Updated Presentaiton Script

I have condensed what I want to talk about in my presentation so that I don't forget anything!

Open publication - Free publishing - More graphic design

Presentation

Open publication - Free publishing - More graphic design

Presentation Script

PPD SPEECH

SLIDE 1

·      Type and Colour based graphic designer

·      Interested in branding, packaging and promotion

·       

SLIDE 2

·      Level 4 – 5

o   Learn more about the Graphic Design Industry

o   Have a more defined style of working and better quality of work

o   Improve software skills

·      Direction

o   Decide if I was either a TYPE or IMAGE based designer

o   Work out which area of graphics I was interested in

o   Have more confidence in my work

SLIDE 3 – Changing from Year 4 to 5

·      Slightly daunted by second year, felt that I was slightly behind the rest of the year having missed a large chunk of the year. Little confidence in my work

·      Last year I felt that all of my project lacked meaning and direction which may have been because I never referred back to the brief after initial concept development

·      Last year I left everything to the last minute, wasted the week and started designing on Thursday.

·      This year I have started actually using the library rather than just walking past it.

·      Software skills were still pretty poor – needed to learn how to use Indesign properly!

·      Didn’t know what sort of designer I was; had an idea of the type of design that I liked however had no sense of style within my work – this is something I wanted to improve on

·      Had a long break off and lack of motivation at the start.

·      Blogging had been an issue all throughout the first year but especially after the long holiday it had taken the back seat/

SLIDE 4 – GETTING BACK ON IT - Print Module

·      “Hit the ground Running”! – 150 logos to start the first project off.

·      Really enjoyed this module; print processes and helped me understand more behind Graphic Design and the industry itself – put my designs in more context.

·      Took a while to get back into the swing of things; blogging, long hours, concept development.

·      Lorenzo’s sessions; opened my eye to the world of print based graphics – loved it and the background understanding of it helped my contextualise my work and design in the surrounding world.

·      I did not explore the print processes enough; I proposed them but I felt that my lack of time management impeded my design outcomes.

·      Spent too long on concept; instead of using and an existing concept I make the mistake of coming up with a new design and hence spent too long on the logistics of the product rather that the print outcomes.

·      I feel this was the module where I started to develop a style of working, bold use of colours (especially blue)

·      Disappointed with the mark I got for this as I felt I put in the hours but looking back I can see that I didn’t answer the brief correctly, didn’t experiment enough and also did not evaluate my work on my blog as I went along.

·      WHAT I LEARNT;

o   choose the stock before you design as it effects the whole product.

o   Design more of a range

o   Time management; research, design then evaluate CONTINUOUS – learnt from meeting with Fred

o   I never make my concepts clear enough so waste time and create more work than is needed.

SLIDE 5 – WEAKNESSES - Motion Graphics

·      I started off this module with high hopes and more motivated that I would be able to do better in this module.

·      Really enjoyed the small 5 frame idents representing with one word – also nice to use a pencil again

·      Most challenging module on the course – adding time (only previously worked with still image) – then learning a new software

·      I did TOP 10 MUSIC FESTIVALS – once again I kept changing my concept / idea.

·      Over this module developed more drawing skills that I had forgotten over the last year or so.

·      I chose my top 10 early on so was in high hopes that I would be able to keep on top of the work and concept.

·      First hurdle was drawing the idents of how the 60 second sequence would go – had a great deal of trouble visualising how my sequence would look.

·      Spent too long on researching various styles – did not gather enough material to use.

·      Frustration with after effects; initial lack of organisation / folders made everything 10 times worse.

·      Lack of motivation and enthusiasm and disliked spending 12 hours a day in front of the screen

·      Blogging took the back seat – I was concentrating more on trying to get an idea onto paper and being able to have a piece of work to show at the end of the module.

·      WEAKNESSES; time management, clear ‘water-tight’ concept, body of material to use

BRANDING MYSELF

·      Still a work in progress although I now have the basis for a business card but I just need to print them out – comes from the lack of confidence I have had in my work.

SLIDE 6 – TYPE MODULE

·      Most useful module that I have learnt on the course so far

·      Learnt a skill that has helped every area of my work

·      I can now present work on a more professional level / sense of order

·      Type journal; opened my eye to the different pieces of type / layout around us and I can now use it as a reference for other pieces of work

·      Hierarchy of text, typefaces, use of white space

·      Frustrating at times and difficult; small

·      Very hands on sessions, he pushed us out of our comfort zones and made us think in depth about how type is ‘spoken’ and how the smallest change in size, weight, layout can affect how it is represented.

