Communication is a Virus (Brief)

Brief
A graphic response to get people to talk/communicate more.

Considerations
Nationalities, spoken languages, greetings, body language, integrating communities, bringing people together.

Target Audience
A range of nationalities in large UK cities, starting with Leeds. Need to select an appropriate age group possibly derived from questionnaire.

Tone of Voice
Friendly, curious, interesting, persuasive, welcoming, comfortable, personal.

Background
Data on population, nationality. Want to interact with different nationalities. Questionnaire, emails, internet, information from language centres, council information and organised existing events.

Mandatory Requirements
2 colours plus stock, visable to a large audience - possibly display screen in a city square / train station / airport... and supporting printed material (maybe use a selection of ethnic prints to add texture instead of colour.

Deliverables
3x A2 presentation boards and a final project piece.

Leeds Contemporary Book Fair (Rational)

For the 13th International Contemporary Artist' Book Fair I must produce 20 editions of a hot dog fold book made from A4 or A3. These books must be based upon the Photography 'Art of Travel' work I did in Visual Language.

Brief
Present red things in  book using a hot dog fold and wool/thread instead of a printing process.

Who needs to know?
People who are interested in sewed illustration or contemporary book design.

What do they need to know?
A demonstration of red objects.

What will they respond to?
The should be engaged to keep turning the page by the interest of sewed pages and the feel of the wool/thread. Also I am to have something else which links all the red things together other than just their colour.

What research is required?
Primary Experiment with different thicknesses of wool/thread and different patterns.
Secondary Research into sewed illustrations.

After  I had my brief I asked some other people in the class their opinion of my idea...

Issues raised
Time constraints, may be very tim consuming. Also the edges of the fabric I would need to use may fray.

Action to be taken
Test out cross stitching an A4 sheet, if it takes longer than 1hr30, try only stitching the main red subjects and maybe dying or using coloured fabric.

General feedback
Nice idea by not using paper but need to think about time. Maybe think about making a pattern of red things, ladybird, flowers, apples, strawberries, postbox. Maybe use summer red things as a link for them all. Also choose a few colours such as red, green, black and white as to not over complicate it.

What is a Line? (Brief)

The Brief
Explore what is a line by investigating a connected series of events, actions or developments.

Considerations
Time management as the work must reflect 7 weeks. Also development from one idea to another. Experimentation with various ideas and processes.

Target Audience
People interested in documentary photography and the effects of time upon a given object, person, place.

Tone of Voice
Informative through image.

Background
Look into timeline photography and post onto Design Context blog. Books/internet but also look at artitsts who use lines.

Mandatory Requirements
Body of work which must reflect 7 weeks of work.

Deliverables
A set of sketches and a series of final images.

InDesign Workshop: Rob Green (Brief)

The Brief
Design a double page spread about Rob Green

Considerations
Layout, colour, images, typography and copy.

Target Audience
Visitors to blogs... other students, potential employers and clients.

Tone of Voice
Fun, friendly and informative.

Background
Online double page spread to go onto personal blogs with hyperlinks.

Mandatory Requirements
Visual investigation into design, final printed version and digitalised.

Deliverables
One printed double pages spread (A3) and a PDF for online use.

Don't Panic: Vogue (Final Crit)

What concept/statement/fact/question/tone is being communicated?

1. Desire and how vogue makes you feel... the need to buy things.

2. Consumerism, the need that vogue puts in people to have material things.

3. Desire, consumerism, our culture of wanting whatever is fashionable/popular etc.

4. More popular something is the more you want it, see the gradual more to don't mind - need. The way people can become obsessed.

Is this being communicated effectively?

1. Yes by the type and how it is placed in a person.

2. Yes, although it maybe less clear on two of them. When you bring the whole phrase in it becomes clearer.

3. Yes - use of words and hand rendered feel make it personal and easy to relate to.

4. Yes, it delivers the idea well, but hard to see in places the concept. But that could easily be what was intended, don't realise until you look closer, such as actual fashion scenarios.

Have the posters answered the brief?

1. Doesn't have the word vogue in which is the briefs main word, but it is clear and relates to vogue by wanting/needing to buy things.

2. Yes.

3. Communicates the feeling of 'wanting something' really effectively.

4. Yes, works well.

Who is the audience - have they been addressed?

1. Students - fun poster students could like.

2. Very feminine, but appealing, good reference to the popular 1 love... things you see.

3. Students... perhaps women more directly.

4. Students, but only appealing to girls. Therefore if all students were given them only like half the amount of people would probably put it on their wall.

Strengths:

1. Hand made type makes it more personal.

2. Simple colour scheme, good symbolism, appropriate font, i like that they are all suited to each word.

3. Nice use of colour, simplistic and clear layout works well.

4. Style and layout works really well. Strong, efficient and good use of space.

What could be developed further?

1. Colours and placement of image.

2. Perhaps some arms? Maybe the last one could use the space a little better.

3. Perhaps try different colours?

4. Colour, perhaps make it less aimed just at girls.

Further feedback

3. Really good that you tried something out of your comfort zone. A2 will make it even better.

Don't Panic: Vogue (Brief)

The Brief

Produce a poster around the word 'Vogue' for Don't Panic.

Considerations

Visually engaging with limited content.

Target Audience

Students who receive the Don't Panic envelope.

Tone of Voice

Informatiove but not too serious to become boring.

Background

My five words which will create the base of my design are magazine, size zero, serif, outrageous and consumerism.

Mandatory Requirements

Register with the Don't Panic website and final resolution must be 72dpi and uploaded to the website after the Final Crit. For end of module, final design must be printed at A2.

OUGD102 Self Evaluation

What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?
I have tried alot of new things in this module but I have also learnt how to manage my time effectively and also how to work well in a group. New methods which I have tried this module have included graffitti and stop motion animation. I have really enjoyed all of the new methods I have tried an think that the time management skills I have developed will help me throughout my course and in my future career. Time management was a point which was frequently at the front of my mind as the last few weeks were so filled with work I really had to think about what to do when to be as effective and productive as possible.

What approaches to/methods of research have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?
I have used alot of primary research in this module and feel I have developed this quite well. Questionnaries have been my main use of primary research and has helped me with my design development quite a bit. The questionnaire I created for the "What If..." brief was very informative and helped my group understand the extent of the problem of homelessness.

What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?
Colour theory has come into play in this module, especially in the "What If..." brief where my group thought about the colours of our graffiti information graphics in order to aid our communication. This is also prominent in the Photoshop brief where I cropped into images so that the object itself is unidentifiable and colour really becomes the subject. I hope to develop and carry on using these skills I have learnt in the next module.

What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully?
I feel my blogs have suffered in this module and I have got more used to commenting on my work throughout my sketchbooks rather than posting my work. This may be sue to the majority of my work this module has not been primarily computer based but has seen more of a hands on practical approach. In the "Collection 100" brief where I made my stop motion animation, I had to produce 1000 frames, all of which had to be photographed and different. I quite enjoyed the attention to detail and the new skill I learnt. Also during this "Collection 100" brief I concentrated on the product, until the last week where I really thought about the packaging. I think I need to work on some of my priorities and if things have the same weighting, I should spend equal time on both.

Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?

1. Who I am aiming my piece at is something I think I can work on and get better at.
   
2. Look thoroughly into my research as this can really help the design decisions I make.
   
3. Think about the stock when printing.
4. Blog more!
5. Stick to an idea and develop it more, rather than changing my initial brief.