OUGD501: COP- Print making- twitter questions

When researching for my own work I thought it would be interesting to ask a publisher who has previously used screen printing for their books. They no longer use it for all of their books but occasionally for limited edition prints of covers. It is clear that using print making in vast amounts is in-affective and costly. 

PPP- Twitter & Connections!

After the illustration talk which involved Cameron Stewart I thought it would be a good way to ask some questions on twitter as he is quite a common user. During the tutorial I had today with John he spoke about having the confidence to ask questions and generally make comments and research into artists. We also spoke about the idea of collaboration within art practices and that 'graphic design' has no set boundaries. 

Initial question:

This then led to being told about Tom Muller:

It was really interesting how by one initial question about how graphic design and illustration work together it led to a complete conversation about the topic including many other designers and artists. 

OUGD502: PPP- Logo development

http://www.zazzle.co.uk/your_initials_logo_monogram_no_1_business_card-240486235814496276

I quite liked the idea seen above of layering the letters however when I tried it myself it didn't really work at all with my initials. 

Therefore I thought about how I could use my full name, although it quite long so I'm not sure it would work as a logo. I had a look at some different fonts such as Bodoni and Baskerville because I wanted a classy and elegant looking font to represent my design style. I think even though all of my designs are different there are elements which are more delicate than modernist design. 

I had a look at some circular logos because there seems to be quite a trend at the moment, I think this may be because it can be translated to many different contexts even on twitter which is a square format. 

However I don't think it works at all and seems to look more like a name badge more than anything therefore I have begun to look how I use "M" as a logo, I sketched out some different styles of "M's". 

So far Ive chosen a calligraphic style of type for the M which does represent the elegant and older style of design which I love and enjoy to create. However I have tried to make it slightly more modern by using black and white rather than using browns and neutrals. Therefore it does show the flexibility in my work as it is modern in colour but still quite feminine and has an older style. Although so far I'm not really sure that this is the right direction to be going in with my logo as a representation of the design I create. 

OUGD502: PPP

Inspiration from his friends who spoke about what audience he would like to create for and what his dreams would be, at the exact time his young son was talking about his dreams in life. Therefore he ended up creating a children's book called "an awesome book". It was interesting to watch because it shows in short his thought process on how he decided what sort of creative he wanted to be, he wants to make people happy through art and not use aggressive and vulgar expression like in the examples he showed in the vans documentary style video. I think watching these kinds of videos are helpful for PPP and the self branding brief because they help me realise there are many type of people in the creative industries and I am not destined to stick to one particular area. 

OUGD502: PPP- Creative Networks talks

13/11/2014

Creative Networks-  Matt Forsythe (Adventure Time) & Cameron Stewart (DC Comics) Along with Babs Tarr. 

(Examples of Matthew Forsythe's work)

He is well known for being one of the illustrators and designers as part of the Adventure Time series, however I found it more interesting during the talk that he spoke about himself and the individual work he has produced. Two examples shown above are comics which have little to no words, they were influenced by his time spent in Korea and I personally found them quite fascinating as it is somewhat like he has created his own version of the famously known Manga (Japanese).

http://babsbabsbabs.com/post/47438704325/bosozoku-sailor-scouts

Babs Tarr's work was incredibly unique as she showed a whole range of different illustrative styles simply just for one brief. It was interesting to hear she was only one of the three that went to an art school and she spoke highly of her experience. In terms of PPP she spoke heavily about wanting to create work she enjoyed doing and as she expressed her love for fashion and all things feminine it clear you can see her personality throughout all of her work. 

http://cameron-stewart.tumblr.com

During the talk Cameron Stewart and Babs Tarr spoke about their visual redesign for the new Batgirl comic. You can see in the imagery that they have completely redesigned batgirl from previous representations:

They have changed the use of spandex within female characters and changed it to a leather jacket which is more realistic. They have also used a mobile and other technology within the comic which makes it relatable for the younger audience, especially girls. 

Cameron spoke about how he loves creating superhero comics and designing fight scenes but it was interesting to hear about the personal projects he has produced. One of which was a comic about the Vietnam War and he actually flew over to Vietnam to speak to people and based the characters he illustrated from the people he met. It was interesting that spoke about having a connection with the work makes you more passionate about it and want to create it as best as you can. He also showed us snippets of his own book seen above (Sin Titulo) which I loved the rougher and more scratchy drawing style which was paired with a minimal three colour palette, it was designed incredibly well and its minimalistic design made it highly interesting to me as a graphic designer. 

