OUGD404 - end of module evaluation

1. What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?

I have found this module extremely useful, as there as so many aspects of it that you can apply to your own work.

Firstly, I have learned a lot about layout. Beforehand, most of the things I did I would create on Illustrator or Photoshop, but now I have become quite capable at using InDesign. We were able to see how to effectively take a hand drawn thumbnail and bring it into digital. I had previously used InDesign before, however, not to this extent. I am now much more aware of it's different features and how to prepare images in Photoshop so that they are ready for this application. Although my designs weren't the most complication, I am being more competent at using this program and hope to go on to use it more when layout is involved. 

The thumbnail design process also affected other areas of this module. I took this process and used features of it to apply to my design developments for what is a line. It made things a lot clearer and a lot more structured. As I was producing book covers, this process was helpful, and similar to that of the previous task.

Colour was also of great importance during this module. The workshops taught me a great deal about how colour works, and what colours compliment each other. These workshops were useful, but it was a lot to take in. I feel I struggled when it came to deciphering the difference between all the terms (hues, saturations, tones). This therefore made it difficult when it came to taking my images. Everything sort of merged into one, and it became very confusing when considering the definitions and what colours would need to be used. 

Finally, I feel that the 'What is a Line' brief has allowed me to incorporate different tasks and workshops, particularly layout, which I am slowly becoming more confident with. 

2. What approaches to/methods of idea generation have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?

The use of thumbnail designs has really informed my design development process. It has allowed me to become a lot more used to developing my ideas and getting them all down on paper.

 I enjoyed the process of the type and grid task, however, there were points where I felt like I was over thinking it. Sometimes I hold back, in fear that it will look awful. I still need to get to a place where I can just put everything down and do more. The use of thumbnails is a more structured approach, however I feel that it will help me and give me space to design within. I have also become more confident in applying my designs from paper to digital.

 This task also aided my 'What is a Line' brief. 

3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?

I feel a lot more confident in layout design now, and applying it to Illustrator or InDesign - becoming much more familiar with these programs. I plan on incorporating InDesign more into my work, particularly when it comes to looking at layout.

I have also worked on my drawing abilities and using hand rendered type. I am really enjoying the mixture of hand drawn and digital, and I have found a way in which I like working. Hopefully, I will slowly become more confident at drawing, and will also experiment more with type done by hand, as this is something that interests me.

4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future?

I feel that colour theory was definitely my weakness. From the beginning, I struggled to get a grasp of it. When taking the images in both studio and at home, I found it quite difficult working out which colours meant what, and what it meant when they were put with others. After the task, I definitely had a better understanding, but there's still a lot more to learn. There are so many different terms to get a grasp of. I would like to develop this further.

5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?

1. Make sure I blog straight away. Little things can get forgotten about as it was such a long time period. If things were done the second I received them, then things wouldn't go missing or take a back seat.

2. Make sure to back images up as I lost all of my colour theory images and as this was done using the photography studio, I would have had to book in order to do it all over again. Unfortunately, the images just wouldn't upload onto the computer, and therefore I couldn't use them.

3. I will experiment more with different stocks and different ways of printing. I feel that I am being too 'comfortable' in my decisions, and need to experiment more with different processes in order to get different results and different aesthetics.

4. I would have liked to have looked further into the 'zombie type' task, perhaps creating my own type. I feel that I could have took this task a lot further, and really explored the idea of deconstruction of type. This would give me a better knowledge and understanding of how type works, and how you can create your own typeface.

5. I will push myself to get a better understanding of colour theory and how it can affect design. I will become more aware of the different terms and exactly what they all mean so that I know what I'm talking about.

6. How would you grade yourself on the following areas:

5 = excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor

Attendance 5

Punctuality 5

Motivation 3

Commitment 3

Quantity of work produced 2/3

Quality of work produced 3

Contribution to the group 2/3

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED - interim self evaluation, study task 4

10 things I have learned professionally

1. One of the main things I have learned during my time on the course so far is how to use particular software. I had always been able to do the basics on Photoshop, however I had never used Illustrator before. The workshops have really helped me to navigate myself around these programmes, and I am becoming much more confident when using them.

2. Although I had past experience of working with blogger, having a blog for my foundation work, I had never used it to the extent that I do now. I have become much more acquaint with using it as it plays a major role in how the course runs.

3. What has really fascinated me is the digital printing process. I have learned a lot about how it works and the extent of which you can use it to create completely different types of aesthetics. Your chosen stock is of great importance.

