My idea generation skills have improved greatly, especially during the most recent brief speaking from experience. Over the five weeks, I only used a computer and started designing my products in the last 2 weeks of the brief. Over the first few weeks I was researching and generating ideas for what would work best and be most effective. If I hadn't have spent so much time on generating ideas I would not have created the products which I did for my final pieces. I feel that this generation and mass of ideas really helped my project progress as a faster rate once I started designing. Each product had a purpose and a use, which enabled me to crack on with the designs.
What approaches to/methods of research have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?
For the Don't Panic brief I did some research into who receives the brown envelopes and also looked at alot of the past winning posters to get an idea of the kind of style they prefer. I thought this would help me to design a poster which would have more of a chance of winning. However I think this may have hindered me slightly as I was putting alot of emphasis on making it appropriate for Don't Panic over the receivers of the envelope. I defiantly would have done the poster differently if I had carried out my research differently. Only the other day I though of a design which would have been more appropriate! For communication is a virus I researched alot during the first week and collected a huge amount of secondary quantitative data. However this all turned out to be not as useful as hoped once me and my partner started working on an idea. It helped us choose what we would eventually do, however I think it may have been useful to carry on researching small amounts in the second week to help us produce a design which would have more appeal to our audience. Our piece works well, but I do feel that it could be better.
What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?
I have experimented more with type in this module which is what I want to specialise in next year. I have also tried out illustrative type on my Don't Panic posters to see if this style suited me. I also researched this at the beginning of the speaking from experience brief and found it very interesting. I think my strengths in this module have been my research, ideas generation and my use of colour. I have found that I do not use colour half as much as I used to. I would really love to only use black and white if I could with just maybe one colour. I much prefer a limited pallet now... Looking back on everything I have done this module, I have only used more than one colour in speaking from experience, and at the beginning I wasn't even going to do that! Also, for speaking from experience I have used a different working method. I have used different paper stocks depending on what I am doing (sketching, writing, printing) and have put all these sheets into one rind-binded square folder. This way I could work on the stock I wanted at the size I wanted, instead of messing about with a sketchbook and missing pages out etc. I have found this way alot easier to work and really believe I have created more work because of it. I have realised I do not always do things in order and often go back and forth before I settle down. this way of working suits me and I think that my new way of creating a sketchbook demonstrates this. I have made a summer list and I intend to develop my drawing skills and understanding of shading/different variations of grayscale over the summer... as well as get a job so I can afford to come back next year!
What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully?
I found that I did not work as hard as I could of during communication is a virus. I am not sure if it was because I knew my partner and I worked well together and I felt I could relax, or I was just having an 'off' week. Next time I have group work I will definitely pull my weight more. I also do not write down my time management... I work it out in my head. Recently I have been more effective with my time management, but at the start of the year it wasn't very good. I think it could still do with improving. Also my blogs could be updated more frequently. I need to find the right balance of what should be posted and what shouldn't. I am hoping to come into college for 9 all next year and blog for 30 mins every day so that they are always up to date.
Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?
- Blog more, when I look back in a few years I can understand better what I have done.
- Produce my own sketchbook, this way I work more effectively.
- Use type more, I enjoy type and want to specialise in this.
- Produce time management sheets so that the course tutors can see I have made good use of my time.
