End of module evaluation:


This module has been something I've 1) really enjoyed and 2) got a lot out of. I don't think I have used the chance to do purely image to the best of my potential, in fact I feel like I've let myself down a bit. At the start of the module I loved it, the editorial and image as type were two briefs I really really enjoyed resolving. They were probably my most enjoyable briefs I have almost ever done on this course, then somewhere in the middle - the 2D to 3D and animation weeks just passed me by, partly because I was freaked out and didn't know where to start or what to do which is stupid and I think I've learnt now that if I'm scared of something, ignoring it won't make it go away. After that I began to pick up momentum again and started enjoying the briefs. 
I liked this module but I feel annoyed with myself for getting so behind at the start because it was impossible to catch up but I only have myself to blame. This module gave me more confidence as an illustrator, in the main Graphic Design modules we do I always feel like my illustrations aren't suitable or good enough and worry because I'm surrounded by people who can do all this amazing digital work and I feel a bit like I'm the one whose turned up to a fine dining party with a bottle of lambrini. However the image module has built my confidence a bit, which I'm really thankful for because I think that is part of my problem with motivation. My strengths now I feel are still investigating colour and shape through any medium. I feel confident about saying that because I know it's what I enjoy and am good at. 
My weaknesses are as I have said getting scared of something I don't know how to approach. The moving image brief was a low point because I knew by not doing it I was letting myself and everyone else down but I just didn't understand it properly, part of my problem is being to embarrassed to ask for help, it's something I need to get over. I would identify my other weaknesses as being too easily distracted y my other work, although I've started writing lists and plans to work out what work I should be doing when so I suppose it's something I'm improving on. I've also been terrible at blogging, unforgivably bad this module. There is no excuse other than it's just something I forget to do, but again I'm making allowances for blog time now in my schedules but it's a case of a little too late.
Overall I loved the module and it's only failings were entirely my own, the briefs were well written and easy to follow but challenging. The module made me realise a few things about my own design practice which is always valuable. 

...

BAGD SIGNAGE

My signs for the graphics floor, I wanted them to be colourful and I had tried doing the type onto white but it just didn't look right then I thought I should be a bit more adventurous and use a background colour, I tried black but then realised it lacked a bit of texture. Eventually I settled for a blackboard thing. I quite like them, when I print them they will be on gloss. 

Also on the signs with room numbers I thought they looked a bit bare so I included the number of the room in a few different languages, in French, Polish, German ans Spanish. 

 

 My scale poster. I chose clocks from the randomizer. I didn't want anything over complicated. I know the brief wanted rotation as well as scale, but I see clocks like pennies, really flat and sort of as 2D as you can get for a 3D object. Not sure why. So yes, they are all the same, very uniform and ordinary. But I quite like that about it. Clocks themselves have little other function other than time telling so I suppose the image echoes that simplicity clocks have. You might also notice the clocks have no hands. It's because I didn't want them to be time specific. I'm funny about numbers, It took me about 2 hours to think what time they could all be set at then changed my mind then started worrying about it so I ended up deciding they would be better off handless. I also think they look better without. 

I tried working with different colours, but this pale blue/green worked best. I had it printed on a nice white matt and it looked lovely. Much nicer than on screen. 

Another thing I noticed whilst making it is that I never even considered creating something hand-made. Which is odd for me, but it sort of just goes without saying that clocks are always so perfect and reliable and conformist, I couldn't help thinking if I had attempted to make anything by hand it wouldn't have reflected the subject matter.

I chose 'clock' from the randomiser, I'm going to keep this fairly simple as when I think of a clock, I just see circles. I want the chart to be clean and simple.

my colour pallet for at least one of the quotes.

Space typeface. Last night I had a little play around with what I could make for my 'to the moon and back' quote. I don't think I'll use it in my final poster because while it's space-related, it's not really to do with the moon, it's a photo of nebulae. ( I think I've got that right!)  but the process of making it was quite fun and it has that real thick deep luxurious quality that I associate with space. I think that's probably to do with colour and texture.

It's skeleton is just bold Helvetica. I don't know why, just because it's such a common typeface so I thought it was a good place to start. First I printed out a lower and uppercase 'A' then cut them out to make a stencil. I then stuck them both to a sheet of thick watercolour paper (I've tried but you just can't get the same textures with normal paper) and painted over the stencil with a purple and red wash, then added some deeper purples around the edges. I didn't want it to look too clean, so I let it bleed out a bit. Then I found a nice nebulae photo and played around with the opacity of the layer on photoshop. I quite like them, when I have time (and enough watercolour paper) I want to do a whole typeface. But I don't think it works for my quote.

 
David Foldvari typeface. A bit vulgar I know and personally while i think It's well done and imaginative, I don't like it a lot. It's just a good example of pure image as type, and I think the word he's chosen to illustrate is erm... an interesting one.

