OUGD 504 : EVALUATION

EVALUATION OUGD504

There has been a lot to take in this module, pretty much everything we did was something we hadn't done before, but had to familiarise ourselves with very quickly to then use it in our work. It has been intense but I feel like I have gained so much in skills and knowledge just in this first module of second year. There are numerous skills I have developed in this module such as to start off with, designing for print. Before this module I knew the basics such as different colour modes, stocks, but no where near the knowledge I now feel I hold. I feel like I could comfortably send work of to be printed and be confident that it would come back how I want it. The skills I've picked up from designing for print, are skills that I will take forward for good, they are skill you need as a professional and we are lucky to have been taught them at this early stage in our careers. Another skill I have learnt is web design as a whole. I have really enjoyed getting to grips with web design, although at first it seems hard once you get the hang of it, it feels so rewarding. The fact that in a just after 4 or 5 taught lessons you are able to create two working  websites makes me feel like I have definitely achieved something this module, and although I have a lot more to learn about web design, I am feeling good about it and wanting to develop my web skills further. I feel my research skills have also vastly improved and I think this is thanks to my summer of over researching Stephen Fry, seeing how far I could delve and research and obsess into Fry during the long, long summer made me realise how far you can push any research, but I just need to make sure that I can home it back in and not get lost in it. 
Research has made me more aware of the possibilities of design and how far you can push them and experiment with them. It has also ables me to look more into contexts of graphic design something I could never quite get my head around last year, but now fully understand. Research is also a major tool for determining how to target your audience, and so is something I aim to keep going and try make my research a high standard and document it better.
I feel like the skill I learnt in first year have also improved, such as lay out, presenting my work, design choices. My layouts are a lot more accurate and better executed then last year and this is partly to do with the extensive software tutorials we had which have improved my software skills and also partly because I feel I am a lot more intune with my design work.

My strengths in this module have been my ability to pick up web design I am happy with the two websites I have created, although i'm sure both could probably be improved if I had more knowledge of web design, but for now, for the skills I have I am happy with them. Another strength I feel I have is the ability to try new things, I have been quite experimental in this module, tried out obscure printing methods and creating my own paper for example, and although I know such methods would never be used in the real industry, I want to experiment and create interesting and innovative things whilst I'm not there yet, I want to play and that way come up with creative graphic design.

My weaknesses in this project has been time management. I felt like I had everything under control, but then all of a sudden that control would be gone, and I think this is due to spending too long researching. I think from now on I am going to try and set myself time scales, and only designate a certain amount of time to the bulk of the research, obviously extending if I fail as i know how important good research is, but I just need to learn not to get swamped in it and taken over by it. Another weakness would be my ability to create a quality piece of crafted work, my finished pieces often don't look to the high standard I want them to in my head due to the fact I am not very good at the last hurdle when it comes to putting things together, cutting, glueing I'm a bit slap dash, but by accident. I really want to have beautiful end products that look professional, but due to poor time management I don't leave enough room for mistakes at the end so just have to hand in the end piece even if it is a bit dodgy. Although I did leave just enough time to correct and re - print my print manual which I am really please with and glad I got done. Another weakness I feel I have is not being able to photograph my work in a professional way or mock things up in adobe to put things in context, these are skills that seem to be very much needed as it really does make or break your finished piece of work how you document it, so I am going to try gain these skills.

5 Things I would do differently next time are ...

- Write lists and plans and stick to them. I started this at the beginning of the year for the first 2 months and I felt far more in control of my time and my projects but then I got behind on one list which had a domino effect. So I will start a fresh with a new list and this time follow each list through.

- Use my blog more efficiently and keep on top of it more / figure out what to blog and what not to blog

- Use tutor surgeries, they are beneficial and I think I would have gained from them, but due to lack of organisation I never felt prepared for one. So next time I will use them.

