Tutorial.

Exhibitions- Neon lights.

Today I visited an exhibition which was taking place at Leeds Gallery in Munro House with Tanida. This was very interesting to me as it was relevant to my work with 80s channel design for my extended practice but has also shown that there are very different mediums which can be used to create pieces of design. Loved the bright colours and geometric yet organic shapes- something which is becoming a real growing inspiration for me and something I want to look at in my personal branding.

Photos thanks to Tani

Studio talk- Evolution print.

Things designers get wrong:

• Bleed being 3mm
• Business cards- need producing separately
• Brochures and leaflets- send as separate pages not spreads
• Covers send separately
• Pdf and original artwork needs to be sent- allows us to tweak if needs be for print
• Must be CMYK
• No spot colours
• Image size must always be 300dpi.

Tips:

• Try to work in multiples of 4
• 2 Colours is a lot cheaper than full colours 
• Working turn- one side backs the other side
• Sheet works-  different work on each side

Tutorial.

Studio talk- Dr ME.

• Based in Manchester
• Eddie and Ryan
• Make things
• Record label, editorial, magazine, galleries etc.
• Worked with Mike Perry in New York to begin with
• Only a couple of months
• Independent studio/ Creative Studio
• Realised need for a website, we should think about doing same 
• cargocollective.com 
• Create a lasting impression
• Keep making lists- things that you want to do but might not be able to do yet
• We didn't want to limit themselves- again we should take same approach
• Make friends
• Have a solid idea
• Be true to yourself

Tutorial.

John's talk.

• Always give a estimate never a quote 
• Quote is set and legally binding 
• Client should agree with order- legally can't change
• Agree terms of payment 
• Always contact client by email if additional charges occur- date stamped then for proof 
• Itemise invoice- not just a total 
• Don't do work for clients that hesitate to agree payment from the start
• Start how you mean to go on now 
• Check all agreements and small print before signing contracts on jobs. 

Design Manchester 13.

• Theme- longevity

Andrew Shoben

• Founder of Greyworld 
• Public art- involve human in urban environment
• Moments of creativity in potential urban spaces 
• Interactive strategies 
• Audience within the space- interaction or not
• Obvious to audience- suitable to everyone
• Consider how interactivity is seen/known to audience 
• Flip the relationship between space/object and human 
• Audience at centre of work
• Shared social experience
• Random connections some of best experiences in urban spaces
• Simplicity yet complex behind- route in for audience 
• Simple works in large urban spaces work better with human senses/experiences
• Emotional extension 

Nat Hunter and Mark Shayler

• User experience 
• Great recovery- project
• Works for RSA- student design awards
• Sustainable work 
• Design can make everyones life better 
• Eco design 
• Obsession of how long stuff lasts
• Design is a super power
• Green and brilliant
• Connection of the internet of things
• Longevity challenges geological economics 
• Think about life cycles when designing anything 
• New consumer platforms 
• Change of consumer behaviour 
• Delivering a service changes design thinking 
• Relationships to objects 

Kate Moross

• Ideas person 
• You can do anything you want to do
• Future is multidisciplinary 
• Understand everything- multi appreciation 
• Platform of design- opportunities 
• Experimentation
• In pulse approach to work 
• Isomorph Records
• Making music look good- still important
• Studio Moross 
• Promo CDs are for everyone 
• Expression 
• Music is about illusion
• Visualizer 
• Conceptual 
• Make your own luck
• No fear- failure most important part of being a creative
• Learn
• Don't be afraid
• Improvise 
• Be open- communicate with client
• Connect 
• Every single interaction is important 
• Don't be lazy

Colophon Foundry

• Type foundry 
• The friendly understanding 
• Remain autonomous 
• Curate 
• Collaborate 
• Monospace typeface- same width space for each letter 
• Specimen catalogue- showed ideas of typeface 
• Put digital files into physical formats 
• Input- reaction to output
• Myth of the Airborne Warrior- project 
• War photography/documentation
• Real world analogue view 
• Process- make the invisible visible 
• Common/uniformed type for children so they can easily relate and understand 

