BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN LEVEL
05 Module Code OUGD503 Module Title Design Process
END OF MODULE SELF-EVALUATION NAME
SARAH GOLDTHORPE
1. What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them? I have definitely developed the skill of effective communication with other industry professionals and clients, this is an important skill I applied to all of my live briefs as good communication creates a good relationship between myself and the client. I have improved significantly in using illustrator, my strength is creating illustrated work, or hand drawn products which I then digitalise in this software. I have taken advantage of these growing skills and created all of my briefs for this module within illustrator. I have also developed profoundly in presenting my work and have learnt that good presentation of work is just as important as great designs and ideas. I have tried to create clear and concise mock ups and taken good quality photographs of all my work. It is especially important to do this when presenting to a client as it could seal the deal between gaining or loosing a job. I have tried very hard to create ranges of boards for each of my briefs that speak, design wise, as if they are part of the briefs themselves, keeping them themed and in coherent style with the brief presented on them.
2. What approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process? As previously stated I have definitely worked on my photography skills as I have realised the importance of presentation. Although I didn’t take pictures within the photography studio at college, I worked hard to create great environments to take my pictures in, some against plain backgrounds to emphasise a design or product and some in context, such as the pictures I took for bear at a breakfast table. I also got the chance to go back to my roots and create work that was dominantly hand rendered, particularly within the Cath Kidston brief, in which I first sketched, painted and then digitalised within illustrator. I have found that this is probably one of my most successful ways of working and allows me to create work that is completely individual to myself. I have also learnt from this how I can make my work look more humanised, as a pose to heavily digital. I have also developed my ability to use traditional print methods such as foil which I used for Kate Spreckley’s business cards. Using foiled
made me realise how I can change the tone of voice of a project, taking Kate’s brand personality from every day make up artist, to premium make up artist whom focuses in on special event make up.
3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these? I feel as though all the responses I have created for the set of six briefs are very thoughtful towards what had been asked, and well considered. I worked hard to create designs that answered and pushed the brief, particularly with Cath Kidston and Kate Spreckley, and suggest other options for designs that I thought were more appropriate for the brief than what had previously been asked of me, I found this particularly with the yoga logo brief. This also ties in with concept building. I feel that all my concepts are well evidenced and are extremely well thought about, decisions I have made are solely intended to create a successful response to the brief and never for any other selfish or self serving reasons. I designed to make each brief entirely individual to the audience or wants of each brief, creating heavily hand rendered and painterly style illustrations of Cath Kidston, an organic, hand crafted aesthetic for Susan Clarke, or modern and timeless style for Tasha Rae logo, It can be seen that I have constantly evolved to fit the needs of the brief. I feel it is clear that I have taken the type to create quality illustrations for each of my briefs, spending time to develop and work within the signature Cath Kidston style, create a memorable geometric and wild aesthetic for Feline Wild, and digitally produce all illustration realted work for bear. I think that it is clear in my work that I am prepared to take the time to personalise work for every client creating hand drawn typefaces for Susan clark and Kate Spreckley and producing a range of custom illustrations for every project. Another strength within my work in this module is the degree of presentation. I have worked hard to ensure that all my work is presented to the highest degree whether this be in photographs, fabricating mock ups of my work, or theming all of my presentation boards to look like part of every project.
4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future? The most prominent weakness I have found within my work is the lack of range. I found that most of my client led briefs if not all were focused on brand building. I think in order to improve my practice even further, I should have worked on a larger range of design sectors such as packaging and product design, editorial/ publication and advertising. This could have helped me discover what sectors I am stronger at and what I am weak at or don’t enjoy as much. In future I will also take on and look for opportunities working in design categories I am not as comfortable with. I also think that I tried to stretch myself too thin in terms of telling clients I would produce the first set of printed collaterals for them, slowing me down and keeping me from creating more and a wider range of briefs. I also feel that although the presentation of all my work is very strong and well considered, I spent too much time focusing on this, when instead I could have again been completing more briefs, approaching those that I have listed above and therefore improving my portfolio and practice. The last weakness I can identify in my work is my constant need/want to work in illustrator, I feel that by constantly choosing to work in illustrator, which I have done all the way through this module, I am suffering in terms of bettering myself as a design and becoming more employable. In future I need to start to branch out and experiment with other programs, currently apart from the mock ups and photographs I produced, I feel very week in programs such as CAD and photoshop, which I really want to better myself in.
5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these? 1. I think what has let me down this time is panicking, through out this module I have
questioned my ability to please clients, to complete enough work, I have questioned If what I am doing is correct. But I should have had more faith in myself that I am a good designer and that I am able to exceed a clients wants. I also think I let myself get too overwhelmed, in which I burned out a lot which slowed me down in my progress to complete briefs. Next time I will create a strict timetable, however plan some leeway as well, just incase I need to break in-between or on briefs. 2. I would do more briefs and more of a range. I would have liked to experiment with some other types of design such as packaging, printed collateral or advertising such as leaflets and posters. It would also could have been valuable to take on a brief that I don’t usually approach such as some editorial work as I tend to stray away from this as it isn’t my favourite, I could have found that i actually enjoy doing it. 3. Completing briefs that I am 100% comfortable with for causes that I believe in. This will provide me with a more consistent practice, and help myself and approaching clients understand the type of of work I will and that I wish to complete. 4. Collaborate more! I really enjoyed working with a partner for one of the responsive briefs and wish I would have looked for another opportunity to work with another creative on a new brief, whether on my course or a different one. This will provide me with more experience working in groups, much like in a design house or design studio set up. It also provides me with a more well rounded experience as I am approaching designs from my point of view, but learning about another creatives point of view also. 5. Work with clients whom I am able to contact and communicate with easily. I felt that the 99 designs yoga logo brief I did wasn’t well accepted because I wasn’t able to communicate with the client I was designing for and discuss reasoning, as well as gather information from her about every aspect of her logo. I felt the lack of communication is why this brief suffered, and for the rest of my client led briefs I insisted on great communication between ourselves.
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
4
Punctuality
5
Motivation
4
Commitment
5
Quantity of work produced
4
Quality of work produced
4
Contribution to the group
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.