- Source more primary research instead of researching about say audience all online, I need to get primary research as I feel this is a more informed way with secondary research in gaining understandings

- I want to improve my presenting skills, when presenting my work as no matter how simple the concept I always manage to over complicate things when presenting. I also want to improve my design board skills homing in on what information to put on what is relevant etc and design boards are very important

5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor

Attendance

5

Punctuality

5

Motivation

3

Commitment

4

Quantity of work produced

3

Quality of work produced

3

PRINT MANUAL : REVISITED , FINISHED , PRINTED

This it PDF version of my book. After the final crit about our print manual a few things were flagged up to me that I needed to change. The first thing I needed to do was add page numbers. In books, especially thick books with lots of pages, you need to be able to have a reference to what page you are on, it is also a way of refereing to certain information on that page. Before I had only numbered the chapters, but after crit saw how important page numbers are.

Another thing I alltered was spelling and over hangs of the text. Things that I thought I had thoroughly checked before the crit, but obviously needed a proof read from another pair of eyes.

I also sorted out some alignment issues that were flagged out to me, so checked my whole document to make sure and found more errors, corrected all ones I could see

I also decided to change the cover. The black seemed a bit heavy and dark, I want my publication to seem approachable and achievable, not somthing that is daunting. I changed the black to the blue that is used throughout the book and changed from having solid background colour to just the outline.

I am overall happy with my print manual. I set out to create something that is informative, but not overwhelming and I think I have achieved that. I think the product is suitable for my audience of new designers / designers un informed about print / people with an interest in learning about print, it is not too text heavy, and has visuals thoughout to appeal to the creative. For some reason my PDF isnt saving out right or ISUU is set wrong and is making the size of my document landscape A5 instead of portrait A5, I will try and sort this. 

printed W R O N G :

This was my first attempt at printing out my Print manual. Everything went to plan until i had to cut it down and due to the thickness of the book and the stock in the tipin it didn't cut up well and ended up looking like a dog had chewed it.

R I G H T :

The samples appear really all in the book they stand out and will function as a useful tool for looking at process.

This time I cut the pages down first before sewing the section together, and the book came together really well. The handmade paper gives the book a really interesting look, makes it stand out. I combated the facile issue of the handmade paper by sticking it to some card. I am hoping to print the title out on the cover but this is time dependant. 

ISTD : DEVELOPMENT

The final crit flagged up some bits that I could further more within my project. Like for example Facebook and twitter. My product is a social item designed to be shared and make people interact so a platform like twitter or Facebook is ideal. I have already finished my website, so can't put on the links, but ideally the link to Facebook and Facebook would be put on the website.

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/TYSBK

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/ThingsYouShouldBeKnowing

App: 

I decided to make an app so that the concept would be more user friends for people on their mobiles. now instead of going on the internet typing web address they can just go on the app and have a constant feed of facts and also have opportunity to like and comment the facts. There is also a quick and simple upload option to put the picture of the fact up.


The app , Facebook and twitter would work altogether since you can now post something on one social media platform and it automaticallys goes to the others.


I also realised father the crit that I had not mocked up how my website would look on different web devises, so decided to do so as I had already sketched out how I wanted it to look.

ISTD : PRESENTATION BOARDS

ISTD : Final Products

 

I am happy with the range I have created, everything is linked and there for a reason. 

The only downside would be the crafting of some areas could have been better which is something to thnk about next time. I've also noticed that I have not promoted the website adress enough, I have only put the webadress in the postcard booklet, but looking at it now I should have it on everyhing, stamp booklet, clothes tag, back of poscard envelope. I know for next time to look for all the little details as they can be very important such as the website adress. 

ISTD : STOCK CHECK

Stamp Booklet:

I thought for the stamps I would try print them on a different stock, since stamps never normally are textured they are normally smooth, so used a smooth stock. I completely fogot sometimes different stocks mean different colours so the colours were totally thrown.

 Diecut:

I did originally want to die cut the oval in the tag so that the logo would come through the gap, but it was a lot more tricky than I thought so I decided to scrap the die cut bit and just have the logo on the paper.

Postcard stock:

This was the first stock I printed on for experimentation purposes. It was the Antique white from up in the library. I really like the way the colours have come out, but the paper is just a bit to yellowy and makes it hard to match other both with it.

Eyelet :

Practicing with the eyelet tool before i'm let on my proper work.