OUGD303 End of Module Evaluation

At the start of the module I was able to choose briefs that I thought I would be able to utilise my skills the best with, and to also improve and learn. I feel they have allowed me to develop my skills that I set out to do and it has helped me focus on who I am as a designer, and to do the type of design that I want. I have pushed myself, and in doing so I have created design work that I am now proud to include as part of my portfolio work. I am now confident that my main interests lye within branding, promotions and publication design.

The first brief, collaborating on the Fine Art yearbook was quite an eye opener, we were able to work closely as a team and each give our input and use each of ours skills to the best of our abilities, each of us having specific jobs, of which mine was mainly to do the layout of the book. Overall I think the yearbook works really well, and after a long process of changing ideas we were able to give them something they wanted. Working on this live brief was an opportunity to incorporate my time management skills working to deadlines, working as part of a team and communicating with clients, which has brought confidence to the work I produce.

The fashion brief was enjoyable as I was working on a sector that I am really interested in. I was able to produce a brand identity for a fashion student, her look book and promotional material. I also did some book binding and working with stocks to create high class, professional printed collateral. Both myself and the client were happy with the results, which overall is what it was all about.

The third brief for St Martins GP Practice was a live brief that I pitched for but didn’t get chosen but decided to carry it through anyway and I am glad I did as I have learned a lot form this brief and about branding, and all the opportunities this brings. I stepped out of my comfort zone as I designed for deliverables and formats that I haven't previously done before including way finding and wall displays. This proved quite difficult as I tried to imagine what the Practice new location would look like, therefore I had to 'make up' what the possibilities could be, as I hadn't visited their new place.

The fourth brief for D&AD, I think I spent the least time on this brief yet it was one of my favourites, I think that when I have less time to do a brief I like the end result more as I don’t spend a lot of time wasting getting initial ideas. I tend to make design decision quicker and since I want a good end result, I seem to work more efficiently and effectively in researching, designing, developing and setting up artworks for print.

The fifth brief I was allowed pretty much free reign as it was self initiated which allowed me to design in any direction I wanted, and looking deeper into the target audience. This was quite a challenge and I had to set myself boundaries, but in the end I created design work that looks as if it would fit in with the high end, luxury sector.

Overall I have enjoyed the FMP project. I am now ready to take the skills I have developed into the real world including brief analysis, reserarch, development, grid system, setting artwork up for print, pre-flighting, knowledge of print process and stocks, craft, software skills, time management and organisation. It has been a long a gruelling project at times but I have learned so much about myself and also the skills that I now have, and I now have work that I will be proud to include in my portfolio.

TO DO

Various to do lists over the course of the project to keep me focused of what I need to do. For project management:


To do lists

FINAL CRIT - FEEDBACK

Just had the final crit, which has made me so much more aware of what I have yet to do in the time we have left. So I need a plan to best utilises this time:

Here is some feedback I received:


Brief 1: Fine Art
- very well documented with good time management, to do etc
- put more on first board - product shot of book rather than cover artwork
- think about actual size of boards and size of images
- post up some examples of tother yearbooks and artist books as research for yearbook
- images need to have more impact - get some photos done of proof book or printed sheets - no large pics of a text page page - it doesn't have enough impact

Brief 2: Fashion Branding
- use photos of products rather than artwork
- print out stationary - even if printed in library the compliments slip and letterhead will look good when photographed
-  the plastic tags seem to be back to front!
- the logo works well put with the name - by itself the logo doesn't work as well

Brief 3: St Martins
- could do with more development posted to blog - the project seem to have a big gap so this needs addressing - upload everything
- first presentation board works really well for impact
- on boards - space between the 2 lines and practice don't seem to be equal

Brief 4: D&AD - Type Circle supplements
- good research
- need to show development more - couldn't find any mock ups or development - on blogs or printed

Brief 5:
- jewellery packaging is really clever and neat
- products finished to a high standard - good use of stock and finishes

- photograph jewellery products on something more luxurious

- use photographic work were possible rather than artwork - for Cavello posters

- don't need two boards of photographs of the box - lose a board

Blog:
- all labels and tags are clear and work well
- some images on blog are too big
- thorough
- good documentation of development




