Evaluation

Evaluation
OUGD303 - FMP

Throughout my third year, my overall specialism has changed slightly I initially started out focusing on type as image, and progressing more into hand-rendered type and illustration. My main aspect of this module was to explore the ways in which my style of working fits within the industry to prove to myself that i am taking the right path and that i can approach the right companies and clients when i graduate. The briefs I chose were all different, to purposely push my style to fit in with them. I feel that my specialist area is fun, colorful and eye-catching and can be applied to any form of promotion, and fit to any existing identity. The way i work with type and illustration is an elaborate way than just simple generate fonts and layout, I feel that it has more of an impact on communicating the message as it forms a stronger identity for the brand.

I now wouldn't say that i feel like a Graphic Designer but I do feel that, in this FMP i have found my real design self and want to create so much more personal work, i also feel that I have succeeded in what i wanted to learn from this very last module and can proceed into the real world. Although I really wanted to be able to create websites, i struggled to pick this up in the workshops and shall have to spend my own time perfecting these skills, i feel that this is an important skill to have as many companies need them now and the internet is taking over advertising.
Skills i picked up overall through these briefs were, foiling, laser-cutting, time management, communication with clients, and learning to trust my own judgement a little bit more. Now i am going to be doing this job alone, i needed to be able to feel the sense of independence and that i don't need to rely on peers and tutors to be able to complete work, this module has definitely helped in this sense as, we have been given a lot more time to get on with the work. The laser cutter was one of the skills I wish I had picked up earlier as it would of saved me lots of time with the Valentines day cards i produced, this taught me the lesson to use technology where ever possible to save time, especially when making large batches of products, hand crafted just wont work. My time management has improved a great deal within this module, possibly because of my design skills speeding up greatly which has given me more time to get more done, this was a big issue with my work in the previous module which i am glad i have addressed, for future jobs.

Since starting this degree my main issue with wanting to become a Graphic Designer was my lack of communication skills, i felt that i would struggle due to this fact, but cannot believe how much this skill has improved throughout the three years due to communicating with clients, crits, work placements, visiting professionals and presentations.
My drawing skills have definitely improved due to creating my own hand rendered type over and over this has given me a lot of practice, i feel that the design context module helped this area the most, as i really got to enjoy showing off what i can do and what i want people to see me as. The research that went into my design context also really helped me to understand my specialism in detail from the freelancer that are already doing this as a job they offered me lots of advice on how i need to go about proceeding into the industry.

One thing that i have learn't from this module and degree is that at the end of it all, its the portfolio that wins you the job, not the grades and amount of documenting and researching you do, its how fast you can create a piece and how good it looks that matters at the end of the day. I feel that if i could just create pieces of work all day everyday in this last module i would of had a stronger portfolio and developed further as a designer, but the documenting got in the way.
My aim is now to make my portfolio the best it can be, the show the best way of reflecting me and impressive ways to contact people for a job.

final valentines day boards

final cardiff marathon boards

final fac boards

Final Ted Baker boards

Final apple boards

Final boards for skype

Tedbaker boxes

model for window display mockup

mock up boards for valentines day cards

Final crit feedback.

The final crit wasn't the best of help to me, due to my peers suggesting that i change parts of my work that would take to long in just a week...

It was suggested that i make more valentines day cards, in various sizes and stocks.
Also that i change the type on the apple adverts to appear more professional, although i tested out other existing professional fonts and these didnt have the same effect as my hand-rendered type as this is what i wanted the brief to be about.

Also to maybe photoshop the cardiff logo onto my t-shirts for the boards although i dont agree with this as it wouldn't look as professional.

mock up boards

First intial board design for the cardiff logo, though it has been changed to the following layout below as it was suggested i put the photographs of the wristbands on this board, and the logo in welsh as well as the icon itself.

Mock up boards

I have printed my boards in black and white to check incase of mistakes and i need to make changes to the photographs, having them cutout with a white background would look a lot neater than at the moment.

Ted BAKER mock up BOARDS

skype boards

SKYPE POSTERS IN CONTEXT

Model

To show the window display ideas in context than just photoshop mock ups, Jane made a model base for us to photograph the window ideas in context, this allowed us to see the layout in 3D.

Skype posters

I used the idea of the cable for the text but moved away from the telegraph pole, because it wasnt communicating the idea of freeness enough, so i thought of better ways to show this. As skype is aimed at a wide audience i thought i would use situations and images that relates to children teens and the older generation with the kite, plane and the old style telephone. These will be situated on buses and the tube as this is where the audience is most likely to be targeted.


I decided against the idea of not having an outline on the text because with this it makes it a lot easier to read!

Apple advert photos

initial skype drawings

I drew my ideas out for skype then scanned them into illustrator to neaten them up and colour them...