Design Practise 3 Evaluation

Brief 1 – Illustrate Environment

My intentions for this brief was to pick an environment and to illustrate around that area. I picked for this my travels around India. I wanted to look in-depth at different tecniques and processes to achieve my illustration. I found screen-printing the most productive, looking at different colour ranges and different paper stocks. This gave me a body of imagery to work from. I found working with scale and format really productive, scaling imagery larger and then working back into it to get more detail.
Even though I was trying out these techniques and processes all my imagery was really similar. I maybe should have tried to experiment more with my drawing practise to get more variations of imagery. Also sticking to eight images and then doing colour variation meant that they all had a similar look.
I started wanting to create postcards or posters from my imagery, but then found that creating a book would be more suitable. This was due that I had a body of imagery that was quite similar and would be more suitable to be represented through a book. I think using different paper stocks within the book would have given the imagery more interest and the book more interest by giving it more textures. I Japanese bounded my book; I found that this would work best for the format of the book. I should have done more experimentation within book binding to get a more creative resolution. I wanted to screen print the front and back of the cover, this would give the book more clarity to what it was about. I think that on the inside I should have made comments to each image, maybe to represent my travels. I found another purpose for the imagery, which was to create business cards. I liked the variation I got when I screen-printed them.

Brief 2 – Pattern Making, Character

I have created a body of illustration that was based around pattern making. I looked into cultural pattern making such as the paisley pattern. I found this was good basis to create imagery from, with this I wanted to develop character. Trying to combine pattern with character, I started to create really interesting imagery. After I found that using Illustrator gave me easier and effective ways of making pattern. As I played with illustrator more and more I found the style of illustration quite similar and not very original. So I started to go back to the more hand drawn imagery. I found then that creating character that had influence from pattern really interesting.
From all my illustration work I wanted to create merchandise that it could be used for. Such as wallpaper and ceramics. I found that my interest was within the ceramics. I found that this would be a suitable media to adapt my illustration work onto. I took into consideration the formats to put my work into. I got in contact with a pottery company that did digital transfers, which could be applied to ceramics. I wanted to create two tea sets of ceramic. Two different styles of imagery, one that was patterns combining character and the other character combining pattern. I sent my design work to heraldic pottery, but have not received the digital transfer sheets up to this date.
I wanted to take photography of the final tea sets in context of being used.

Brief 3 – Personal Website

I have a lot of illustration work that I would like to get online sometime through this year on a professional level. In this brief I have created a template on Photoshop of how my website will look and operate. I looked in-depth into how illustrator’s websites operate; I wanted to get a similar feel within my site. I didn’t want over complicate navigation on the site, so keeping it simple would be the format to go with. Using white as the background gave the work more enthuses and impact. I kept the buttons simple as well, the website has a minimalist feel to it.
From looking at the website, I also wanted to create stationary to accompany my website, such as buisness cards and letterheads. I created an identity through a logo design, this logo was put across the website, business card and letterhead so they all created an identity that represented me as an illustrator. I think the logo design worked well as it is quite contemporary and reflects me. When it came to creating my business cards I thought screen print would be the most suitable method as I could get a lot of variations within the process. Using different paper stocks and colours could give me very original business cards.
The logo that created for this brief would be applied to all my work. This would include my ceramics, were the logo would be applied to the bottom of the mugs, bowls and plates.

Overview of Module

I feel within this module I have learnt a lot about were I want to be. When it comes to future briefs I want to carry on establishing myself as an illustrator. Learning from this module I will have to create more contexts for what I am trying to achieve within my illustration practise. I felt my India book would have gone a lot better if I had a story to illustrate around. Having narrative to illustrate around is key, so then the illustrations have more purpose and meaning. I felt my pattern making brief did not finish as well as I hoped as my transfers didn’t arrive on time, learning ceramic production really interest me and will be looking into the area more. I will get the website up and running once I have learnt more to do with dreamweaver.

Evaluation of my summer

This summer i did quite a lot of traveling, i went to India. As I travelled around I created illustrations of my journey, i found the art and culture really inspiring. I felt after my travels that i wanted to take some of my experiences and observations into my own design practice. I did not find a work experience over the summer. I would like to try and find one over time i have still at the Leeds College of Art and Design. This is really important i will need some experience in the industry before I leave. I know now that in my third year that I want to focus on Illustration, i want to learn a lot more about print processes. This is key as this will give me the knowledge on how to create contexts for illustration work. I want to continuing exploring in illustration for my third year.

Year 2 Evaluation

This year as a designer I have learnt about being more professional in my attitude towards graphic design. This is incorporated into my approaches within the subject. Being more aware of the processes to be an effective designer. Being a lot more organised as the workload has got far greater. Also learning that to become a respected designer that it takes a lot more dedication and time.
I feel that my design skills have improved a great deal. This is from learning more about the print process; this has given my resolutions more effective finishes. Also I feel that my illustration skills have improved, learning new techniques to enhance my illustrations. Looking at this years work in comparison to last years, I can see quite a dramatic change in the quality of work produced. This year’s work is up to a higher standard and has a more professional feel about it.
I have learnt a few new practical skills this year. Learning new software. Using such programs as flash and after effects. This has opened up a new side of design to me. I now can take my illustration and animate them. I feel my skills towards these programs will improve, as I use them more and more.
This year I have realised my strengths lie more to do with the illustrative side of graphics.
I feel now that my work will incorporate illustration rather than type based graphics. I feel that my secondary research has improved a vast deal, this in effect has help me a lot more to be aware what would be appropriate for concepts and messages in my work.
I feel to improve as a designer I have to create a lot more primary research. Doing a lot more tests with imagery so I have effective images to portray my messages and concepts. Also being more aware of colour in my work, so it will be effective when it comes to print. This will help me to create more original and unique pieces of graphics. I also want to use flash and after effects more, I feel by using the software more I will start to understanding the capabilities of what I can do within animation.
My aim as a designer now is to become a more professional illustrator. When it comes to my illustration work I need to apply my designs to the appropriate contexts, to get the full impact of what I am trying to achieve. I want to start creating a vast body of illustration so I can have a great source material of primary work. This in effective will help me to create effective designs to anything I want to apply them to.
When I start my final year I now know were I am coming from as a professional designer. I want to start applying my illustration work to more contexts. Being more aware to were my work could get seen, and how to go about Freelancing as a professional illustrator. I need to get recognised, I feel that I should be advertising myself more, and to show people of what I can do for them