In response, and also adding to my to do list here is what I have left to do:

Brief 1:
- Photograph proof copy - cover and spreads
- print and photograph flyer
- finish blogging - ensure nothing is missing
- use photographic imagery on boards

Brief 2:
- print alternate colours for the reverse of compliments slips and letterhead in the library and photograph them for the boards showing how they could change to adapt to each collection (or mocked up)
- photograph business cards - (Lorin should receive these these tomorrow)
- photograph garments with tags and labels and look-book wallets
- attach bag handles
- photograph packaging - wrap something with the gift wrap and clasp
- make swing tags - black with gold foil - with charms
- re-cut charms - wrong way around!
- lookbook and promo flyer - imagery still needed from the shoot - print
- blog

Brief 3:
- blog progress and development
- line in the logo at either side of Practice aren't equal - change this
- finish designing welcome pack and print
- signage and wayfinding mock ups - photoshop in context - interior and exterior
- children's area proposal - mock up what it would look like
- laser -cut the attachable decorations
- photograph door sign with doctor name
- laser-cut clip boards

Brief 4:
- finish designing fold out info posters
- packaging
- print - Monday
- photograph
- do boards - include text

Brief 5:
- print booklet for box - Monday
- wrap for box - bow?
- photograph products on some luxurious material
- mock up in store display
- redo tears of joy illustration
- boards


Brief 6:
- finish binding - hardback - Friday
- foil dust jacket - Monday

Surgery/Crit Feedback Forms

Tutorial Forms

FMP Briefs - Plan

Here are my briefs more defined, with what I plan to do in the time available and also what I want to get out of them.

Open publication - Free publishing - More brief

Brief 01 - Meeting with Fine Art

For todays meeting, we had gave them a pdf with variations of layouts for each student, of which we needed them to go through and choose which they thought worked best for each student. They have yet to do this, but said they would get back to us by the end of today. We also brought with us some leaflet and cover designs using their selected image. However this needs to be worked with using the stamp.

Here is the contact report from our meeting with Fine Art:

What we talked about:

Missing Statements - talked about with students

Images - Some need re-taking

Cover - Need to see full cover with stamp variations

.. and Flyers 

Contents Page - exhibitors and projects

What we need from you:

Feedback on layouts

Philosophy 

Project information

What you need from us:

Stamp

Cover design with stamp

Flyers

General feeling for the book, with final layouts in place

Next meeting: to be confirmed later today

What I need to do this week:

- Stamp design -  variations, amendments

- Once we have the layouts they like the stamens and contact details need to replace the dummy text

- Images converted from RGB to CMYK

- Layout ideas for project pages, contents, etc

Brief 01 - Meeting with Fine Art

In the meeting we had this morning with Fine Art, we brought along our layouts for the individual students double page spreads, using the real images rather than 'dummy' images, that we had been using previously. They worked a lot better and helped us to move forward as the FA team were able to point out what they thought worked and what didn't in terms of image hierarchy and the number of images used, to represent the students. Quite a few of the layouts could be stripped down to just one image to define that person clearly, which allowed the image to be increased in scale and more effective. From the 12 layouts I brought along they seemed to like the use of the horizontal line that splits the name with the statements, and that it should be used consistently across all pages at the same level (eye level), however still allowing the text to be moved horizontally across to were it is best suited within the composition. I have changes to make for the layouts I brought, as they said some of the images were too busy, I will explain these alterations in another blog post once I've make the changes.

We also spoke about the stamp, and the FA team decided upon an image for the cover, however they wanted more work still on the stamp and positioning, and also designs for the spine. The fact that the image has now been selected means we can translate that across to flyer designs and begin working on them.


To some up here is the contact report from the meeting:

What we talked about:

Layout

• Line under name (same level throughout)
• Large image with smaller image (if necessary)
• No borders (if necessary)
• Design decision on larger image being on the left or right side
• Contact info at the bottom
• Statement under name
• Point size = negotiated in meeting

Stamp & Cover

• No stars
• ‘Original Rework’ straight, not bent
• Thicker heading
• Decided on the glitch image & colour (experiment with the back page)

What we need from you:

• Special Projects
• Statements
• Images (changes and missing images)

What you need from us:

- Overall cover design with spine & flyer experiments

Next meeting: Monday 5th March - 10:00am

Progress Crit. - 23/02/12

Just had a progress crit this morning to discuss the the briefs I have chosen.
The first part required us to look around each others work, seeing if the briefs that had chosen was allowing them to reach their full potential, through exploring their main interests. And if there was enough of a range of work begin designed for.

