How to... Self evaluation.

What Role(s) did you take on in the group?

Design was split equally although some were more lengthy than others, there were 5 different products to design and so we designed one each. I took on a leadership role organizing what needed to be done, giving out time frames for both the brief and the presentation.

How well do you think you preformed in the role(s)?

I think I performed very well, I finished the initial design of my product (without backing card) a couple of days before deadline as I was keen to get started. Later adding the instruction card to further improve the product.

Took on the leadership role well, everything managed to get done and everyone knew what they were doing in the presentation.

How well do you think you worked as a group?

I think we worked well, we all managed to work well together listening to each others ideas and managing to agree. Good communication between group members. Everyone chipped into the project. The only downside was people's work ethos began to lag once we had finished the design and moved onto the oral presentation.

What were the positives of working in a group?

Sharing the workload!

Having the idea/ choice to bounce ideas off of one another.

Using each other for research as the project was aimed at students.

More ideas from higher volume of people.

Everyone had different skills to bring to the table.

What were the negatives to working in a group?

Sometimes not being able to get across something you really wanted to say or do. Feeling like you have to wait for others. I had asked group members on a couple of occasions to do some personal work at home and the next day to no avail it had not been completed. I didn't particularly want to take on the leadership role, i prefer equality but at times I felt like I had no choice, and therefore had to end up telling people what to do. 

What will you do differently next time?

Right from the start share out responsibility.

Know how to use illustrator so I don't have to ask others for help.

Where could you have improved your resolution.

Show our research more- collect more evidence from more people and not just our group of 5.

Shared out the speaking more in the oral presentation.

create a more interesting presentation.

What were the strengths of your presentation?

Everything got finished.

Informative and easy to understand.

Covered every aspect of the kit in detail. 

research behind the lifesaver card.

The design concept - illustrations, camo etc. 

having the actual kit made in person and not only as a slideshow.

OUGD402. Study Task 1 - Why Am I Here - What do I want to Learn? Continued Part 2.

Identify 10 examples of design that illustrate your fields of creative interest.

1. The Guggenheim - Frank Gehry

Although all of  Gehry's pieces have relevance to my fields of interest, The Guggenheim in Bilbao is my favourite of his works. I appreciate the way Gehry has linked this piece contextually to its surroundings, with a distinguishable boat like appearence it seems abstractly at home in Bilbao, built alongside the Nervion River. (The River that runs through Bilbao and stretches out into the Atlantic). Although I usually prefer Organic architecture, I enjoy many of the elements Gehry puts into his works. The aimlessness of each titanium curve, with a skin of scales used to relflect light. Casually intertwined with glass and natural limestone against a watery backdrop It sits somewhat ignorantly blissful in this traditional spanish city.
Image from:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rlz=1C1SVEE_enGB499GB499&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbnid=ov9bdCN1YwG4_M:&imgrefurl=http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/spain-photos/&docid=jlZustoQZo1deM&imgurl=http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/065/cache/guggenheim-museum-bilbao-quiz_6505_600x450.jpg&w=600&h=450&ei=XFRoUPqjEa-U0QWeuIDABg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=716&vpy=236&dur=796&hovh=194&hovw=258&tx=138&ty=138&sig=104213200495175004207&page=1&tbnh=124&tbnw=166&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:24,s:0,i:146

2. Parque Guell

When on a visit to Barcelona last year (2011) Parque Guell was my favourite public space and piece of architecture designed by Gaudi that I visited. I fell in love with its coherency to its natural and organic surroundings, its use of curves and mosaic to construct a social seating environment in the shape of a sea serpent. Some of Gaudi's signature concepts can be found in the park, the use of pinnacles, emphasis on organic contours such as plants and trees. ' His structures echo natural forms, with columns like tree trunks' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_G%C3%BCell) which composes my favourite part of the park, some underground archways.   

