OUGD301 Module Evaluation

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

During this module I have focused heavily on improving my typography and layout skills. I have learnt about grids and baseline grids and now use them regularly in my work (this can be seen in my LCC:Public Art Strategy, Strangeways and Yeahmate briefs). I also feel I have improved the standard of my work across this module, raising it to a more professional standard and finish. There isn’t a brief I’ve done that I look at and cringe at the final resolutions.

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

This term I have been looking more at books and other designers’ work that relates directly to what I am doing. Previously, it could be said that I would ‘design in a bubble’ and didn’t spend too much time looking at other work, however for this module I have focused research on every brief I have done, wether it’s looking at websites for Yeahmate or posters for Bollocks To Poverty. This has definitely helped me draw influences and improve my work.

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

I definitely feel that type and layout are my biggest strengths. I am confident with using grids and I understand them now. This has enabled me to take on bigger jobs such as designing brochures and lengthy documents (LCC: Public Art Strategy), something that would of needed an incredible amount of skill before, but it has also improved my design skills when working on simpler jobs such as poster design (Yeahmate) allowing me to structure and order information to create a specified feel.

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

While I have tried to improve my confidence with colour (see Bollocks To Poverty Brief) I am still stumped by colour choices when designing. I am far too comfortable designing in black and white and breaking out of that can be strange for me. I will continue to research into colour and look at other designers’ work who I feel deal with colour well.

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

I would spend more time documenting my work for my blog as well as using the blog in general more. This would make me evaluate my work more, becoming more critical of what I do and improving my design.

While I am happy with my work this module, I didn't explore enough ideas to a brief at the start of one. Next time I will designate time at the start of each brief to do this so I have a range of ideas to work from.

I have been more organised than ever for this brief but still have some way to go. When I resolved a brief and had a final piece during this module, I would then leave a brief and move on and come back to it to tie it up with the rest of the briefs at the end of the module. I should do this when I have finished it, before moving on.

Towards the end of this module I was using the studio more, coming into college more, staying later and I even came in on a Saturday once. I noticed the benefits of this and is something I want to carry on into my FMP. Besides, it's better to be surrounded by my peers for feedback, to get help and to help them out.

When I had time to plan my briefs and and make todo lists (something I only did towards the end of the module when the pressure was on) I was able to work through what I had to do fairly quickly because I was focused. This is something I'm going to carry on doing, in fact will need to do for my FMP.

6. How would you grade yourself on the following areas:
(5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor)

Attendance: 3
Punctuality: 3
Motivation: 4
Commitment: 4
Quantity of work produced: 3
Quality of work produced: 4
Contribution to the group: 3

Formula UCLan: 1st Client Showing

As this brief to produce a logo is on a tight schedule so that the team can get up and running with branding, trying to find sponsors I decided to send a PDF to the client with some proposed logo ideas. Below are the pages from the PDF i sent to him and the team:

Logo Idea (Medium Weight)

Logo Idea (Bold Weight)

Mock-Up Poster For Context (White)

Mock-Up Poster For Context (Black)

The client and team were impressed with the designs and wanted a business card to hand out to potential sponsors of the team.

Formula UCLan: Logo Layouts

Having decided on the typeface here are some layouts and styling of the logo:

I am unsure if any of these logos would work in context on a car. When it comes to applying vinyl wraps onto a car these might be tricky. I was asked by the client to see if it was possible to work the UCLan Rose into the designs so I created a vector version of that and had a play with it here. I think the rose could definitely be a feature of the logo but not how it is used above. I shall move on with this idea as I feel it is the strongest.

Formula UCLan: Avant Garde Tests

Below is some further development of the Formula UCLan logo. I have decided on using Avant Garde Gothic:

I think the alternative ligatures in Avant Garde Gothic work really well for this brief. Above I have tried some italic variations to try and get across some sort of movement within the logo. I don't feel they were as strong as the non-italic versions, but with the alternative ligatures I get the best of both worlds. I am undecided as to what works better, the bold or normal weight styles of this alternative logo so I am going to develop both styles and pitch them to the client to decide.

Formula UCLan: Type Tests

Some initial ideas below for Formula UCLan's Logo:

Sans Serif Typefaces

Digital Fonts

I think for a racing team some of these 'digital' fonts work quite well. They all look equally dynamic due to the line weight and angles used in them. However, UCLan want a professional look and I feel that the sans serif choices I made up top are more suitable, I particularly prefer Avant Garde Gothic as it isn't just a plain sans serif. It is a compass and ruler font (made up of entirely of circular angles and intersecting lines) and so retains some style that these digital fonts have while being able to play with the more humanist, 'professional' sans serifs. I also think the engineers this logo will be for and targeting will appreciate it's compass and ruler construction.

bollocks To Poverty: Type Tests

These are some type tests for my Action Aid posters.

Bollocks To Poverty: Ideas

For this brief I want to make comparisons between what we as Westerners can get for £5, and the value of that £5 to us and compare that with what £5 will do if given to Action Aid and the value of it. Below are some initial ideas I have for the project:

At the moment I am favoring the ideas that use illustrations. I haven't used much illustration this term and I'd like to bring some back in, allbeit keeping it simple.