Some feedback I received:
- work is appropriate to SOI
- St Martin's brief is focused on branding, so make sure the deliverables include type and layout related work to fit with SOI
- make sure deliverables are clearly set out in your briefs
- broad investigation of layouts
- not sure if the sketchbooks are helping or hindering your designs
- it is clear you briefs fit the SOI but I would consider thinking bigger.
- brief 4 - Type Circle - how can you take this brief further beyond the deliverables

Regarding the initial feedback we then discussed our own briefs with the group, explaining why we chose them and what they are allowing us to to, that is relevant to our SOI's.

A few more things raised in this discussion to consider:
- brief 2 - Fashion Brand - expand deliverables - go beyond what the client wants - could also design a digital/screen version of the look-book as well as the print version
   - consider the retail environment that the fashion designers garments would be sold in - retail outlook, if they had a boutique shop, what would it look like - go out and photograph shops, windows, walls displays and design for them, layout, signage.
   - how it could work across a website
   - how could the style be adapted to multiple collections rather than just one, e.g seasons - range, scope
- brief 3 - Practice - consider the target audience more in depth - who are they? ask people about their experiences of visiting the doctors (individuals, families, adults, young children) and find out their take on the environment, do they need some form of entertainment in the waiting room - charts - things to prompt them.
- brief 5 - Jewellery Brand - how signage could work across shop layout, environment.
   - product range - explore the materials of the jewellery - do the maths of how many can be packaged
- rethink all briefs of what I can do with them all - pushing the boundaries and expanding deliverables so they are not the obvious/easy choices.

Brief 01 - Meeting with Fine Art

Here is the contact report for the meeting we just had with Fine Art, and what we are going to do next:

What we talked about:

• Stamp

- No 09/12, just 2012

- Clean cut stamp, that will work with the inside of book

- ‘Rework’ = one word, no punctuation or split

- ‘Leeds Art College, Ba (Hons) Fine Art’ should read on the stamp

• Layout

- Serif typeface

- Horizontal text

- Name and text sat together

- Contact info at the top (in black)

- Images breaking into double page

- Order of book = not alphabetical, design decision

- Full image to cover double page spread with text on top, where appropriate

• Cover design

- Green/dark grey/pink/faded colour pallet, with toxic pink stamp to work over it

- Using students work and ‘glitching’ it

- Large stamp

What we need from you:

• Images (all of them): Deadline 20th March

- Filter through statements

What you need from us:

• Cover designs : 

- Stamp straight on and tilted = range

- ‘Glitch’ students work with colour palette = range

- Duotone - front and back = range

- Stamp = range of designs

• Layout

- Overall book layout with preferred layout designs

Next meeting: Monday 27th February - 10:00am

Brief 03 - Written Brief

I have written a focused down brief for the Practice, that I am going to work to, regarding all the considerations and aims of the client.

Open publication - Free publishing - More brief

Brief 04 - The Typographic Circle - Written Brief

Here is the D&AD brief I have re-written. It is a more focused down version and is what I am going to work to.

The deadline for entry into the competition is Friday 9th March 2012, I will submit work for this, but I will also consider further developing the designs for module submission and also for my portfolio.

Open publication - Free publishing - More brief

NHS - St Martins Practice - Meeting

Just had a quick briefing about the meeting which is arranged for next Monday at 3pm, at the practice.
We need to set a deadline with them for when we need to hand in our pitch boards. (A2/3 boards)

A few things I can start to design ideas for:

- logo - variations - colour
- how it could work over a range of media
- stationary
- wayfinding
- flyers
- leaflets

Together with the rest of the people who are interested in the brief we came up with a set of question that we want to ask at the meeting next Monday. And a few things for them to find out before we meet them.

