Proposals, Concepts and Ideas for 'Speaking from Experience' brief...

A combination of brainstormed factors in my previous post about direction(s) my 'Speaking from Experience' project could follow, and how to bulk them out into an appropraite brief, and what would be most appropraite for the very specific target audience (the next academic year's LCA BAGD students)...

1. pixellation about sleep- how to get over/survive the severe lack of it!

 

2. perferrated book with responses (both angry/polite) to flatmates unruly behaviour- post-it note responses.

3. create a "mind map" poster cross-section dissection of the brain- what information you NEED to obtain.

4. write a humorous poem about making new friends, record voice and make kinetic type animation.

5. illustrate/screenprint a design about how to cope with the lack of sleep onto a duvet cover/bedsheet set.

6. photographic series about the signs of ill health- a humorous set of images and guidelines for cures.

7. make a time lapse/animation about the fast pace of university living- an informative and advisory piece about how to keep up with it.

8. papercrafts animation about keeping in touch with friends and family.

9. papercraft installation series with motivational type about how to make new friends- photograph.

10. japanese stab binding flip book of photographic pixilation series- about sleep.

11. concertina booklet about how to cope with being away from friends and family- emotional support.

 

12. screenprinted poster series about common illnesses and over-the-counter remedies- what they cure info guide.

13. papercraft instillation of pharmacy- highlighting essential meds for your cupboard- photographic poster/photographic book guide.

 14. make an illustrative map of all the bargain shops and best buys in leeds.

15. papercrafts animation about being ill- and how to concur it!

16. Animation pixelation about people's responses to the first year- get everyone to be involved in being animated, creating an eBay-like advert, where people's spoken responses to the first year link in with one another, creating a humorous and creative piece- "first year in a nutshell"...pretty tempting to ask everyone to dress up in a nut costume...

Currently, my favourite ideas are number one, six and sixteen- involving problems that have both effected me mostly (lack of sleep!) and my design interests- photography and animation- both methods of delivery that i haven't had much chance to excorcise so far this year. With the oppurtunity to "have fun" (as verifed by course leader, Fred!) on this project- it could be a great oppurtunity to explore them more!

Speaking from Experience: Portraiture Photography Research.

For a couple of years I have been infatuated with photography, in particular, portraiture. I have always loved the thought of being able to interpret someone from a photograph; to be drawn to their emotions, their actions, the body language and facial expressions. I think that a portrait can tell so much more about a person than they verbally ever could.

Here, I have posted a selection of photographs I have taken from the past two years (my personal favourites) both of myself and other people. A really great hobby, I would love to persue and practice this more for my design practice...

http://www.flickr.com/people/37905387@N05/

 

Speaking from Experience: My Experiences and Brainstorming.

Brainstorming ideas, methods of delivery and possible concepts that could be used as part of the forthcoming design brief...

PROBLEMS I HAVE ENCOUNTERED SINCE RECIEVING A PLACE ON THE COURSE:

1. controlling spending/budgeting- loan, paying for rent, paying parents back for owing money, food shopping, money for course expenses, DIGITAL PRINT!, overwhelming urge to buy anything and anything from amazon.

2. lack of sleep- largely self imposed- MUST. DO. DESIGN. really, i have no life- i've been clubbing once in my life. and it was sensationally terrible.

3. disputes with new flatmates- they are meanies :(

4. timings- managing my work- balancing briefs...or should i say...juggling them.

5. adjusting to the fast pace of university and design...university isn't the sleep/club fest they tell you about kids...

6. ill health due to tiredness and lack of sleep- learnt to man up- vitamin c is my NBF.

7. being away from home, parents, home comforts- food doesn't taste half as good when it's not made for you.

8. keeping in touch with friends and family- so many deadline, so many family members to write letters to...

9. making new friends- confidence is a must, or, at very least, a smile...and a sense of personal hygiene...

10. retaining mass information at once...goodbye GCSE mathematics, my brain has no more space, and you must be sacrificed.

