CALLUM O’REILLY
OUGD501
‘Saying Yeah Mate, To Saying, No Ta.’ Context of Practice OUGD501 Callum O’Reilly CO261713 Graphic Design Level 5
CONTEXT OF PRACTICE
CALLUM O’REILLY
OUGD501
CONTEXT OF PRACTICE
BRIEF/RATIONALE: The response is a solution to creating a physical that following personal ethical beliefs over professional ethical standards in design helps one develop as a graphic designer. Response which is created advises the audience to make their own decisions, through showing the positive points of saying no to a client and therefore turning something, which comes across as a negative into a positive. Giving them the confidence to be able to do so, and also giving them the ability to be more passionate about their practice through designing for brief they are passionate about. Highlighting the fact that no designer should be made to complete work that they do not believe in and which would harm their own practice as well as their ethical stance.
CALLUM O’REILLY
OUGD501
RESEARCH Through research as part of a critical writing outcome, research was done into multiple ethical beliefs of different designers and the way in which they believe that a designer should carry out their practice. The research saw the proof that majority of designers believe that there was an ethical dilemma between being hired will work from a client whose products or services or actions are particularly harmful criminal or politically unacceptable within the designer’s view. Whereas others, such as Jonathan Baldwin discusses the fact that it’s not difficult to refuse work when you’re financially secure, but being principled can be an unaffordable luxury, referring to the way in which is a junior designer people must work hard to get their position in which they can make the decision to be ethical to their own stances and beliefs. Yet this was contradicted by other designers such as the thoughts of Milton Glaser, interviewed as part of its nice that, he states what is required within the field of graphic design more than anything else, is constant transgression, professionalism does not allow for this because transgression has to encompass the possibility of failure. Thus, extending the idea of the argument thus can one be ethical within one’s own practice whilst also being a designer remaining professionalism, without which you would not be receiving the graphic design commissions within the first place.
CONTEXT OF PRACTICE
CALLUM O’REILLY
OUGD501
CONTEXT OF PRACTICE
INTIAL IDEAS Within initial ideas multiple outcomes which could physically represent the way in which designers must be able to say no to clients was explored. Three ideas in particular were explored through simple sketches. The first of which explored the idea of creating a book in which would give good examples of bad design therefore educating the audience on how not to create bad design. The second illustrating protest style placards ranging from different ethical perspectives therefore explaining some opinions regarded by designers and contrasting against others giving people the choice and the option to explore their options of personal opinion within their design. The final of the three ideas, was the collection of cards to give the cards against humanity style game, in which designers would compete to respond to a brief written on one card and set by one of the players, with the worst possible ethical result. Just making light of the situation and creating a better understanding of how not to act against your own ethics within design. The selection was made to create a book which further research led to decide would be based around the idea of the positives that come from saying no to a client, thus taking an idea that has traditionally negative connotations, and spinning them to make them positive. Once this is decided on information was collected layout ideas such as initial sketches of zine style were explored in hope to create a design which was simplistic and focused on the meaning itself. The concept of imagery used within this design was explored although disregarded at this step, to ensure the full focus was kept within the quotations and the explanations themselves, therefore not dilating the information given.
CALLUM O’REILLY
OUGD501
CONTEXT OF PRACTICE
RESEARCH 2 Once an issue was established, in terms of young designers lacking the confidence to have the ability to say no to jobs and embrace their own ethical beliefs, it was decided that a zine should be made, the content of which would enable this confidence. In order to do so the must contain quotes from established graphic designers within positions of authority, which were shall be relevant to the short captions of information which informed the audience of the way in which saying no to the client at that particular time will enhance their practice. Research was carried out which enquired into the ways in which not saying no to a client could actually hinder one’s practice, and therefore stop their personal development, and in hand limiting their professional abilities. Once the correct quote information was acquired, colour theory was taken into consideration. As the book is aimed towards designers it was possible to take the design into more of a conceptual representative design, in which each aspect of the design itself was representing a different meaning relevant to that of what was on the page. To begin understanding the visual identity that would be needed to be accompanied with the design, zines were investigated establishing an understanding of the way in which both typography image and colour are used to create short booklets of short bursts of information.
CALLUM O’REILLY
OUGD501
DEVELOPMENT The cover of this scene was designed with the idea of the word no, it displays the word no in 20 different languages that I have spoken most predominantly, using phonetic spelling. Only lowercase letter is used between this and the title to indicate the use of colloquialism, something which would not be used at professional standard or in industry, similar to the way that saying no is not expected from professionalism. White and black were used as the only other colours in the booked contrast against the yellow, this is due to their most intense level of contrast available is from these colours, the yellow is also the most intense yellow available to the CYMK spectrum. Yellow was chosen as it is representative of happiness, progression and passion, yellow also is representative at the same time of cowardice, thus creating a contrast between the idea of progression and stepping back from progression similar to the way in which saying no to a client cause a project to come to an end, yet open up the idea of another project beginning. The entire zine is based around a tight grid system which is stuck to consistently, this is to represent in contrast to the personal progressive nature of the colour and typeface which has been chosen representing once again how saying no is not meant to happen within industry. Illustration was added within the zine, as it once again plays in the colloquial style, further supported by the small explanation in the text. This gives an alternative way of saying no without having to say words. The illustrations also pay on the idea with the ‘middle finger’ offering a more alternative way to say no in a more professional manner. Each spread contains a large number this is accompanied by a hashtag therefore forcing the audience to read through the positives. Quotes are added to each page from influential designers therefore showing the way in which they support the decision, that personal ethical decisions must take priority, which in their careers proven successful.
CONTEXT OF PRACTICE
CALLUM O’REILLY
OUGD501
PROCESS The zine is to be printed digitally to enhance the way that the digital design captures a focus onto the quotes and meaning of the book itself due to its clarity and vibrancy. Front and back cover was printed on a 300 GSM paperweight therefore adding a more tactile effect to the book itself, contrasting against the inner pages of 120 GSM; giving the feel of a zine. The zine was then folded and bound using industry-standard machines, due to the ease of printing this design could be put out on mass production and therefore it fits with the target audience and the level of handouts that would need to be produced.
CONTEXT OF PRACTICE
CALLUM O’REILLY
OUGD501
CONTEXT OF PRACTICE
Overall I believe the outcomes been successful, it is resolve the brief in terms of having created a physical outcome which advises the audience on a visual level to regard their personal ethics over professional through the active use of the word no. The zine was produced to a standard that it would be able to be reproduced in the way that would be needed for it to be distributed in the manner of which it would be effective. The subliminal messages, such as the yellow selection and typeface choices contrast against the tightknit graded system, which therefore creates a unconscious lead for the designer consumer to be able to understand the way that which going against professionalism isn’t always going to hinder their own practice. The benefits of abiding by your personal ethics rather than professional highlighted throughout the zine, and further reaffirmed through the use of professional quotes from current graphic designers within industry, further adding authenticity to what is being said.
EVALUATION
CALLUM O’REILLY
OUGD501
CONTEXT OF PRACTICE