Evaluation

Design Practice 3 Evaluation

BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN – END OF MODULE SELF-EVALUATION

Module Code – OUGD301

Level 03

Rationale

Over the course of this module I want to develop my illustration style focusing on delivery for print – particularly screenprinting. This is an area of focus and delivery I am interested in and have a lot of fun working to the restrictions associated with them. I also want to gain a better knowledge base of different stock options and prining materials. This is a great opportunity of printing with different inks.

An underlying interest in type and small editorials such as zines, pamphlets and small booklets is another area of delivery I wish to explore.

The majority of briefs I have selected allow me to investigate social and political themes, which is something I am drawn to as of late. “I don’t want to change the world, I just want to vent.”  Who said Graphic Design had to be work? It can be my therapy.

Statement of Intent

Three of my briefs focus on social and political themes; which I am going to explore through illustration – vector or hand drawn and delivered in a printed format, such as a t-shirt, posters and small zines. I will continue to work primarily in Illustrator and Photoshop. These are the two main pieces of software I will continue to use and hopefully become really experienced in using.

One brief allows me to create a range of t-shirts I want to make and explore different printing methods in regards to t-shirt and clothing design. A promotional piece for this brief is a small zine that comes with each t-shirt,which allows me to develop my skills in editorial/layout design, indesign software and type skills.

The exploration of type and layout continues into my next brief, with a series of informative posters for ActionAids Bollocks to Poverty campaign.

Small amounts of photography will be involved to contextualise my work and for a photo shoot for the t-shirts I have produced.

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I started out this module wanting to focus on design for print primarily screen-printing. However, i didn't get to produce as many screen prints as i'd of liked to. This is due to the actual process been time consuming and in particular briefs it would not be appropriate; (such as the YCN - Action Aid brief.) However, screen-printing is definitely something i want to continue doing throughout my FMP. I'm hoping the selection of briefs i am going to choose will allow me to explore digital and manual printing evenly. I was particularly pleased with my work been chosen for the Headline brief and definitely gave me a boost in confidence towards my work. I enjoyed how simply i communicated and delivered the headline. Over the last two years i've constantly over complicated my designs and finally in my third year i think i've started to identify simple solutions quicker and produce some stunning work; but there is still alot of room for improvement.

I also said i wanted to focus on stock options and different printing materials which i didn't really do other than the trip to Gatsby's in Leeds. Over my final major project i definitely would like to experiment with a wider range of stocks and increase my knowledge base of design for print. I'll attempt to do this by producing resolution designs quickly and have time to explore different stocks and work with the best one.

During this module; i've seen myself become more and more attracted to type and appreciating a strong layout. I think this is evident in some of the briefs i've undertaken. For instance, the ActionAid brief enabled me to not only work with imagery but continue to explore type, grid, layout and experiment with the boundaries and restrictions of indesign, as did the sleaze brief i set myself. Over the final major project i would like to produce some small screen printed zines for the Leeds University Book Sale and i believe i've appropriated a useful skill set over this module to do so.

The sleaze brief was my biggest let down over this module and i restricted myself with my theme. However, i did learn alot for the future if i get round to producing my  own t-shirts. I was able to find a supplier for american apparel t-shirts wholesale and found a company based in Leeds who can produce labels of a high quality. I think my time management skills were also a factor in the poor quality of the t-shirts produced; I didn't leave myself enough time to shop around for good t-shirts and enough time to experiment with packaging ideas. This is something to be mindful of in the future and although i made good use of ical i still feel i restricted myself too much and didn't plan efficiently.

As of now i definitely have started to see more clearly where i fit within design and the work i've produced over the course of this module has shown me where my strengths and pitfalls are and given me a few ideas to explore different mediums and experimenting with hand produced work and digital. I also need to be more critical of my time management and efficiently plan my days. I also need to continue to keep my ideas and executions simple as i feel i still try and overcomplicate my work and dither around ideas and don't make decisions. 

How would you grade yourself on the following areas:

(please indicate using an ‘x’)

5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor

Attendance 5

Punctuality 5

Motivation 4

Commitment 4

Quantity of work produced 3

Quality of work produced 3

Contribution to the group 4