The Folly!

The folly has started to go up - sooner than I expected! I went down and took some photos of the work in progress to post to here, sadly I don't think it will be finished before I hand in, so there wont be a totally finished photograph, but you can always pop outside to see it!

OUGD303 FMP Evaluation...

The main focus of this module has been print. Designing for print in a variety of disciplines, with each of my chosen briefs forming part of an overall skill set. I have learnt a lot during this module, the majority of which has come from working with a client and using their input to better a brief. The End of Year Show and Fashion Yearbook briefs have both been very high-profile in this module and taken a considerable amount of time to produce, due to checking and proofing before printing. Gaining the input from a client makes designing easier because there is a clear starting point and a clear outcome, the client knows what they want and are able to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ more easily than I can. Both of these briefs have required liaising with printers. The Fashion Yearbook especially, has been very focused on finding the right printer and working with them to get exactly what we want. Numerous phone calls, emails and negotiating quotes has shown me that being a designer is equal parts creativity and management. I feel that this has helped me to understand ‘real world’ designing a little better, and is undoubtedly a very valuable experience. I am also now much more aware of the processes and protocols that are required when sending a finished brief to print.

My general design practice and skills have become more polished. As I have been able to focus on briefs that I know will play to my strengths, I have taken it as a priority to use the unexplored as an opportunity to better myself. The Look-Book brief was turned around in 24 hours, which is something I have never done before. Through this I have discovered that I can produce strong and suitable work in a short space of time when the brief is clear and the decisions are quick. I enjoyed this brief, partially because of the pressure, but mainly because I was able to focus purely on one thing for 24 hours and get it resolved.

My design context showed me that designers really enjoy seeing/handling their finished work. I have experienced this with a couple of briefs, and it is incredibly satisfying. The real pleasure comes when presenting the client with a final finished product, their reaction is very rewarding and fulfilling. Being told that you’ve done a good job is wonderful.

This module has been very long and it is hard to remember even starting some of these briefs. If I could start over I think that I would have preferred to work on each brief individually for a week. Being able to really focus in and get ideas rolling before moving onto something totally different would possibly have helped my idea development and increased the number of briefs that I could have completed. The diversity of the briefs I have produced has been really enjoyable, I am proud to include each one in my portfolio and show the breadth of skills that I have to offer.

For me this module represented an opportunity to full exploit all of the areas that I have developed in through my three years. With a total of seven briefs completed, three of which have had considerable client input, I feel that my work has moved up a gear and I am now able to design ‘in the real world’ and communicate with clients on a very professional level.

Fashion Hand-in...

We have put together a project file for the fashion brief. We wanted to hand in something that would show how we had managed the project. So, we have collated the correspondence we had with the fashion team and the emails we sent to the students and put it together with our information from the various printers we have contacted. It has been bound together and placed in a separate file and will be handed in with all of our names on it.

Folly and Invitations...

Chloe has informed me that the external signage for the Folly is going up today! I am quite excited to see it but also a little bit nervous as it is SO big. As I said before it is made up of 4 panels and each of these is split down further to be attached to the folly.

The finished invitations should also be delivered today. I am not 100% clear on whether these have ben changed regarding the problem with the foiling. However, they seem to have been finished and will be on their way to the post/packing people, and a small remainder will be delivered to college. I am quite excited to see these, but not getting my hopes to high having seen the previous problem.

Poster/Leaflet...

We have received the finished poster/leaflets from the printers! 20,000 copies have been printed, which is a little scary! Some have been delivered to the company that put together the mail outs and the rest have been delivered to college. I have photographed the finished product for my presentation boards, and here are some of the photographs...

Finished Yearbook...

These are photos of the final yearbooks that we received today. We were very excited when they arrived and were very pleased to see the final outcome. The finishing is very good and the overall book is near perfect. We are very happy, and hope that the fashion team are as well.

Here are some photos of the finished book...

The poster didn't work...

I printed the poster/book wrap back to back earlier this week, and when the yearbooks arrived I endeavored to fold it around a book and photograph it. Unfortunately the thing didn't really work - in fact the book pretty much chewed up the poster and it looked shocking. I didn't plan for the depth of the book, and the thickness of the paper just didn't allow it to fold properly. So, I sadly had to abandon the actual product, but here is the artwork of what could have been!