SUBJECTS I AM PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN (FOCUS ON ONES THAT MAY RELATE TO THE COURSE!):

1. cartography, map making.

2. book design and illustration- sleeves, jackets, front covers.

3. papercraft designs.

4. application of textiles- surface pattern design.

5. neurology and thought-matter.

6. dreams and the science of sleep.

7. filmmaking- pixilation and animation.

8. music, playing (ukulele, guitar, glockenspiel, clarinet) and listening.

9. bakery- cake making and decoration.

10. foreign languages and travel.

11. portraiture photograpghy.

THINGS/DELIVERABLES I WANT TO MAKE:

1. pixilation/stop motion animation.

2. instillation.

3. photography.

4. bookmaking/book crafts.

5. interacting with people.

6. papercrafts.

7. embriodery.

8. sound production and music.

9. character design.

10. creative writing and poetry.

Speaking from Experience Brief.

THE BRIEF

Produce a graphic response/graphic product/piece of work that makes a statement, comment, observation or gives advice about your experience on your first year of this course.

Chose any appropriate media or format and develop and identify the content- will it be entertaining, advisory, or informative?

CONSIDERATIONS

Message, audience, content and media. The wow-factor, intriuge or humour. Language, type or image, or a combination of the two. 

If you chose to work collaboratively you'll need to maintain your own ongoing documentation of the project.

In addition to the work required by this brief, you will need to provide evidence of research, development and practical investigation through notebooks and worksheets.

CONCEPT/PROPOSITION

Think about the new experiences that you have had, the difficulties that you have overcome and the new people you have met and the life skills you have acquired this year.

BACKGROUND

Remember what it is like starting your first week, how did you feel and what emotions did you experience? Excitement, trepidation, or did you feel overwhelmed? You might have benefited from some advice, opinions and insight from others have have experienced the same transition.

What might you say, do, or give to the next year graphic design students to make their transition into the student experience, particularly this course, more welcoming?

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

 Enjoy the process of reviewing your year!

DELIVERABLES

Design development sheets, support work and notebooks.

Resolved design solutions in a format and media appropriate to your ideas.

Rationale and evaluation.

STUDIO DEADLINE

Friday 20th May 9.30am

 

OTHER IMPORTANT NOTES/DETAILS

-THINK ABOUT THE OUTCOMES I WANT TO DEVELOP

-ANSWER THE QUESTIONS TO THE OUTCOME, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM, WHAT'S THE SOLUTION?

-NO AMOUNT OF WORK IS ENOUGH!

-UNDERSTAND WHO WE ARE SPEAKING TO...PERSONALITIES, ETC...

-WHAT ISSUES HAVE WE EXPERIENCED AS A NEWBIE?

-REFLECT- CONNECT TO PPD

-STYLE, VOICE, WHAT DRIVES US?

Cressed to Impress.

Currently starting a personal cress-based venture! Inspired by cress typography that I sourced and blogged on my design context blog (www.s-wilson1013-dc.blogspot.com) for my 'What is Graphic Design For?' project, and have been really interested in creating my own unusual, three-dimensional, or organic type, icons and imagery. 

I have started my experiment by planting the cress seeds into a heart shape template (sadly cress seeds are so tiny they get everywhere! Not as neat as I'd of originally liked) into cotton wool, within a teacup, and if this is successful, I will go on to experiment further with a more elaborate scale and design.

End of Module Self-Evaluation: OUGD104 Visual Language.

End of Module Self-Evaluation

SOPHIE WILSON

OUGD104

VISUAL LANGUAGE

BLOG ADDRESS: www.s-wilson-ppd.blogspot.com

1.    What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?

I think that one of the most important things I have learnt through this module is the importance of time management. With having scheduled, timetabled sessions for this visual language module just one day a week, it could have been reasonably easy to put the work to one side, considering it something to be done “when I have the time”, etc, though, I am pleased to say that throughout the OUGD104 module, I have kept myself strictly timetabled and consistently on top of my work.

