Glad placement: Day 5

I was asked to carry on with the typographic kitchen designs today, I really managed to get into it, and was really happy with the final result, I was happy at how much work I'd managed to get done on the final day, considering everything was hand rendered on paper, to be hand traced on the computer. 

At lunch time Dave (the boss) took us all out for dinner as a final day thing, to ask for some feedback on how our placement was. One bit of advice I did give was to give placements more feedback, as I wasn't sure if the work I produced, was even good. I did then ask for a bit of advice about getting into the working world, he told me so many people come to him for work placements and have told him that they expect to do a year of placements before they get anywhere, which is quite a depressing prospect. He told me also that going straight into freelance from uni was a no no, that you need a lot of industry experience to be able to set up on your own.

Overall I really enjoyed my time at Glad, branding isn't something I'd really done before as I loathed it, but have come out of this placement knowing I am able to do it if I put my mind to it, the logo designs I did when from awful, to okay, which in three days is quite an achievement for myself. Branding isn't something I'd considered doing before, but its a potential prospect for after I graduate.

Final Designs:

Mock ups:

Pencil Studies:

Glad placement: Day Four

I finalised the Logo Designs in the morning, working on the idea of manipulating spot lighting to create text, and the initials of the Musical Theatre Network. The final idea needed to work in both black and white to work well as an image and logo, so with this in mind I created the bottom left image as a final.

After lunch I was introduced to a new brief, this involved producing motivational wall vinyl stickers for the kitchens within the Northern Design Centre. Glad were approached to think of ways to motivate workers to clean up after themselves. The idea was to create Geordie phrases, relating to cleaning up after yourself, to be typographically produced in the style of chalk board designs. I was given a list of ten to choose from to try and illustrate, the bottom image was all I managed to do given the time.

Placement: Glad - Day Three

Today I've been carrying on with the branding brief for a Musical Theatre Networking company. I feel I've made a lot of progress and find myself beginning to enjoy branding, that its not as scary as i first thought! Its been great, as during the day me and John (the other placement) have been sitting down talking through our work with the other guys getting feedback, ideas and a fresh outlook. This has really helped push ideas I didn't think were too strong, into something that really works. I found myself really emmersed in my work and by the end of the day had loads of designs, which I'm going to go through with Dave tomorrow morning.

Glad Placement : Day two

Todays been a very productive day. I carried on this morning with the publication cover, adding some more textures, and pushed forward the colours used within the clients work, finding a gold texture, pushing than onto my detailed vectors. Once I was happy with my result, I showed Dave who was happy with the final result and to move onto to another brief. Me and another work placement, John, were briefed on a branding job, to produce a logo for a Music theatre network company. The idea was to combine music and theatre into either an image or type based logo to represent the company, but to also push forward the idea of networking.

I first brainstormed looking at the different aspects I could push, first looking at lingo used within music and theatre but found it would be too typographic and would take the attention away from the brand. I then looked at illustrating objects which are related to the culture industry, and combining them to make one image. I came up with a few clever ideas. After lunch Dave asked to see our work and talk through it with us, giving us a few pointers and ideas to take forward and push in the afternoon. Although I'm really not a fan of branding, I did find myself getting the hang of it once I'd done quite a few designs, I think its with everything, once you do a lot, you get better.

Glad Placement: Day one

I've been looking forward to working with Glad for some time now, as a way of stepping back from vigorous uni work. I was dubious as my first experience of a placement wasn't too great so I was hoping Glad could make me feel that bit better about doing placements in the future.

I arrived at 9:30, was given a brief tour of the office, and was asked to present the PDF portfolio I'd originally sent them. After going through where my skills lie and what I'm best at, I was given a brief to design a publication for a Interior designer they had already produced some branding for. I was so happy with the brief, it was right up my street, the client had asked for hand rendered type on the front page, spelling 'On going', incorporating the style of design she using across her furniture.

I went through her website for some inspiration, finding a range of patterns and designs which I could transform into typefaces. It took me several hours to create the type but I'm really happy with the final result. I then drew over them on illustrator to give them a finished look, incorporating textures (like wood) used within her own products. 

I was given the dimensions of the publication and have started looking at the kind of layout I thought appropriate. After looking at the branding, I wanted to keep the consistency, by keeping it simple. I also wanted to incorporate the choice of words as 'on going' the idea that the words are on going, by possibly falling of the page, or going down the page. I haven't really had the chance to explore layout yet but intend on getting on with that tomorrow.

I'm so happy with how the first day went, everyone was friendly, gave me feedback on my work, and the workplace felt positive. I'm glad I had a lot to do and didn't find myself pacing the room or waiting for anything.

TESCO review publication

Progress Evaluation 05 / 06

Second year I started with a different array of ambitions and wants than that I've gone into third year with. I had an idea that I wanted to direct myself into retail graphics, along with that, packaging design and advertisement. I've come to realise, through doing various briefs that although I enjoy these areas I've come to realise where my skills lie best, how they can be transferred across a series of medias and products, and as a result, I've been able to identify the skills I lack and thus need to improve.

