Reflection of Development
When arriving at UWIC on the first day of term as a ‘Graphic Communication’ student I was extremely excited about the prospect of having the whole university experience ahead of me. Despite my enthusiasm I was concerned that the standard of my graphic design and technical abilities would be poor in comparison to my peers due to my fine art background. Once lectures had begun and I started talking with others I realised that many people felt the same concerns. Although there were some who had much more advanced software skills I tried not to let this phase and intimidate me. I realised that what was more important at this stage was to use my skills that I had gained through previous courses and apply them to the new graphic design discipline to help create original pieces of communication design.
It was in the first year that I learnt the importance of communication in design and that everything you design has connotations, therefore you have to be aware of the message that you are portraying. The first year was a huge learning curve where I began to understand the basic principles of the discipline. It was an interesting and valuable experience learning the historical background of graphic design including typography, hierarchy and modernism and post modernism design principles, which have stood as a great basis for my designs. When I began the graphic design course I had no previous knowledge or experience of the above areas of design. In particular type was an element of design that I had never considered greatly before the start of the course. However typography is now an element which is intrinsic to most of my designs and something that I always consider. An element of the Graphic Communication course that proved to be more valuable than I had initially expected it to be was ‘Critical Contextual Studies’. At the beginning of the first year it was difficult to understand the purpose of the written aspect of the course. However it became evident that it was extremely valuable to situate the historical aspect of design in relation to the practical side. Through contextualisation I became aware that researching elements of design, both past and present enriches practical work and furthermore I feel has made me a more confident designer through a more informed knowledge of the subject area.
The second year for me was a continuation of the first in the sense of learning the graphic design principles and experimentation. However the greatest challenge was the increase in independent study. This was a difficult transition as it was easy to see periods for independent study as free time. Therefore I had to quickly change my attitude to this aspect of learning and make the most of sign up tutorials and independent study periods. Furthermore I took the opportunity to use the second year as a time for design experimentation and risk taking period. This was extremely valuable as I learnt what areas of design my strengths and weaknesses lay. The third year has been the most valuable and enjoyable part of the entire course. I have been able to use all of the skills that I have gained through the first and second years in order to develop as a more confident designer. Furthermore I have learnt from negative experiences such as poor researching and developing of ideas in order to create a process for briefs that I feel works well in order to get the most original concepts and design ideas.
One of the most both satisfying and challenging elements of the third year was the completion of the dissertation. It was a great opportunity to research thoroughly into a topic that I would have never have otherwise explored. It challenged both my academic research and writing skills, which has with a doubt improved my graphic design ability. The research skills that I gained have improved my practical graphic design outcomes as I now explore ideas more thoroughly which in turn creates more indepth and original ideas. This was a task that at times seemed hard to imagine meeting a conclusion and completion, however I feel I have gained a great deal from the experience.
Overall my university has been full of challenges and unforgettable experiences and I will leave a more mature and rounded individual for it.
Self Assessment
1 What have you enjoyed the most about the course?
a) I have enjoyed being within a friendly creative learning environment that has encouraged me to achieve new skills, confidence and to develop as a graphic communicator.
b) Another enjoyable aspect of the course is the creative freedom that the briefs have encouraged in order to generate original ideas. The support from lecturers through individual tutorials as been a great guidance for briefs that can be at times open to interpretation. Furthermore group tutorials are a great opportunity that the course provides to receive feedback from peers and allows us to become confident in discussing our ideas.
c) The social aspect of the course has been fantastic and without a doubt one of the main highlights of my experience. I have made some amazing friends who without, a day in university would not be the same if it were not for the brilliant personalities that are within the class, and they have made it a truly unforgettable experience.
2 In what ways do you think you have developed or changed during the last year?
Write about personal as well as professional issues pertinent to becoming a responsible, self-motivated student and becoming a creative and original designer.
a) I feel that I have become more driven towards becoming a graphic designer and have immersed myself within the field more through social networking and communicating with designers. Furthermore I have improved my research skills, which I believe has helped with my creativity and originality.
b) The experiences that I have gained through graphic design work placements have improved my knowledge of the industry and enabled me to become more software literate. This has in turn given me more confidence as a designer.
c) My part time job has improved my professionalism this year and has shown me the importance of key skills such as time management and organisation that I have tried to apply to graphic design.
3 What do you think your strengths are in relation to Graphic Communication and becoming a designer or working/training in a related area? Think about such things as creativity, appropriate working methods, skills and media, group and individual abilities, study skills etc.
a) As a graphic communicator one of my greatest strengths is my enthusiasm that is fuelled by a passion for creativity through design, it is this that makes me strive to achieve my very best whatever the task.
b) I am an organised individual and have developed a working process that is effective for me. I begin a task by always thoroughly reading the brief, highlighting the key aspects. The next stage is researching around the brief. I then mind map the initial ideas and points of interest. Once I feel I have a strong concept I research possible design applications and styles. The final stage of the process is thumbnails and development to final piece. I believe that a methodical process helps create a structure to which I can be creative within.
c) I enjoy working within a group as well as independently. I am a good listener and am confident to share my ideas with others, this is particularly important when working with a group in order to communicate effectively with fellow group members.