The evening allowed me the opportunity to speak to other students in the college who aren't on Graphic Design, which included students from Illustration and Animation (1st and 2nd years). One student in particular from Illustration was interested in doing some collaborative work in the future and insisted that there should be more evenings like this because collaboration between the courses is definitely a good idea. Even though I couldn't attend Thought Bubble festival I found out that a few of the students were selling work so I asked them about what they had created and it was interesting to see their concepts and pieces. 

http://snapdraws.tumblr.com

(Sophie Wright- BA illustration level 5)

What I gained from the talk is that I need to create more work which I am proud of having my name attached to. This means creating work which has connections to my own interests. Especially during the responsive module currently I feel this will help develop my own niche within graphic design. Within the talk the illustrators spoke about showing your work online to gain interest, and I think this should be something to consider with perhaps watermarks on the work to protect it.  

OUGD502: Study task 1

Within the session we spoke about the ideas of thinking of ourselves as a brand. It was also suggested that when considering ourselves in a visual perspective we should think the product we are trying to sell is ourselves, the range of products is the different types of design I can make and the distribution of these is the methods and platforms I am capable of using and putting my design into the world. 

Prepare ab individual identity based on you as a product to communicate who and what you are and the services you offer. There are two set different platforms so I should consider whether I want to use printed or digital media. 

MOO was suggested as an option for printing business cards at a relatively low cost.

Brand: a perceived emotional image

Identity: the visual elements on how these emotional elements are portrayed

We also watched a short film on Johnny Cupcakes which, naturally was incredibly inspiring. His brand is carefully considered in terms of how the products are sold, it is completely unique and has worked with some of the biggest companies to collaborate in creating t shirts. The shirts are even sold in mock "bakeries" which push the concept of his brand even further, the fact that these are all considered ensures that customers want his products because they are unique and are only sold by himself (refused contracts with corporate high street shops).

http://www.johnnycupcakes.com

Friday October 17th 2014 Workshop:

Using your reference from last year, review your personal identity and discuss in groups how it 'may' change and for what reasons?

Consider the experiences of the Summer break and any impact they may have had on any change. 

Consider consistency and delivery to suit both digital and analogue. Post to your PPP Blog as part of the Branding Brief.

Last year I didn't exactly create a logo or a brand for myself as I answered the brief slightly differently. I created a book which somewhat summarised my own personal experiences of what I like and what design I enjoy. I used the module to be able to define the style of graphic design I enjoy which was incredibly useful. 

Within the group discussion about the previous work I stated that this year I want to focus on how I can possibly link my interests and personality into my logo. I mentioned the eco friendly papers and sourced printing methods for my book which led to discussions on how I could possibly link my love for nature into my logo by using mixed found papers to recycle to print onto.

I could also use these backgrounds to print onto with a stamp therefore each business card would be unique. The group also wrote down descriptive words about my work and also my overall "look" as a person however it does seem quite superficial. 

Work: elegant, girly, decorative, purple & feminine, flourishes, detailed and classical. 

Myself: Hair, curly, purple (mentioned several times), lipsticks and makeup, hoodies. 

I am known for usually wearing quite vivid makeup when I am in my best moods and the use of colours could be something I could transfer into my logo/ logotype. I have also been described before as a combination of a nature lover (tree hugger) but also someone who is quite dark and gothic with a love of history and it would be interesting to combine the two. I wouldn't necessarily agree with the comments on my work as a whole, even though I enjoy making detailed work I am capable of being flexible and creating modern looking work too I think it is because in the last few briefs of first year my work was quite dainty and feminine (William Morris book created on socialism for context of practice). The type of design I want to create at the moment is quite fluid and I am not set on a particular area, perhaps through the second year I will begin to understand more of what I want to create and what areas I want to focus on.

Tips for creating a logo:

5 Design Tips for a Social Media Logo

There are several aspects that go into a logo design – colours, fonts, descriptors, and more. But, when you’re designing what we like to call a “social media-approved” logo, there are many other variables to consider as well:

1. Be mindful of your aspect ratio – A majority of social media sites will require you to convert your logo to a square (or nearly square)-shaped thumbnail. Your logo doesn’t need to be a perfect square, but should have the capability of being easily converted to one. It’s best to make use of all the space you have so your logo won’t have to be compressed or reduced to fit into the small space. Try not to create ones own problems.  (Remember Mo?)
2. Be consistent – With an effective social media strategy, your logo will be seen on a variety of sites – Facebook, YouTube, and your personal site to name a few. For this reason, it’s best to have one logo you use for every site. This is also helpful in case a site requires you to crop or resize your image – you want a logo that looks the same, regardless of what’s done with it.
3. Use detached text and graphics – When designing, make sure your text and graphics are separate elements. This will help if it ever needs to be converted to a different size. In fact, some companies use a single graphic or single letter in social media for ease of use.
4. Simplicity matters – If you have an intricate logo, you run the risk of some of the elements not being recognizable when it’s resized. For this reason, you should avoid long taglines, thin lines, and detailed graphical elements.
5. Limit colors and shades – A logo that uses 2-3 colors will work better on a “busy” social media sites because it stands out and won’t get lost in the backdrop.