SLIDE 7 – OUGD203

·      COLLABORATION

o   essential learning tool in time management

o   systematic working method; research – design – evaluation

o   more responsibility

o   let collaborator down if I didn’t keep on top of work so I was more pro-active

o   constant feedback = constant development

·      PRODUCT RANGE DISTRIBUTION

o   Spent a lot of time chosing the brief AGAIN, and then ended up chainging from the whisky one to the number 17 brief which I adapted.

o   Pleased with how the packaging came out but poor time management meant I spent too much time on the packaging and not enough on the range

o   Produced; packaging, promotional

o   Really enjoyed this brief

o   Needed more development for the digital side of the project

SLIDE 8 – STUIOD VISITS

·      Away for the majority of the summer but I am going to organise studio visits

·      Have a list of contacts; small and large design studios based mainly in the UK / London

·      Made by Analogue; stood out because of their style, use of colour, type and photography, inspirational style of working and design outcomes; emailed them but waiting for a reply.

·      Visit design studios while I am travelling in Asia

SLIDE 9 – SUMMER PLANS

·      Increase my online presence

·      Design my website

·      Photoshop – still feel these skills are letting me down so I will master Photoshop over the summer

·      Travel and experience different cultures and styles of design

·      Studio Visits; gain an insight to the working world and how a studio runs; help me know what environment I want to work in (small / large), what city and what sector of design.

·      Work Freelance to earn a bit of money as well as having another job

·      Live briefs; to keep on top of what I have learnt this year and broaden my range; able to focus on design and not have the pressure of other modules on at the same time!

·      Broaden my contact list; meet new people and help me gain more knowledge in the industry.

SLIDE 10 – APSIRATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR

·      I said at the start of this year that I wanted to incorporate more photography into my work as it is something I really enjoy, not quite managed it this year but next year I will chose briefs that I can use it.

·      Web design; master dream weaver and learn about web design in more detail

·      What I have learnt about myself this year to take on…

o   PREPAIRATION; read through the briefs before they are set and chose a concept before so that I don’t waste as much time

o   Read through the brief properly

o   TIME MANAGEMENT; draw realistic daily timetables to keep on top of workload and ensure it is balanced.

·      This year most of my design outcomes have been packaging; in level 6 I want to chose briefs that focus more on promotion and advertising as I think this is the industry I want to go into.

Images to Use for the Slides

INTRODUCTION PAGE

Just typography - Bebas Neue & Geo Sans Light

Gradient logo created for business card

CONTENTS PAGE
List in typefaces; Bebas Neue & Geo Sans Light


THE TRANSITION
Comparison of work?

MY DIRECTION / INTERESTS
Packaging - Body Shop Brief
My style - Air Beats

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT
Motion Graphics - 4 Screenshots from video
Type & Layout - Layout piece; last magazine article Task
Product Range & Distribution

INFLUENCES
Look on contents blog

STUDIOS
Logo and webpage of "Made my Analogue"

SUMMER PLANS
Collaborations
Live briefs - style of working?

LEVEL 6
Web Design
Not sure about the images....

Presentation Structure

PPD LEVEL 5 PRESENTATION SLIDE CONTENT

INTRODUCTION PAGE

Name

Graphic Design

Module Code

PPD Level 5

CONTENT PAGE

The Transition

The Direction of my Work

Strengths

Weaknesses

Improvements & Developments / Typography

Influences and Interests

Design Studios

Summer Plans

Aspirations for Level 6

THE TRANSITION FROM LEVEL 4 – 5

At the end of Level 4 I was did not know what type of design I liked or have a style

Over the summer and throughout this year I now know I am more interested in type based design that is colourful and bold.

I see the purpose of graphic design and the briefs. In my work I am now designing for a concept and a purpose rather than just a proposed idea.

WHAT DIRECTION MY WORK HAS GONE IN - PACKAGING

Typographic based – more sans-serif typefaces – like the contrasts of light and condensed within a piece of design. I like design that is more minimal.

I like the use of photography in design although I have not used any yet; I tend to veer away from illustration and decorative design.

Bold use of colour – more recently use of gradients and textures.

I have more of a pull towards print based briefs; packaging, branding

STRENGTHS

Print and Packaging

Strategic Working Method

Feel Good Brief and Product Range Distribution

Collaborations – this helped my time management and working method. I learnt that I also work better when collaborating – able to push and develop my concepts and design outcomes further (less hesitation because I have constant feedback)

WEAKNESSES

Motion Design – I found piecing together a sequence of moving images incredibly difficult. Having always thought in 2D and 3D, adding time into the equation was challenging.

TYPOGRAPHY

This is something that I really struggled with last year

This was one of the most useful modules – learn a skill that has helped me in every part of my design

I can now present work on a more professional level and have an understanding on the values and importance the smallest effect layout, typeface, point size and white space can impact on.

MY INFLUENCES & DESIGN INTERESTS

Design Context Blog

ME IN THE INDUSTRY / STUDIOS

Some of the studios that I  am interested in working with – ones that I have emailed?

