List five practical skills that you have developed whilst at University. When have they proved useful?
1. Screenprinting. With very little practice of this printing method through my college education, I now feel far happier thanks to the workshops I have participated in- increasing my confidence and understanding in this skills area.
2. Adobe Illustrator- Before coming to university, I had never used the Adobe Illustrator software- very dependant upon hand-rendered techniques. Learning the software has been enormously helpful (probably the best thing I've done this year), and has been utilised in every single project.
3. Adobe InDesign- A really interesting software programme, InDesign has really opened my eyes to a whole new printing publication and it's design. I'm really enthusiastic to experiment more with the programme in weeks to come for my DPS InDesign workshop brief.
4. Grid and layout- I feel really pleased to have learnt so much (and so quickly!) about the griding methods applied in newspaper and magazine layouts. These few visual language workshops have proved invaluable, and I now apply to grids to all of my design work.
5. The anatomy of type- Shockingly, and ashamedly, before University, I didn't even know the difference between a serif and a sans serif typeface (!)- now I'm generating and developing my own typefaces and feel really enthusiastic about experimenting in this area of graphic design.
List five transferable skills that you have developed. What have you used them for?
1. Patience and comprimise. I found this a very useful skill and trait to have and maintain throughout my design practice- both with other members in group work, and due to limitations within my own abilities and technical skill.
2. Drive and ambition- Undoubtedly helpful, helping to get my work out on time, and to a suitable standard. I'm really thankful, particularly at this point in my life for the support and ambition I was bought up, and nutured with. It has really helped me to strive to achieve my potential to it's full.
3. Energy and God-like-lack-of-sleep-capabilities- Although this has undoubtedly make me ill, icky and rather gruesome to look at- my powering through the tired barrier has helped me to squeeze even more hours and work out of each day.
4. Willingness to experiment- this has helped me to produce a varied body of work and themes, keeping my options open to design outcomes and resolutions.
5. Vocal and confidence when speaking- Helped me greatly when presenting and discussing my work- althoough I feel I will always be a little nervous, speaking fluently and confidently helps to sell my work to others.
List five things that you have achieved. How have they helped you progress?
1. I feel that my time management and utlising of my time is now far more effective than it once was- now a compulsive list-maker, I always know what I'm doing, and when it has to be done by.
2. I have learnt a great deal about print and printing methods- both digital and traditional- understanding a great deal more about printing and colour quality.
3. Book binding methods and techniques- although I touched upon this whilst at college, my methods and presentation techniques have developed and grown. This is a field I am particularly interested in working in, so I have really appreciated the workshop experiences and oppurtunities.
4. Cooked my first "real" curry! A big food fan, I am rather proud of my rather tasty Aloo Gobi, and hope to continue through my university education and still enjoy cooking and preparing food as much as I do now!
5. Controlling my own accounts and finances- although I have always been reasonably independent in terms of finances, I now manage to pay rent every week by budgeting and keeping tight control over what I spend.
List five problems that you have had to face. How have you over come them?
1. Flatmates- not always the dream team I had planned. Sometimes, you just don't want to be kept up until four in the morning whilst your "messy" flatmates wail to shockingly awful dubstep. please. I've found notes on the slightly aggresive side normally do the trick.
2. ULTIMATE STRESS- tear-inducing kind. Although I have always been hard-working and driven, I have a felt a great deal of pressure at times to produce appropriate quantities and quality of work- thankfully, this is something I'm becoming more used to over time, and isn't such a shock to the system.
3. Working within mixed groups- Although my experience of working on this course has, largely, been quite enjoyable, I have occasionally found myself working with people with little drive or work ethic- this usually being ammended by working even harder than I would usually do.
4. There are never enough hours in the day to get everything done. Fact. Understanding that I can't be Wonder Woman and pacing myself through the week helps- with a clear plan and to-do lists, with what work to do, and when to do it by.
5. Missing friends and family- something that you do get used to- keep in close contact, but only talk once or twice a week so you don't have a constant reminder- destract yourself with work and new, exciting events for this busy time in your life.
List five facts that you have learned. When have they been useful?
1. Purple doesn't exist as a colour- but violet does. This fact has proved very useful in my design communication and has improved my professional lingo when talking to other designers.
2. Pantone is the universal colour scheme used by designers and printers. Although I was familiar with the name Pantone before Uni, I wasn't quite aware of the extent of it's prowess! This will certainly help with my profesionality and communication in future design work with clients.
3. It's better to be an hour early than ten minutes late! It's always better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. Hard work brings good rewards- laziness brings a-booting.
4. It's really not worth nine hours constructing a cake for typogateaux- I really enjoyed preparing, baking, and decorating, but I did not enjoy it when my cake and plate went missing at lunchtime- boo! :(
5. Variety is the (moderate) spice of life- If you don't try new things, explore new places, new methods of techniques, you will have NO LIFE. You need to see the world in order to be an expert on it.
List five things that you will never do again. Why?
1. Falling "in love" with a concept/final resolution- particularly through the beginning stages of the course, I felt I would focus too grealt on one resolution and not experiiment with methods enough. I now always try to remind myself of this, and ammend it as soon as possible.
2. I will never again get a part time job that I hate! Despite helping myself out financially, knowing that I was missing out on twelve hours potential graphic design time a week slowly killed me(!)- leaving the job was one of the most uplifiting days I've ever had!
3. Move in with people I don't know- Unfortunately, this year, I've largely been grouped with people with very different working mentalities- though, fortunately I'm moving in with lovely, like-minded people next year!
4. Sleep in! Admittedly, this was a one-time thing (and by accident!), but the guilt was overwhelming enough! Next year, I strive for 100% attendance.
5. Speak before I think- on more than one occasion, I feel that I have frustrated tutor(s) with my defensive attitude in feedback sessions or crits- I have alread begun to remedy this, and take feedback graciously- when both positive and negative.
Which of these words describes the way you work as part of a group?
confident
passive
ethical
open
vocal
decisive
informed
critical
determined
considerate
tolerant
withdrawn
Which of these qualities do you most appreciate about yourself?
honesty
creative
originality
commitment
responsible
flexibility
ambitious
focused
punctuality
humorous
organised
criticism
Which of these attitudes best describes the way you worked at the start of the brief group?
organised
impulsive
entertaining
focused
laid back
direct
informed
critical
objective
committed
flexible
entertaining
passive
unrealistic
indecisive
ethical
Which of these attitudes best describe the way you work now?
oragnised
impulsive
entertaining
focused
laid back
direct
informed
critical
objective
committed
flexible
entertaining
passive
unrealistic
indecisibe
ethical
A really interesting session with tutor Fred this afternoon- a great oppurtunity to really sit and ponder, and to reflect upon myself and my personal progress of the last year. Really, it's amazing how much I've learnt, and still feel like I learnt something new every day. Great preperation and brainstorming material in prep for my PPD presentation at the end of the year.
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