Friday 22 March 2013

OUGD406 - Speaking From Experience: Crit

Today we had to present our proposal boards. We signed up to crits with about 5 or 6 in each group. Our group consisted of Ellen, Harrison, Adam, J'nae and Vicky, Sam and I. We presented our work to Simon and two of the third years. All of whom gave us really useful feedback listed below:
  • It might end up making homesickness worse - maybe need something to distract them
  • Specific gender? Will boys use it?
  • Create stamps online and send away the design
  • How big will it be?
  • Can you re-design stamps?
  • How many are you going to produce?
  • Cost?
  • Stock?
  • Focus on one idea
  • Postcards instead of envelopes
  • Recipe book you can write in yourself is a really good idea, more homely and personal
  • Really important because a lot of people are homesick
  • House box idea is amazing and makes it more interactive
  • Really nice concept and well thought through design wise
  • Consider time and cost
  • Really like the concept of handwritten letters and recipe book
  • Great design boards
  • Production costs?
  • Good use of primary research
  • Really like the recipe book idea
  • Well thought out idea
  • Recipe book one of strongest ideas and could tie in envelopes and letters to coicide with that idea


Monday 18 March 2013

OUGD406 - Communication Is A Virus: Evaluation Extra

DRINK TEA
How did we work as a group?
Group members failing to attend group meetings
Often we would arrange to meet as a group to discuss progression and development with our work. We would also meet to make important decisions which initiated the end concept and was the perfect opportunity for jobs to be given to each individual team member. This was frustrating as it meant that we would have to communicate via Facebook at the end of the day and reiterate what had already been said during the day.
Lack of enthusiasm and commitment
I felt as though there was a huge lack of enthusiasm with the brief a lot of the time and group members couldn't wait to leave to go home. There was always something that needed doing so it would have been helpful to have more people volunteering to help out rather than ask what needed to be done before leaving. I think some group members felt as though they didn't have a particular role in the group where design was concerned. This was voiced and I decided to be the person to give out possible suggestions of what could be done next. This is something that everyone in the group could have thought of themselves and if this had happened we would have been much more productive and ahead of schedule.

OUGD406 - Communication Is A Virus: Evaluation

As a group what problem did you identify and why?
 
We looked at how drinking tea could me promoted and came up with the idea of linking it with charity so that it was related to something current. We chose to do this because we thought it was extremely important to try and make the idea relevant and apply it to a real life situation. This allowed us to essentially create our own live brief to be completed in time for Red Nose Day.
 
What methods did you use to gather your evidence to prove this was a problem and what forms did it take?

Primary
For primary research I initially went to stores in Leeds which had their own mugs and also photographed a cup I was given in M&S as I quite liked the design of it. Beth and Danielle visited Whittard's in Leeds also, to price up their tea as we were originally going to use theirs but it proved to be too expensive in the end. I also emailed Comic Relief for a fundraising pack which included balloons, stickers and a form to fill out for our donation. Harrison and I finalised the plans with the buildinds department which involved revising the floor plan and also filling out a risk assessment. We also asked permission from the cafe downstairs to see whether they would allow us to sell tea and they were absolutely fine with it as it was for charity. Harrison and I also tried to see whether it would be possible to get funding from the college for printing costs but it turned out that we were unable to. This wasn't an issue however, as we all contributed to the costs and didn't mind as it was for charity. Beth also brought cups from work for us which enabled us to get 100 free cups saving us all money.

Secondary
I looked for disposable cups and lids online, searched Amazon and eBay to find that they would be too expensive to buy. Especially as we wanted plain white ones which were good enough quality to use without spoiling our design. I researched bellyband designs as well as paper cups. Beth looked at branding and identity for 'Charitea', whilst Harrison looked at app designs.

Quantitative
For our quantitative we looked at the costs of the products we were sourcing as well as looking at the prices of the tea sold in the cafe to ensure we could sell our tea at a reasonable price. We then made sure we kept a note of which tea was sold and when by having a chart on the day whereby we marked it each time a cup was sold. This allowed us then to create a poster showing the results of our tea sales.

Qualitative
Our qualitative research consisted of feedback from tutors and students during our crits as well as group meetings. This allowed us to make sure that we were working well and producing the work we needed.
 
What methods of research did you find useful and why?

I found it useful actually going into shops and looking at existing designs. This helped me a lot as it enabled me to consider the designs whilst designing the bellyband. I would have loved to have developed the actual shape of the cups but this would have been impossible and not cost effective as we needed a large amount of cups for our stall. I also found it helpful carrying out secondary research on the internet and also using the packaging net book I took out of the library as this enabled me to create a variety of nets to work with.
 
What research could you have carried out that would have proved more useful?

We could have possibly looked at carrying out a questionnaire to gather more primary research as this is always useful to do. In our situation however I don't think we would have benefitted much from this as the whole point was to discover the most favourable flavoured tea. Therefore if we had known this to start with it would have defeated the point.
 
How did you manage the workload as part of a group?