Image from:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&rlz=1C1SVEE_enGB499GB499&biw=1366&bih=624&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=7Sl-CBvkPYq0TM:&imgrefurl=http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/Parcs/_dHcEaVlbphyslwnPwlKm6GAjfoYc_QlRlELRAs1wJ30&docid=oLl-Zliecp313M&imgurl=http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/files/5445-621-Imagen/Park-Guell.1.Barcelona.jpg&w=741&h=254&ei=Bl1oUO_7OOLB0QWBn4HYCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=776&vpy=192&dur=281&hovh=131&hovw=384&tx=202&ty=85&sig=104213200495175004207&page=2&tbnh=64&tbnw=187&start=21&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:22,s:21,i:251

3. Seduction Title - Marian Bantjes

Image from:
http://loveswah.com/2010/11/marian-bantjes/

4. Fade Away type - Aron Jansco

Image from:
http://loveswah.com/2010/11/marian-bantjes/

5. Indoor Gardens.

Image from:
http://fundesignideas.com/interior-design/small-indoor-garden-plants-design-ideas.html

6. Blind embossing.
Image from:
http://pinterest.com/pin/112590059403740568/

7.Paper-cut illustrations by Yulia Brodskaya

Image from:

http://blog.makezine.com/2009/01/01/papercut-illustrations-by-yulia-bro/

8. Wedding invites by Christine + Ian.
Image from:
http://greenweddingshoes.com/a-handmade-wedding-in-the-woods-christine-ian/

9. Ever stopped - Darren Newman.
Image from:
http://www.meandmypen.com/work.php?id=171

10. Identity - Ben Eine 

Image from:

http://identitydesigned.com/eine/

OUGD402. Study Task 1 - Why am I here? What do I want to learn? Continued.

Number Seven.

Identify and Explain 5 things that inspire you.

1. My cat inspires me to always be curious.

This is a photo I took of my cat when she sat inside one of my lamps. For me it is reminiscent of the idea that we should never stop being curious. She inspires me to never stop searching and improving myself because their is always more knowledge to gain.

2. Listening to Music 
I have a couple of songs/ artists that I always find myself listening to when I am designing or do any kind of work. Although It is easy to be inspired by music that has lyrics, I prefer to listen to instrumentals being inspired by the sounds compiled and not the words.
A couple of my favourites are:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0SoF0orkpI

I listened to this song throughout painting my summer brief along with some of his other compositions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbvrM6Nj2Ok

Above videos are not mine, they belong to the accounts stated on youtube.

Above image from:
 http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rlz=1C1SVEE_enGB499GB499&biw=1517&bih=693&tbm=isch&tbnid=sCJdoGQN6uxiYM:&imgrefurl=http://www.jasonslope.co.uk/jason-slope-music-producer.html&docid=ubHU6ER2MXAZXM&imgurl=http://www.jasonslope.co.uk/music_producer.jpg&w=300&h=300&ei=X85mUNaPM6Kh0QX9jIH4BA&zoom=1

3. Travel and Culture.
I find that exposing myself to other places and cultures not only inspires me but further empowers my knowledge. Whenever culture and travel journey into design, we are subject to a different realm. I've been lucky to travel all over the world, from which I have been totally immersed in a calibre of culture, all from which I have taken different memories and had different experiences.
Photo collage made from a collection of family holiday photos.

4. People of the world.
What should have been first and foremost is the people of the world. The people who I design for, who will interact with my work, give me criticism, help me to improve. Those who will shape anything I will do. My audience will influence, embolden, exhilarate and excite whichever direction I step in, wherever I go they will lead me.
Image from:http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rlz=1C1SVEE_enGB499GB499&biw=1517&bih=693&tbm=isch&tbnid=AawJfXA1bAAV5M:&imgrefurl=http://www.watchherglow.com/2012/02/02/give-people-you-dont-know-a-fair-chance/&docid=ypjQPED10J2LzM&imgurl=http://www.watchherglow.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/nooneisordinary.jpg&w=500&h=333&ei=n3pnUNiIFuXb0QXfuoDAAQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=257&sig=104213200495175004207&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=187&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0,i:155&tx=134&ty=13

5. Where I came from.
The places in which I used to live, my first memory to yesterday, my family and my friends, knowing how hard I have worked until now to get to where I am going. Every conversation I have had, every picture I have seen, every song I have heard. Everything is in a personal file of memories which I can delve into at my own personal disposal. These are the memories that have shaped me and will continue to influence my work.
Image taken by family member on past holiday.

