Things I have learned in Year 1
Don’t be a Goldfish Don’t learn something and then forget it within seconds; learn it and actually apply it.
Become ‘Engaged’
Don’t be ignorant - be aware of whats going on.
Know your subject
You can’t design for something that you don’t know. Become an expert.
Be Curious Curiosity killed the cat - but satisfaction brought it back.
Things I have learned in Year 1;
Be Playful The art of serious play is about invention, change, rebellion -- not perfection. - Paula Scher
Failure isn’t a bad thing Without failure, you never learn anything new.
It’s not going to be easy But nothing worth doing ever is.
You have When I started Year 1 in September, I was very cocky. Actually really stupidly cocky. I had done all of 3 months of Graphic Design Specialism for a Foundation Diploma at College, and I decided that I knew all there was to know. Doing this degree was just to get a piece of paper that would get people to give me an interview; I didn’t actually need to do it in order to learn anything. I could use Photoshop. I had an account on Behance. I’d even done a logo for a group my sister was part of*. What else did I need to know, really? About two days into the first project, I was (thankfully) slapped in the face. Not literally (again, thankfully). I realised I knew nothing at all about Graphic Design. These designers’ people were shouting out, different pieces of work that were ‘iconic’; I am ashamed to say that I had no clue what anyone was really talking about. I panicked. Was I supposed to know this stuff? Had I missed a lecture or something? But no. These people just knew what they were talking about. They seemed confident, and smart. Infuriatingly smart. How on earth
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f my introduction***, I was cocky ear 1, when in reality I knew e John Snow of Graphic Design. Now, first year – ‘I have some
competence’, apparently. I still probably know nothing. But I know that I know nothing, and I am going about trying to change that. I have a lot more to learn, and there’s always going to be more to learn. Which is never going to be a bad thing. _________________________________________ * in hindsight, that logo is horrendous; garish colours that probably scream all the wrong things, bad use of typography, and at the time I thought it was the best thing ever. I got paid in pizza. And again, I thought that was the best thing ever. ** that’s probably more the students I guess – though bribing lecturers with cake for extended deadlines came up in conversation more than once. *** in the summary of the introduction of my summary project, which is a summary of my introduction to the course… summaryintroductionsummary.
competence
Practice isn’t a thing you do when you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good
- Malcolm Gladwell
Don’tBeaGoldfish
Don’t learn something and let it leave your head after the space of about three minutes. Or in this case, the space of just one project. This is something that I think I struggle with the most, but it is something I’m trying to improve on. Some things have stuck; names, pieces of design, what means this and this means that etc. However, I know that it’s not exactly consistent. If you were to ask me something I might be able to tell you it, but applying these things without any kind of prompt is something that doesn’t come naturally to me yet. The key to this is practice – I know that, and that is how I’m trying to improve it. Malcolm Gladwell said that 10,000 hours is how long it takes to become good at something – he also says when and where you’re born, what it is that you’re choosing to go into at which time, how you’re brought up and opportunity are all also big factors in success - but I guess out of all of the factors he writes about, 10,000 hours of practice is the one thing you can control.
I think projects that we were given that helped to enforce this idea included the Old School project and How to Draw Anything. For the former, each task had to be incredibly precise, so practice was almost by accident – basically I sucked at most of them, and would have to do them over and over to get them right. For the latter, the brief literally asked for 20 pages of practice, and specified that in order to get a good understanding of perspective, it was something that you should keep doing. You didn’t get it until you got it. Once you had it, keep doing it or you lose it. It should go beyond what you do just for the project. Yes, we may have been taught an aspect of design for a specific project, but really it shouldn’t just end when you hand it in. We’re not being taught things to pass a project and get a grade; we’re being taught them so that we can use and apply them. Retain information. Apply it. Or what the hell is the point in doing it? Throughout this book I have tried to put these aspects into practice. I have considered composition, colour, typography and I am trying to demonstrate my understanding of these things – that is if I have any actual understanding. I suppose judge it yourself. It’s no good me saying I have a great understanding of how to make something flow and fit together if it doesn’t look well put together at all.
BE ENGAGED Monday 29th September 2015
LOCAL STUDENT BUYS NEWSPAPER - AND READS IT BECOME ENGAGED with the world around you. Nobody is going to want to hire a designer that couldn’t tell you who the Prime Minister is*. This is something I’ve tried to work on, but I’m gonna be honest, I was pleasantly surprised when I got here and found I wasn’t quite as ignorant as I thought I was. I know who the Prime Minister is (and a little too much about his extracurricular activities for my liking. Oink Oink.), I don’t think that Kanye West made Paul McCartney famous and I generally know what’s going on around me. I’d like to think that I don’t come across as ignorant anyway. One thing I have done this year is read the newspaper. I used to read the metro on the bus to college, but that was normally because my phone was dying, and some of the dating ads were normally quite funny. So, as well as becoming slightly less ignorant about what’s going on, I now have stacks of newspapers lying about my bedroom, which have definitely come in handy. If you ever need to write an incredibly wordy ransom note, I’m your girl.
