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Thanks,
Robyn x

OUGD303 Final Evaluation

OUGD303

Final Evaluation

Robyn Russell

Level 06

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Within this module I wanted my practice to explore the relationship between branding and the consumer, focusing on the influences within brands that can form relationships with the consumers. Using the knowledge from my dissertation and research I wanted to use it to help inform the design decisions I  made. Within branding I wanted to investigate identity, logo design and the application across deliverables and I think with the briefs that I have chosen, I have had the opportunity to explore this due to the different nature of each branding brief. It was important to me that I try and make the products I produced within the brands as unique as possible, and one of the ways I looked into doing this was by using alternative print processes to produce the work and generate a professional aesthetic.  By constantly investigating and researching print methods/finishes, it allowed me to increase my knowledge whilst using those skills to apply the ideas to the work in the most appropriate way. One main element I wanted to achieve by the end of this module was to speck up job(s) to print, that meant budgeting and costing, helping my work have a real world application, for example the yearbook brief. Again, by carefully choosing the briefs that I worked on they allowed me to do this, and achieve what I set out to do originally.

Throughout this module my research and investigation has really helped shape the way that I have tackled the briefs. I found in the last module that the more informed I was the easier it was to make the right decisions for the brief. So, I spent a lot of time trying to get the right research that was relevant to the progression of the brief, be this through online research, the books I read in my dissertation to the visits I went on. I have tried to speak to professionals as much as possible within this module to help try and get a more rounded view and look at my briefs to try and push the potential, and help contextualize my work. This was made a lot easier because of my design context brief, this brief allowed me to contact studios and get some really valuable advice as to what branding is about where I should be focusing my efforts to make it an experience. My dissertation really helped shape the avenues I wanted to explore within branding, giving me a reference point to work from, it also gave me a lot of knowledge on the topic, allowing me to focus my research in branding on the areas I was interested in exploring.

With regards to my briefs, they did change quite a lot from my initial statement of intent. From altering the brief to get the best out of it, or changing the brief completely in order to develop my skills and further my knowledge in an area I thought was lacking. At the beginning of each brief I set myself aims that I wanted to achieve, and although sometimes the concepts may have changed the aims still stayed the same. It was important to me that within the branding briefs I chose to prove that the identity’s worked, which involved a lot of experimentation and exploration into the brands and what would best show its identity. One big learning curve that spanned over from the last module too, was the fact that processing takes a long time and this meant that I really had to manage my time effectively in order to produce the style of work that I wanted. I have really pushed my time management and organisation skills because of this, as I really wanted to push my briefs as much as possible.

Throughout this module, I wanted to improve my industry contact either through research visits, like the one to Pressision print. Speaking to professionals that visited the College, or at organized networking events. I also outsourced within this module, which helped me learn about specking up work to send to printers/engravers/embroiders.

There is a lot that I have learnt from each brief within this module, I chose briefs specifically that tackled different areas of branding and processes allowing me to further my knowledge in work as a professional designer.

For example my Cleo Tavern brief allowed me to explore heritage within branding, and couple it with modern design to create aesthetically tactile products, involving processes which I had been experimenting with within my other briefs. My Lulu brief allowed me to explore more processing to enhance the deliverables, using alternative print methods such as laser cutting onto acrylic and creating my own rastered printing plate, to create my own embossed stock. One of my more substantial briefs with regards to the exploration of processes was within my Dylan Thomas brief, this brief allowed me to play around with a range of different finishes, which then in turn helped me make more informed decisions as to what finishes would be appropriate to use within my other briefs. Although not everything worked perfectly in this brief, and certain processes didn’t work this allowed me to develop a way around the problem. I think the brief that really allowed me to push my processing skills and concept skills was within my ISTD brief, this brief forced me to think outside the box and create work using alternative print methods and substrates, which again informed some of the choices I made in my other briefs. As well as exploring branding and processes, I also got to further my skills within publication design and on-screen delivery. I used these elements within my Dylan Thomas brief, ISTD brief, Cleo Tavern, Yearbook and, Branding brief. These briefs gave me a very different look into publication and editorial design, from the very set out publication within the yearbook, and the more experimental format within my Branding brief.