OUGD502: Briefing

PART 1 -

PPP BLOG:

Collect, categorise and reflect on a body of investigative research and creative references, which documents your ongoing development as a Graphic Designer and your engagement with contemporary creative culture via your PPP course blog. You must demonstrate a more refined understanding of the graphic design and creative industries particularly by researching and reflecting on the operating practices of local and national designers and studios.This research should then feed into the on-going assessment and development of your self-branding created last year.

You will need to maintain an ongoing evaluation of your individual progress in Level 05 of the programme by regularly reflecting on what you have learned and your development as an increasingly independent designer/learner. As part of this process you should post copies of each End of Module Self-evaluation to your blog in order to maintain an ongoing recored of your reflective skills and analytical responses to your own development.

Certain Tasks will be set and you will need to record your responses to them but you should use them as a starting point for your own independent research activities. 

PART 2 - Self-Branding:

Continuing from your logo and identity developed in level 4 you must assess, evaluate, adapt and develop your own brand as a designer and apply this to a number of deliverable items:

YOUR VISUAL IDENTITY.

Your own professional visual l identity for 'Brand You' and apply it to an appropriate range of stationary and promotional material. You should aim to create a simple but effective visual identity that communicates the essence of your creative 'image' and details about your emerging design practice. You will need to consider the practicalities of your identity which may include a logo or bespoke typeface. How readable, legible and usable is your identity?

YOUR PROMO PACK.

A promotional package the communicates your skills, abilities creative concerns and professional competencies to appropriate sectors of the creative and cultural industries. This pack should include a business card, introductory information, samples of work a creative CV, contact details and other relevant material and information

YOUR WEBSITE.

You have been introduced to the fundamentals of web design and web design software through a series of workshops in previous modules. Based on these workshops propose/produce the structure and content of your own personal website. Keep it simple and make sure that your visual identity forms the basis of your online brand.

IMPORTANT: You will be responsible for any online content uploaded and/or distributed as part of this module. Can you please ensure that all material is original, belongs to you and complies with the guidelines for online activity outlined as part of your general Mac suite induction. If you are unsure about any content that you intend to upload please discuss this with your tutor

OUGD402: Module Evaluation

What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?

I have learnt in this module that it is vitally important to consider time management as one of the most important key factors within designing. Learning how to plan time has meant that I am not rushing work nor am I spending too long on one particular part and forgetting to blog. I have found that time management has definitely been one of the most beneficial skills learnt as I now create lists each day of things I want to do, even things which aren’t Graphic Design it’s important to balance life and design otherwise it can take over and my brain needs time to breathe and my eyes time away from the computer screen. I have also tried to set aside time to look at designers and studios, which will influence my current, design work and broaden my research. 

What approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?

I have gained a twitter account, which has been really useful for browsing through design work but also for informally contacting professionals. I have also been to see a couple of different exhibitions within Leeds, which is something I struggled to do previously, as I was quite shy. Through viewing work from other sources such as creative review and visiting book/comic stores it has really influenced my design work which showed particularly within brief 4 of ougd406 (design practice) I used my love for comics and informal tone of voice to influence my “speaking from experience” where I commented on confidence. Visiting the tattoo exhibition quite recently was also inspirational as I quite enjoy alternative music and it is somewhat linked to alternative artwork. Looking at design work outside of the university has definitely given me more ideas on what I can create and want to do in the future.

What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?

I think my online research has really improved as well as how I blog work, I think I am quite up to date with my blogging and it really helps to go back through the posts and see how I have improved. I also think my time management skills and organisation has improved and become somewhat a strong point as I came from A Levels I was quite used to balancing quite a few projects at once I was somewhat prepared.

What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future?

I feel as though even though my confidence has improved that I haven’t contacted as many designers as I wish I had of done which is somewhat a regret. Especially designers such as Kate Moross who I think is fantastic, in the summer I will possibly send her studio something in the post as I know they do a postal swap service with people who send work in. I also think I haven’t had the chance to visit as many exhibitions as I would of liked to have done due to illness for the majority of this year- next year I will definitely be able to search further afield and widen my knowledge of graphic design.

Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?

Network: I need to try and network more with others on the course including other year groups/ courses (collaboration) as well as professionals and design blogs.

Exhibitions: I need to visit more exhibitions and try to research in different areas rather than just Leeds.

Contact: I need to make more contact with professionals and figure out why I want to contact them and create a purpose and reasoning for contacting them.

Reflection: I should have been blogging PPP at the beginning of the year with projects and not just the end modules as I have learnt PPP is actually incredibly vital to improving and evaluating yourself in a consistent manner.

Research: I need to research more into designers and studios that I personally would be interested in visiting or that I like their work.