LEVEL 5 REPORT
Level 5 has been key in my
development as I’ve been able to establish exactly who I am as a designer and which
direction I see myself going in. This is something that I’ve felt quite lost
with but I now feel a lot more confident in myself as a designer.
Over the year I’ve developed
a strong interest in print-based design. I think this derived from the
satisfaction of having a well-printed, finalised design in my hand, whether
it’s from screenprint or digital. OUGD203 allowed me to print onto textile,
which was a new challenge but after I got the hang of it I really enjoyed it.
The second thing I’ve taken from level 5 is my passion for working with image
and colour. During the collaboration for Fedrigoni I thoroughly enjoyed playing
with image and finding that balance of image with type and as a result I was
happy with how the finalised designs came out. Finally, Identity is definitely
an area I’ll be focusing on at level 6. I love the idea of putting together a
visual identity for a client. From experience through freelance work, I liked
the intimacy of actually meeting up with the client and discussing logos or
potential final designs.
I’d definitely say there have
been some briefs that I’ve preferred more so than others. At first, I wasn’t too
keen on the idea of motion graphics in OUGD202. I’d never really considered it
as an area of graphic design that I was interested in, however, once I got the
hang of the software After Effects, I found myself getting really into it. I’m
actually really pleased with how the videos turned out with the music, but
unfortunately I had to learn the hard about backing up your files! Having the
skill and knowledge in this area will help give me that competitive edge within
the design industry and it compliments Identity really nicely. Enterprise was
another module I didn’t enjoy at first. The idea of setting up a business
seemed really daunting but once we had some sessions with Jane it all became a
lot easier. This was a module that will clearly prove to be very useful in the
future as it developed my professionalism as a designer and has given me a lot
of confidence with the financial side of things.
Collaboration has played a
big part in level 5. When putting together the ‘IF’ magazine for enterprise, it
was really nice working as a team. It made me realise that I definitely want to
work in a small studio environment after level 6 as you are able to specialise
in certain areas and work in a more personal environment which will help me
develop as a designer. For the collaboration with OUGD203, I really liked the
idea of finding your suited partner by pinning up who you are and what you are
looking for. Niall and I decided we would work well together and chose the
Fedrigoni brief to work on. This module really helped with my collaborating
skills and it’s something I look forward to at level 6.
Fashion has always been one
of my passions and after level 5 I now know that it’s the area of industry that
I’d love to work in. I’m fascinated by the different cultures within fashion
and the general creativity within it. The only thing is I don’t have a lot of
experience within this area and so I’ll be researching a lot deeper into this
and making studio visits to the ones I think will help me progress. After a
year of industrial research I’ve found that I’ve been most inspired by branding
and identity for fashion. I’ll be looking into collaborations with fashion
students at the college next year, as it will really aid my understanding.
Design for high-end fashion is very competitive and I’ll need to ensure I have
that edge. Experimentation with my design practise will help me grasp this
sophisticated design for fashion and I look forward to really pushing myself.
Having such a keen interest in fashion and image has also led to my curiosity
with textile design and so again, I look forward to pushing myself in this
area.
Music is another passion of
mine and I’ve always been inspired by the design for album/promotional artwork.
Like with fashion, it’s very image driven and I’m really looking forward to
playing around with design for this area. If appropriate, it’s also an area
that will allow me to incorporate photography into the designs which is
something I’ve been wanting to do for a while as photography is one of my
hobby’s that I’d love to bring into my graphics.
My biggest inspiration this
year has to come from Richard Robinson art direction and design studio. They’re
based in London and specialise in design for music and fashion, which are the
two main areas that I see myself specialising in. I find their work so visually
pleasing, with strong applications of colour, typography and balance. Their
work is new and innovative and this is clearly recognised with the studio
winning at least 15 prestigious awards since 2004. Richard Robinson gives me
something to work towards with my designs at level 6 and I’ll hopefully be
making a studio visit this summer. Other studios that have inspired me this
year include Heydays, Build and Tappin Gofton. Making studio visits and
potential placements will really help with my industrial experience and design
skills.
A lot of time has been spent
introducing us to self-promotion this year, where we’ve had to create a visual
identity for ourselves as designers. This consists of a logo, business cards,
stationary and a creative CV. Although I’m quite happy with how mine have
turned out, there’s definitely room for improvement. At level 6 I’ll have a
better feel for myself as a designer and how this should be portrayed with
self-promotion. Creating a website has been quite challenging so I intend to
perfect this for level 6. Web design is something that would give me that
creative edge above other designers, especially if I aim to focus on branding
and identity.
In order for me to progress
at level 6 there are a few things I need to pay attention to. Firstly, I don’t
feel like I push myself enough with my work. I’m yet to see what my full
potential is as a designer and it’s proved to be something I regret after I
complete most briefs. For my final year on the course I aim to commit to
changing this as I feel like my skills are a bit wasted with my work level at
the moment. Secondly, organisation has to be the biggest thing holding me back
as a designer. I’ve always struggled with it throughout education and I still
find it quite hard! However, I do feel improvement since being on the course as
it’s helped me become more professional. Punctuality is another weak point but
this improves with my organisation because the more organised I am, the easier
it is to be places on time with the appropriate work I need. Typography is an
area I’m still keen to learn more about as I feel it really contributes so the
professionalism of designs. Finally, I want to be more experimental with colour
next year, especially in textile design as it will help my work to look fresh
and appealing.
I think the main thing I look
forward to achieving at level 6 is professional practise. Seeing as it’s the
last year at Leeds College of Art we’ll all need to be ready to enter the big
wide world! In order to do so I’ll be committing to briefs and making sure I
enjoy what I’m doing. Competition briefs will aid my personal practise and
prepare me for work after the course. Although we’ve been learning to set up
our own websites, there’s still a lot I need to work on with self-promotion.
It’ll prove to be vital in terms of getting ourselves out there. I aim to take
advantage of the facilities and studio time given to us in order to really push
myself as a designer. As a result I’ll be a lot more satisfied with the work I
produce and will create a strong portfolio to present to studios. Overall I’m
really excited about progressing onto level 6. The thing I’m most looking
forward to is simply pushing myself to my full potential as I’ve not been
satisfied with my work level to date. Improving my motivation and commitment to
the course will allow me to achieve the professionalism I will need to become a
successful Graphic Designer.
