SBC2

Online Portfolio Coming Soon....
My online portfolio should consist of 4 main pages; Home, Portfolio, Contact and Biography. I need this website to reflect my own work so that potential employers or clients can see my styles of design and what i am capable of doing. The design work i will include is 4 paintings i have done and all the print and screen based work i have done since starting Visual Communication. I also need to include my full contact details; telephone, email and writing address. I also need to have a short biography letting the viewer no a little about my life and education background. For further information people will be able to download a PDF of my CV. I will also have several links to my flickr account and online blog.

Things to consider when making my online portfolio:
- You have 3seconds to attract the viewer to a webpage, make the website very simple to navigate around, and keep clicks to a minimum. The information the viewer wants should be no more than 3 clicks away and easy to find.
-960px *600px is a good size to make a website, should fill the average persons browser screen.
- Be aware of websafe colours and websafe fonts.
- Photos and images of work need to be saved for web.
- Website needs to stay a small file size so it loads quickly.

I am going to continue researching and developing my understand of the WWW and the further my knowledge in webdesign programs so i can choose the appropriate software. I also need to develop my personal idenity to brand my website and myself as a designer, i can use this branding on this blogger account as well.

New Brief - Screen Based Communication 2

Aims
Al To understand the characteristics of contemporary web-based culture and user-centred
design.

A2 To understand the current state of technology in relation to web design.

A3 To develop analytical skills, organisational skills and creative ability in order to express
ideas and communicate information interactively.

Learning Outcomes
On completion of this unit you will be able to:
LO1 Demonstrate your awareness of the characteristics and elements surrounding the web in
relation to contemporary culture and the user experience.

LO2 Demonstrate your understanding of the technical issues relating to web design.

LO3 Demonstrate your ability to organise and structure creative interactive designs for the
web.

Web Portfolio (LO3)
For this assignment you are to produce a web site that will house your work, acting as an online
portfolio and curriculum vitae.

D&AD

Today's is the day i started my competition brief. I have two options to choose from, i can either go down the ISTD route or the D&AD route. My plan is to do one of each, i have already looked through the D&AD briefs and three potential projects appealed to me; Homebase, PJ's Smoothies and Faber & Faber. These projects all require different disciplines, the faber & faber brief requires attention to typography, homebase requires looking into packaging and the PJ's smoothies requires a outdoor poster campaign.

Visual Communication in Context - Evaluation

Handed in the first brief of the year today, felt pretty good. i had a nice body of work to be marked and most importantly work i was happy to be submitted. This first unit was really interesting to work on because it required me to use and develop my different disciplines. In the first part i was required to make a A3 poster that voiced my opinon about a subject that i felt approiate. I choose to base my poster about the idea of people using music to trigger memories. I was really happy with how this first poster turned out. i used really simple illustration and simple type to create a message that communicates clearly. Perhaps now looking back on it, i would have spent more time on the illustration to try convey the message more, my thoughts now would be to use photos and other visual elements that you would classically assiocate with way of triggering memories.
The second part of this unit required me to design and make a set of 6 greeting cards. This was the weakest part of the whole unit that i handed in. Although i like the look of the finished outcome, i feel that more work and research would have pushed this idea forward, and in result have created a better finished product. The film strip element needed more detail to make it more apparent that it was a film strip. The typography that i used on this project i feel worked well, i used the style of script writers and typewriters. By having little ink spills and marks around the type strengthened this look. I can see why i achieved a lower mark for this part of the unit.
The third and final part of the this unit was to create a watch box design. I spent time researching into stustainable materials and what animal as a company are all about. I decieded to use velcro straps to reflect the fact that animal started by making velcro watch straps for surfers. I also designed my box so that the instructions could be printed to the inside of the box to save of papers usage and so that animal could be more ecofriendly, the box was also designed to be made from 100% recyclable paper. I was really happy with how this project went, i was keen to get stuck into something a little more hands on and this project required me to do this. Required a bit more logical thinking about how the box will come togeather and how it will look, this a really enjoyed and is defently something to consider when i come to write my final major project and when i am looking for work after my degree.

I think i need to spend more time on researching my work before executing a outcome. I think this is a point that i really need to focus on now, as it is getting very close to my final major project and its going to require a lot of forward planning and research. And researching is defiantly an area which i dont allocate enough time. When it really should be a/ the prioity as it will in turn push my idea and allow me to create a better outcome.

