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 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.

Crit Feedback

Valentines cards - it was suggested that i expand the brief onto mousemats, notepads or any other graphic stationary. To make it relate more to the target audience.

FAC try bring darker colours into the new poster design, expand onto more promotional items

CM - Apply to more practical items to relate to the marathon, sweat bands, plasters, and water bottles.

Design context book - try hand writing the inside copy as it looks to different to the title pages.

Walk to work day!

For my new brief that will last for the remaining 5 weeks of my course. I am focusing on promoting brands with posters in the type of image style.
I have started with the walk to work day which will be for the eco friendly aspect of my brief.



Poster idea

Laser cutter induction

This test piece shows the different techniques that can be created with the laser cutter, (cut through, kiss cut, engrave)

FMP final 5 weeks

I have decided i am going to focus my final 5 weeks on promotion for brands and the expantion of my existing briefs.

I am going to create posters to explore various sizes and stocks.

I will use type as image to create each and if i create one a day i should at least have 3 designs for each and maybe expand the design onto other promotional things to the brand.


Electrical/computers promotion for skype.
I want to create large scale poster designs for the skype brief

Expanding the graphic designer chat up lines to work for a brand name.
I am going to find a brand that the existing chat up lines will work for.

Feedback from crit

Feedback to do:

Cardiff logo
Photograph cardiff marathon items in context
Think about other items it can be applied to e.g. wrist bands, water bottle, cap.
Maybe screen print on the logo.
Or stickers

Valentines cards
Make more on laser cutter
Change heart shape to more of a heart shape, on cards, wrapping, and inner card.
Make envelopes.

Fac
Make stickers for FAC to apply to plecks and for consumer use.

Feedback from crit

Fac Records
The logo is working and a very strong idea stick with it. It was sugested that i try laser cutting the plectrum business card idea out of wood or plastic or even screen printing the design on wood or plastic. Also play around with the layout of the poster all text is too central at the minute. Test logo on other music related products, guitar straps, music cases, amps or make stickers to apply to these.

Valentines cards
Test more stocks for the cards and try laser cutting them. Consider initial design idea.

Cardiff Marathon
Rethink the shape of the dragons head it looks to much like the lock ness monster at the moment. Adapt to other items such as tags, socks, banners at a marathon, water bottles, t-shirts. etc.

Ted Baker
Logo works well, consider a different font for the body copy as it is too much with the logo. Maybe have drop caps at the start of the body copy?

Rationale/statement of intent and fmp briefs

Final year of my 3 year course besides finding it really hard to decide what i want to do when i leave i had to decide what was going to be my last briefs on the course...

As a Graphic Designer the concept of branding and designing brand identities has always interested me. Brand identity is what I want to specialise in I most prefer designing for retail and clothing labels although I am struggling to just solely stick to this area. My over arching theme for this module is to concentrate on identification, I like promotional work and making my audience aware of an existing brands products or a new brand on the market.
My dissertation influences my design practice, I have researched large brands/branding companies to see how they started out, who designed the logo, how they have changed and what has influenced them with brands such as coca cola, and Kodak. I have interviewed designers to gain a better understanding of corporate image and brand identity. Understanding logo design and how successful brands started out has given me a great insight into how I can have input in designing new brands.
This is what I plan to achieve to get where I want to be in the design industry these are mainly skills which I am hoping I can achieve in the next module, and brush up on in my own time.
I need: Web skills, Lighting photography skills, Basic knowledge of Flash, More work placements, To promote myself. I want To be able to work at a faster pace. To concentrate on type as image and brand identity. In order to pursue my career I need to gain more experience working in the industry and shall continue to find work placements I will concentrate on the previous companies and other brand identity concerned companies.

Final 7 briefs


1) Occasions

Produce a range of paper based valentines day cards for a specific/targeted market.
Your designs should consider the development across gift cards, wrapping papers, gift bags and any other formats that you can identify within existing or proposed markets.

2) Cardiff logo

The design challenge is to design an icon that represents the Cardiff Half Marathon – the biggest road race in Wales and Wales’ flagship running event. The icon should demonstrate this to both a British and an international audience.

3) Recording studio logo

Produce a logo design for a new acoustic recording studio.

4) Re-brand

Re-brand of café corporate identity.

5) H-samuel
Create a campaign, which challenges the perception of H.Samuel as a traditional retailer, and encourages younger customers to re-evaluate us.

6) Tedbaker
Devise a campaign for the launch of the Ted Baker Autumn/Winter collections that makes use of our store windows as its primary vehicle.

7) wedding invitations
Produce a range of wedding invitations for a specific target market.
Designs should consider the development across, invitations, name cards, thank you notes/cards, and envelopes.

Timetable

Valentines day brief - 2 weeks 18th - 1st Feb

Cardiff marathon icon - week and a half 27th Jan - 7th Feb

Recording studio logo - 12th feb - 26th feb

Ted Baker - 1st march - 26th march 4 weeks

H-Samuel brief - 29th march - 23rd april - 4 weeks

cafe rebrand - 26th april - 14th may

Wedding Invites - 17th may - 31st may

Umbrella statement

This statement is my main focus for the final FMP module.

Identity, Promotion, Branding, with a focus on Decorative type and image.