However, I think having opinions goes along with this as well. It’s one thing to know what’s going on but I think to engage with it properly you need to understand it enough to form an opinion on it. I’ll put my hand up for this one and say that often when things like this come up in discussion I often sit on the fence; mainly because I never feel like I know enough about anything to have a solid argument on something. Don’t get me wrong, when I feel like I actually know something I won’t shut up about it, but that is a bit of a rare occasion. This is probably a bit of a confidence thing as well. ___________________________________________ *in all fairness, they do ask you things like that when you’ve had a serious head injury to check you’re compos mentis. I wonder if anyone has ever been misdiagnosed with concussion when really they were just ignorant?
HARIBO SHORTAGE Local Student Blamed THE CITY of Carisle has recently experienced a shortage of the sweet treat, and experts say the local students are to blame. “Studies show that due to rising stress levels of students in the local area, many stocks of Haribo are being wiped out” one expert claims. “If they’re going to keep up with the demand, Haribo are going to have to be much more prepared”. When questioned, local students have apparently been outraged, stating such claims are ridiculous. Howeber, BE ENGAGED spoke to one student who wished to remain annymous. She had this to say; “It’s ridiculous to blame students. Why on earth would we be taking it all?” BE ENGAGED however would like to state that this particular student smelled faintly of the jelly sweets in question. Shortage and disagreements as to who are to blame continue.
GARLIC BREAD SALES RISE BY OVER 600% EXPERTS ARE BAFFLED IN OTHER local news, the sales of cheap garlic bread baguettes have bizarrely risen by a ridiculous amount. Local supermarkets have released a statement claiming that their sales have hextupled over the last 6 months, with at least every other shopper purchasing more than one of them. The logic behind it seems to be of a ‘panic-buy’ mentality, with some locals claiming that the buttered-baguette is soon to follow the fate of the Haribo sweet in what is being called ‘the Student Epidemic’ - where students are being
accused of ridiculous and frankly obsurd claims. More to follow.
AVOCADO MAIMED POLICE APPEAL FOR INFORMATION: DID YOU SEE ANYTHING?
The Police would like to ask for anyone with any information to cantact them, either via the non-emergent 101 number or their local police station. Please remember that in an emergency always use 999
MISSING
E The missing E
MISSING: One 3D E, in Rockwell Extra Bold, made from thin black card. Last seen in the Graphics and Illustration Studio, Brampton Road Campus. Any information will be graciously accepted. Please Call 07965288289. Any information that leads to the successful retrieval of the E will recieve a monetary reward. IN THE EARLY hours of Monday morning, an innocent avocado was brutally attacked in its own home. there were no signs of forced entry, leading Police to believe it to be an inside job. The avocado has chosen to waive its right to aonymity in the hopes that it will encourage others to come forward, and ‘the brutal attacker will be apprehended, therefore meaning no other entity - human or vegetable - has to suffer at the hands of this monster’. The attack took place between the hours of 3am and 5am, with somebody approaching the avocado. The avocado was then knocked unconscious, not being found until approximately 6am. When it was found, the avocado was ripped in two, and crudely taped back together, with what police believe to be the intent of hiding the crime.
PSA: SCALPELS HURT BE ENGAGED would like to address the public on an emergent situation. do to he rise of incidents of this nature, we have been asked to remind the general public that SCALPELS HURT when you stab then into your skin. A number of students have been invoved in scalpel related injuries - for example, jabbing the scalpel in a downward motion and into the pad of your thumb. Your thumb will then proceed to bleed all over your thumbnails (both your work and your actual thumbnail). BE ENGAGED would like to remind you that using an eye-patch bandage is now adequate first aid. and will result in only making you look like the Michelin Man, or alternatively the homepride mascot.
YOUR
KNOW SUB JECT
Become an expert in what you do. Chip Kidd once said ‘Take a good long look at what’s been done in the past, and use it to inform how you move forward’. I think that is the best distillation of what this aspect of the course means. In order to do great work, you need to know what has already been done. Not so you can avoid it, nor so you can just outright copy it, but so it can influence you.
After feeling so utterly oblivious about something that felt like it should be so obvious, I basically decided to become a hoarder, as well as read everything in the library. I got myself a subscription to Creative Review and try to sneak into the library to read through of the other design magazines. Abe Books is my new favourite website, and my bank account feels it almost as much as my bookshelves do. I’m almost proud when people tease me about my ‘problem’ with books.