Some thing to think about - For my final major project, find a why reason!! Make sure i choose a project that isnt going to be short on research, the project is going to be 3 months long and i dont want to get bored off it early on. So need to come up with an idea that will require lots of research. Most importantly it needs to be something i am interested in so i can keep self motivated.

Animal - Final Critique

I had my final critique today for the animal watch box. So far i am really happy with how fast my work is developing, and i think the graphics are looking good. I recieved the following Feedback:

• Look into spot varnishing,
• Investigate new colours
• Reduce the amount of graphics on the outside of the box. So when the box is opened up the graphics are slightly different so adds more interest.
• The Velcro tabs received lots of positive feedback however, perhaps its worth removing some tabs, so there is not so much velcro on the box, ATM it is quite hard to pull apart and see the inside, so by losing some of the velco tabs this should solve that problem- It might effect the strengh of the box though. So something else to looking into thier.

Overall i was really happy with the feedback i recived, their have been some points raised that i need to consider and develop. :)

Animal - Interim Critique

We had a little critique today. To show the rest of the class how my work is progressing and developing.
Some thoughts that came from the crit where:
Think about paper mechanics, Develop a little device so the watch manages to stay on the holder when the watch box is pulled apart to see the instructions. This will increase the amount of paper being used, but as i am have the box fall apart i want the watch to stay in place if desired.
- Research into elastic bands- i could develop a interesting and clever device.
Perhaps changing and looking into other shapes for the 'box'. The standard square is quite boring so this could be a area of development.

Visual Communication in Context - Animal

Third & Final Task - Animal Watch Box

L03 Demonstrate your ability to extend a visual identity program across a range of business or promotional material for print or screen based design.

Today i was given the 3rd and final task of 'visual communication in context 2'. This brief requires me to design and create a watch box for the UK based surf clothing and accessories company Animal. Animal started out as two surf enthusiasts getting fed up of losing there watches when they surfed so they came up with the waterproof Velcro strap. They started selling these straps to pay for surf trips all over the world.

I need to start by considering my target audience.
Animal watches are aimed at ages 16- upwards. Animal are a very popular clothing company in the extreme sport world, this includes water sports such as windsurfing and snow based sports like snowboarding. - To further my research i will look through relevent magazines and online clothing websites like Billabong and Quiksilver. These are animals main competition and to see how they promote their range will vital to my work. I will also look into other watch manufacturers like Casio, Swatch and others. By looking at the ways they package their watches i will be able to develop mine. Looking into material use and recyclable materials will help me as well.

Greeting Cards- Final Critique

Final critique today!! However was in a pretty bad mood, I was up working till 4 am last night, so i would have a set of six that i will be happy with showing in the crit.

The feedback that i got from todays critique:

-I was firstly criticized for my use of the quotes, apparently they are too violent i however disagree. I feel that the quotes i used appeal the audience i am targeting my work too. So i think i will keep the quotes the same as they. I will try making another set, so i can show that my idea works for films in general and it can be aimed at a wider audience.

-I need to find better film stills for Die hard, Pulp fiction casablanca and the shining- Icon( have the rights to many film stills.)

-Look into film reals some more, work on improving the look of the film.

Overall i feel the feedback i got was fair, i disagreed with he comment about my quotes, i have no intention to change them, because i believe there is a market for them. I will relook at some of the design on my greeting cards, keep developing them and keep in improving them.

Greeting Cards - Group Critique

Today I took part in a critique of mine and others work, and to see how it has developed and how I can further my work. Personally I don't think the crit was held in a particularly good way today. It started late in the day and the day before the final crit. However,The feedback:

- Need to make them look like a set of six.

- Need to refine the quotes, perhaps shorten them ( However I don't really want to do this as i spent a long time researching different quotes, and i liked having the whole quote displayed rather than the classic one liner that you see everyday.)

- Need to re-work the format of the cards.

- Need to decide on a typeface to work with on my cards rather than having different ones.

- Look into film reals, directors , film grain, film stills and scripts.

I need to work on these cards throughout most the night, get them to a set of six that i am happy with ready for the FINAL CRIT tomorrow, at the moment I admit I'm not happy with the way they look together, but i do like the 'Taxi driver and the Shining' cards, Maybe I could develop these cards to make the others fit in with them.

Visual Communication in Context - Greeting Cards

The Second Task- Set of 6 Greeting Cards.

(LO2)Demonstrate that you have acquired the appropriate balance of conceptual, analytical and practical skills in order to communicate professional innovative design solutions.

