Monday 21 November 2011

Evaluation - Design skills

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

I have learned how to use software’s such as adobe illustrator successfully in order to help me design digitally instead of hand rendered. 
I became a lot more organized and focused in the work I’m doing, where as previously if I weren’t too keen on brief I wouldn’t put effort in.
I have also learnt a new way of producing work from scratch, going back to basics on a design sheet with a sharpie instead of doing detail drawing, which I’m most used to.

What approaches to/methods of idea generation have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?

I have learnt that it is hard to produce successful work without design sheets, research and developed ideas as a starting point before feeling comfortable enough to go with an idea, there has to be a lot of initial starting points before a design fully works effectively.

What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise them?

I do feel happier and comfortable with my design work now than when I first started, I didn’t know anything about typefaces, typography and a lot of graphic design, I’ve now realised that I really like working with type and I should continue to develop in producing work with it.
I believe I’m getting better at documenting my work more through blogging, before enrolled on this course I was studying BA photography which was nothing like this, it was very practical and I had to write a lot of essay, whereas I much prefer graphic design as there is a mixture of workloads within the course, and its full time which is more worth while as I feel I’ve learnt more in one module than in a full year on my previous course.

What weaknesses can you identify in your work an how will you address these in future?

I find it hard to generate a lot of idea quickly. I find myself spending a lot f time thinking about the brief rather than getting the ideas on to paper, force of habit that I need to get out of.
I’m not as advanced as a lot of my class mates when it come to design work of illustrator and photo shop, therefor it takes me longer to develop a good body of work to present to the group as well as a final design. However I do feel I am getting better and learning a lot by practising on the software and with help from technicians.
I also struggle with research, I find it hard to grasp what is necessary to look for and what will back up my ideas, I need to work n this by always keeping my self visually aware; looking through books etc.
At first I wasn’t very confident in showing my work to my other peers even in small groups as I felt I was of a lower standard compared to most, especially in front of a large group because I have major stage fright, however I think I’m gradually overcoming this as the crits and presentations go on weekly.

Identify 5 things that you will do differently next time and hat do you expect to gain from doing?

- Organise my time more effectively, design myself a work timetable so that I get everything done on time.
- Blog more, keep up to date with work and do set tasks on the day instead of leaving them until later.
- Design and produce more ideas for each brief o back up my work, and flow with a mixture of ideas until they work successfully.
- Try harder on researching, work with what’s relevant and read a lot more. 

How would you grade yourself n the following areas:
 Poor  2. Average  3. Good  4. Very good  5. Excellent

Attendance = 4
Punctuality = 4
Motivation = 3
Commitment = 4
Quantity of work produced = 2
Quality of work produced = 2
Contribution to the group = 3