I think the brief that really pushed me, and I enjoyed the most was my Branding brief. This brief essentially formed from a culmination of my PPD module, my DC publication and my dissertation. Forming a topic and concept that I was really interested in allowed me to push my skills in concept development, as well as incorporating the new skills I had been working on such as; Photoshop, on-screen design and publication formats.

I think that the hardest and most challenging brief within this module, was the Yearbook brief that I did. The brief didn’t go exactly how I wanted it to go, and it was difficult from start to finish. I thought that I would gain a lot more design experience from it, but instead I feel that I learnt more about how to communicate with difficult clients. However, that isn’t a bad thing as I can take this away with me into my future profession.

Throughout this module I have learnt a lot of new things, as well as pushing the things I learnt from the last module such as the importance of idea generation in order to exploit the potential within briefs. I have also pushed hard to develop my organization skills, which in turn has led to me making quicker decisions and generating clear design work. I have also learnt how to work with difficult clients, and how to handle large groups of people. Within this module I have worked on small jobs, with quick turn around times and short deadlines which has led me to use my organization skills and time management skills to get the work done and delivered to the best of my ability. Within certain briefs I have also collaborated, which hasn’t always been easy and it has meant that I have had to learn how to work alongside other designers and how to cooperate in an effective way, which is a skill that will be extremely useful in the future.

By talking to professionals I realized that I needed my work to explain concepts more readily, and this is something I have been working on with my briefs trying to get the ideas across clearly. I think one of the most valuable skills I have learnt is specking up a job to go to production print, and if things go wrong how to counter them and where to fix them. This is vital for when I go into industry, and its something that I feel more confident in now. Apart from the skills I have learnt within the briefs, I have also improved my software skills, which is extremely important to me. One of the main improvements lying in design for on-screen delivery, this was something at the beginning of the module I wasn’t sure I would get involved in, however as my briefs developed and I needed to use it I began developing my skills. This has actually made designing for on-screen a lot less daunting.

From this module and the last year there will be a lot that I can take with me into my future, such as; working with live clients, meeting deadlines, pitching, achieving professional work, specking jobs for print, concept ability and most importantly confidence in my ability to work.

I feel that I have pushed myself within this module and through my investigation into branding and the consumer interaction; I have a better understanding of the industry. My research and development throughout this module into print processes has really helped me work on my concepts and professional skills with regards to specking for print. I feel I now have a design practice that I am confident in, and design work I’m proud of. 

Brief 1 - Yearbook Evaluation

Brief 1 – Yearbook Evaluation

This Brief entailed designing the Yearbook for Printed Textiles and surface pattern. The aim of this brief, for me, was to work with a live client and produce a publication that would end up going to print. By the end of this brief I had managed to achieve this, whilst learning a lot about working with clients and the problems that can arise from this. Due to the fact that I was nominated as the project leader, this left me in charge of contacting the course leaders and arranging the meetings with both leaders and the design team. Initially this started out quite well but as the brief progressed through the module it was becoming very difficult to get the work from the course leaders, which was extremely frustrating. Originally I wanted to work alongside the students but was reassured that it would work best working with the tutors, in hindsight I wish I had stuck to my guns as when I started working with the students later it worked a lot smoothly. I had set quite big ambitions for this brief, creating mock-ups etc for the course, but due to the lack of co-operation on their behalf this brief had to be put to on hold while I focused on my other briefs. As I mentioned, this was a huge learning curve because once we did manage to get the information we needed, with the help from the students as opposed to the tutors, we had to turn the brief around extremely quickly. Which meant this initial stages I wanted to go through couldn’t be met, due to time frames.

However, with regards to the design team I feel we did work very well together. Bringing together our ideas and delegating roles so that we could produce the best yearbook we could, reflecting the concept we wanted and the style of book the course wanted. Working collaboratively is always a challenge and I think that 5 people was too many, but I think we managed to get a balance between what people wanted to achieve and what we could achieve. Playing to each others strengths, and working together to generate the design. I think with regards to my own skills, I learnt a lot about time management, patience and co-operation. As well as learning technical skills, such as; setting up documents to print, going through the stages of producing something on a mass scale and I have defiantly improved my skills in Photoshop and In-design which is something I was hoping to do.

