Reflecting back on my original rationale; I don’t feel I have made the most out of this module or pushed myself to produce the standard of work that I am capable of. I feel I have touched upon the areas that I wanted to focus on, but I haven’t exploited them to a very high level. Out of all the modules I have done throughout the course so far, I have definitely struggled most with this one for various reasons.
My intention was focus on illustration and type as image. I have produced work that covers both of these areas but looking back at the work, I haven’t produced the sort of type as image that I wanted to work with; I wanted to work more with the sort of hand crafted/rendered type that I began working with towards the end of my second year but I didn’t manage to appropriately fit this into a brief; obviously, this is completely my own fault. I think the cause of this has been my poor time management as I picked up a couple of briefs along the way and I got caught up in these ones and due to lack of time, I chose to drop the Lyrics and Type brief which would have been the substantial brief where I really focused on hand crafted typography.
Another area that I wanted to address was my software skills in photoshop and illustrator. In particular I wanted to really get to grips with the basics of them both; I obviously had quite a good understanding of both pieces of software due to workshops etc. over the past couple of years, however they were both quite time consuming and I could never estimate the length of time I would spend on them very well, meaning it would effect my time management. Therefore, a positive is that I feel more comfortable using these pieces of software at a more efficient rate.
I think most of my briefs reflect my design intentions relatively well i.e. in terms of what I want to focus more on, but there were some that I really dwelled on, so much so that in the end I wasn’t happy with the what I produced and I think some of the work may reflect that. For example, the Criminal Damage brief; at the start, I intended for this to be a lot more illustration orientated but I chose to develop the metal band inspired type aspect. In the end, I wasn’t happy with every design that I pursued and I definitely feel that this brief could have been turned around a lot quicker.
As mentioned previously, I have really struggled with this module and I feel it was partly to do with the fact that I was trying to do all 6 briefs at the same time. Looking back, I should have set stricter deadlines for myself and maybe just have done two at a time and properly complete these before starting another. I actually think if I did this, I would have produced more work and work of a higher quality. My overall feel for this module was that I panicked quite a lot and focused more on quantity rather than quality - so I ended up not having time to do a lot of things such as quality printing.
Overall, for my Final Major Project, I really hope that I can learn from the mistakes I have made throughout this module. I need to make stricter decisions on the briefs that I want to undertake, why I want to do them and what I want to get out of them so that I can’t completely change my mind when I start panicking and end up producing work that I am unhappy with and don’t want to put in my portfolio.
New Business card
When I was sketching new ideas, I really thought this is one that I would go for...but as soon as I started putting it together digitally I thought...no. It just didn't work out like I expected it to so I changed direction quite quick.
I hadn't sketched this idea...but it kind of came from the poster that I did for the cockpit competition and it kind of pursued the hands on feel that I wanted.
I hadn't sketched this idea...but it kind of came from the poster that I did for the cockpit competition and it kind of pursued the hands on feel that I wanted.
The idea was to try and make my logo look like a stencil and kind of...imperfect which in a way relates to my design practice. Although I like perfected digital illustrations...I then like to give it some texture and make it look a bit 'rougher' so I thought this suited it quite well.
Although I liked the handwritten text on my previous design, I didn't think it would work aswell with this image because it could look too 'cutesy' and I just need the card to carry the important information that needs to be readable. I still went with a sans serif typeface.
I actually think it does work well in colour, which I didn't expect it to, but for the time being I am going to stick with black and white.
Business card re-do
So...after leaving it a while and seeing on the studio wall for however long, I decided...I didn't like my previous business card. I realised, if I had...as little as 50 printed, thats 50 individual cards that I'm going to have to put the stamp on...about 10% of which wouldn't be in the right place so I'd probably lose money...and it could just end up being a bit of a mess!
I therefore decided it was (already) time for a change. I still wanted to stick my circular 'logo' because at the moment I still like it.
I therefore decided it was (already) time for a change. I still wanted to stick my circular 'logo' because at the moment I still like it.
Business card 2
I was adament that I still wanted to use my stamp because I liked the idea of it...but I needed to make the card represent me better, so I developed the 'hand crafted' feel too it.
As I am an image based graphic designer, I thought it could work if I included some small drawings of the tools I use...
The layouts shown retain the space for me to put my stamp on the front.
As I am an image based graphic designer, I thought it could work if I included some small drawings of the tools I use...
