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BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN
LEVEL
Module Code
OUGD301
Outcomes
Module Title
DESIGN PRACTICE 3
Doc. Code
Name
Benjamin McKean
Blog.
b-mckean0912.blogspot.com
Dissertation Title
Date
OUGD301tut01
25 September 2011
Focusing on typography, compare periodical reading between electronic and print based media. (Working title)
Dissertation Lorraine McKee Tutor Rationale (200 words) My design practice revolves around a typographic investigation of layout and format with a focus on working across a range of media. In terms of layout I am interested in how the benefits of print and digital offer different possibilities, where concepts such as hierarchy and grid systems fall within them, and producing them to a professional standard. Within typography I have a keen interest in letterform, how it represents speech and how it works as communication. I strive to manipulate and produce lettering relevant to the context, whether it is increasing legibility for signage, working on a font that needs to be legible at minute sizes for information design, or working on the relationship between a brand and its typeface. I work on selecting correct fonts relevant to the period of history, context or subject matter relating to briefs informed by my interest in typographic theory. With ever updating technologies I aim to incorporate the functionality and usability of new media to aid communication without relying on it, whilst maintaining a passion for print which is still very much existent in society and will be for some time.
Statement of Intent (SOI) - (400 words) PRINT Attending advanced InDesign software workshops will educate me further in the procedures of producing professional print resolutions, it will also give me the opportunity to focus on the outcome of my layout of articles and text ensuring all the correct treatments and pre-print changes have been made. A confidence in key software I will be using adds professionalism to your practice, giving you the ability to make quick changes on request and speak to printers, clients and other designers in depth about the software and editing techniques. WEB Advancing my web skills is something I want to work on to add knowledge to the production stages of design for screen. This way even when designing on paper for website to be I have more insight into what is possible, what is reasonable given time restraints, and what I will need help from a web developer with. Having more web skills will also help me to produce, maintain and update my own website which is a key part of my personal promotion strategy.
FONTOGRAPHER At least one of my briefs will allow me to learn how to use font production programmes such as Fontographer. This will inform my knowledge about lettering, letter spacing, font families in terms of final font creation. TYPOGRAPHIC CONTEXTUAL KNOWLEDGE Reading books such as the ones listed on my OUGD301research proposal form will help me to understand ways of coming up with relevant solutions. Books on type history will inform my knowledge of appropriate fonts to be used for certain contexts, for example if I was designing a film poster about a film based on World War 2 I wouldn’t necessarily want to use a font created in 1960, and if I did I would want to know about it and have a reason. Books about current type techniques and mechanics will help me to produce and use type coherent with modern trends, technologies and opinions. I will continue reading magazines with typographic content as well as accessing the large amounts of online data including forums, communities and blogs. VISITING LECTURERS As well as secondary source information, visiting speakers with industry experience will help me work out which work I mostly appreciate and how to focus my personal practice even further on relevant briefs. BRIEFS Choosing relevant briefs to work on will underlie what I am able to achieve based on what I have set out. The briefs I write will allow me to produce work that showcases my abilities and ambitions.
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Brief 1 Language & Pronunciation Guides Develop and design a English speakers language and pronunciation guide for travelling in Croatia. Propose how the designs could be applied to other language guides. Both printed and digital resolutions are required but a focus on iPhone and iPad applications are the driving technology for this brief. This brief will focus on producing clear, precise information typographically on a digital platform. It will also let me investigate how the layout and navigation of applications can be communicated as effectively in a print format.
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Brief 2 BFI Identity Develop an identity for the British Film Institute to be used as branding for the London film festival and to promote “an understanding and appreciation of film and television heritage and culture”.
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Brief 3 Charles Dickens 200th Birthday Design and produce a set of limited edition books to commemorate the 200th Birthday of Charles Dickens. Ascertain the target audience for his long standing books and promote the books for print and relevant digital reading devices. This brief will give me a chance to layout text in a novel format so consideration to sustained reading periods will be a large consideration. As I learnt a lot about type layout in my Type elective this will give me the opportunity to show what I can do in this area in my portfolio
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Brief 4 Architectural Typefaces Develop and produce a set of 5 typefaces each based on different buildings in London to celebrate the cities architecture. The final resolutions will be shown in an exhibition with a view to using them as promotion for the buildings. This brief gives me the chance to work strictly with letterform and the relationship between different letters, I will also develop my skills on Fontographer.
ADDITIONAL BRIEFS - D&AD/ ISTD Live Brief - Design and develop a brand redesign for the Record Label 4AD. - D&AD GBH Poster live brief - Design and develop the Autonomy and partner brand of software ‘Aurasma’ to bring the visual identities closer together.
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