Final evaluation Design Process

Final evaluation Design Process

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

Photoshop skills (Brief 01)

Through this brief I developed on existing Photoshop skills, I already had basic knowledge on setting up a file for print and screen output. It was just a refresher and gave me opportunity too add manipulations to stock images. Techniques I used in this program were the use of monotones, duotones, cutting and positioning image elements, how to set up a document for print and screen, combining Photoshop prepared files for adobe InDesign, using layering techniques like overlay and multiplying. I fee I executed these simple manipulations well.

Research skills (Brief 02)

I developed research skills through looking into different sources off research within primary and secondary sources. Creating questionnaires, collecting images from varying sources, collecting my own images, gathering information from books and internet sources all gave me a better body off research and more interesting things were discovered by using these different research techniques. I feel I carried out some of these methods well but could advance on collecting my own physical research.

Layout skills (Brief 03)

Having basic skills in InDesign, mainly skills on how to set up documents it was good to learn some new things. The things I have learnt and developed on were the use of grids, using a grid gives you a good framework to apply and play about with positioning of type & image to create more structured design layouts. I also developed skills in typesetting edits, learning how to properly track, kern and alter line spacing, helped strengthen my designs and create better balance. These layout skills introduced the importance of balance between negative space and used space which is something I feel I applied quite well.

Communication & Concept skills (Brief 04)

This brief helped me thing more conceptually when thinking of ideas for outcomes. This in turn strengthened the communication off my visual outcomes. I feel I executed concepts quite well before this but now I feel I a lot more conceptually driven, and if I carry on with this conceptual idea generation I feel I will able to create much stronger designs

2. What approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?

In terms off production methods and approaches I have developed the following:

Ideas generation, I generate stronger ideas now through conceptual thinking.

Illustration for image additions in layout designs, I have began to create images relevant too the actual concept off the design

3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?

I enjoyed layout design a lot, once I got my head around grid systems I feel I created some nice outcomes. I would like to look into layout design a bit more and advance my skills and maybe specialise in this sector of design.

I was more conceptually driven this time round, looking into out of the box inspirations like old art movements to inspire a modern visual communication outcome. This idea off looking into abstract concepts to inspire and solve a design problem creates much stronger outcomes and gives me more scope for development which in turn creates stronger design outcomes.

Im starting to realise its what you leave out of a design that aids overall composition aesthetics. You don’t need too fill a page with clutter as this causes clutter, I have worked well with balance off negative space and use space and will keep pushing this use off balance in my work.

Final strength was producing my own imagery, I produced successful illustrations relevant to my concept in the F1 spread. Creating my own images gives me opportunity to strengthen the concept by inspiring the images style around the works concept. For example I wanted to capitalise on concepts off engineering and accuracy so I created illustrations styled around basic blueprint drawings through the use of line art. This worked in context with my type choice and layout composition, so combining relevant type & image creates a better overall outcome. 

4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future?

One weakness is the use of colour and its relevance, In the photo frame brief the colors were relevant to the De Stijl concept but this was due to me swatching the colours from basic connotations derived from the movement. But the rest didn’t have much relevance until crit feedback helped me develop on this, in the future I will research into how color can be used to express given concepts and how I can use colour to communicate my ideas better. Freds colour theory sessions will help this.

Time management was a problem again, next time I need to plan out better. After we were recommended too create timelines for the 4^th brief I feel doing this for each brief will be good, planning on what to do each day so I keep track of things and put in an equal amount of effort into each process off the design stages. I found that I spent a lot of time creating finals rather than developments and research, addressing this will create better overall outcomes.

Having a set design style is a weakness, all my final outcomes have very different styles I feel having a set style to your work is better than creating random designs, I will begin to create myself a personal style. A language of my own so to speak to present my own originality. 

5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?

I said before that I wanted to use different printing methods, and I had the perfect opportunity too in this brief but due to bad time management I wasn’t able too so next time I really do want to use screen-printing. Using screen-printing will need to be relevant for the concept, not because it looks nice, if it’s something that would benefit from limited runs then screen printing would add exclusivity

I will experiment more with type choices, I feel I didn’t really explore many typefaces settling on a handful that I always seem to fall back on as defaults. Looking into type choice in an informed way will give more relevance to my design decisions, not based on aesthetics think more on if it fits with the concept idea.

When researching into visual inspiration or concept inspiration I want to be more physical in the collection of this. This will give me a more out of the box generation of ideas rather than inspiring my work around a generic visual example of design found online or in books. Been inspired by something more abstract like the shape of buildings would give me better opportunity to produce more diverse outcomes.

I want to look into creating outcomes with more substance next, instead of just meeting minimum outcomes like the layout brief I just created the spreads, next time I have the opportunity to do layout design I would like to actually produce the publication into a small zine or similar physical outcome.

I carried out a decent quantity of visual developments last module but didn’t go into as much depth this time. I was happier with my outcomes though, positive feedback drove me to creating more literal designs with minimal changes to the visuals but next time I really want to push this visual development to create even stronger outcomes.