4. The crit process I believe has helped me tremendously. It has helped me to identify where it is that i'm going right, and where it is that i'm going wrong. It is nice to have your worked looked at by different eyes, and it is also nice to see what other people are up to.

5. Although I was aware before my time on this course that I swayed more towards image than type, I feel that the past modules have really strengthened this. I have really enjoyed the opportunities I have been given to work with image and photography, and hope to carry on doing so.

6. In general, I have learned a lot more stuff. I have expanded my knowledge on the history of type, and have really enjoyed doing so. The lectures have been extremely beneficial both inside and outside of the course.

7. Jo's sessions have really helped me find out what I like when it comes to design. They have also aided me in explaining why it is that I 'like' it, which is of great importance. I have been exposed to a lot of great new and inspiring work during these sessions.

8. As I prefer working with image, I do sometimes struggle with type. Explaining why it is that I have used a particular typeface, or even just picking one that is appropriate to my subject. I am becoming to feel a lot more comfortable when it comes to using type, and making the right decisions. Through people on the course, I have found a lot of great websites with free downloads.

9. I have learned a lot about different media that I can work with. On foundation, there wasn't much scope to create something more than just a standard product. The facilities at the college allow for much more than that, and will help me to explore further.

10. On foundation, I was very much stuck to working in a sketchbook and hated working outside of it. At first, I tried to keep up with doing this, however, as time went on I began to realise how much easier it was to work on a larger scale on design sheets. It is becoming easier now to generate more ideas.

10 things I have learned personally

1. I have learned that I can actually live on my own. Although I am quite independent, I really did think that I was going to struggle. To begin with, I was extremely homesick but now I am very much enjoying my time here.

2. Hearing experiences of my flatmates courses has made me realise how worthwhile this course in particular is. Although the timetable is pretty full on, I am grateful that it is. My flatmates are probably in a maximum of three days a week, and find it very easy to say that they're not going in. I am extremely glad that the course is the complete opposite, and I am going to get a great deal out of it.

3. I am the messiest person ever. I hoard everything and I have ten times as much stuff in my room as any of my flatmates. My room is a tip the majority of the time and this is something that I really want to change.

4. I have learned that I am pretty good when it comes to money. I know when it should and shouldn't be spent. Although I do love spending it, I would never let it get out of hand. I am capable of sticking to my weekly budget, and if I was to go over, I would spend less the week after.

5. Meeting all the amazing people that I have has certainly helped me. I have made some great friends, all of which are extremely talented. It is great to be around creative people that can help you and also inspire you.

6. I believe that I am able to balance my social life with my work, and am capable of knowing when I should be doing what.

7. I have learned that I definitely can't cook. I would love to be able to, however I have no imagination when it comes to food. Yet, my flatmates are helping me a great deal, and I am trying new things.

8. 

9. I am becoming a lot better at speaking in public, or to groups. I always find that I have everything to say, but then can never say it. My legs also shake a lot. I think as time goes on, I will definitely improve and become much more confident.

10. I am not very confident in my own work, at all.

BLOG GROUP TASK

Luke Hayman of design firm Pentagram was asked by AdWeek to present his picks for the best magazine covers of 2010.


Also been looking a lot at a critical paper by Liam Wakeman (http://liamwakeman.wordpress.com/)
He looks a lot at Issue new magazine design by Jeremy Leslie, and he looks into magazine interaction. 


- He looks at online interactive magazines that have been put into pdf form. 
'This is a gaming magazine that is only available in pdf form, it features trailers within the articles, this is one of the best designed pdf magazines that i have found, the ease of use is very simple just having to click an arrow to go to the next page and it is also possible to interact with features on the page such as link, sounds and video. It is also available on a Sony psp, Nintendo ds, iphone and iPod touch so it is designed to reach a large selection of its target audience.

http://www.select-mag.de/'

This is a different type of interaction altogether to what I have been looking at.

- A further example includes 'This is lovepicks which is a magazine made in flash amongst an interactive popup menu; you flick through it by clicking the corners of the pages. The magazine features designers and photographers work and is a nice way of showcasing skills. It also features sound and moving image. This is a different solution to pdf.

www.lovepics.it'

- He tends to look at online magazines in terms of interactivity, as opposed to what I personally view as 'interactive', however, in a way it is just the same only in digital format.

' This is thisisamagazine.com it is a flash based magazine of sorts that it is made up of moving image words, pictures and sounds. It also features pop ups and shows what can be done in terms of interactivity.'