The layouts shown retain the space for me to put my stamp on the front.
To continue the hand rendered feel, I handwrote my information...scanned it...and placed this on the card which I thought was added a more personal touch.
I do think it looks better than before...but I'm still not 100% sure.
I tried a folded business card so that I could either have a piece of work in the middle or more information or something. The stock i used for the experiment was too thick and I don't think the coloured in drawings work well with the black stamp.
This idea is something I may develop, but in this instance I don't really like it.
This idea is something I may develop, but in this instance I don't really like it.
Business card 1
As I bought a stamp to add a 'handcrafted' feeling to my business cards, when designing them...I just really needed to decide where the information was going to go and what typeface it would be.
I decided to go with the serif font...as its less formal and I think it suits my practice better.
So once printed...this was when the problems occured.
Firstly, I had decided the information would go on the back and just the stamp on the front...but it just looked a little too empty and...
So once printed...this was when the problems occured.
Firstly, I had decided the information would go on the back and just the stamp on the front...but it just looked a little too empty and...
The ink didn't go onto the stamp properly and it was Really hard to get it centered because the stamp is circular but the block that its on is square...and not completely centered so I couldn't see if it was properly centered or not. This then made it look...bad.
So because I though it looked too bland with just the stamp, I just put it on the back with the informaion and although it looks a little better...I still wasn't completely happy with.
Back to the drawing board.
Back to the drawing board.
Flickr
I've had this Flickr account for a while...but haven't really spent much time on it because it takes a while to upload on my laptop....but over the summer I want to make it a lot more substantial and put a lot more of my recent work up on to it.
Although the site kind of annoys me with the navigation, I think its a good way to get my work out there and have a basic online presence.
Although the site kind of annoys me with the navigation, I think its a good way to get my work out there and have a basic online presence.
Online magazines/sources
Over the summer I intend to spend more time on these sites, by either submitting work or finding contacts...specifically the Creative handbook as its linked to Creative review...which is obviously pretty high profile! (By pretty...I mean very)
Illustration agents
As I came to the conclusion that I, Ideally want to go freelance...I don't think asking to go work in a design studio for a week would be particularly benifical for me this summer because I wouldn't be in the right frame of mind.
Maybe in the future...but not right now.
Taking this into account, one of the things I will be doing over the summer is contacting illustration agents...in London, manchester etc. and hopefully starting a conversation with them.
A few I have identified so far that I will contact are below;
CIA - Central Illustration Agency.
They have a specifically typography/type as image section which I feel my work would fit into.
Debut Art
This agency represents Serge Seidlitz, whose work I really like at the moment...this being the main reason I want to look more into them and contact them.
Folio;
I haven't really spend a huge time looking at these...but they look professional and I like the artists/work that they represent.
Heart;
In addition to liking the work that these represent, another selling point is the fact that they have an office in London...and an office in New York; my favourite place.
Lemonade;
For some reason, these don't really look as professional as the others but I will look more into them to see if they're worth contacting/if they're successful.
NB -
Once again, the thing that drew me to these were the fact that they have a typography section.
Good Illustration/Thorogood;
I found these by searcing for Thoroughgood/Thorogood so I don't know if they've changed their name...or this is another one, but either way the work that they represent is great and they represent a Lot of people which I think is a selling point.
Maybe in the future...but not right now.
Taking this into account, one of the things I will be doing over the summer is contacting illustration agents...in London, manchester etc. and hopefully starting a conversation with them.
A few I have identified so far that I will contact are below;
CIA - Central Illustration Agency.
They have a specifically typography/type as image section which I feel my work would fit into.
Debut ArtThis agency represents Serge Seidlitz, whose work I really like at the moment...this being the main reason I want to look more into them and contact them.
Folio;I haven't really spend a huge time looking at these...but they look professional and I like the artists/work that they represent.
Heart;In addition to liking the work that these represent, another selling point is the fact that they have an office in London...and an office in New York; my favourite place.
Lemonade;
For some reason, these don't really look as professional as the others but I will look more into them to see if they're worth contacting/if they're successful.
NB -Once again, the thing that drew me to these were the fact that they have a typography section.
Good Illustration/Thorogood;
I found these by searcing for Thoroughgood/Thorogood so I don't know if they've changed their name...or this is another one, but either way the work that they represent is great and they represent a Lot of people which I think is a selling point.
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