Life.

YCN.
It's been really good working with Sadie for the YCN brief, we've worked really hard and it has been worth it. From making a few packaging nets to collaborating with Sinead O'Herlihy who studies fashion it has been a intense few weeks..

Me and Sadie had decided to send our packaging designs direct to Lola & Grace and we got some really good feedback! They're considering using our designs but not sure the timing is right at the moment. Hopefully with a new store launching or trade events coming up they'll be in touch! Sadie also mentioned that there could be the opportunity to gain some work experience in the marketing department at Lola & Grace. It's been such a good experience being in touch with everyone at Lola & Grace and also with Sinead too. I feel my work has moved in a different direction and collaborating has ensured me and Sadie have been able to get the most out of each other!

R3WIRE.
With everything winding down for easter (yeah right..) I've started working on the logo designs for a DJ who runs the Unitrash nights on behalf of Ministry of Sound, hopefully it might lead onto some other work too.

LIFE.
I've got to focus on PPD and really start considering my own branding and also getting together some recent work. I've got quite a few places I would like to get in touch with I just need to be more confident in myself and get on with it.

Sasha Prood

Just came across the work of Sasha Prood, It's amazing.
http://www.behance.net/SashaProod

PPD Workshop 06/03/2012

First PPD session with John, Jane and Fred. Looking at putting together a CV, mailshots and a online presence. As well as looking at contacting studio's for a studio visit.

What is a creative CV? starting looking at different creative CV's.
Promotional products, what kind of direct mail can you send to someone?

Research potential studios that you would like to contact.
Be clear on who you're sending it to
Who needs to read it?
Who are you writing it for?
Who needs to read it?
What do you want it to say?

Identify 10 studios you're interested in.
Full set of contact details.
Job titles / names
Ring people
How does the studio operate
How do they structure themselves

CV
Print / digital format
Contact list

What skills do you have at the moment?
Studio Visits
Portfolio Surgeries
Live briefs
YCN
Submissions to competition briefs
Leeds bookfair
Freelance work
Professional research / D&AD / New Designers

Aesthetic of your CV
The aesthetic of your CV should reflect the content
Colour / Font / Content

DONT COPY
LEARN TO SPELL

Content of your CV is just as relevant as the design.

5 Facts you would include
5 Statements about yourself
5 Practical Skills
5 Creative Skills
5 Personal Qualities you want to promote

Examples / proof / evidence / how do your prove the statements?

Contact details / Online / Email

Professional Identity
People you're influenced by

Enterprise & Innovation Evaluation

Open publication - Free publishing - More business

Leeds Print Festival 2012 - A weekend of amazing print.

The Leeds Print Festival was a exciting break in the midst of a digital module. The opening night was fantastic - followed the next day by the print fair - where I bought an amazing print "You're not my Type".. I was most excited about the talks on the final day featuring, Generation Press, Si Scott and Anthony Burill. It was amazing to see both Anthony Burill and Si Scott talking about their work - both are so down to earth insanely talented and a pleasure to listen to.

Here are my notes during the talks:

Generation Press
Print today - commercial value - has to give more.
Our interest is keeping it alive - how is print working in the digital age
In the 70's there were 3 or 4 printers per village and today they're replaced by web designers
Traditional print skills - but then came the mac - formal training and technical ability
Quality - pride - detail
Name change from Hewitt and Sons to Generation Press
Innovation and creation
Sustainability and ethics
Not leaving a mark on the planet
1999 - choosing the product that had the least impact
Not about proving that they're ethical - it's about not impacting on the environment
Using Vegetable based inks
soya based inks
Wasnt made to replace solvent based in.
Best ink they found - German more pigment in ink - pigment is the most expensive part
Elmwood branded tea
Has been coffee
Passion for coffee
16c grade 1 listed barn
now built a new barn
Sheep farm
Design and manufacture
Manufacturing a design - making the relationship work
Quality control
Print getting bad press by printers who are giving up their beliefs just so that they can survive
Print no longer a commodity
Web - communication today
Value is coming back into print
print is more expensive that digital - higher financial risk - more investment
Quality control
print has to be right - giving back to the clients
pushing to have the best
Work for build
Brochure - hi res photos on news print
Saturation of the photographs fibre of newsprint - dot gain
Technology
combining processes - giving print value
V&A combination of almost everything
Colour edging
Hand crafted process - most people do it by machine
Relationship between designers and printers
Business cards - key business tool - cant replace it - has to be creative
Calendar
Litho
Letterpress
Collaborations
GP / GFSmith / Kent Lyons / James Cropper Paper mill
Pulp paper
Michael place - build
Relationship between creative and manufacturing industries
Designers are wankers - printers are tossers
Challenging art for arts sake - no branding
Generation press branding
own paper - colour plan - green
There brand is important because other people are trusting Generation press with their brand
What makes a great designer? someone who really engages with it

