Evaluations — OUGD603

End of Year Show Evaluation


Being the most substantial brief of the whole module, I have learned a lot about what it takes to work in the industry and just how tough it can be.

Having the opportunity to work directly with industry professionals and receive honest feedback about work was the most valuable aspect of the whole brief. Not only this, it proved how well I can work to deadlines and provide the work on time when it means most. Being able to visit their studio provided me with one of the first official ‘business trips’ ever, it was a thrilling experience to be able visit the Peter & Paul studio in Sheffield and meet the team there — But more importantly, it introduced me to the pressures of the industry whilst still at university, something of which gives me a great head start in knowing what to expect after graduation.

I always knew there was an element of going back and forth after feedback within projects, but this brief was a whole different kettle of fish. The amount of development and rationale that needed to be considered was like no other brief I’d ever worked on before. Initially having begun the project as individual practice, it added an interesting dynamic to then incorporate another party to assist in the rest of the development. This meant me partly dethatching myself from the brief, and allowing others to have equal say ion the design choices made.

Being able to pitch the final outcome to the board of directors was both thrilling and rewarding. I believed I thrived under the pressure of presenting the designs, having confidence in what we had created as a dynamic collective was definitely a determining factor within how the product was communicated to the client. With it being our first real taste of what it is like to go up against other designers and have to compete to win over the client.

If I were to do this brief again, I’d have more trust in myself that I could come up with something worthy instead of going solely off what was fed back to me, as an idea that we had later on in the brief become the selected direction. This not meaning to contradict the director of the project, but to make more suggestions and be brave with what I have to bring to the table. Since this was the first time I’d had my work picked apart so honestly, it was easy to let that effect my confidence at first, however, I quickly learnt that this is how it works in the industry.

Although we weren’t successful in our pitch, it was a great experience to work with Dan at Peter & Paul and create a pitch that received nothing but positive feedback, leaving me with confidence to go out into the professional industry and make the most of it. 



Same but Different Evaluation


This brief has made me realise my passion for creating brands, having complete creative freedom in this brief, knowing that the client trusts you to create a successful outcome was a great way to execute this short brief.

Although the notice was short and the turnover was very brief, this had to be the most enjoyable brief this year, being one of the first ever projects to have approval in feedback from the first ever iteration allowed time to refine and really hone in on the overall quality of the outcomes.

One aspect of this brief that I would do differently if I were to do it again is be more clear on the print specifications to the client before they print the outcomes. However, having said this, due to budget restrictions, special print requirements were not an option.
 


Research Brief


Being able to expand on the research of Context of Practice was a great way to complete any unfinished business. Having a second party (Tom Hodkin) as a collaborator added a great second opinion to the mix, which helped keep the project unbiased.

Deciding to create a poster for this brief was simply down to identifying a problem that needed to be solved, creating a campaign that expressed how these people felt in the Instagram community about eventual demolition of the Welbeck Street car park.

Executing this brief on the basis that it would inform the end of year show outcomes meant that the research needed to cover the conceptual side of that particular practical project. Overall, this brief has helped us both clarify an appropriate concept to base our typeface design on, enabling us to make the most of the universities resources to maximise the potential of the end products and gain some attention at the show.

 

Aaron Leven Identity Evaluation


This particular brief was brought to me as I was head hunted by Aaron to create his identity, reason being he considered my design to be the best match to his photography style, since following my Instagram and looking at my website.

Meeting with Aaron before and during the brief ensured communication was kept at the highest standard, avoiding any possibility of going in a direction he didn’t particularly like. As this particular subject provided me with visual inspiration of what style of design they liked, it was slightly more difficult to make an informed design decision based on the work and overall tone of voice of the photographer. However, the outcomes were completely different to the images he supplied me with initially, this showing that a project can make swift U-turn, and that this was a perfect example of studying the body language and feedback of the client supplies to determine what kind of outcome they want.

Conclusively, this brief was a positive experience, and the outcome fits well within my portfolio, which isn’t always the case when working to create an outcome that fulfils the client’s visions. 


Laura Sawyer Identity Evaluation


With this was the second brief with Laura (Same but Different) it was refreshing knowing that I was already on the same wavelength as this particular person. Her only request being that the outcomes were informed by her work and not simply there to look nice, as she knew the visual quality of the outcome was not of concern.

Having met multiple times and receiving a written brief at hand from the client was a much better way to go about a project of this nature. Having all of the vital information to begin with avoided any need to make contact for any other reason than to get feedback on the development and rationale.

If I were to execute this particular brief again, I’d give myself more creative freedom due to the nature of the client not being concerned about how it looks but rather how it is informed by their works and makes sense. This brief made me realise that every person’s needs differs, and it’s my job to accommodate for the unique circumstances of each individual client. Some may be more difficult than others, but this is a part of the design process and is all a part of good practice. 


Go Higher Evaluation

With this being a brief that was executed during context of practice, it was a great example of managing my time more efficiently. By balancing 2 projects equally to ensure that I never left myself with too much to do after COP.

With this being a local competition and one to create a logo, I knew that it was a great opportunity to exhibit my skills in this area and have a good chance of being picked, coming as runner up gave me a confidence boost in terms of the sheer amount of branding projects that came after it. To know that I could produce an outcome for a genuine external client and be considered for winner.

With this being a more corporate brief, it was essential for me to be able to alter my mind-set in order to produce a successful outcome. Overall, this was a great mid-weight brief that helped get the ball rolling with extended practice.


