Work Related Learning

Last week marked the start of the new unit named Work Related Learning. I am doing this unit as apposed to the bridging essay as my intentions are to leave the course at the end of this academic year. This module is to help and aid us in finding work in the creative industry. The final outcome will be an illustrated report about our experiences in this module, that will include interacting with professionals and attempting to find work/placement in our desired paths.

I discussed my passion for layout and was told that editorial and magazine layout would be a sound place to start my research. This passion has grown since being at university, to such a stage now that I will study the layout of books and magazines more so than the content. I have had some thoughts on who to contact, in the way of magazine and newspaper companies, both well known and not so commercial. Also to contact Luke Lobley, editorial director at Wonderland Magazine, who came in to our uni last year for a lecture.

PPRD (Pea Pea Are Dee)

Here is the front cover I have been working on for my PPRD file that is due in soon, documenting my work and progress throughout the year. The rest of the document will follow a few simple graphic consistent systems. 

Southpaw Set Back

I have had an injury for quite some time, that has been very painful, but very hard to diagnose. The image is of my shoulder and the glenoid labrum was the area that had been torn. I now have my arm in a sling (my left arm a.k.a my good arm) for 3 weeks so i'm getting used to a right handed world. I cant even hold my toothbrush with my righthand! It has made me conscious of how dependent I am on my left hand.

D&AD Diesel Brief

So last week marked the realization stages of completing the brief. One song down, we need to do a little bit more filming, but the editing is simple, just time consuming. and now we are competent on the software it shouldn't take as long. Obviously still cant reveal any visuals. Think the deadline is beginning of march so not much longer.

D&AD progress

Ok, so last week Ben Mercer and I filmed near enough everything we need for the realization of our diesel brief outcome. After not much planning and only having one chance to do a lot of the shots, we pulled it off near enough exactly how I envisaged it. Then on Friday last week, we opened Adobe Premier Pro for the first time in both our lives and completed one of the songs in its entirety, after teaching ourselves the program in roughly 30 minutes.

TLK Lecture 03.02.11

Last night I attended the TLK lecture held in the lecture theatre at Bournemouth Arts University. It was given by a panel of designers from the companies Revolting, Redweb and Salad Creative, with the freelancer Peter Leon. The talk covered the creative process, with topics such as researching, inspiration, pitching, handling clients and any general questions from the audience. The talk was very insightful and another reminder of how ruthless the design industry is, and just how seriously you have to take it. This is y no means off putting.

They talked in extent about handling clients and problems that they have had in the past, and even flagged up problems that we, as young designers, are bound to run into. Points of the talk that I picked up on most was the fact that coming up with an idea that answers the brief is commonly solved through 'streams of consciousness'. The panel talked a lot about how they would often send their design team out of the office and tell them not to return for a few hours. Then when they have all returned, subconsciously they have picked up little bits of information from anything around them and this has triggered thought processes and ideas. Much more effective than sitting in an office, driving yourself mad.

The freelance designer Peter Leon mentioned a website called 27bslash6.com (LINK HERE) that I have since been on for quite some time. It is about the designer David Thorne and he has documented his experiences of the design world. It is brilliant, I would advise it to any designer. 

Professional Project 1st Critique

Yesterday was our first crit for our professional exhibition projects. I have been thinking about ideas for this project for a while so it was a chance to get them all down and get feedback from the class and from the tutors. This is the presentation I gave:

I am going to design and create a book of accounts of the homeless, their lives and their stories. I have always been intrigued by their stories about how they have ended up homeless, and have always wanted to know. By doing this I am hoping to raise awareness to this issue. I am aware that many of them may be addicts- I have grown up with a good education about this topic due to a few members of my family being a subject of alcoholism. its a topic I feel passionate about and feel I can help as well as create a visually aesthetic book that could have a selling point in major book retailers.