Si Scott
Always draws
College - letterpress - screen print
Learning about type
Likes doing the work - not interested in the industry
Trying to create own style
Hand draw - scanned cleaned up - not vectored
Concept driven
Got to be passionate about what you do
Craft - attention to detail
Design from the heart - warmth
design that is rushed always feels cold
Print - dont just send an email
send something physical
Something tangible
Selfridges 100th anniversary
Ongoing advertisement
Paper scissors stone
Making work beautiful
Always over analyses everything
never happy with work
Madonna - greatest hits
Zadie Smith - book cover
Designers against humans rights abuse
Hate breeds hate
Always give more than a client has asked for
Greater manchester film festival

Anthony Burill 
Technical drawing rather than art
Leeds Polytechnic - Now leeds met
1986/89
London - Royal college of art early 90's
Paul Neil
Jonathan Barnbrook
Collecting signs
everyday environment
Hand crafted photocopy books
sent them out to people
Eric Hessels - dutch art director
Hanks brinker budget hotels
Clean typography
Advertising
Wasn't cross between graphic design and illustration
Collaborations
As students - need to collaborate / form groups / friendships
Simple vector style
screen printed
type becomes more important
British Library
Screen prints
Make something as real as it can be
Keeping a purity to the work
Be interested in loads of different things
Rye - currently living there
traditional place
Adams of Rye
Works as local printers
woodblock letterpress
Work hard and be nice to people - 03/04
I like it, what is it?
Think of your own ideas
You know more than you think you do
Make your mark on the world
Geometric simple shapes
Visual Identity
London fashion week - Jenny Packham - printed by generation press
Design museum
Awards ceremony
British council
no days off studio
Oil and water dont mix
Mexico
Cranbrook Academy

--

Thanks to Amber for organising such an amazing few days of print!

OUGD202 Evaluation

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

This module has to have been the one I've struggled with, I guess it comes down to using software that I've never used before. I surprised myself in the sense that I was able to pick up techniques quite quickly and develop these to suit my project but at the same time I felt unsure as to whether I had used After Effects effectively enough. After completing the top ten brief it made me realise how much further I could have 

developed the 'Silent Movie' brief.

I would say that learning After Effects has been a huge skill, It's software I will never forget how to use, I may not have fulfilled it's potential but I used what was relevant. Using simple techniques and methods I was able to create a piece of moving image that was relevant to my subject matter. I had initially picked roller coasters on the basis that they require a lot of movement but creating the movement and pace was much harder than I had anticipated. Thinking visually and applying my ideas onto paper hasn't always been easy, when I have an idea in my head it doesn't always come out as I would expect on paper - through storyboarding my sequences I have developed the ability to communicate my ideas better which was not only relevant during this module but is something I can continue to work on during other modules too. 

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

I never realised how different designing for screen is compared to print, the idea of taking static assets and making the move over a period of time is something that I struggled to get my head around, with so many different considerations regarding, pace, timing, and motion/movement there were so many components that had to work together to make an effective piece of moving image. Learning the technical skills behind designing for screen gave me an idea of what works and what doesn't, so I knew from the start what would be relevant in terms of the potential of the software according to my theme which is why I had decided to focus on using photographs and stills rather than vector based artwork.

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

I think that being organised has to have been my strongest strength during this module, I'm not perfect, but I have been able to manage my time accordingly ensuring that I had enough time to develop and produce my final sequences. Being organised in terms of managing my After Effects files has been quite important too - ensuring I kept my files together mean I didn't have to worry about loosing any footage. I've also been able to go back and develop my Photoshop skills further as I decided to create my layers using Photoshop rather than Illustrator as I had to edit some of the images that I had used and apply textures/overlays.

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

My main weakness during this module has to be getting my head around After Effects, I think I grasped the basics but I don't think I pushed myself enough to develop my technical skills further. This is something I could have addressed sooner. Although I have actually enjoyed storyboarding I found that visually my storyboards could have been stronger and communicated better, I guess it's not enough when they make sense to me but not someone else. I did by the end manage to find a way of storyboarding that worked for me but also communicated my ideas visually. Found that working with post it notes was much easier than straight onto paper..

If I was to do this module again/next time I would:

1 / Push my technical skills regarding Affects Further

2 / Ensure there is more clarity in my storyboards

3 / Create a more refined proposal/structure of what I'm planning on doing

4 / Evaluate my progress on a regular basis - just to keep on top of things

5 / Not be afraid to experiment with different techniques

It's been a tough module. But I won't lie, it's exciting seeing stuff move. 

I think I prefer print.

PPD Session with John

So after weeks I remembered that I hadn't yet blogged the PPD session that we had with John. Just  a few key points that I noted down that were relevant;

- Design a business card and keep it with you. You never know who you might meet. moo.com. Cheap!
- Creative CV. Dont need education results.
- HR CV.

- Contacting people. There isn't anyone you cant talk to.
Dont ask too much
Plan who you're going to contact
Back up contacts - dont blog them though..
Reasoning, why do you like them?
Write down what you're gonna say when you phone them. ha.

If you don't ask you don't get.
Graphic Design is Visual Communication