As a group I think we could have managed the workload much more successfully. I feel as though everyone was appointed specific jobs within the group but didn't necessarily get things completed straight away which meant that we would lose out on valuable time. Harrison and I worked really well together, making sure that everything was ready for the event by going to college for 8am on the Wednesday to get everything printed. We also ensured that everything was ready with Sarah the night before the event by storing everything in the stock room. I feel as though if everyone had succeeded in being at college every day we would have been able to successfully perform as a group. With this in mind we were given this obstacle to overcome and work with, which I feel we managed to do very well.
 
 
 

Wednesday 13 March 2013

Flannels Exhibition: Wednesday 13th March 2013

Today Ellen, Harrison and I went to an exhibition on the top floor in Flannels. It was a screenprinting exhibition, exhibiting the work of people from all over the world. I think it was definitely worth the visit, as it was interesting to see the standard of work out there. It is also interesting to see what is available to buy and how much for, as it just goes to show that a lot of money can be made from perfecting a skill and being creative.
 
I decided to photograph the examples of work I liked the most as I thought it would be more relevant to show this on here rather than documenting all of them. I really loved some of the black and white screenprints but at the same time loved the injection of colour in some of them too, which is quite unusual for me.
 
 
 
















Tuesday 12 March 2013

OUGD402 - Study Task 8: If you were a...

In order to be successful within the industry it is important that we begin to think of ourselves as a commodity. It is essential that we see ourselves as part of a collective as well as an individual. This task enables us to start thinking about ourselves in this way.

If you were a...


If you were a book what would your subject be and who would read you?
If I was a book I would be 'The Power' by Rhonda Byrne. The book is about maintaining a positive mental attitude towards every situation life throws at us. I would be aimed at people who are going through testing times and need reassurance that they will become a stronger person by getting through situations rather than breaking down.

I chose this book because I feel as though it is extremely fitting to me. I find that most of the time I try and take on board what the book advises people to do and I consciously try to pass on positivity to other people who are struggling. Whether it be about design or life in general, it is always important to maintain a positive attitude as this is how people succeed to become stronger characters.


If you were a package what would you contain and who would open you?
If I was a package I would be a fine leather case to hold an exquisite, limited edition pen inside. I would be used by those who could appreciate the importance of writing a diary or documenting what they want to achieve in the form of a list. I feel it is extremely important to stay organised and enjoy feeling organised which is why this would be the perfect possession for those who care about being punctual and documenting memories.

 


If you were a shop what would you sell and who would buy it?
If I was a shop I would be The White Company. I would sell something for every member of the family as well as the home. Someone with sophisticated taste would purchase from me and I would promote simplicity as well as class.

 
Source

If you were a poster what would you promote and to whom?
If I was a poster I would encourage people to work hard and achieve their dreams. I would be aimed at the general public and would be easy to understand by everyone to enable me to reach a wide audience. I feel that it is important to remember what influences the decisions we make and why we are where we are each day. This can help us to realise and understand who we are as individuals and what we want to achieve in life.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Source

If you were a brand what would your values be and why would they be important?
If I was a brand I would be known for being sophisticated, international, statemental and inspiring. My values would be increasingly more important to the general public as I grow in the public eye. They would represent me as a brand and a company as well as an individual or as the designer behind the logo or branding itself. I feel that a lot of the time a person's personality can shine through their work and become apparent within their designs. To become noticed and recognised for your individual signature I think it is important to develop a certain way of working.

 

If you were an exhibition what would you show and where would you show it?
If I was an exhibition I would exhibit my personal collection of statement jewellery, it would be located in an affluent area of London and I would also design all of the promotional work for it, such as flyers, adverts for the newspaper, business cards, a website and anything else necessary. I would love to start making my own jewellery as a hobbie when I have become established as a graphic designer. I think it is important to have other interests in different fields and would ideally love to one day tie two of my strongest interests together.

Pinned Image
 

If you were a leaflet what information would you contain and who would read it?

If I was a leaflet I would promote bridal wear, as I have always loved feminine, beautiful and stylish clothing, which I think links closely to popular bridal dresses and accessories. I used to love the idea of being a wedding planner too, as I love being organised. This would therefore be another way of expressing my interests through design. My audience would be lovers of designer wear, such as Phillipa Lepley's collection below. I also love the use of photography and composition of text.
Source
If you were a sign what would you show, to whom and where?
I believe very strongly in maintaining a healthy lifestyle to ensure that I can enjoy myself and know that I am looking after myself well. I would therefore be a no smoking sign which would be aimed at all ages, to get the message across that it is important to look after yourself and not cause damage to your body unnecessarily.




 

If you were an App what would you do and who would use you?
If I was an app I would be a finance app to enable people to organise their money. I feel it is of great importance in day to day life to be able to manage your money well and work hard to try and save as much as possible. I would be available to use for anyone who needed help with managing their money, starting at an early age perhaps, although probably more likely to be used by business class people.
 

If you were a blog, what would you be about and who would follow you?
If I was a blog I would be a travel blog and I would post all of the work I had created during my time travelling the world. I would write about how different cultures had influenced my work and comment on the people/artists I have met along the way. I would be an inspiring blog aimed at those who hope to one day travel whilst maintaining a career at the same time. 

 
 
If you were an event, what would it be and how would you promote it?

