Monday 12 December 2011

'How to.....' - Self Evaluation

  • What problem did you identify?
The problem my group identified was "How to travel as a businessman."

  • What evidence did you find to support your decisions?
I found a range of evidence to support my groups decisions, this ranged from visual inspirations and ideas to help us know the standard of work that is out there, as well as to help us know what has already been done. Other evidence was how information graphics worked as well as topical research that we all individually looked into. My research was to look into current survival guides and business clothing, travel, packing techniques. 

  • What methods did you use to gather your evidence and what forms did it take?
I looked mainly online because I felt the recources in the library did not quite fit the needs of my research. I put together online questionaires and looked at Youtube and other viral videos that helped me understand easy travel techniques. I did find some amusing gentleman websites through search engines that prooved to be very useful when explaining what a person needs when traveling on a business trip. These websites explained step by step guides to topics like "how to bundle pack." They also supplied imagery that I ended up using to draw simple info graphics. Overall due to my individual research that looked at things like "how to fold a shirt" I only got primary and secondary research whereas the rest of my group had good quality quantitative and qualitative research.

  • What methods of research did you find useful and why? How did these inform your response to your problem?
I found that the questionaires my group looked into were quite useful because we had power over what we wanted to be answered. This is better than scrolling through pages of the web trying to find anwers that dont quit fit the brief your working on. I also found useful the step by step guides I found on the "how to be a gentleman" website. I struggle with following instructions myself and it helped me learn to push myself when it came to designing my "how to bundle pack design." because I had to read the instructions to know what I was designing.

  • What methods did you encounter as problematic?
I found my groups organisation methods at the beginning slightly problematic because I felt that we jumped into an idea very quickly. The members of the group all had a busy timetable so it was hard to meet up and discuss our work. I also felt that the topics we were researching into were very beyond a lot of my knowledge. I was open to researching and solving this problem but I dont think I had the skills or the knowledge to know what type of business information I was looking for. 

  • How did you overcome this?
I think the group came together with our organisation at the end because of the pressure to succeed in a subject that everyone felt that was quite alien to them. Members like David and Nathan did a good amount of work. David had the brains to know what to research and Nathan took the lead, especially in the design process. 

  • What research could you have carried out that would have proved more useful?
I could have figured out a way of finding quality quantitative and qualitative research because they are more facts and figures. I could have done some more infographics in the forms of graphs and data mapping.


You should reflect on your  individual contributions to group work and evaluate your own experience, opinions and decisions. Once you have completed your self evaluation.

I feel that I could have done more research work if I was confident with the subject matter that we were trying to achieve. I think certain members got frustrated with this because they felt restricted to what their visions were.

 I do feel that I was the first person to lay out a design on the table. I think my design work was strong and looked to a contempory standard but at the same time looked neutral so members could go away and still achieve the same style. I wanted to make the guide look like it had been designed, so it did not look like a buntch of graphs made in Excel. I do sadly feel that a couple of the pages in the guide do look like they were! 

List five things that you have learnt about the design process over the last two weeks.

  1. Working in groups can be hard, especially when there is conflict over content and design styling.
  2. Research is very important and you cannot just rely on the internet
  3. Time management is harder to control in a group, without someone taking the lead.
  4. You have to learn to be able to work with other people because that is how the design studio works
  5. Don't get put off by the unfamiliar. 


List five things you would do different next time.

  1. Don't jump straight into an idea
  2. Communicate ideas to the group better
  3. Don't be afraid to take the lead on an idea
  4. Look into different ways of researching an idea

    Sunday 11 December 2011

    I love Ampersands

    On Friday night I stayed up and had a doodle. I was quite inspired by Fridays speed designer dating and I have been telling myself for a while that I need to sit down and draw more. I just drew a few ampersands because they are my faveourit glyphs.



    OUGD403 Results

    I got my results for OUGD403 the other day and I am very pleased with the outcome! I had no clue how the marking system worked and was unsure if my work was good enough to get a 2.1, however despite my doubts I got a 2.1! I am very pleased because this is the first module and I am working at degree level. WOOP!

    Context of practise 3 - Inspiring designers

    If you read the post below I looked at designers that I admire. There are no doubt a few designers missing and I may kick myself for forgetting to put people on the list.

    You will see the little debate on female designers too... because the task says I have to select one male, one female, and one group/company. However I could not think of many females for the life of me and I find that quite sad.

    Mike Perry

    Provide 3 samples of their work...





    Reasons why I appreciate them...

    I love and appreciate Mike Perry because I love his free hand style of doodling and type. When I first discovered him, I was really into his work because it is quite childlike and I was very into doodling myself at the time. He is inspiring because of the amount of great work he churns out everyday. He is also willing to share and collaborate through his books, interviews and personal work. I wish to have a piece of his work hanging on my wall one day.