All of these skills, working and communicating with clients and technical skills will defiantly help me with my future career.

Out of all my briefs this has been the most frustrating and challenging, I am also a little disappointed at the progression of it because it was so difficult getting the information and images and I was hoping to get more out of it. However, due to this I have learnt a lot and it makes me feel more confident about working with difficult clients in the future. 

Ougd303 Brief 1

Brief 2 - Cleo tavern Evaluation

Brief 2 – Cleo Tavern Evaluation

Initially this was a brief to brand a tavern in NW, Oklahoma. However, as I began research and developing the brief I realized that the concept would be better fulfilled if I brought the tavern over to the UK and into a sophisticated situation such as Carnaby Street, London. The reason for doing this was because I wanted to achieve two things from this brief, bring heritage into design through processes while achieving something sophisticated, clean and modern. By combining the two places, Oklahoma and London, I could get this feel and look. My aim for the design was to incorporate the original audience; cowboys, farmers and bikers into the design whilst tailoring for the new audience; young professionals. I spent a lot of time researching the style of design I wanted to achieve, and the processes I thought I could use to create them.  At the completion of the brief I was aiming to have furthered my knowledge in working with branding and identity, within a high-end market. This is something I had only begun to touch on in the last module, and was something I wanted to achieve by the end. Through the research I began making appropriate design decisions and generating the brand and identity.  The main problem within this brief was creating the identity and proving that it would work across a range of deliverables, which is why I focused my efforts and developing the brand over the smaller things within restaurants, to help showcase the identity in a novel way. I developed a lot of skills through this project, for example tailoring design to fit an audience, whilst using another audience to inform it. Generating design interior mock ups, which I had to work extremely hard add and at the end I am actually very happy with this, because I didn’t find it easy to begin with. I have also furthered my knowledge in processes, bringing together wood engraving and modern design to showcase the past and the present. Within this brief I also had contact with specialist professionals, such as getting the glass engraved and getting t-shirts embroidered. This involved receiving quotes, and specking up designs so that they could work when sent. This has allowed me to think more broadly with regards to branding, and produce professional looking work, which I did want to achieve.

In order to get the most of this brief I had to work methodically, keeping on top of time management, with regards to organising laser cut sessions and getting work ready. This brief involved creating miniature deadlines and sticking to them in order to produce the process work that I wanted to achieve.

As mentioned, my main aim with this brief was to create a cohesive branding and identity with a focus on bringing together heritage and modern aspects of design through the processes and range of deliverables. I also wanted to prove that the identity created would work, and I am happy with this brief, because I feel I delivered what I initially set out to do, whilst learning a lot about the elements of design and branding. 

Ougd303 Brief 2

Brief 3 - Lulu Evaluation

Brief 3 – Lulu Evaluation

My aim for this brief was to explore fashion branding but in a different way, focusing on looking at the delivery element of fashion as opposed to in-store retail graphics and packaging.  Selecting a local high-end Fashion company called LULU, I used this as the spring board for my brief. Through research in my dissertation and general research, I found that e-commerce is becoming more and more popular, so I wanted to try an develop the idea of the delivery methods for fashion brands, making them as much of as an experience for the consumer as wearing the garments themselves. This brief involved a lot of researching, from the style I wanted to achieve, to the varying amounts of delivery methods and how garments work when they are being wrapped up. Due to the high-end nature of the brand, I wanted to portray this through the designs decisions that I made. Incorporating design processes and tactile products to enhance the experience through interaction. I had a varying amount processes to use within this brief which meant I had to manage my time accordingly, organizing when designs had to be completed by and how they would work together. A few problems happened within the processes, such as the screen printing tissue paper that didn’t work, and I had to come up with a new solution. One element I had to experiment with a lot was the printing plate, to create my own unique printed paper, I had to make sure I got the right paper and depth, experimenting with a range of GFSmiths paper and sizes. I have really developed my skills with working in alternative print methods, and thinking ways round problems in order to get the solutions that I wanted. I also developed my skills within on-screen design, using Photoshop to mock up on-screen delivery which I have never previously done.

Within this brief I found that I had to work very methodically in order to achieve the range of deliverables I wanted, and create a functioning identity that would deliver the concept.