Mark Farrow

• 80s album sleeves and music graphics
• Broad spectrum of clients 
• Colours within life- use for reference/inspiration 
• Music first before design 
• Fascination of music and the art that goes along with this 
• Factory Records 
• Interested in doing own thing
• Pet Shop Boys- fans of Factory aesthetic 
• Approach sleeve like a brand identity- work better on a digital platform 
• Development into further physical objects 
• Where do you go with music now?
• Tied to luxury of vinyl 
• More than just a sleeve- branding whole self- strategy 
• All informed- backwards/forwards motion
• Spiritualised- project
• Interesting formats and use of material and printing 
• Fun
• Manipulation out of music sector
• Experiment with various sectors
• Peyton and Byrne 
• Find clients who you synthesise with 
• Re creation and updating 
• Music and corporate industries 
• Small size studio- large output still
• Still hands on with projects and studios now 

Q & As

• Context is fundamental to design/public art
• External inputs to respond to
• Learn from bad decisions- trust own instincts
• Design drive- investment of time
• Experienced needed within uni
• Idea is key
• Tech won't solve ideas- keep open minded 
• International aesthetic 
• People bring their own culture with them 
• West meets East 
• Possibilities between 
• Understand other cultures to improve design 
• Adaptation to the East 
• Potential gap between now 
• New ways to see the world 
• Different reactions by different people- audience profiles essential to good design 

Tutorial.

Studio Talk- The Beautiful Meme.

http://www.thebeautifulmeme.com/

• The Beautiful Meme- Creative agency 
• Design and advertising 
• Describe themselves as- interesting and different
• Give a brand a personality to sell it more/easier 
• Expression through words not just visuals
• Brands are ideas. Ideas need words to sell stuff
• Copy and design challenge each other 
• People like well written copy- deepen brand identity 
• Words make your brand human 
• Hierarchy is everything
• Challenge every word 
• Discuss and articulate positioning before you do anything 
• Good designers can spell. Great designers can write. 
• Be generous  

Self evaluation (1).

Over the summer I wasn't as motivated as I had set out to be at the end of last year and a lot of my aims personally and professionally did not happen which now looking back on I am disappointed with and feel I could hinder myself in the year to come.

Major personal disappointment was that I didn't manage to move out of home so the time issue with travelling is still going to be a stress that I will have to handle in my final year but with my driving test within the next month hopefully this situation will change for the better. 

In terms of my professional practice I was unable to complete any work placements so I have now not gained any experience which I greatly needed to improve my confidence and motivation. This is something which was caused by spending too much time at my part time job and lack of general time management.

However on a positive note I was able to re-do my self branding which I am now a lot more happier with but I have had time in which to develop it and my personal interests. 

Time management and motivation is the major aim which I plan to tackle asap this year. 

Module briefing.

• Deadline 21/05/2014 
• Extend previous level experiences 
• Establish an individually relevant understanding of professional practice
• Action planning, time management and communication- document everything 
• Undertake research to identify and evaluate personal and professional skills 
• Evaluate progress of practice
• Identify opportunities 
• Analysis of progress throughout year 
• Presentation at end of year- similar to ones just done/ summary of everything 
• Should be more exciting- presentation of self as if no one knew me 
• Module provides opportunity to synthesis research, skills and other practical work 
• Starting point for ongoing independent enquiry 
• Same as last year just more detailed and specific 
• Easy to achieve a 1st grade 

Presentation.

Presentation plan.

Presentation 10am Tuesday

Opening slide?
Level 5 direction into Level 6- thoughts on level 6 prior to start
CoP3- what I've learnt, direction and possible question
Brief- one on each slide, overview of each and deliverables
Competition/collaboration
Statement of intent
Finish- how to do this?

Statement of intent
I am a graphic designer with a focus on digital design with an interest in branding and design for children.

Incorporate branding into each slide
Regimented style for each slide
Think about what are appropriate colours for screen and branding

CoP3
How have 1980s technological ideas and inventions influenced today graphic design and digital platforms? - need some working on before final decision (explain this)
Explain what I have looked at for CoP during the summer and talk about Hermeneutic circle

Self- branding.

Over the summer I have been working on my self branding again as I was not happy with what I had produced at the end of last year and felt that it was rushed in order for submission.
Personal interests in design have changed since I was last in the studio and this is something which I want to represent now. I have grown interest in simplistic iconic forms and geometric shapes. Also how these can be used to create patterns.
The colours chosen are pastel and my favourite for at the moment this could change when I get back into designing again. I am still not overly happy with them as a gut feeling is telling me they need to be developed but this is something I will look to do later in the year when my practice and interests have developed further.