Internships / Studio Visits

 SUMMER PLANS FOR WORK AND DEVELOPMENT

Live briefs

Travelling most of the summer – experience different culture and open my eyes to design around the world.

Build connections both inside and outside the industry.

Studio Visits – work out what type of industry / studio I want to be a part of (small, large?)

Collaborations with friends in the creative industry?

Plan internships for the christmas

 ASPIRATIONS FOR LEVEL 6

Webdesign – this is something that we touched on this year but I am very interested in developing my skills for next year

Continue working with packaging and branding

Use more photography whithin my work

More life briefs and collaborations

Presentation Notes and points that I want to include

 PPD – YEAR 2

WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR

·      Print module

·      Motion graphics module

·      Collaboration project

·      Chosen medium brief

·      Type and layout module

·      Enterprise module

THIS YEAR – ME DEVELOPING AS A DESIGNER

TRANSITION FROM YEAR 1 TO YEAR 2

WHAT THE SUMMER HOLDS

WHAT HAVE I LEARNT THIS YEAR

·      Concept building

·      Product range and distribution

·      Time management

·      Collaboration

·      Print processes

·      Starting a business

·      Technical skills – creative suit development

·      Competition briefs

·      Branding

·      Seeing myself as a designer in the creative industry

MY STYLE & INTERESTS

Typographic basied

Print and print processes

NEXT YEAR

Want to look more into web design and digital promotion

Packaging

Music and cosmetics based

PRESENTATION – what was good about the enterprise presentations

-       good visuals, headers, back up statement explaining about the page

-       ensure the type is visible

CONTENT

Presentation is about the TRANSITIONAL 2^nd year – how have you move forward and developed as a designer, personal and professional throughout the year.

The summer – what do I want to get out of it; studio visits, live briefs, culture, possible collaborations with friends who work in other medias.

Not wanting to go straight into an internship this summer – initially I want to look at various studios, have day visits and then decide which area I feel comfortable and undaunted by and then potentially apply for an internship for the end of the summer when I am back or then for the Christmas.

Website – get it up and running

Tumblr – create it!

Put together the portfolio

Freelance stuff

EVIDENCE

STUIDIOS THAT I AM INTERESTED IN WORKING FOR?

LAST YEAR

I was slightly struggling with the course and could not see myself in the graphic design industry having missed a fair amount of the course. Now this has completely turned around and I feel a lot more confident in myself and I can identify a direction I want to go in; what style of design that I do and don’t like

MY TYPE OF DESIGN - INFLUENCES

I am drawn to typographic based pieces of design (SHOW EXAMPELS) that are bold in colour, simplistic and well laid out.

I do not like detailed illustrative design; I prefer clean, crisp minimal design. I do like design that incorporates photography; monotone, duotone, or photographs where the hue and saturation have been alternated.

NEXT YEAR

Develop my web design skills. Really enjoy working with packaging – typography based

STRENGTHS

More confidence in my self as a designer

Larger range of skills in software; After-effects, Dreamweaver, Quark Xpress

Developed my skills in the Adobe Creative suit over the year

Type and Layout – more professional in the way that I present my work

Learnt more about the Graphic design industry, the various areas that I can go into after I graduate and working on a more proffessinal level. I can see the purpose and the whole world around a brief

Designing for a purpose rather than we were in first year where we were designing for an idea.

Proffessiional specifications; print process, presentation boards, submission formats

Working to a deadline

Being more time efficient – I now have a more strategic method of working and have realized how I work – research – design – evaluation all in a day in order to make continuous development

Using my resources and influences more effectively to help develop my work – library.

More effective evaluation of my work – continuous noting down of my ideas and thoughts about each of my designs.

TYPOGRAPHY

Really enjoyed the module, felt that it was one of the most useful modules on the course so far

I now look at presenting my work in a completely different manner

I now think about what the type says and sounds rather than just attempting to arrange it in a readable way

MY BRANDING – have visuals?

-       Business card

-       Invoice

-       Letterhead

-       Web

-       Facebook

-       Tumbler

-       Blogger

Summer Plans for Studio Visits

I have made recent plans to travel with a friend round Asia for 5 weeks so I thought that this may be the perfect opportunity to see if I get in contact and potentially go and have a look at some of the studios out there. I am going to Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. I think initially I will just focus on Bangkok in Thailand.

ASIA MEDIA STUDIO - BANGKOK
http://www.asiamediastudio.com/

DIGITAL ZOO - Chaing Mai

http://www.dgzoo.com/

THE CREATIVE DESIGN STUDIO - Bangkok

http://www.thecreativedesigncompany.com/showcase/

Drafting Points / Structure for emails to send out

I have talked through what I should include in the emails to the potential studios and how to structure it...

• Basic introduction of who I am, where I am, what I am doing
• Talk about why I am contacting them; studio visits, feedback on work, work placement
• What I like about their company; location, size, work, ethics, certain project
• If you will be in the area (e.g. London) then say this and the date. 
• You could talk about the skills you have, the areas you are interested in. 

