Personal and Professional Practice: March 2016

Thursday 17 March 2016

OUGD502 - Evaluation

Evaluation
*As a graphic designer I believe to have improved from level 4-level 5.
*Branding is something that interests me and i hope to continue learning about.
* I hope to produce my final business cards by level 6, print, get in contact with studios and designers worldwide and travel and continue learning/exploring.
*My business cards in level 5 show an improvement in my work from level 4, also with digital use and I have proven my understanding of the knowledge in the module.
*I gathered primary and secondary research and was capable of linking other modules this year with ppp (Cop essay on branding - What makes an effective international logo?) and (OUGD 504 - Logostarter)
*This year not only i had to produce my personal branding but also work in a collaborative group to create/ produce the planning of an actual business.
*This new experience of working on the opening of a professional coffee studio was educational, made me think and look back at some school projects i did for maths lessons to work out the finances, fundings, hourly rates...
*I think my group and I enjoyed this brief because we had the choice of our own to select with who we wanted to work with, we made our group 'international' having a Spanish, German-Indian, and English students. Our work was surprisingly good for what we originally had in mind, we worked as a group, managed to combine all our styles, produce an effective logo, promotion studio design, products, social media pages, business cards, collateral...
*We arranged and planned our time in a positive convenient way for every member in the team , always came to crits with new exotic ideas, we showed love and passion in our work, we explored other creative fields such as video production and editing.
*I got in contact with a first year student studying broadcasting media and technology who helped me produce a small short but effective video of the 'Thermal mug'.
*We had the chance as a group to explore and get a bit better at studio photography, always awkward to pose for a picture on yourself but we made it fun by taking it in turns and also posing as a group.
*Vedika is a strong, independent person who always pushes me to work a bit harder, motivates me to produce and create the best, always helps me when in need of feedback and i like working with her, our work and styles combine well together.
Billy is always there when i need him, i can always ask him for help when using the adobe programs, he always seems to know what he is doing, and he is always very professional, i have improved as a graphic designer with his help, he gives me positive feedback and always tries to help me make my work more 'graphic design' rather than illustrative.
*My illustrations for the menu would be alongside with the 'thermal mug' my favourites outcomes/productions. With the help of Billy, we produced a successful menu, we struggled at first but we managed to present a professional and realistic business plan for our coffee space studio.

OUGD502 - My Creative Report

Research studio based in Leeds - http://www.madebyalphabet.com/about/

Email - everyone@madebyalphabet.com

This year my aim was to prove my self i have learnt, improved and shown a difference from level 4 to level 5.
I began to think about my future in the design industry, and i am unsure of what i want.
I could travel for a year, draw, experiment, learn new things, read new books, visit studios, try getting to know my favourite designer, travel and then come back for a masters.
I could design and open a business of my own.
I could work in collaboration with another designer in my course once we finish level 6 and open a business together.
Buy a building and make it my working place, or work at home and begin a family plan.
I am unsure if i would like to continue living/working/studying in the uk or move back to Spain.
I followed my dream and im happy with what i have achieved, its been a difficult path but i hope to finish it and be someone someday.

I messaged made by alphabets studio in Leeds, asked a set of 8 questions and hope to hear back from them, so i can plan a visit, ask for more advice, speak about my doubts and try seeing my future from another perspective.

I divided my questions in 3 different sections,
1st section - what its like to work there? What skills they need? (Personal, one to one conversation, to the point)

2nd section - other business, what my target should be, educational preparation ...

3rd and last section - achievable goals, would my background affect my future (as an international student) or even other careers

I hope to get in contact with hey studios, based in Barcelona, plan a small visit, maybe ask for an internship and maybe keep in contact with them as a future reference or option.
I will also try getting in contact with Kate Moross, as she is an inspiration and goal example.
Maybe her and i could work together in the future.

OUGD502 - self branding

Self branding

Following the graphic design production process, I began by researching in to branding and logo making.

This year I have had the opportunity to work and explore more in to depth what branding is, branding strategies, what makes an effective logo and others.

In level 5, I’ve felt the modules linking together more, I was able to learn and use some of the knowledge from OUGD 504 for Logostarter – and cop to guide me in the production of my personal brand, my essay question is “what makes an effective international logo” and these are the books I’ve looked in to that have also helped me for ppp.

I then began to think about the key points in the production of my future business cards

And asked myself –Who am I? what do I represent? And who is my target audience?

Using what I had learnt from my research, I added a few key things to remember for my design. – My business card design should be simple but memorable, timeless and Appropriate.

It should be as effective in colour as in black and white. And I should be able to get my message across visually and verbally.

I began by looking at my design from level 4, and decided to continue having my face as my logo. I choose an image of myself and began to explore with it. I produced an abstract portrait that I would move on to design digitally.

Some changes were made throughout the process, to achieve my final design. I believed these changes were necessary to produce a more effective product. I removed all the colour from it and worked on it in black and white.

This would be the front of my business card.

My logo would be done with foiling to add a bit of colour to my design.

And this is the back of my business card.

I tried creating a more personal connection with my clients by adding some of my work as examples of what I could produce, a short description of what I aim for and some words that describe me as a person. I used English and Spanish to keep my business options open.

These are my experimentations with foiling. I believe it was a successful new experience.

This year I began to look in to Kate Moross art, I believe she’s an inspiration.

She began as an art student herself and now is a professional designer, she’s worked with Top shop, Nike, Magazines … and got a book published. I believe her style and mine are similar and that I can learn from her and her experiences and hope to follow her steps in the design industry.

Hey studio, would be the sort of place where I would hope to work in a future, an international business with connections worldwide. It would also be nice to be a bit closer to home.

In level 6 I hope to explore new techniques, improve my presentation skills, become more professional at what I do, improve my time management, blogging and attendance.

Monday 14 March 2016

OUGD502 - Professional Questions to ask studios-Designers

Hello, I am a student at Leeds college of arts, I am writing to you regarding a set of questions I have generated for a class module. I have been asked to contact a studio and ask a series of questions that will guide me through my future career in design.

1. Could you describe one of your typical workdays?

2. What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?

3. What parts of your job do you find most challenging?

4. What do you find most enjoyable?

5. Are there any negatives to your job?

6. How many hours do you work in a typical week?

7. Which seasons of the year are toughest in your job?

8. How would you describe the corporate culture?

Thank you for taking your time to read this letter, hope to hear back from you soon.

Kind regards,

Jaqueline Almagro Chiavarine.

9. What educational preparation would you recommend for someone who wants to advance in this field?
10. What qualifications do you seek in a new hire?
11. How do most people enter this profession?
12. Which of my skills are strong compared to other job hunters in this field?
13. What do you think of the experience I've had so far? For what types of positions would it qualify me?
14. Can you recommend any courses I should take before proceeding further with my job search?
15. What companies or industries do you think I should target?

16.Do you think my objective is clearly stated, realistic and achievable?
17.Considering my background, how well do you think I would fit in this company and/or profession?
18.Taking into account my skills, education and experience, what other career paths would you suggest I explore before making a final decision?