Final Evaluation

Looking back at my statement of intent, I have done what I set out to do in terms of the briefs I selected and processes I made. The briefs I selected incorporated at least one of the criteria from my rationale, ‘A layout driven investigation across print and screen with a focus on branding, identity and promotion.’ By choosing briefs that incorporated these,  I have produced work I feel can be included in my portfolio, and it is work I believe represents me as a designer.

I promised myself to start using Illustrator more, and I did, I barely used Photoshop, and I cannot understand why I haven’t used this program more regularly. I feel much more confident in the software, and it has really helped with all of my briefs. I did lack in confidence using illustrator files in After Effects, so this is an area where I did rely on Photoshop.

I did begin to start exploiting the use of Photoshop, more than I have done before, and it has allowed me to come up with much more creative ideas.  Although I did lose around 6 hours worth of motion graphics from not transferring files from the user work area, this meant I had to completely write out motion graphics from Brief 2, and a hurried decision into a final for Brief 4, as time was slowly running out.

I feel the briefs were answered to the best of my abilities, although I think where I am lacking is my final products, I have had some innovative concepts, but didn’t see them through, through lack of confidence. I believe the final products across all my briefs seem to be lacking, but I have to consider that the motion part for my briefs was extremely time consuming.

I also set out to take advantage of live briefs coming in, which I did, I created Brief 1 solely from a mixture of live briefs, which allowed me to work in different ways and paces. I particularly enjoyed the Mexican Museum of Design, as I have never really done illustration/pattern before, and I was pleased with the final resolution.

Brief 2 showed me the importance of taking a break, and taking a step back from a project when things aren’t going well. Without this break, I don’t think I would have produced the work I did. I took around a month break from it, and I benefited hugely and I came up with some designs and ideas I am really pleased with. I am disappointed I didn’t do the motion side to the deliverables, but I can learn from this mistake.

The third brief, allowed me to do what I enjoy, After Effects. When I wasn’t getting frustrated with rendering, I really enjoyed creating the deliverables for this, and I learnt a lot from taking the idea from screen to print, there were around 4 attempts of printing where the eye didn’t come out very well at all.

The D&AD brief, brief 4, I really enjoyed, it was a challenge from the beginning, working with a new target audience was extremely daunting until I had enough research to initiate ideas. I only wish I had used my own film footage, but lack of knowledge and equipment meant this was unachievable.  Again, I was able to use After Effects again, although I think my logo animations seem too simple, but I felt this was necessary because of my target audience, who probably wouldn’t care what the logo does.

I have got so much out of this module, I have learnt how to manage multiple projects at once, to a certain extent, although I could still improve on that immensely. I have learnt more into creating better presentation boards, and the layout skills that come with it, again, layout is a part of my rationale. Again, like with all other modules, I have learnt the hard way, I must blog as soon as the work is done, I did this up until about November, when I started getting really busy, and the ‘to blog’ pile got higher. Contextually, I have got a lot out of this module, as I am interested in working with graphics for television, I have learnt a lot about Channel 4, BBC and ITV, especially when it comes to branding and promotion. I found it interesting to see the guidelines for Channel 4 and how it works, which informed my own practice with Brief 4.

I managed to secure another work placement at Urban Feather, I very much enjoyed this again, and have been invited back at Christmas. As I have been busy with this module, I didn’t make the time to look for other companies, apart from my interview at ITV.

Work Placement Board + Evaluation

Open publication - Free publishing - More design

Due to not having access to all of the high resolution files, only two of the posters were submitted. I am pleased with how they turned out, I understand the client was very happy with them, even if it isn't my usual style or type of work. It was great to work on a live project, and it was all produced in Quark which I had never used before and was introduced to a few hours before I had to have these posters ready. I couldn't even work out how to place an image. A huge challenge, but I managed with some trial and error.