If you had asked me who Chip Kidd was a year ago, I would never have heard of him. Likewise with Stefan Sagmeister, Abram Games and Alexander Rodchenko. Now, I’m I think the idea of becoming an expert in a bonafide Chip Kidd fan, and I at least know your subject also applies to other aspects. and if not admire the works of the others. For example, you can’t design for
something that you don’t understand. This fact was proven when we did the Seven Steps to Enlightenment project, which focused on infographics. I think this project was fairly successful – despite it being a partner project which I completed on my own… I can now confidently tell you about how Wave Energy is converted into Power anyway. I still consider myself fairly clueless overall. It’s something that I’m working on, and it’s something that I definitely want to improve on.
‘Good designers are always curious; eager to learn something new; and they ask questions. You will know if you don’t understand something, and if you don’t, ask questions until you do.’ This is something that I am definitely good at. I’m always nosey, I always ask questions – to strangers on the street, people on my course, my lecturers – anyone and everyone who will answer me without smacking me round the face. I love trying new things, trying to learn new techniques – we’ve played with the laser cutter and had an induction to screen printing, both things I’ve loved and want to use for personal projects as well as projects over the next couple of years.
Various images from different projects; marbling, screen printing, linocutting etc.
Take a good, lon
what’s been don
and use it to in
you move forwa
ng look at
ne in the past,
nform how
ard
- Chip Kidd
Paula Scher talks about the importance of play in one of her TEDtalks. She discusses the difference between serious and solemn – work can be serious, and at the same time it can be experimental and exciting and new. Or it can become solemn. I love the idea that Graphic Design places such an importance on play. I don’t have to be stuck on a mac putting things together digitally and everything is done by a set of rules. I can be outside spray painting the walls or I can be doing a photoshoot. I can be cutting photographs up to make bizarre caricatures or I can be stitching something together and it is all serious, it is all play. I have loved projects where I can make something physical and something
tactile. I love the idea of being able to say ‘yes I made that’, and I don’t mean I made it on Photoshop. I love the freedom of play. For the Film & Titles project in January, Kareena and I sat down to put together the film titles. We’d photographed some bits, and we were going to use the software to have the camera zoom in on certain names and credits and add in different animated bits – but as I was doing it I realised I hated it. We talked about it, and decided on something else entirely. It was nice to have the freedom to scrap it completely and start over doing something totally different.
“The art of serious play is about invention, change, rebellion -- not perfection. Perfection happens during solemn play.� -Paula Scher
“accept failure as part of the process�
One thing I have found from this course is that failure is not something to be afraid of. Without failing things you wouldn’t learn. This is still something I’m a little bit wary of however. I think I still sometimes play things a little bit safe, which really is almost as bad, because it means that I’m not likely to learn anything new if I don’t push myself to try something totally new at risk of failing. Personally I still put a lot of importance on grades, which I know I shouldn’t, but it’s hard to change something that gets drilled into you from years of terribly structured education. One project I think did show me this a little was the third project we did. Look it moves was a moving image project, and due to extenuating circumstances we went for a safe idea, rather than some of the ideas that we thought were much more fun and perhaps a bit more adventurous, but it was also a bit tight for time, so instead we opted for an idea that I think in hindsight was very small and safe, and honestly quite boring. Technically it was okay, but it wasn’t at all exciting or something that I like to show people or talk about – whereas with other projects sometimes you can’t get me to shut up. I think that once I realise people aren’t going to come after me with pitchforks and torches if I fail a project, I’ll be alright.
ITS NOT TO BE EA I haven’t found this year easy, not at all. I have struggled with a lot of personal problems, like living away from the comfort of family for the first time; guilt for what felt like abandoning family and friends; dealing with a lot of strong home truths about myself also. Other things crop up too, like the fact I’m rubbish with budgeting and end up living on cuppa soups and packet noodles – dreaded bloody time management, which I’ve come to accept will forever be a problem for me. That’s okay though – I can cope with doing all-nighters and the small melt downs
that come with the sleep deprivation.* I have thought about quitting a billion times - I’m not sure there is anyone who hasn’t. Probably every couple of weeks; I’ll miss my Mam and my Nephews** and I’ll feel homesick and I think it would be a lot easier to just go pack, hop on the train home and pretend like I never tried going to University... but I’ve already done a year working in retail and I’ll be damned if I go back to that – never again. In truth, I don’t think I would have ever forgiven myself if I had gone home.
In all fairness I have course and the proj ing/crying fits that I’ve even loved the knowing what the h grateful for the fact three years to stud try that I want to go arse off to do well i
GOING ASY...
e loved it. I have loved the jects and all the delirious laughseem to get tagged onto it and slight panic that goes with not hell I’m going to do. I am very t that I am basically getting dy a subject that I love, an induso into and I want to work my in.
*Never missed a deadline though, have I? although technically, as I’m writing this I haven’t handed in this project yet – there’s a first time for everything I suppose. ** I am going to apologise now to everyone who has sat through me telling them endless stories that you probably didn’t find funny, and smiled politely when I’ve shoved a million pictures in your face.