 (http://www.davidfoldvari.co.uk)

Thinking about what I want to do with this I wrote down the four biggest issues I want to tackle with the type I make.

1. scale

2. colour

3. contrast - what happens when you put a hard and a soft typeface with each other

4. texture

I did think about including the environment into it but realistically, I only like film photography and because of the limited time I don't think I'll use a whole film and have time to get it developed. (I'm stingy with film) (and I'm poor) 

I'd prefer this if it didn't have the moody looking man crouching next to it. He looks shifty.

(http://dethjunkie.tumblr.com)

Not actually a typeface, or based on a typeface but I still like the idea of what it could be. A bit abstract, but there are some definite t's and y's and even a m in there! Exciting! 

(http://dethjunkie.tumblr.com)

 

Not sure if this is the kind of thing we could reproduce for the brief but the composition of it is nice, I know Amber said no cats (sorry sorry sorry) but it's interesting that the designer has chosen to put in sort of on the cat. I don't really know where I'm going with this, but yes. Photography, type, cat.

(http://dethjunkie.tumblr.com)

  

(http://weyoume.tumblr.com/)

 

Yeyesyeysyeys, my feedback was quite good today so that was nice. I think I misunderstood a bit how they weren't meant to look like each other, so that's something that I would change if I could. I made them all as collages which maybe wasn't the best idea because that's the main thing that made them all look a like.

We're onto image as type now, WHICH I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT. I hope it wasn't one of those things I get all crazy excited about in the first few days then loose all interest in, but that's the really good thing about this module because we only have a week to do something then you sort of don't have the time to loose interest in things. I like the pace of it. Also, it's a wonderful half way point for me because I realised that type isn't my strong point, and I'm not happy with that but the idea of taking the hardcore typography module scared me a bit. So yeah, this is a good opportunity to do type but in a better approach for me.

We had to choose three quotes from each article from the guardian magazine. I picked:

1. 'to the moon and back' 

Just because the visuals are nice with this one and I have a bit of a thing for space and nebulae and the moon. Also I'm really into purple as a colour at the minute, like deep deep purple with quite a thin opacity and I think that's quite appropriate for the quote. Also, the article's tone of voice is kind of serious but with a few hints of creative writing in there. Blue is normally the colour you associate with a serious subject - think banks, O2, facebook. The colour is regimented and serious, but the article isn't quite serious enough for blue. So purple is a bit of a compromise on that one.

2. 'do you have a question?'

I chose this because in terms of impact, a question, command or statement is more powerful than just a collection of words (like my first quote). I think it's a really lovely quote, it can be applied to anyone, I'm sure everyone wants the answer to something. It was chosen from the doctor, doctor article which is serious and reassuring at the same time. I think that fits in with the quote, you can tell it was written with a kind tone of voice. It's a comforting thing to hear in most cases, someone wanting to know if they can help you. I'm not sure on the visuals to accompany this. 

3. 'frankly, I think that can wait'

I just love the idea of this being something outside our studio, probably not the laid-back message the course wants to project to potential students, visitors, or even current students. But the idea of walking out into the corridor after a hard day of being a design slave to look up and see that confident 'nah, you don't have to do those worksheets tonight!' is a funny thought. Alternatively, you could read it as 'put that nice cold beer down, it can wait, get back to those worksheets' kind of thing. I think that double edged meaning is great, because it changes depending on the individual reader and what frame of mind they are in at the time. This is my favourite quote. I have a few rough ideas of visuals, I want it to be huge and bold and confident, because it really echoes the quote. Worryingly, the context in which is was written isn't like that so I'm worried it won't work/not be appropriate. I'll do a few experiments and see. 

Last two collages for my image lesson tomorrow. I like my doctor, doctor one because it's so simple. I love simple, I tried adding little bits and bobs and even changing the composition completley but it never looked as good as that one. 

Then the Tim Dowling one, I hate. I just can't deal with the shape, it's horrible. I tried though, and I think I did ok considering the shape it needed to be. I'm excited to see what we're doing tomorrow.

IMAGE MODULE: WEEK 1

BRIEF: Produce an appropriate visual(s)to accompany a article in the Guardian Weekend magazine.

WHO NEEDS TO KNOW: White, middle to upper class, 20-65, political, opinionated, 'cultured'

WHAT DO THEY NEED TO KNOW: Health, lifestyle and modern relationship etiquette and advice.

WHY DO THEY NEED TO KNOW: Insecurities, comparing how others live, health advice.

WHAT WILL THEY RESPOND TO: Intelligent, well written, formal and satirical writing. 

WHAT RESEARCH IS REQUIRED: 

Primary: Read The Guardian myself, ask readers of The Guardian how they interpret and react to the articles in The Guardian magazine.

Secondary: -