Brief 4 Boards + Evaluation

Open publication - Free publishing - More design

I was incredibly excited about this brief at the start, it was by 4Creative (who I would love to work for), working on branding (in my rationale) for a new television channel (an interest of mine) - it couldn't be more perfect. However, the target audience was over 60's, an audience I know very little about, time was ticking and I didn't have much time to do in depth research into them, however I gathered primary and secondary research that I felt was reliable enough to draw some assumptions and base my concepts around this. The idea of branding was very appealing, but to a new television channel, it is my dream brief. I thoroughly enjoyed working on this, however I feel a major weakness is using stock film footage - due to my lack of equipment and knowledge of film, but they supported my ideas wonderfully. IT really finishes off what I have working alongside, as an animated logo on its own didn't seem as entertaining as a dog in what seems to be a pair of older person's glasses looking at my animated logo and then looking directly down the camera at the viewer. I enjoyed creating the guidelines for the branding too. It seemed to make my idea more credible and more genuine, and the research behind all this was very interesting too, I learnt a lot about branding and design for television.

Brief 3 Boards + Evaluation

Open publication - Free publishing

This was a very confusing brief,in my first tutorials I somehow managed to talk my way around the brief, each time with something different. It wasn't until a crit with Sai, Pav, Brady and Richard, that it was pointed out - what is the brief asking of me. I couldn't answer this, so a quick brainstorming session developed a straightforward, clear brief, still on the same topic, but more geared towards my interest; design for television. Up until this point the ideas and development had been little to non existent, and now I had a focus, I was able to go ahead and make a start. Once I finally got started I was really enjoying the brief, especially the motion side, I had come up with a strong visual that I have used throughout my printed and on screen campaign, and it's something I am really pleased with. Originally it was a stock image, but it seemed like cheating, so I developed my own similar version. The motion part saw me being braver and trying new things, which is what I set out to do at the start of the year. I found it hard to come up with printed deliverables for this brief, as you don't seem to see television programmes advertised via print.

Brief 2 Boards + Evaluation

Open publication - Free publishing

This is the brief that caused me the most difficulty, to begin with I was excited and came up with a logo I was pleased with, and I think at this point, I spent too much time creating stuff, instead of actual work that was for a purpose. At this point I wish I had moved on to another brief, but I was that worried about time, I carried on creating unsatisfactory work. Having a break from the brief allowed me to look at what I had done with fresh eyes, and totally turn my ideas around. I spent at least a week producing work that has been completely scrapped, when this week could have been used developing other briefs. This is something to learn for the future. This brief allowed me to explore branding and promotion, which is what I want to carry on doing, and it is in my rationale. I struggled with creating a brand/idea/concept for a target audience that was as vast as what I had to work with, the different demographic of people in a hospital is very vast, and this brief was about appealing to as many people as possible. I feel I should have taken forward my ideas to my presentation boards, instead of not developing them further. I had already been told to push my deliverables, which should have been my wake up call.

Brief 1 Boards + Evaluation

Open publication - Free publishing

This brief allowed me to investigate a wide range of different graphics areas, but still concentrating on promotion, part of my rationale. The Bloc+Blur brief wasn't the most exciting brief I had worked on, as I really wanted to put my creative stamp on it, but due to the large restrictions it was more about layout, which is still part of my rationale, so in this respect I had fun experimenting with different layouts. The Fatboy Slim brief was fun, I am really pleased with the outcome, and the concept, I think its quite powerful, it has had some good feedback from peers too which is always good to hear. This saw me working in a CD cover size, and again I experimented with layouts. The Manchester Book Fair Brief got very confusing, originally the brief was supposed to be a hotdog fold book with the rejected Mexican Museum of Design briefs ideas, then it became a book of patterns, before finally being a set of affordable notebooks. Due to all the changes the books didn't end up going to Manchester. The D&AD brief was a quick turnaround brief for the North Lecture, this was a brief that really appealed to me as it was about experimenting with layout, and I am really pleased with the final poster, I think it is portfolio worthy.

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