PPP BLOG: Task 1

identify and explain 5 reasons why you chose to study on this programme.

The quality of the work and of the graduates - Looking online I was impressed by the work in the gallery, and hoped by coming on this course I would gain the skills necessary to attain the same standard.

The number of facilities available within and around the college - I feel like it gives us chance to experiment, and the access we have to screen print facilities was one of the main attractions.

Small and focused course - I felt like the amount of access time we had with tutors, and the small number of people on the course was preferable to being just another student at a larger institution.

The studio space - The studio space feels like a professional environment, and has enough room to be comfortable working in for everyone.

Reputation of the college - I'd heard a lot of good things about the college and wanted a chance to be part of it.

Identify and explain 5 things that you want to learn during your time on the programme.

Professional/ Business skills and conduct - I want to be able to graduate and know what I'm doing with all aspects of the design business so I can feel confident in promoting myself.

HTML and CSS - I know that web design is a large part of the industry now and I want to be (at least) competent in this area.

Analogue print processes such as screen printing and letter press - This is something I really enjoy doing and would love to be great at by the time I leave.

Illustrator and more in depth software skills - I feel like I only know the basics, and want to be able to create more technically skilled work.

Editorial design and layout - I love editorial design and would like to improve my skills.

Identify and explain 5 skills that you think are your strengths.

Idea generation - I always feel like I can come up with a good amount of quality ideas.

Use of type - I think I worked best last year when I worked more with type, such as in my 100 Things project.

Understanding of audience and tone - I feel confident that I can communicate well with a target audience through my designs.

Blogging of my work - I always keep on top of my blogs, and am comfortable writing about my work.

Good organisation - I manage the amount of work I have well, and always produce work in time for deadlines and set dates.

Identify and explain 5 things that you want to improve.

Finishing a product to a high professional standard - One of my weaknesses is definitely the finish of the product, such as choice of stock and print finish, so I would like to make my work look more professional.

Time management - At times I feel that I've struggled to balance work and having a social life, which has been made more difficult by having a weekend job.

Being more experimental and innovative -

Art theory writing skills - Although I got a reasonable grade last year, I didn't really write with the most skill.

Illustrations and use of image in my work - I wasn't incredibly confident with using illustrations last year, and want to force myself to incorporate them this year so I can try and improve on this area.

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

Through my blog - Critically analysing my work as I go along so that improvements can be made throughout.

End of Module Evaluations - Looking back over my work at the end of the module I can see how much I've learnt.

Crits with peers - I want to use these more as I feel like the feedback I get from certain people is really useful.

Portfolio feedback from Professionals - Obviously getting feedback from working graphic designers will help to edit my work and make me aware of what my strengths and weaknesses are.

Through assessment feedback from tutors - I can look at what I need to do to progress after each assessment.

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

Which direction do I want my work to take after graduating? - I am unsure at the moment where I want to go with my work, so I hope I can know by the time I graduate.

How can I be more innovative with my designs? - I want to be able to show I can produce quality ideas that provide the audience with something that displays some form of innovation and visual interest.

Do I want to work as a freelancer or as part of a design studio? - I want to be able to understand what part of the design industry I belong in.

How do I design for web? - I want to be able to design websites confidently but I find this a really challenging subject.

How do I manage the business aspect of design? - Obviously this is a concern because I want to be able to conduct my work in the design world professionally.

Identify and explain 5 things that inspire you.

Fashion + Lifestyle magazines/supplements - The photography and the level of creativity you can find in some magazines provide great resources and inspire me to make a better image.
Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, Kristen Wiig - I'll put them as a group so I don't use up all of the space (but I couldn't choose just one). These are some of the funniest and most successful women in the creative business, and although they aren't really anything to do with graphic design, they are my role models.
Journalism and comedy writing - I love anything that can make me laugh in any way possible, but these are the things I am most drawn to, and they give me a more positive outlook.
Screenprinting is an inspiration because I love the way it looks, and the amount of craft that goes into some pieces really pushes me to want to create something challenging.
Upbeat, motivational music gives inspiration when I'm designing, especially when I am procrastinating or feeling insecure about my work.