Be clear on what you want from then, why

Remember that what you put in the subject box is the most important thing, make sure that it will catch their attention. 

*'I would wish to be considered for a design internship"

* Conclusion; appreciate their time is valuable, thank them for it

* Greatly interested in their opinion / feedback / advice on my work so far and get professional advice. 

PPD Progress Report

Below is a checklist of points we were asked to do by the end of the day or at least to have made a start on;


5 ACTIVITIES I have undertaken to secure opportunities for studio visits

• Researching studios in the UK, America and over the world
• Blogging my research and analysing them using the SWOT analysis
• Talking to Jane and John about ideas
• Building a list of contacts in the back of my note book
• Looking at my summer calendar and working out where I will be and seeing if I can drop by studios e.g. London or abroad. 

LIST DESIGNERS / STUDIOS / COMPANIES that you intend / have contacted. 

"MADE BY ANALOGUE" - Leeds (print, photography, branding, web, digital)

• Barry Darnell
• barry@madebyanalogue.co.uk
• 0113 341 0330

"GRAPHICKS" - London (print, web, branding)

• Will Hicks
• will@graphicks.co.uk
• 0203 137 3849 (design studio) 0203 137 3849 (main office)

AMPHORA DESIGN - Bath

• Niel Tully
• niel@amphora.co.uk

BARLOW DOHERTY - London

• Abigail Pitcher
• abigail@barlowdoherty.com

PHILL CLEAVER - Oxford

• philc@etal-design.com

STRATTONS ADVERTISING - Basingstoke

• Richard Stratton
• richard@strattons.com

STUDIO OUTPUT - London / Nottingham

• sam@studio-output.co.uk

DUNCAN PARKES (freelance) - Cheltenham

• duncan@cellardoorcreative.co.uk

ZIGGURAT BRANDS - London

• No email address yet

LILLIESKOLD - London

• no email as of yet

WHAT HAVE I DONE TO FOLLOW UP ON CONTACTS

Currently I have not followed up on any of the contacts yet. Some of the larger design companies I still need to get addresses for. I need to talk to Jane and John and help draft an email with them because this is what I am most daunted by...properly putting myself out there.

I also need to put together / chose a file of pdf to send them to look at, even if I am just asking for feedback.


WHAT PROBLEMS HAVE I ENCOUNTERED

My main problem at the moment is finding structuring and writing a email to each of these design studios. I find it incredibly difficult to write down exactly what I want to say to them!

Other problems I have encountered are finding the email addresses of the larger companies.


WHAT HAVE I DONE TO ADDRESS THEM

I have talked to Jane and John about the best way to approach them. I have been researching designs for mail outs. I will be sending emails out however I feel that the best way to catch the attention of the studios is to send out a mail out, something physical that they can remember me by...becuase I feel that an email is impersonal and has the problem of being lost in junk mail.


5 THINGS I AM GOING TO DO TO ACHIEVE THEM

• Draft and then finalise an email to the studios
• Put together a file of my best work in pdf format (e-portfolio)
• Start designing a creative cv / mail out
• Build a larger list of contacts, even if they are abroad and I just email them for feedback. 
• Be braver and not worry about putting myself out there!

PPD Session - Looking at our progress

Today was the day that we were told we would be locked in the studio until we sent out emails asking for studio visits / work placements or feedback from various design studios.
This was a day that I had been dreading but as it turned out it was not quite so daunting as in the end we were not locked up. Instead we just had individual tutorials with either Jane or John talking about where we were in terms of 'getting myself out there' and ideas for the summer and potential future.

This is the part of the module I have found really hard; currently I don't feel confident enough within my work to see myself sitting through a month's placement...but luckily after having a talk with John, this was not what they were asking of me.

A sheet of questions were given out to each of us that we should then write up on our blogs, basically just trying to find out what we had done in terms of research etc.

Currently I do not know what area I want to go into. For most of this year I have been more focused on print based design, however I am very interested in web design and digital design (as I feel that this is the future!).

I have had a look at studios and companies around the country mainly focusing in London because it is near to home, it is accessible and there are greater opportunities. I have also had a look at studios that are in Leeds, and also Banbury, Oxford and Cheltenham as these are all within a half hour radius from my home in Oxfordshire.

One Ltd

Larger Oxford based design studio

ETAL Design

Amphora Design

This is a Bath based Design Company that specialises in the wine Trade. It is a agency made up of 6 individuals.

Studio Output

Newco81

James Newcombe is an Oxford based Graphic and Web designer. 

http://www.newco81-design.com/

Lillieskold

This is a smaller design company that is London based. They have a large client bases and have done the packaging design for some of the Boots products line which I have loved the design of (shown in the screenshots below.