us, which meant that we had communicated our message effectively enough to make someone else feel the need to find out more information, rather than just acknowledging the posters existence.
I think we all found it difficult to get together at the same time and sort everything out collaboratively. Most of the time the general consensus was to go away, design, come back and make decisions on them together. Some thing i'll definitely take from this is to basically force people together to keep consistency within designs through constant communication.
Five things I have learned about the design process:
- Research. Research is vital, in every single form. It develops designs and makes them more informed.
- Work. All the time. As long as you're constantly coming up with designs (good or bad) the final resolution will always come out more resolved.
- Use different methods of design i.e. Illustration/ digital/ photography. Again this helps bring together a more strong final resolution because you have experimented enough to know what works and what doesn't
- Time management is key. I think this is the main issue that has arisen from this project. You have to spend your time being pro-active and constantly doing something or else you slip behind and get nothing done.
- Be ready to print in time. This brings everything together in time to make it live. If not you get behind and could miss the deadline.
Group Evaluation,
The problem we first identified as a basis for the whole project was 'How do we make people more aware of the amount of CCTV within Leeds and how much they are being watched?'.
The subject matter of CCTV cameras came from mine and Bens' research prior to the group brief. We had surprisingly focused on the same thing. When we came together we had a reasonable amount of research- images/ facts/ quotes etc. This formed a stable basis for the beginning of the project so that the rest of the group could research some more so we knew as much as we could about our subject.
The method's to collect the research included:
Primary methods:
Qualitative: - Images of CCTV cameras
- Survey of what people thought of CCTV cameras/ the amount/
if they were aware of the amount that existed/ are they a good thing or bad thing etc.
- Walking around leeds checking out their visibility and how many there were.
Quantitative: - Totaling up exactly how many cameras we could find on Briggate.
- Producing pie charts on peoples opinions of CCTV cameras and how they feel about
being watched.
Secondary methods:
Qualitative: - Youtube online videos on CCTV cameras. More specifically on their visibility and the amount
that exist.
- Leeds newspapers/ online articles about the amount of CCTV within Leeds.
Quantitative: - The number of CCTV cameras within Leeds (internet).
- The annual cost. Along with the cost for one taxpayer.
From the research we found that every single CCTV camera was well above the average head height. Which means that unless you are looking up it isn't in your eye-line. So, it makes sense that barely no one knew how much they were being watched. The majority of our poster designs revolved around this issue of height and visibility. We reacted to this problem by incorporating arrows within the designs- as arrows signify direction it made sense to use them.
When we went out to make the brief live we got a lot of attention. We stood under the cameras with the posters and said nothing. I found that mostly people just looked at the posters- which is successful in its' own right because it is attracting attention. However, some people began talking to us, which meant that we had communicated our message effectively enough to make someone else feel the need to find out more information, rather than just acknowledging the posters existence.
I think we all found it difficult to get together at the same time and sort everything out collaboratively. Most of the time the general consensus was to go away, design, come back and make decisions on them together. Some thing i'll definitely take from this is to basically force people together to keep consistency within designs through constant communication.
Five things I have learned about the design process:
- Research. Research is vital, in every single form. It develops designs and makes them more informed.
- Work. All the time. As long as you're constantly coming up with designs (good or bad) the final resolution will always come out more resolved.
- Use different methods of design i.e. Illustration/ digital/ photography. Again this helps bring together a more strong final resolution because you have experimented enough to know what works and what doesn't
- Time management is key. I think this is the main issue that has arisen from this project. You have to spend your time being pro-active and constantly doing something or else you slip behind and get nothing done.
- Be ready to print in time. This brings everything together in time to make it live. If not you get behind and could miss the deadline.
Group Evaluation,
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