Module Evaluation

This module always seems like a difficult thing to be successful in, it is long and kind of creeps up on you at times. However I have realised that I am constantly thinking about graphics and my future career. My Instagram is full of designers, artists and studios I take inspiration from and helps me keep relevant in this course. I feel this year I did a lot more research, even if I didn't realise. I would always be discovering more people to follow or to even get in contact with. PPP has definitely made me a lot more aware of designers but also a lot more aware of myself and what kind of designer I want to be. Last year I didn't give that much a thought and you can tell with my old branding, which it really isn't. This year because I have gotten more interested in hand rendered type it has opened a lot doors for me. I have talked to more designers because of this common interest. I can now see what I want to do a lot more of. With my branding this year you can see I have considered hand rendered type, the stuff I'm interested in and apply appropriately to me.  This interest of typography has seeped into all of my briefs this year where possible, which I'm happy about because I do want to as much as I can. I feel a lot more confident about who I am as a designer, what I enjoy and what I am capable of when I actually try.

Hotel Droog

We visited a design 'hotel/shop/restaurant' in Amsterdam as well. This was confusing because there was a lot going on in the building, but lovely to walk around and look at the products. This was very slick, modern European design which I'm not really into, but was good to look at.

Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam

I recently went to Amsterdam for a visit because I'd never been before. We made a few stops to look around the design culture. Stedelijk was really interesting to go to because not only was there good graphic design work there was also a Matisse exhibition. I love seeing very famous work to fully understand it and see if I think it worth the popularity.  

Studio research // Placement Search

I think having a placement would be very beneficial for me during summer. I'm not sure about what exact path I'm interested in going down, I'm really interested in hand rendered graphics and painting is something I've done for years and want to do more. I have found some sign writers near Leeds and Newcastle that I have asked to find out if I can work with them. 

Phil Anderson - Stockton

Sign writer on shops, vehicles and very traditional style. 
I like his traditional way of working and got in touch with him. He has a year long apprentice already so it would be hard to fit in time for me, however he is working at Beamish Museum for a couple of months and said I was welcome to come up for a couple of days to have a go. 

Aurora Kustom Graphics - Newcastle

A much more modern kind of sign writer but is local to Newcastle. They do a lot of airbrushing, pin striping, shops etc. They have not replied to email yet. 

Harper Signs - Leeds

Harper Signs is in Leeds but have worked on a pub local to me which was interesting. They do paint jobs for a big variety of things, I have emailed but still waiting on a reply. 

Fanakalo Studio

I came across this studio last year because of a book I bought called 'Monogram Logo'. They're based in South Africa but have influenced me a lot with my personal branding. I emailed the studio showing them my work and to just let them know how I like their work. 

This wasn't an attempt to get a placement, even though it would be really good to get one there. I think it could be quite a good way of networking.

Studio Research

I would like to get a placement for summer, in order to get some real experience of a professional studio. I am worried I've left it a bit late, but I am aware of the type of studios I'm interested in. 

I have contacted a Newcastle studio called Wonder Stuff Studio which specialise in branding. I am interested in branding quite a lot because I think giving companies an identity is exciting. I'm not sure if this studio do placements, but it is worth an ask. 

Personal Promo Pack

I have applied my logo, and details of the work onto an appropriate promo pack. There are business cards, Creative CV, some stationary, letter head, envelope and notebook with branding. This is in order to be able to give all of these out when necessary and to the right people. I think this looks like a good promo pack that shows the type of design I create and want to work with, as well as having contact information.

Final Personal Logo

From the drawing I created a while ago I digitalised it on Illustrator so that it is a vector shape and is workable on lots of different sizes. I'm really happy with the finished piece because for once it is successful piece of design. It demonstrates the type of design I'm interested in and the type of design I want to keep on creating. 
Doing this has showed me that I can make my drawings into workable vectors and shouldn't give up and use a ready made piece.