2.    What approaches to/methods of research have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?

I feel that throughout this module I have really thrown myself into the research aspect of the design process- and as a result, have grown to actually really enjoy it. Enjoyment derived from the fact that I can see how much consistent and intense research can really develop and strengthen my ideas.

Throughout this module I have read a lot more, particularly in geography, cartography and astronomy (all according to specific designs) and feel really enriched by the extension of knowledge.

3.    What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?

I think that my Adobe Illustrator skills have significantly improved because of this module- for both the International Book Fair and What is a line briefs particularly requiring me to work on this software, and intensely, I now feel far more confident with the programme and look forward to now going on to explore more software programmes with a new level of confidence and assurance that persistence and hard work will undoubtedly help my skills development.

4.    What weakness can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully?

I would still like to see more variation in the design outcomes within my work- not so much as an aesthetic style, but by means of method of production- having the courage to try something new and planning enough time incase it doesn’t quite work out as I would have planned.

Whilst it is certainly a benefit that my confidence has developed in one software programme, I know that I must expand my design outcomes and consider other options- not always the most obvious one.

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

6.     

1.    Experiment more with methods of delivery and outcomes for a wider over-view.

2.    Try to define more of a style within my work- what am I trying to say? What message do I want to visually put across to my audience?

3.    Don’t over-complicate. In a few of my earlier visual language lessons and workshops I felt that ~concepts~ got in the way of my outcomes- don’t try and be clever.

4.    Plan everything I do before I do it- this way, I will save more time, and hopefully, therefore, produce more potential design outcomes, and research more.

5.    Be more abstract and experimental with my designs- even if I don’t use the designs, be more creative with my potential outcomes to get my brain really active and possibly able to seek a new, fresher design outcome than I had previously visualised.

7.    How would you grade yourself on the following areas?

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

Attendance                                                      5

Punctuality                                                      5

Motivation                                                       4

Commitment                                                   5

Quantity of work produced                             4

Quality of work produced                               3

Contribution to the group                                4

The evaluation of your work is an important part of the assessment criteria and represents a percentage of the overall grade. It is essential that you give yourself enough time to complete your written evaluation fully and with appropriate depth and level of self-reflection. If you have any questions relating to the self evaluation process speak to a member of staff as soon as possible.

Module Submission Form: 'What is a line?'.

MODULE SUBMISSION FORM

SOPHIE WILSON

OUGD104

VISUAL LANGUAGE

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: TUESDAY 26^TH APRIL 2011- 1PM

THEMES/SUBJECT & RATIONALE

For my last project within the Visual Language module, ‘What is a line?’, I decided to focus on the theme of constellations, and how, with marks indicating position, connection or boundaries this could translation into a Graphic Design format.

I began the project by gathering and collecting primary and secondary research- drawing inspiration from other artists, designers and imagery, along with experimenting with drawing diagrams, sketches and designs- really taking advantage of hand-rendered techniques to produce versatile and fast-paced designs.

From this, I followed my initial direction of creating a informative guide to the eighty-eight constellations, and, with some compromise along the way as to my initial visualisation of the production and methods used, have created a four-part series of books which give a brief history and basic facts about each constellation, along with a vector-drawn illustration of each of the constellations- which I hope will inform, as well as inspire future star-gazers and aspiring astronomers alike.

All work must be clearly presented and labelled with your name, module code, brief title, and any other appropriate information. Please present all work in an A2 plastic portfolio/sleeve-any work submitted in other formats should be discussed with the module tutor in advance of submission. All blog posts relevant to this module should be ‘tagged’ with the module code OUGD104.

Blogs up to date: COMPLETE

Work labelled as briefed: COMPLETE

Work submitted in appropriate format: COMPLETE 

Self-Evaluation Completed and posted to blogs as briefed: COMPLETE

I confirm that all work submitted is my own and am aware of the colleges Plagiarism Policy and that all work submitted has been appropriately labelled, formatted and tested.

STUDENT SIGNATURE

SOPHIE WILSON

DATE

25/04/11