    Recall when/where I first heard about them

    I first recall seeing Mike Perrys work when I was about 14/15 in The Tate gallery shop on holiday in Saint Ives. I discovered his amazing book Hand Job and was transfixed on his delightful exploration of hand drawn typography. I knew I wanted to be a designer but I think Hand Job pushed me one step further towards doing an ND Graphic course at six form college.

    Who are they? Mike Perry
    Identity Amazing beardy illustrator/designer
    Gender  Male
    Nationality  American

    What do they specialise in?  Illustration/Design
    What are they known for?  The books Hand Job and Pulled as well as very quirky illustrative style
    Where are they based?  Brooklyn
    When did they start? I have a feeling he started since the day he could hold a crayon
    How did they develop? By drawing and experimenting everyday. He did a painting course but he hated it and he started a graphics course soon after.
    How are they motivated? His surrounding, drawing, new experiences, new treasures

    In this video I love his studio/working space and how he is willing to share his draws of work/secrets. I like that he doesnt dream at night because he feels like he is already in his little world during the day. He looks like he draws everyday. I feel and want to do that, I want to look at how I spend my time.


    This is another interview. He is such an honest guy.

    Hugo & Marie presents: An Interview With Mike Perry from hugoandmarie on Vimeo.

    Finally I find this interview really interesting too.



    Kate Moross


    Provide 3 samples of their work...




    Reasons why I appreciate them...



    I appreciate Kate Moross because shes one of the first female designers to come to mind. She also isnt much older than me and she has done so much to get herself out there. She started by designing posters/flyers for her local music scene and in her first year at uni she designed a billboard campaign for Cadburys! She too just churns work out everyday and has designed for some of my favourite bands such as the Gossip. I love watching her interviews and visiting speeches at universities because for someone so young she is very charismatic and inspiring to listen to

    Recall when/where I first heard about them


    I first recall seeing Kate Moross's work in Topshop but I was not aware of her as a designer. It was not until first year of college that my friend Fiona introduced more of her work to me. 



    Who are they? Kate Moross
    Identity Graphic designer/ art director/ music label owner
    Gender  Female
    Nationality  British

    What do they specialise in?  Illustration/Design
    What are they known for?  Campaign for Cadburys, Topshop clothing range, illustrative style, music sleeves/ poster design
    Where are they based?  London
    When did they start? She has been drawing all her life
    How did they develop? A level, foundation, Uni....drawing and experimenting everyday. Going on tour with her band
    How are they motivated? Surrounding, drawing, new experiences, new treasures, music, toys, trainers, tshirts, different coloured pens/stationary.

    Below are some interesting interviews with her.












    The Church Of London

    Provide 3 samples of their work...








    Reasons why I appreciate them...



     I appreciate them as an agency because they seem like a dream to work for. 





    Recall when/where I first heard about them...



    When I first started reading Little White Lies I did not realise that it was designed by an agency. Then they posted a video of the making of The Black Swan issue and I looked into the agency because I wanted to produce a magazine for my final major at college and the process of the video really inspired me.






    Who are they? The Church Of Londo
    Identity Creative Agency 
    Gender  Both
    Nationality  British

    What do they specialise in?  In house publishing, customer publishing, art direction and design, design for film, design for web, motion and video etc
    What are they known for? They are a famous design company know for Little White Lies and Huck magazine.



    Where are they based?  East London



    When did they start? 
    How did they develop? 
    How are they motivated? They employ lots of creative people that produce inspiring work so there must be some special vibe there.




    Context of practice 3 - Favourite designers

    The task is to consider my favourite designers (both genders), creatives and agencies and write a long list as possible of their names. Even research new ones as applicable.

    When I first started to do this task I could not think of many female designers/admirations. I mostly knew of male admirations and this made me sad because I aspire to be a female designer. I decided to post my concerns on Tumblr/Twitter/Facebook. I had a interesting response because I and a few others felt that design should not be genderised.

    On my blog people commented with statements like:

    "The problem is referring to over half the population as ‘females’ rather than just focusing on the design work." 

    "I think you need to point out (perhaps on your blog if not in person) that by saying only ‘female’ and ‘male’ designers"

    "Putting a gender on design and that’s stupid. Design is a thing, it doesn’t need a gender assigned to it"

    "Have people just thrown out everyone else who doesn’t conform to the gender binary. What about transgendered deisngers? Queer designers and those who just don’t know yet?"

    "What you should be focused on as a designer is the work involved and not whether or not some is a uterus owning person or a penis owning person."

    My Facebook comments introduced me to new designers




    My List so far...

    Mike Perry
    Mark Weaver
    Luke Beard
    Kate Moross
    Rob Ryan
    John Dilnot
    Norma Bar
    The Church Of London
    EE Storey
    Gilbert and George
    Paul Rand
    Saul Bass
    Peter Saville
    Oh Comely Magazine design team
    Blast studio
    Julien Valle
    Sarah Young
    Kate Prior
    Vivienne Westwood
    Studio Emmi
    Julia Potts
    Jessica Hische 
    Studio8
    April