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.
