https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd Ongoing reflections en-us 2021-05-29 07:46:50 UTC 2024-06-20 04:08:55 UTC hello@padlet.com mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664516767 This part of the module gives me mixed feelings. I'm excited and definitely looking forward to getting my first professional experience, but I'm also slightly nervous and hopeful that I'll be given work placement that's most suitable for my talent. As suggested by the tutors during collaborative session, I've written down companies and projects I'd like to work in the future (not only this year but also after I graduate from university). I see myself working on sets, commercials, campaigns or doing editorial work for magazines. Therefore I hope my portfolio will be noticed by the right individual.

]]> 2021-07-30 01:24:41 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664516767 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664529968 I've already had a CV as it was one of the module outcomes last year. However, a CV is a document that constantly requires updating. At the end of this year, there will be more information I should add to my CV, such as the work placement experience, more live projects I would like to mention, and perhaps updating my contact details. A good CV should be simple and clear to a reader, contain truthful information and show my personality.  For now, I’ve changed and added some information, drew more attention to hierarchy and details,  slightly redesigned the layout, changed typefaces and aligned and adjusted the text using grids. As my past projects vary and I’m willing to apply for multiple different companies, I didn’t want to target only one type of audience but rather keep my cv simple yet creative which might interest various potential employers. ]]> 2021-07-30 01:41:30 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664529968 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664547747 Just like a CV, a PDF portfolio was one of the outcomes last year. Honestly speaking, I feel like last year I rushed it and I'm not the biggest fan of the current state of it. The layout could be more interesting and reflect my personality as an artist more and include more projects. This year however, apart from creating a pdf portfolio, we were also asked to create our website. I've already compared a few I could choose from but I'm still unsure which one I will use. ]]> 2021-07-30 02:03:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664547747 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664553559 When it comes to PDF portfolio,  I changed and experimented with the grid and colours. I kept the same logo on the front page, but included a section About me and contact details. I also tested it out on someone who isn’t familiar with my projects and they confirmed the document is nicely designed, simple, full of information about the projects but at the same time not boring (it didn't take them too long to read). When it comes to a website portfolio, I’ve chosen WIX. At first I thought it would be a bit pricey comparing to other websites, but turned out it wasn't. It’s very easy to use, has a nice selection of templates and all the tools I would possibly need. Also, based on forums I’ve read, the costumer service is excellent so it sounds reliable in case there are any issues. During the process of creating my website portfolio, I followed suggested rules: using sans serifs, showing my work in situ, making sure the quality of my images is good and checking how the website looks on different  devices.
For now, I'm happy with the outcome and I hope I will use my website portfolio in the future regularly.

]]> 2021-07-30 02:09:48 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664553559 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664568806 I'm not going to dive into details on this topic in this post, as a a full reflection and a daily diary from the work placement will be included in my Work Placement Publication.To sum up, I was pleasantly surprised when I got the email confirming my placement because I had seen Rachel’s work before and I adore all her projects. I was given two major tasks: designing a packaging and creating ideas for a fashion campaign. Even though we worked together for only 2 weeks, I've learned and gained a lot of inspiration. I can't wait for my next professional experience. ]]> 2021-07-30 02:26:43 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664568806 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664577167 A reoccurring element in my Publication Because is a rainbow, because the work placement was a positive experience and designing a packaging for a glass rainbow was my first project I worked on. A rainbow also sums up the two weeks with Rachel Thomas, because it symbolises joy, happiness, magic and is generally associated with positive feelings. I created my publication cover in Procreate, experimented with different brushes and motion blur to achieve the abstract effect. I looked at different magazines I could find at home (for example Elephant magazine) as a source of inspiration for text layouts. Combining the inspiration with my own imagination resulted in sketching a few layouts that I thought would work well for this type of publication and make it look a bit as a diary. I also came across 'Rama' typeface and I thought it would be perfect for this project. The description on Adobe fonts page includes two words; ‘retro-looking’ which is great cause it could be used a reference to Rachel’s fascination with pop aesthetics, and ‘nostalgia’ - how else could someone describe a diary if not nostalgic? 

]]> 2021-07-30 02:36:31 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664577167 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664592471 The idea of larger typographic signs in the background came from screen printing workshops we had last year, when we were asked to play around with overlapping eachothers letters. I thought it’s a good idea to add this element to my publication to give it a more personal feel, since it’s a diary. It’s also meant to navigate a reader through the pages. I experimented with different typefaces used for the body text. First I was using a sans serif helvetica, but after trying a serif, I like the idea of combining serif with sans serif in the background, it looks less monotonous. ]]> 2021-07-30 02:53:36 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664592471 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664605109 We were introduced to a new project which includes working in a group and designing this year's Anthology edition. Today's lesson task was a good practice and showed me what things to consider. I used Anthology Grid Experiment sheets to explore how I can balance image and text on spreads.  I cut up the black paper to represent images on the page and cut out different sizes of text blocks and headings from the sample pages.  I tried to create a spread that’s rather functional and this is the outcome.

]]> 2021-07-30 03:07:14 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664605109 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664611458 After researching given themes, I developed a concept (described in detail in my sketchbook), however it didn't turn out to be successful. The feedback my group has received suggested that we focused on perhaps just one theme. The concept based on playing cards can lead audience to confusion regarding the content of the book. It’s too closely related to games, and could work if one of the stories was about, for example, gambling. Therefore, my group will develop a new concept and narrow it to only one theme, connection.