If I was an event I would be the grand opening of somewhere such as Claridge's Hotel in London. I would promote it through designing flyers and other promotional materials which would be distributed to the surrounding areas. I feel as though this kind of work would be something I would be very interested in once I graduate. I like to think that my work is currently quite sophisticated and classy and I feel that it would suit somewhere like this.

 
 
 

Monday 4 March 2013

OUGD406 - Communication Is A Virus: Printing Costs

Today Harrison and I inquired about printing costs to Mike Flower. Simon suggested for us to ask about this because our brief is in aid of charity. However, when we went to ask we didn't get the response we had hoped for. We are therefore going to have to rethink our printing costs and the stock we are going to use. It all depends on how much we want to spend on printing as a group. I don't mind spending on it as it is for charity but we will have to have a group meeting about it.

PPP - OUGD402: Personality and Practice Studio Session

What makes me me?
What makes me a designer?

Using the imagery and text we had collected for this session we were asked to get into pairs and swap our own with another pair and then move to another table so that the work we are looking at wasn't being overheard by anyone else.

I was paired with Harrison for this task and we firstly looked at Sarah's images.

We were asked to separate the images into personal and practice and then write down a 50 word statement for each of the categories. This was quite interesting, especially as we didn't have the written work with the images so we had to just make sure that they were as accurate as possible.

Sarah - personal

Yin/Yang - balance
Loves Disneyland
Buddhism - follows belief?
Loves Christmas
Infinity symbol

Sarah - practice

Psycho work - colourful
Papercut art
Charlotte's web
Concept development
Royalty - decorative design

Personal statement for Sarah:

Sarah either follows Buddhism beliefs or admires their views on life. She also likes the festive period of the year and possibly the colours involved in this. Sarah also loves Disneyland, possibly because it is magical and inspiring. The yin and yang symbol and infinity symbol could also represent peace, equality and something being everlasting.

Practice statement for Sarah:

Sarah is interested in psychodelic design from the 60's including both type and image. She also has a fondness for design that involves papercut and crafts. She values strong concept development and feminine aspects within her design such as decorative designs and colours.

Danielle - personal

Inspirational quotes
Hairstyles
Deserts
Obama
Weight?

Danielle - practice

Type
Editorial - layout
Screenprint
Grid and layout
Colour

Personal statement for Danielle:

Danielle has a keen interest in hair styles and colour and is constantly changing hers. She shows a strong admiration for Obama and also has a fondness for inspirational quotes. She loves deserts and has a sweet tooth but is self conscious about her weight.

Practice statement for Danielle:

Danielle has a strong interest in editorial design and layout. She likes to explore the use of colour whilst at the same time apply a grid to her work to ensure it works visually. She also likes to experiment with type and loves the outcome of screenprinting.

Harrison and I then got together with Danielle and Sarah to discuss what we had written. We then read out what we had written for our own individual statements to compare accuracy. It turned out that we all had a similar perception of each other, showing that we know each other quite well. This should be the case seeing as we were put into our 'Communication Is A Virus' groups and therefore we should know our group members quite well after two weeks of working with them.

Friday 1 March 2013

OUGD406 - Communication Is A Virus: Crit

Today we had another crit. We went into the studio and sat around in a circle with Simon and two other groups. The other two groups went before us and spoke about their work and what they had produced over the past two weeks. We gave our opinions to them and then Simon made some suggestions.

Then it was our turn to present our work. I started by explaining how we had come up with the idea of 'Charitea' to tie Comic Relief in with the theme of tea. I then showed the rest of the group the belly band I had produced to wrap around the cup and explained how I had contacted Comic Relief for balloons, stickers and a fundraising form. I also showed the print out of the character designs Sarah had illustrated and explained how I had developed the idea to represent tea bags and the shape of them. We also explained how we had to get permission before we could definitely go ahead with the tea stand. Harrison, Beth and Danielle then proceeded to explain the pieces of work they had produced.

We were given lots of positive feedback and nobody really made any suggestions for what we could improve or add to our design work. I was quite surprised really as there is usually always improvements which could be made. In terms of cost though, Simon did say that we could probably get funding from the college as it is a charitable event. We will be going to ask about this on Monday and we will be inquiring about it to Mike Flower as he is in charge of this. We then spoke about the donation of 50p for each cup of tea and mentioned that people may want to donate more. So I said that we would benefit from having a box to collect the money in and after the crit I said that I would take on this responsibility. Other people suggested maybe having biscuits if we got the college funding, something like rich tea biscuits to tie in with the theme. Victoria suggested that we could maybe print off stickers to stick on the balloons and make them our own, we may do this if we have the funding. 

We then asked about the A2 design boards and decided as a group that we would produce these on the Thursday before our presentation on the Friday morning.

I felt as though it was quite a useful crit in a sense that we were able to listen to other groups' ideas and compare the amount of work we had all produced and how different people had approached the brief. At the same time however I feel as though we, as a group didn't really gain that much in terms of developing designs. I am looking forward to doing some extra design work and creating the box because I feel as though there isn't much more that I can contribute with until we start printing promotional design work off next week.