My hand rendered typography and illustrative material became the main content within many of the briefs I've done across second year and my work became identifiable as being mine through this. Another strength within my work has been the crafting and execution of my image / illustration work. A problem I did identify was the presentation of my image work, my type and layout skills are poor, as a result, using texts within my work would takeaway from my design; spoiling the end result. Photographing my final products, I have come to realise is so important. Over the summer, while applying for apprenticeships showing my portfolio, I have almost felt embarrassed by the standard of the photographs I've been showing, they don't show the high standard of my work.

Within third year I hope to choose briefs which will enable me present the skills I have, and to improve existing and gain new skills. I want to concentrate on my type and layout skills, creating publication material pushing my weakness with an intent to improve. Another area I'm interested in pushing forward in third year is homeware and stationary, as I hope to one day, focus on opening a retail store, expanding my Etsy store into a shop front. 

For my chosen ten briefs I will be looking at creating and adapting briefs in accordance to the skills I have, the skills I need to improve on and challenging myself by concentrating on areas I feel least comfortable in. I intend on looking at companies like Tigerprint, M&S and Hallmark to gain a better understanding on deisgn within stationary, homeward and retail. I will also be looking at obligation and type companies, collecting a resource of beautifully composed design to inspire me to push my type and layout skills forward.

How would you grade yourself in the following areas:

STUDY SKILLS

Attendance - 4
Library - 3
Punctuality - 4
Magazines - 1
Motivation - 4
Internet - 5
Commitment - 5
Study Visits - 5
Quantity of work produced - 4
Online Content - 4
Quality of work produced - 4
Contextual Research - 3
Contribution to the group - 4
Documentation (Blogs) - 5

PERSONAL SKILLS

Communication - Verbal - 4
Problem Analysis - 3
Communication - Written - 4
Problem solving - 3
Communication - Visual - 4
Content Development (Research) - 3
Organisation - Time - 5
Conceptual Development (Research) - 4


DESIGN SKILLS

Organisation - Project - 4
Visual Development (Visual Skills) - 3
Organisation - Personal - 5
Media / Material Experimentation - 5
Presentation - Crits - 3
Evaluation and Selection - 3
Presentation - assessment - 3
Finishing skills - 3
Presentation - Blogs - 4
Production Skills - 4


Identify 5 ways in which you aim to extend your strengths and / or address areas for improvement

1. Choose briefs I both enjoy and find challenging
2. Draw more
3. Read into the skills I wish to improve
4. Do more self initiated research experimenting and documenting what I've found, and how it will help me (e.g grids)
5. Visiting studios / doing placements

Grade the level to which you will prioritise developing your skills and understanding of the following:

5= highest, 4 = high, 3 = necessary, 2 = unsure, 1 = low

PRACTICAL SKILLS

Typography - Font Design - 4
Typography - Layout/Grid - 5
Screen Print - 2
Bookbinding / Paper Craft - 4
Letterpress / Printed Type - 1
3D Materials & Media - 1
Photography & Studio lighting - 4

DESIGN FOR PRINT
Packaging - 4
Editorial (Magazine) - 4
Publishing (Book) - 5
Retail - 4
Promotion - 3
Branding/Identity - 3
Information graphics - 1
Signage/Wayfinding - 1

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Music publishing & Promotion - 1
Fashion Branding & Promotion - 3
Corporate Identity - 3
Exhibition Design - 2
Retail Branding & Interiors - 4
Design for Social Change - 4
Product, Promotion, Packaging -  4
Self Publication & Print - 5
Others (please list on your blog.)

SOFTWARE

Photoshop - 2
Illustrator - 4
Indesign - 5
Dreamweaver (web) - 4
After Effects (Motion Graphics) - 1
Fontographer (font design) - 4

DESIGN FOR SCREEN

Design for Web - 5
Design for Mobile Technology - 3
Interface design (DVD, Mobile tech.) - 2
Moving Type (TV ,Film) - 4
Motion Graphics (TV, Film) - 1

CREATIVE PRACTICE/CONCERNS

Ethical Design - 4
Sustainable Design - 4
Digital Innovation - 2
Print Production -Paper/Format/Finish - 4
Handmade to Digital - 5
Designer Led Practice - 4
Client Led Design - 3
Commercial Design - 4
Independent Practice - 3


Identify 10 things that you aim to achieve during level 6, explain why you want to achieve them and how you intend to
go about achieving them. Grade them in terms of level of priority.

To gain a finalised signature style - 4

To gain moderate layout skills - 5

To create my own hand rendered - to digital working typeface - 4

To improve my type skills - 5

To create several publication materials created on topics of my interests - 4

To have a strong branding and identity for myself - 3

To have a fully functioning website for myself - 5

To create a website for a client / brief using html coding - 3

To utilise my hand rendered type and illustration across homeware and stationary - 5

To deal with my first client / successfully sell some of work on Etsy - 5