To do:

- research into private practices, e.g. Bupa, how their branding works across media.
- initial design ideas

Design Context Presentation

The presentations are an opportunity to make focused decisions on what I am doing for FMP, and through explaining it to other people it will clarify it for myself. It will be following my SOI, and should try to include:

- umbrella statement - clarify what I am about
- chapters for DC publication
- subjects I am going to research
- designer/studio work that I like - the type of work I want to create
- design context I want to design for
- research activities
- design visits
- the things I need to find out [more] about
- what do I need to get out of it

I need to create a PDF or Powerpoint presentation consisting of 10 slides.
For each slide and point I am making I need to think in multiples (e.g. 10 studios, 10 activities, 10 events)

It is a chance to discuss my FMP, and get some feedback.



The hand in for SOI is Wednesday 31st January

Brief 01 - Yearbook -Meeting with Fine Art

We just had our first meeting with the Fine Art team to discuss ideas for the yearbook, and to ask some questions.

Considering the concept - they weren't too struck with the thirsty concept and the imagery we had used, as to them it seemed to narrative. They had their own concept/title for the exhibition which is, 'Original Rework', which vaguely means that everything has been down before but that they take their understanding of history and they 'rework' it and create their own original artwork.

The yearbook will be used for the LCA exhibition and also for the Free Range exhibition in London. For this they usually reference the London exhibition as 'Touring to:' The designs need to promote them, make them stand out and represent who they are as a course. They felt that last years yearbook was too typographical and that they prefer imagery on the cover, and they felt a bit lost at exhibition. Collateral will include yearbooks and possibly posters, leaflets and we also discussed bags for the printed materials to be carried in.

With regards to the yearbook. They had a few issues that need to be addressed. They liked the previous rectangle sized format over the 210 x 210mm square format as they feel it was more practical to carry. However the previous yearbooks of this size didn't have as many students so if they went with the double page spread for each student, then the book would be quite thick, as their are now 56 students (so that would be 112 pages) and they felt that this would lose the practical side to it, as they don't want it to be too bulky. The only way around this would be to use single pages for each student, but this obviously would not show off their work as well as a double. They asked for us to try and bring mock-ups to give them a feel of the double page spread thickness. We then showed them a landscape version of the rectangular shape, of which they seemed to like as they haven't used that format before. The landscape format would work well if the students were having single pages as the left and right pages seem more separate than on a portrait double spread. Also, they do not want any fold out pages and they do prefer to have spines rather than staples, with the text on the information on the spine too. We need to specify the number of pages that could be used for single and double page spread as they usually work in 16 page multiples - so we would have to let them know how many pages would be left over and what they could do with them.

They want to yearbook to be in full colour rather than black and white as they feel this best shows off their work. They would ideally like to use one image per student to sum them up. So for this we will need to specify to the students the quality of image, resolution, colour mode, file size, scale ratio. As they will be gathering the photos themselves before getting them to us. We gave them a deadline for everything they want in the book to get to us before Easter. But we are going to discuss creating a timeline for us and FA to work to, and push deadlines forward to get the project moving quicker so we can start designing and putting the yearbook together. But for now we will have to use image of previous work and dummy text.

They brought with them a piece of design work (Creamier - contemporary art in culture) that they were inspired by, which was quite typographical on the cover with text in black varnish, and the content was a newspaper style. The stock felt quite like newsprint but it seemed a bit better quality and the images printed were very high quality. The colour of the stock was pale orangey quite like the financial times newspaper, it was also unite thin, which means it would bring the thickness of the book down. They like the idea of having thin glossy stock as the colour of the images have more impact. They also like magazine format, which means the size would show off their work better yet wouldn't be too bulky due to the low gsm stock.

The student name could work in alphabetical order or it could just be what colour in the images work best next to each other. The content page could have the names in alphabetical order, so the students are easy to navigate and then the page numbers next to the names doesn't necessarily have to be in the right order - just were abouts they are in the book.

The information included will be the course philosophy, and on each student pages; their name, a 30-40 word summary of their work, their email address, website (if applicable) but no phone numbers. They would also like to include quotes off members of staff and professionals to give a feel for the course, however they are going to get back to us on who these quotes will be from.

