End Of Module Self Evaluation

BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN Module Code

OUGD505

Module Title

DESIGN PRACTICE

LEVEL

05

END OF MODULE SELF-EVALUATION NAME MELISSA HARDCASTLE

1. What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?

The main thing that I feel has developed through this module is my research skills. I feel as though by ability so source and organise information improved throughout this module, however I think it was driven by the first studio brief which was ultimately a research brief with an outcome of a well informed and constructed publication. I think that my research skills were applied consistently throughout this module as I feel as though I was able to plan better and organise my time due to my research into what needed to be done.

Another skill that I feel has developed through this module is my digital design and ability to use Adobe software. This is an area that I have not always felt confident in and I am therefore pleased with my progress as I reach the end of every module, but particularly Design Practice as all of the briefs were completed using digital design and required me to produce work for a range of different platforms on all of the different software.

2. What approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?

The main method of design production that I have developed throughout this module that has informed my design development process is designing digitally for print but also crafting afterwards and exploring the possibilities of design post printing. I experimented with crafting, binding and adding colour after printing which is something I have not done before.

As a whole they have informed my design development process as it is something that can continuously be improved upon as I progress in my practice of Graphic Design.

3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?

A strength in my work is the relevance of my design to the subject and purpose for it. This is most evident in the work I produced for the second studio brief where I branded a new Chocolate CafĂŠ/Shop. With the focus of the shop being chocolate and the purpose for design being to brand and produce packaging etc., I feel as though my response was considered and appropriate. My design features a develop image of chocolate which is not instantly recognisable as chocolate making it slightly abstract and more design focused as opposed to directly representing the subject matter.

4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future?

A weakness in my work would have to be the binding of my publication, I decided to bind myself using a needle and thread through two holes on the left hand side of the book. This method served the purpose of holding the pages together and was not out of touch with the content or existing design of the publication, and is not aesthetically unpleasant. However, I do not feel as though it looks as professional as it could have done had I have opted for a different method of binding.

Ultimately my weakness is my lack of knowledge in the area of binding which is something I am to address by attending workshops in the up and coming academic year and also to practice in my own time to develop my craft and binding skills.

Another weakness in my work unfortunately would have to be that I don’t feel as though my work is as professional looking as I would like it to be. To address this and ensure that it is resolved in up and coming briefs I aim to allow more time for the end of a project to make sure that printing and crafting is of a better standard for submission.

5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?

Research more into methods of binding prior to designing a publication so that I am not limited in my options for binding having already designed and produced a publication. This will enable to produce effective and considered design.

Blog more as I go along. I feel as though blogging is something I usually keep up to date with which is relevant across my other modules however I am aware that throughout this module my blogging suffered as I had to use my time to actually design and produce my responses to the brief and left my blogging to worry about until later. Through blogging as I go along it will allow me more freedom towards the end of the brief but will also allow me to regularly affirm my focus with a brief through documenting its progress on my blog.

Include more crafting – from this I will expect to gain a better knowledge of the art and this will benefit future design and responses to briefs.

Further my skills in Illustrator and InDesign even more so that I feel better equipped with knowledge to design and therefore progress in my practice.

I will aim to plan and organise my time better beginning with the start of a brief and concluding with the end and finishing the brief – this will allow me to use my time and design skills in the most effective and efficient way.

6.How would you grade yourself on the following areas: (please indicate using an ‘x’) 5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor 1

2

3

4

5

Attendance X Punctuality X Motivation X Commitment X Quantity of work produced X Quality of work produced X Contribution to the group X The evaluation of your work is an important part of the assessment criteria and represents a percentage of the overall grade. It is essential that you give yourself enough time to complete your written evaluation fully and with appropriate depth and level of self-reflection. If you have any questions

relating to the self evaluation process speak to a member of staff as soon as possible.