Shoreditch Kitchen Launch

This week saw the launch of a project I have been excited about pursuing, The Shoreditch Kitchen. I have seen this project run the past 2 years and the outcomes are all so different from students. At the beginning of summer I saved a few examples of menus and design styles that inspired me for research into this project. Along with other re-occuring modules in mind, I wanted to have an informed outlook on design in readiness. I have also been thinking about how I want my portfolio to look at the end of the year and how I can approach each project.  

Here is some of my current research from over summer of styles I feel would suit the project.

I would still like to keep these approaches in mind for my work whilst I evaluate the projects requirements and what the brief calls for. 

NAP x

Final year begins

So this week was my first week as a final year student of Graphic Design at Coventry university. Returning into a class of new people along with some familiar faces who also took an erasmus year was an unusual experience of slight deja vu. It had been so long and felt strange but comforting to be back in the studio of Graham Sutherland. I hope my final year brings opportunities to enhance my employability for nearing the end of my studies with a vast of work to undertake for my portfolio. I would like to build up some more examples of branding in my work and attain some packaging designs. Some of my friends had decided to take a module in Cyprus to create packaging for a variety of different products, they created some really great work and was able to pad out their portfolio quickly yet with professional looking work. I unfortunately didn't take this module and wish I had done therefore I hope to create some nice packaging designs to include in my portfolio this year.  

Our first brief to break us into the new academic year was an open brief to say the least, one word was given in the brief; Ingenuity. From my aim to produce some product designs I was immediately hit with an idea of creating some kind of packaging for a tea bag brand. The sounding of the word we was given fit perfectly for the brand name and I decided to illustrate the I to look like the string of a tea bag for my logo. For this short project we was given 4 days to create our work to then show and present to our class to see how each of us had interpreted the brief. My response to the project is shown below. 

NAP x

Venice

This summer I was lucky enough to be invited to travel to Venice with my boyfriend and his family. I have always wanted to visit Italy and thought of Venice to be such a beautiful place, I have felt a desire to experience their culture. Whilst there we took a day to visit nearby Islands famous for its production of glass art and lace, Murano and Burano. It was fascinating to see the process and amazing to have bought one of pieces of art from the people we watched make them. Being a student of design I love learning about art and took the opportunity to visit a few galleries too, to my delight design students can visit for free with proof of their studies. I wish more gallery and museums would be so accomodating here in the UK or offer discounts for art students. 

Having just ended my erasmus year it was great to travel again to a new country after just returning home for the summer. I hope to continue my travels and feed my addictive need and love of travelling to new places in my future.

View of our hotel from a gondola

Lighting a candle in San Rocco Church

A tour on Murano Island & one of their famous glass blowing studios.

San Marco Square.

View from San Marco tower.

Our Venetian masks from Burano Island famous for its lace.

Bridge of Sighs

Our love lock on the railings of a bridge

NAP x

The lake district

As a belated birthday treat from being in Cyprus, as soon as I returned I was whisked away for a weekend in the Lakes Ambleside. I have always loved the Lakes since I was little with day trips for picnics and boat rides on the lake, it holds memories for me and my family. The real treat however was the hotel I was to stay in during my weekend trip, The Belsfield, a Laura Ashley hotel. A dream for any lover of Laura Ashley or interest in interior design, everything in the hotel was that of the interior and furnishings company. 

The view of the Lake from our suite

Out on the lake in a rowing boat, a real Notebook moment

NAP x

Ireland

My first adventure since returning back to the UK from Cyprus was my first ever trip to Ireland. With family connections there I have always wanted to travel and experience the Irish beauty of the country, with seems to entice people. I was able to visit the hometown of my boyfriends mother and her family, a famous small village, Sneem, in the county of Kerry. The village has become a very popular tourist destination for Americans, Canadians and Chinese with coaches appearing throughout the day. By being with a local I was lucky enough to get the local treatment from everyone in the tiny village. I loved my time in Ireland and hope to return and travel to experience Dublin next time.

River Sneem and Terrain 

NAP x

Reunited

After a long 4 months of waiting I am finally back with my cats and of course my family. Their newly earned nicknames are Pain and Panic from the Disney film Hercules from their behaviour traits since settling into their new home. Its nice to be back with them and at home since my last return at Christmas, its been long awaited.

Not so little anymore … 

NAP x

End of Erasmus

With all work finished, presented and handed in, people flying home and leaving to return back home I thought it was time to reflect on my erasmus year in Cyprus. I have learnt so much from the tutors and work I have produced which I feel confident represents my skills enough to include in my portfolio. I feel I have grown a lot from my studies and can see a dramatic change in my work, I feel I have acquired a new level of professionalism from this learning experience. 

I have also been very lucky to have created strong bonds with the people I have met this year, without them my time in Cyprus wouldn't have been the same. The memories and I hope the relationships built over these past months here really will last a lifetime. I will treasure my erasmus year and everything it has given me and allowed me to become shaping myself for the future.

Class of 2015 // Frederick University, Graduation Party

I hope to travel as much as possible this summer before returning back into my final year at Coventry. I am feeling a little apprehensive about the work load and stress of final year but also excited about building my portfolio with such great projects. I am also looking forward to seeing familiar faces and getting to know my new classmates.

NAP x