They have gone away to further discuss their 'Original Rework' concept tight the rest of the year group and are going to get back to us at some point today so we can start to use this concept and come up with ideas on how to work with it, how it could work technically and ideas for the cover.

They do not want text over the image as they feel they detract front images. Typeface will follow from the concept.

We are going to meet up on Monday mornings to discuss progress each week. Depending on where we are up to we may need to meet up more than once each week, to keep them up to date.


To do:

- Specify page number - how many are going to be left over after 56 students double/single pages
- Stock options - what is best for high quality images but also to be quite thin.
- 'Original Rework' ideas
- Create a timeline - deadlines and project management - student images and 30-40 word statements
- Find out budget - and quantity of yearbook needed
- Format options - landscape, portrait (rectangular) - or does it have to be the 210 x 210 mm

Brief 04 - D&AD The Typographic Circle

Here is the fourth brief I have chosen brief. It is a D&AD competition issued by Pentagram and involves supplements to The Typographic Circle magazine, based around designers and professionals who have been speakers at their events.

I think this is an ideal brief, as it allows me to work with type, layout, grid systems, creating a publication/editorial piece for an existing magazine, and also to work with print finishes, stock, and giving the supplements an exclusive feel to them.

Brief 05 - Jewellery Brand Identity

Open publication - Free publishing - More 05

SOI & Design Context - Progress Surgery

Just had a progress surgery to discuss my SOI and DC publication. I need to present what I am going to do for FMP next week, so I need to rework a few parts of my SOI to focus it down. I also need to consider:

- DC publication chapters / sub categories
- Finalise 5 main briefs and specify any other briefs
- Umbrella statement - focus down
- Identify studios/designers who are doing what I want to do - identify what I like and why
- Focus down what 'high end' means

In the surgery, I managed to narrow my statement down to:

HIGH END TYPE AND LAYOUT FOR BRANDING, PRIMARILY FOR PRINT.

I feel that this is now focus, clear and what I am about at this moment in time.

Just need to find the last couple of briefs that will allow me to explore this.

NHS - St Martins Practice - Briefing

We had a briefing with Camilla, practice manager, to discuss her brief.

Here are some notes I took form the briefing.

St Martins Practice in Chapeltown are moving to a new building and require branding. They are competing for patients with a private practice situated in the same building and need to portray themselves as caring and the practice to use over the other.

They need a logo that will be used in house, and across signage and stationary
They want to show how they are different to other GP practice.

There are currently 6 doctors - and around 25 staff altogether
Their GP to patient ratio is what they feel makes them different to others as they have more doctors to cover the patients.

Their new building is also away form the main road so the identity needs to be memorable and welcoming.

A visit to the practice is going to be arranged for next week, to meet the staff and get a feel for the practice, and to discuss their aims and ideas for the brand image. I will then come back and write up a brief and send it to Camilla for her to approve it or make any canoes.

Deliverables for assessment can be different than the ones required for the live brief.

To do - Week 3

- Get blog up to date

- Get camera and re-photograph work

- Do website - choose images for each project

- Find briefs - rewrite

- Meet up with fashion collaboration - write brief - get started

- Year book - ideas, concept and layout spread for pitch to Fine Art

- Year book - do concept photo shoot

- Dissertation - finish first and second chapters and start on third

- Portfolio Changes 

- Business card changes

- Design Context - Publication Chapters

Meeting with Fashion - Collaboration Opportunity

A meeting for Graphic Design and Fashion students who are looking to collaborate, was organised by Gemma. I spoke to a few of the fashion girls and I have hopefully found someone who wants to work together, of which I can use as one of my main briefs.

The student that I identified as someone who I would like to collaborate with is influenced by Parisian architecture, and creates designs that are feminine, and of a high end haute couture style. This would allow me to explore designing with unique, luxurious, boutique feel to the designs.
The student requires a brand identity and a look-book, in time for her EOY exhibition and fashion show. Other design possibilities could include swing tags, business cards, flyers, website.

I will maintain contact with her to see if she wants to pursue the collaboration, and to arrange meeting up and discussing it further, in order to write a brief that suits us both.