OUGD402. Study Task 1 - Why am I here? What do I want to learn?

Our first task sent us on a journey of self-reflection, acting as an aid to help us discover why we had gotten to this place, Why were we at Leeds college of art? Who are we as designers and what are we willing to let go of, in order to be most successful? 

Number One.
identify and explain 5 reasons why you chose to study on this program.

1. Leeds College of art is a Specialist Art and Design school.
2. Living in Bradford, I'm solely 30 minutes from home, so If I ever feel homesickness kicking in its only a short commute.
3. There is more time spent in studio and with tutors than any other course I had researched, I know, not only am I receiving what I'm paying for. I'm also getting the best education I can, which is, most important.4. There are opportunities to go on placement through out academic year rather than, having a year in the industry, where everything I have just learnt, strays from my mind and I have to relearn it.
5. There are less students per class, lots of other courses that I have seen pull up to a 150 students in the first year, At Leeds there is more one on one time, and the feeling you've really been noticed.

Number Two.
identify and explain 5 things that you want to learn during your time on the program.

1. To learn how to use the letterpress, which Is fast becoming one of my favourite medias used in the graphic design world.
2. I want to learn what my style is, what I like, what I dislike and who I am as a graphic designer.
3. What sector of graphic design I would like or prefer to work in, right now I have no preference, I'm completely open minded.
4. How to use the creative suite successfully and independently. Unaided without having to flick back and fourth between tutorials and googling how to resolve problems.
5. A big learning curve for me will be learning how not to breakdown when I get things wrong. Having never studied graphic design formally before, I am bound to make mistakes.

Number Three.
Identify and Explain 5 skills that you think are your strengths.

1.Talking In front of people, generally or about my work. Having studied performance studies and being a part of shows in front of large crowds across Europe, I have built up the confidence to talk to anyone about anything.
2. Most things handcrafted, Designing by sketch, paint, ink and pens, before I applied for graphic design I had only experimented in indesign and explored photoshop, most of my experience came from creating hand crafted work.
3. Organisation. Being a worrier, I plan everything out to a point where I can't be late. The one thing I want to prevent is sitting at home panicking on a sunday because I'm nowhere near done for deadline next day.
4.I am good at problem solving, From working with many groups across subjects in the past that have let me down, I have learnt that I will ALWAYS encounter problem and I can only depend on myself to sort these.
5 I find that I present work well. Both Spoken and Written, I like to go the extra mile to organise work into a more visually pleasing presentation. 

Number Four.
Identify and explain 5 things that you want to Improve.

1. I want to Improve my confidence in myself, I worry a lot of the time because I fear that i've done something wrong or that its not good enough.
2. Using the creative suite. I have very little experience with Adobe, and so I think it will be a complex process often frustrating, with a feeling of wanting to give up but, in the end being able to use the suite successfully will be a huge achievement.
3. Not over complicate things/ Spend too much time on one piece of work. I find that If I am confused about a piece of work or am struggling with the task, I find the lengthiest way to complete It just to make sure I am covering all thee bases.
4. Creating more individual work without the influence of other designers. Creating work that is in the style of me, instead of a graphic designer or like, or being inspired and doing something with influence from another studio.
5. Improve my writing skills In order to match that of degree level standard. Having studied English language A level, I was always confident that I had strong writing skills, however I know that degree writing is on another level
.

Number Five
Identify and explain 5 ways that you will evaluate your progress.

1. Take the time to learn the creative suite attending tutorial sessions and learning in my own time in order to become more confident.
2. Evaluating and assessing through blogs, to record what I have done right/wrong and where I could do better.
3. Using all opportunities to go in the studios/ mac suites to get work done.
4. Comparing my most recent piece of work to my last to constantly see how I am improving, and where my work could go in the future.
5. Constantly read new material in order to build more knowledge (context) and improve my writing schools by encompassing and including the new terminology I learn.

Number Six
Identify 5 questions that you want to find the answer to.

1. Who am I as a designer?
2. Where will I be in three years time?
3. What is graphic design?
4. How will other design influence me?
5. Where did graphic design start and where is it going?