We opened up the new project with a guest speaker and a designer that will be helping and advising us through out this task. Claire the guest speaker, showed us a selection of her work. Her story was interesting, as it was similar to mine, she started of on a two year course then did a top up course after. She found her self a good job which gave her lots of opportunity to start off in the business, unfortunately she had to leave and go freelance. I work was all based around illustration and layout design. Claire produces patterns which get sold to client to make what they want out of them.

Once we had learned Claire's story, i asked her for some help about how to start this task. The boundaries are so limited on this project, we need to decide on our target audience then produce the cards. My first ideas are to aim my work at men around 20's- mid 30's. This i feel is quite a good target to have, i will be able to base my idea around something that would appeal to me. I have chosen again to look at music or film, using various quotes and lines to produce a interesting typographical based set of cards. Obviously my idea needs to progress greatly but i feel like i have selected a good target and a interesting film to base it around.

Look Again/Think Again Critique

Advice that i picked up from the crit lead by Neil.

- Play with leading on the type at the top

-Posters need to grab attention. Maybe think about having a back drop to make the poster shout a bit more. Its a bit flat at the moment, does sell the idea in a strong enough way.

- Maybe having a photographs of certain memories underneath the card would bring the idea forward and make it a stronger piece of design.

-Play with tracking on the type at the bottom, does it need to be in capitals?!? The font at the top needs to be re-looked at as well, does that need capitals????

Advice that i picked up from the crit lead by Sally.

- Re look at the idea of having such a basic illustration, its a very flat image and it could be so much more interesting if the original images were used, tapes have alot of interesting detail on them, so why not show it. The buttons on the tape player - use of nice symbols could work as well.

Overall my idea was liked, the concept is there, i just need to get that visualization there as well. I'm out of time on this brief but i am taking the comments i was given and when i have a free moment i will try and improve my work by taking in the feedback i have received.

Look Again/Think Again Development

My idea had progressed overnight. My idea was about listing peoples favorite tracks and tracks that might have some sentimental meaning to a wide range of people e.g Power of love, may remind people of a high school dance.

So my idea was about making people appreciate music more, and to remember the music and let the music remind of you of the past. This all came from my original idea of playlists. the playlist i made whilst i was traveling became really important to me, i still have the playlists on my computer and when i listen to the songs the memories come back to me. I want to get this message across to people because music is a great way of triggering memories, i also it could have potential to be a interesting piece of design.

Tutorial With Neil

These are a couple of things i took away with me, to research into to develop my idea further....

- Look at the cassette tape

- Hand written playlists

- Start a campaign- Remember the music

Visual Communication in Context 2 - LookAgain/ThinkAgain

The First Task - Look Again Think Again

(LO1) Demonstrate your understanding of corporate identity, banding and other visual identification systems within a historical, business and cultural context through practical application.

The first part of this brief is titled Look Again/ Think Again.

After being read the brief i started by looking at the two examples that were given to us. The idea of making a poster for an object that carries a value that goes beyond its intended purpose really appealed to me. I brainstormed a couple of ideas all based around my travels during the summer. My first thoughts were my belongings in my backpack e.g ipod, wallet, passport. After thinking up some ideas, i had a group tutorial lead by Neil.

My ideas of playlist that you create when your travel or go on holiday were liked, but i was given good advice as to which direction to look into. Idea's of visual elements were suggested to me, this all helped my idea progress. I need to spend a couple of hours thinking about it, having a play visually and see if my message could be communicated.

New Brief - Visual Communication in Context 2

Aims

To promote understanding and application of the principle of visual identification systems in an historical, cultural and business context.

To further develop your visual thinking and practical skills in order to produce professional and creative design solutions.

To promote understanding of how identity programmes in a professional environment are implemented across a range of business and promotional material.

Introduction...

Whats the point in PPRD....
To consolidate skills in planning and time management.

To encourage critical reflection and self evaluation.
To contextualize your learning in preparation for employment or level three study.

Through-out my second year i have again been asked to complete the unit: Personal Planning Reflection and Development. This unit asks me to keep an up to-date blog of my work. This will prove helpful as i can assess the my work, see where my weakness's are and then improve on them. Hopefully this unit will help me stay organized with my work. My main downfall last year was time management, I need to improve on this area greatly. Overall i am looking forward to starting this new Visual Communication year. I want to achieve a good mark, and have work that i am proud off. I will push myself further and keep my idea's generating and progressing.