4 What has hampered your learning?
This should include things that are to do with you and who you have been, as much as about the course itself.
a) The first and second year was a great opportunity to undertake in self initiated study. I could have taken advantage of this opportunity more. In the first year I was distracted by the new social life that living away at University has provided me with. In the second year I had a part-time job that on many occasions saw me working 25 hour weeks, this effected my studies and meant I was not applying myself to the course as much as I should have been. However I learnt from both of the previous years mistakes and have learnt to have social life and part-time job in moderation in the third year.
b) A great help to my learning would have been greater guidance in relation to software. I feel that at times I have been restricted by my software skills. I have tried to overcome this by using the studio space with colleagues and we offer each other advice and guidance to advance our skills.
c) A further aspect that has hampered my learning is the pace to which I work. I feel I am very slow at creating an outcome. Through self initiated projects I am trying to familiarise myself with the software in order to become more efficient.
5 If you work outside college (voluntary or paid), what skills do you think you have gained or developed through doing this?
Name of organisation/ workplace: ‘Estee Lauder- Beauty Advisor’ Skills gained or developed:
a) The beauty advisor role requires professionalism with both colleagues and clients. The key skills that I have gained and improved upon through the role is punctuality, organisation, maturity, and be able to communicate effectively with a range of age groups.
b) I am expected to meet and exceed goals and targets on a daily basis, which has taught me to reach and go beyond the expectations of the company.
c) Furthermore I have improved my telephone communication skills through contacting customers to make sure they are satisfied with products and making sales through phone calls.
6 What plans do you have after you finish the course to continue your development as a designer or related profession and make further progress in your field?
a) I have begun contacting and meeting with graphic design agencies to show my portfolio and receive feedback with the prospect of work experience in the summer.
b) I aim to gain as much work experience in the industry as possible within the industry through networking to progress with the goal of becoming a junior graphic designer.
c) I have gained meetings with graphic studios through emailing and following up phone calls. I aim to continue with this strategy, as it has been successful to date, however it proves to be less successful I will revise to plan.
Work Influences
Estee Lauder- Beauty Advisor- 2008- Present
During my time working with Estee Lauder I have learnt the importance of professionalism. The most valuable skill I have gained is the importance of working within a team. This is a vital aspect of the job due to achieving team targets and supporting one another on a daily basis. The role is highly demanding, requiring individual targets to be met daily, to work towards the final monthly target, which relies upon self-motivation and a healthy competitive edge. I believe that all of these skills are highly important within the Graphic Design industry and have allowed me to grow as a young professional graphic designer.
United Graphic Design- Graphic Design Work Placement- 2011
When on work experience at UGD I was made to feel very welcome and at ease to ask any questions and use it as an experience to learn as much as possible from them. This was really great and allowed me to learn lots over the two week period. I began by creating UGD’s social networking identity, including Twitter avatar, page background, Facebook avatar and a downloadable desktop background. I went on to design a range of companies logos and branding, which is an area that I enjoy however feel lack in experience. The placement provided me with a greater knowledge of software and allowed me to become less precious with my designs.
Burning Red- Graphic Design Work Placement- 2011
I had a great week on work experience with Burning Red in Cardiff Bay. They provided me with a brilliant insight into the full working process of a design studio. Alex and Lo showed me the importance of being a multi-disciplinary designer and has reinforced how important is for me to expand my work into the digital side of design. Gareth the project manager allowed for me to understand costing and timings for projects, which has reinforced the importance of making quick informed decisions.
Estee Lauder- Graphic Design Work Placement- 2010
In July 2010 I had a two-week work experience placement in London within the Estee Lauder in-house Graphic Design team. This was a very valuable experience within a high end corporate environment. During my time I learnt the importance of following a brief and adhering to strict company guidelines. The experience taught me that within the industry there will not always be room for creativity, and that fulfilling the brief for the client is the main objective, and not being a self-indulgent designer.
Project Module Feedback
I had a very mixed experience with the Student Set Project (SSP). It was a daunting feeling initially to be faced with such a vast challenge whereby we were required to set our own brief. Through a range of mind maps and discussions with tutors and peers, I decided upon the topic of ‘sleep’, focusing on sleeping disorders. The SSP provided a great opportunity to explore a topic and research broadly into the area which I would have not ordinarily have looked at. This was a valuable experience to improve research skills, enriching my design ability through viewing a subject from another angle rather than the initial obvious approach when first faced with a brief. Although this was a valuable experience, I believe that this had already been learnt during the Creative Meaning brief. Furthermore I felt that due to the extensive research required in order to create the brief it meant that less time could be spent on developing the best solution to fit the brief. Therefore I believe at that this project would have been better suited at the beginning of the course and replaced with a more realistic structured brief.
I was pleased with the overall outcome that I created for the SSP, which was a children’s book ‘Little Owls’, which was designed to educate and improve both parent and child’s sleep. At the interim feedback stage I acknowledged the feedback provided. There were some points that I was unsure whether I agreed with and arranged a tutorial with Ian. At this stage we agreed on what further amendments were to be made. When I received the final module feedback I was disappointed with the comments and (C) grade that I received. I felt that the feedback was sparse considering the effort applied to the project, and consequently meant that I was unable to see where I could progress and improve in subsequent projects. Due to my disappointment I arranged with Ian to discuss the feedback in person with the moderator.