I also got the opportunity to collaborate across courses with a fashion student who helped me with my envelopes, and in turn I helped her with laser cutting. This relationship also worked in other briefs, which turned out to be really beneficial and meant I could achieve design ideas that might not have been possible before.

Overall, I am happy with how this brief turned out, I feel I delivered on the concept that I set out in the first place. I learnt a lot from this brief, technical skills as well as time management and organization skills, which again will help me in the future. 

Ougd303 Brief 3

Brief 4 - Dylan Thomas Evaluation

Brief 4 – Dylan Thomas Evaluation

This brief from the very beginning was about exploring processing and literature. Combining both my passions for process and literature. Although this brief did change at the beginning, it still stuck to the overall idea and concept I wanted. I wanted to use the literature and text to inform the design decisions and processes I used, and I found that I was beginning to use type to convey the concepts as much as the processes.

From the start I wanted this brief to run alongside all my other briefs, so that decisions I made in other briefs and this could work together to further my skills in processing and design. I really wanted to hone my skills with laser cutting within this brief, and try and come up with a co-hesive brand that could embody the brief totally. So I got to involve branding, and processing with a focus on literature, which was really good and it helped keep me inspired with regards to the other briefs I was working on.

I had come up with some quite ambitious design and processes, which unfortunately didn’t exactly work out every time. However this process of trial and error and persistence may not have helped completely in this brief, but allowed me to make more informed designs decision with regards to processes in my other briefs. Knowing what would work and what wouldn’t, which meant I could use the most appropriate solutions in other briefs to achieve what I wanted. I had to work around a lot of problems, for example digital print running out of vinyl and having to switch my stock and design to counter this. I think because I originally set out with thought out concepts behind each book, and quote it allowed me the freedom to make mistakes and create new solutions that would still work, and sometimes better than the original.

Also due to the fact that this brief was to span the entirety of this module, I had a lot of time to make mistakes and fix them, so I had to be organized and plan around when I wanted to do certain process, because certain process take longer than others such as screen printing as opposed to digital print.

This brief had been really important to me this module, it has allowed me freedom to have fun, whilst developing my skills in type work and processes. But I think more importantly it has allowed me to understand certain restrictions with the processes and how I can counter these problems, and help me make more informed design decisions with regards to my other briefs. 

Ougd303 Brief 4

Brief 5 - ISTD Evaluation

Brief 5 – ISTD

This brief was an opportunity for me to explore the relationship between alternative print process and generating info graphics. Previously I had never created info graphics, so it was a chance to gain some skills, generating research working through it, analysing it and ultimately picking the most relevant information that I needed. It was also an opportunity to bring together the skills I had developed with the laser cutter and working with alternative print substrates to develop and push this brief. I really wanted to try and create something that was unique in its manufacture and content. Using the original ISTD brief as a springboard to create a brief that allowed me to explore the areas I was interested in. As mentioned, I spent a lot of time researching this brief and analyzing the key facts I needed to portray in order to bring this brief together, I had to make decisions fairly fast due to the nature of the process I was going to use. This was because I knew that the processes I wanted to use would be extremely time consuming, and creating the posters took 3/4hours at a time. So I had to improve my time management and organization in order to get what I wanted done. This was probably the most efficient brief I have produced within this module, because I had a clear direction and I knew what I wanted to achieve. This brief turned out to be the sort of brief that I could keep expanding on, creating more poster boards, publication work and packaging. I think the main problems I encountered with this brief was the formatting, i.e getting the substrates to laser cut into, getting the fabric for the packaging and getting the publication printed. Due to the publication size I planned to outsource it in order to get it done digitally at Pressision, however this brought around problems in itself and unless I was willing to have 100 produced I wouldn’t be able to, so instead I came up with formatting it myself. All of these problems forced me to think outside the box, and this brief really allowed me to be as creative as possible whilst having a strong concept to play around with. I learnt more about the logistics of publications and again I got to work collaboratively across courses in order to create the packaging element. This brief allowed me to be inspired, which at times really helped me with my other briefs because it meant that the decisions I used in this brief could help inform decisions I made in other briefs, such as Brief 4 and Brief 2.

Although this brief is extremely concept driven and not something I will be necessarily producing once I graduate, it has really pushed me to think of alternatives when printing and really pushed my creative abilities. 