 
Jessy Lanza – Leeds Print Festival Evaluation


With this being one of the smallest briefs of the year, I wanted to take the time to create something I’d want to have in my portfolio, seeing as I don’t intent to go fully print based, it was also a great chance to show my skills in other areas. Proving my ability to diversify my techniques based on the requirements of any given brief.

Deciding to execute this brief in a day added a decent element of pressure, not only because of the time-consuming screen print, but because the print was to be hung at the event that has our tutor is heavily associated with. Meaning I wanted to produce something that I’d be proud to associate with. 



MAN UP Magazine Evaluation


This was an unusual brief to work on. With it being a collaboration between myself, the photographer, Ashley Renshaw, and three other graphic designers however the only form of communication I had was via the photographer.

With myself being assigned the job of applying a visual identity, brand and type treatment to the magazine and the other designers executing the image editorials, I needed to be versatile in the application as I was employed to pull it all together. This can often be the case in industry, when another designer executes a brand, and you have to work to their guidelines, so in terms of gaining skills, this project was a valuable experience.

I found this a great opportunity to create a piece of editorial I’d be happy to send to print and show to possible employers — the sheer quality of the images made my job much easier, in terms of how these particular images had a very predominant style, gelling perfectly with my style of design essentially enabled this to be a day long brief that could be used as a portfolio piece.

Conclusively, although editorial is not my chosen career path, it’s great to show I have the knowledge and skills to execute a project of this nature. The satisfaction of the end product has made me question my stance on editorial design of this particular nature (fashion mag). 



Creative Networks Evaluation


This being the first extended practice brief, it was great way to warm up for larger more substantial projects. As well as this being a live competition brief plus a brilliant collaboration opportunity.

With this being an event associated with the university, it almost acts as a larger brand in itself, attracting many people from around the area to the university. With this in mind, it was vital that the nature of these posters painted the brand and the university in a positive light.

Overall, this project is one that I wasn’t as happy with as others, this is mostly down to the fact the turnover was short, but having said this it provided me with a great opportunity to expand my skills within after effects. However, having thorough summative feedback from the work was the most valuable factor, as this could inform the briefs after it, addressing any issues that may occur in later projects before they happen, it was a great opportunity to progress in my professional development as a designer. 



Ashley Renshaw Logo Evaluation


Being an extremely short brief, it was unusual to have a turnover of a few hours, but helped me work in real time with a client, getting instant feedback that I could act upon to create a logo that Ashley was happy with.

There was more of an element of back-and-forth in this brief, compared to previous briefs even though it had a much shorter time frame. This may possibly be due to the fact the client requested more updates then before, making it harder for me to develop a design that could be better informed, but rather a logo that they found visually appealing in their opinion rather than going with something could be more thoroughly thought about.

Conclusively, this provided me with an insight to a unique situation created by this particular party, proving that every job is different and provides you with pressures in different area’s that you must deal with professionally and respectfully. 



Logo-a-Day Evaluation


This was probably the most enjoyable brief of all, being the only completely self-initiated brief, I wanted it to form an investigation into my working habits, but more importantly to help me develop my style and confidence when working under pressure.

Having executed all of the logos and persistently posting them onto my Instagram account as a form of self-promotion, which essentially worked hence the reason I was approached by 5 photographers on different occasions asking me to design a logo for them — this was hugely satisfying for me and provided me with the confidence of knowing people trust me to design something they’d be happy with.

Adding the extra outcomes to present this brief added a personal touch, and by using my brand colours, helped make the project even more associated with me and my brand. This brief is a great one to have in my portfolio, as it will provide a refreshing contrast to the more serious projects alongside it.



OUGD603 Evaluation


Extended practice has been a huge test of my time management, ability to work under pressure, but more importantly how to deliver when it matters, like when a client is relying on you to produce an appropriate response a given brief.

I have learned more about myself as a designer this year than in any previous year before it, this is mainly down to the fact that having the ability to choose your own briefs and steer yourself into an area of design you want to pursue after graduation. Realising that this year was less about grade hunting and more about developing a portfolio you’re proud of was key in finding my feet to further develop my understanding of design as I know it. Discovering the likes of David Rudnick, Hassan Rahim and OK-RM has helped me develop my style and striking a balance of utilising trends in contemporary graphic design responsibly to produce responses that would otherwise be less better off without these influences.

Broadening my horizons in such a way came after completing my dissertation, and realising that the passion I put into that project fed into my extended practice, discovering the importance of conceptualisation within projects has elevated my understanding of graphic design. Making it more than a case of producing something that looks appealing, but combining that with informed decisions based on research unique to that particular brief.

This module has really prepared me well for the professional industry. Having gone through probably one of the hardest yet rewarding years of my life has made me realise design is what I’m passionate about. It’s certainly had its ups and downs, such as when clients are overly vague with feedback or just difficult to work with, but this is something that comes with the job. Understanding the client’s needs and fulfilling them is essentially what it comes down to.

My experience over the course of this module has been mostly positive, being more engaged compared to previous years, ensuring I attend every day and staying until 5pm has prepared me for life after university, and has simply become a part of my everyday life, allowing me to adapt to the professional industry much quicker than if I’d have harboured any other attitude. This also most importantly has helped me reach my maximum working potential, being able to get constant feedback on designs from peers has made me much more of an adaptable designer than before. To sum up, this module has been a challenging, rewarding and at times frustrating experience, but without these frustrations would mean one doesn’t have passion for design.