]]> 2021-07-30 03:13:38 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664611458 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664616895 New concept was developed by Robert from my group. The next two slides show his work. The idea behind the colours and shapes came from the theme ‘connection’. The dots and lines in the background represent the universe where everything is chaotic, but somehow connects and creates unity. The face with closed eyes is a reflection of tenderness, self love, and connection within oneself. Moreover, most of the writing included in the book relates to different sorts of human experiences and a characters’ personal perceptions and connection to the outside world.]]> 2021-07-30 03:17:58 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664616895 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664619243 I think a good idea for headings would be a dotted typeface in relation to connection and the idea of dots on the book cover. I’ve found two fonts that I like, however after testing them in InDesign I’ve noticed that Raleway Dots wouldn’t work considering a usual heading size is between 18 to 29. The size of this font would have to be much bigger for the dots to be visible. Even though the first one, Codystar comes only in capital letters, it’s acceptable as it will only be used for headings that could be in capitals. The Serifs and Sans-Serif can work well together. It’s considered a good design because it doesn’t look bland and undifferentiated. That’s why I’ve chosen a serif typeface for the body text - Alegreya Regular. I also asked around my friends to choose between three typefaces and Alegreya got the biggest amount of votes. They said it works well with the subheading and make the text easy to read.

]]> 2021-07-30 03:20:20 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664619243 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664622529 First attempt, inspiration for this design came from typesetting workshops earlier this year and examples of non traditional text layout shown by our tutor. The text wraps around a circle symbolises infinite connection, the theme my group is focusing on.

]]> 2021-07-30 03:23:39 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664622529 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664624378 Me and the rest of the group found this project a bit chaotic this year due to the pandemic and not being able to meet. Even though we tried to communicate online, I feel like we could have planned things a bit better. Next time, we should definitely share  tasks and responsibilities equally between us from the start in order to develop better outcomes and meet deadlines.]]> 2021-07-30 03:25:11 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664624378 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664630364 The project is a part of New Blood Awards. It’s an opportunity for me to showcase my work to a wider audience than my university community. I also like the fact that D&AD allows us to choose from 2 projects.  Personally I think I’ll work with the Audible brief as it’s more relatable to my course than giffgaff. I’ll look into ways to target my audience and look at many other examples of digital podcast covers, both successful and unsuccessful and try to come up with a few ideas who could potentially work. I’ll especially have a look at the collection on the Audible website and think about how I could make mine stand out. It’s hard to say at this stage what techniques I’ll use but I’d like to make a collage as part of this project.  I’m aiming to propose a unique identity that would hopefully be appreciated by the judges and encourage potential customers to subscribe to the podcast/audiobook.]]> 2021-07-30 03:30:51 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664630364 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664634795 Before choosing one of the podcast titles, I've done some research and found out that people who browse through Audible are mostly wealthy professionals aged 18 - 54. However, out of the four suggested categories by Audible, I’d like to design an identity for a podcast dedicated to teaching foreign languages. I’ve made my choice based on personal interests as I’ve always been enthusiastic when it comes to discovering new cultures and languages. The description of the podcast narrows the audience - it's made for people who like to travel and learn about other cultures and phrases not regularly taught else where.]]> 2021-07-30 03:35:07 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664634795 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664639650 Today's lesson gave us some time to sit down and brainstorm - the aim was to come up with as many ideas I could think of for this project and create mood boards/mind maps. I ended up with at least 5 different ideas, but there was one I liked in particular and will develop further. Since the project is about identity, I could photograph a globe with a focus on different countries, and pick a slang word or an expression that reflects the country’s culture, such as names of food typical for that region. The podcast is called ‘one of the locals’, therefore I want to highlight that the podcast will teach words which are not commonly taught in language schools.]]> 2021-07-30 03:40:04 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664639650 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664644948 I've decided to have a photoshoot in my living room and see how I could use the photos and turn them into an identity. One of my favourite photos turned out to be the host who’s holding the illuminated globe in her hands. I’ve chosen Sophia as the host because I wanted to surprise the audience. Most people would assume that the person who travels the world and teaches languages in the podcast is an educated man in his 30’s/40’s (like Steve Irwin for example). She looks friendly and knowledgeable despite her young age, and her blonde hair and tan definitely give her the look of a traveller.

]]> 2021-07-30 03:45:36 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664644948 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664647928 What makes this cover idea a bit more interesting is how I conceptualised the background. I utilised it as a space for words in different languages that all translate to ‘hello’, but they are rather informal ways of greeting someone (the previously mentioned idea of using slang). It almost looks like a whiteboard so I believe the best choice of typeface would be the one that looks like a marker (readers are familiar with this general learning tool). The typeface I used for the title was chosen based on compatibility with the other typeface and the overall feel of the cover.

]]> 2021-07-30 03:48:50 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664647928 mac1654 https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664649315 I've created a series of posters to support the identity. Each of them include a different county (showed on the photographed globe), a red pin and a phrase typical for that place.  They could be seen by the audience at a train station, airport and premises of a language school or university. I believe that these places would most likely be visited by people who want to learn a new language or travel and learn more about other cultures.]]> 2021-07-30 03:50:19 UTC https://padlet.com/mac1654/wfhs2bwzpxd8tkrd/wish/1664649315