Ougd303 Brief 5

Brief 6 - DC Evaluation

Brief 6 – DC Publication

I thoroughly enjoyed working on my DC publication, it really helped me focus what I was doing and what I wanted to be doing in the future. This brief created something for me to contact other studios and I managed to gain some valuable advice from a range of different professionals. It was a chance for me to work within publication design, which was really good because I wanted to further my skills in this area. I soon began to realize that I had developed a real passion for understanding the intricacies of branding, and wanted to couple this with my passion for processing, so using this brief as a spring board I could research and further my knowledge in this area. This publication has formed the basis for all the design decisions I have made with regards to my briefs, from looking at alternative print methods to making brands and experience and looking at the interaction with consumers. I also got the opportunity to further my skills when it came to setting up documents to print, due to the fact I was printing with two alternative printing houses, lulu and blurb, meant that I had to factor this into my design, following specifications and getting colours/text/alignment right. I have learnt a lot from this brief, not only about printing but where I am aiming to head in the future, and has basically formed a basis alongside my PPD module. I wanted this book to form as a reference point for me to dip back into in the future, to help me keep inspired and remember the things I had done and what I was interested in, so that I don’t loose sight of the designer I want to be, and I defiantly think I have achieved this. 

Brief 7 - Branding Evaluation

Brief 7 – Branding

This was by far my smallest brief, and originally I wanted it to be something that I worked on from Easter onwards – however I realized that the other main briefs I was working on at the time had more potential and I needed to focus my efforts on them to get them completed to a standard I was happy with. So this meant that initially I worked on this brief sporadically, coming up with a range of different concepts and deliverables. However it constantly had an underlying theme, I knew that I wanted this brief had to represent me and my interests in branding, and my thoughts on it. I wanted this brief to explore the ideas I had put across in my dissertation whilst encompassing the research I had been doing throughout this module.

As I began generating ideas and development for this brief I began to see that there was a clear link forming between my DC brief and this brief, as well as touching on elements of my PPD module. As the brief progressed I realized that this was becoming all about my interests as a designer, which I was really happy with because it allowed me to put what I thought about design into a context that worked for me. By creating an =idea that would help deconstruct branding, as I did in my dissertation, but in a visual way is something that I will be able to refer back to through my career hopefully in the future. Due to the fact that this brief was solely designed for the design community it allowed me to have free-reign with regards to the format of it, and I managed to do formatting and publication design which I had previously touched on in my other briefs but I managed to really push in this brief. I also got the opportunity to work on on-screen design, although initially I didn’t really want to touch on-screen design I felt that within this brief it needed it, and I am actually very happy that I have done it because it has removed to daunting misconception of on-screen design.

Out of all my briefs this has been my favorite, I think due to the fact it was quite small and a fast turn around brief meant I couldn’t get sick of it and I could have as much fun with it as possible, whilst it revolved around a concept that I was really interested in. I think this brief was a culmination of my last three years studying graphic design, and its been very satisfying creating something that I am extremely happy with and can keep with me in the future. My only regret with brief is I wish I had spent more time on it, because initially I didn’t really see the potential in it until I started working on it. However, if I had started it earlier I may not have made the decisions I did and came up with the concept I did so as it stands I am happy.

Ougd303 Brief 7

Brief 8 - Combined Briefs Evaluation

Brief 8 – Combined Small Briefs

These range of small briefs allowed me to explore very different styles of branding, covering a range of different context for them. For example, doing quick day turn around briefs to a full pitch and proposal for a new re-branding. These briefs helped me develop skills in working collaboratively as well as working with different styles of production, mostly working with digital production and not involving processes so much. At the beginning of this module I really wanted to further my skills with working with clients and these three briefs gave me the opportunity to do this, in some very different ways. I think the most exciting part of these briefs was with the St.Martins brief, which allowed me to go speak to the client as well as visit the surroundings, which in turn meant that I could get a better understanding of the design. Although the pitch wasn’t successful, the time working and corresponding with the client was extremely valuable.

I may not have got to produce work for these clients that I would necessarily do, but it taught me a lot about working with clients styles and demands, which will be extremely helpful in the future.

Ougd303 Brief 8