Ikon visit

This week we were given the chance to visit the Ikon gallery in Birmingham to experience an exhibition by Fionna Banner 'Scroll down and keep scrolling' focusing on typography. I haven't really ventured to Birmingham that often since starting university so this year I hope to visit the city and more galleries. This was to be my first gallery visit in Birmingham, this gallery was small in size having this exhbition as the main event within many small spaces in the building.

This was to inspire and inform us as part of our typography module and the brief we were given to create an exhibition space proposing typography installations and designs. The brief I have chosen to approach is the competition brief 'eye witness' set by ISTD which asks to create a space within a gallery to allow the audience to feel as if they are experiencing a significant event from a personal eye witness account.

IKON gallery

 NAP x

China

Today was the first meeting with Phil and Lisa talking about the upcoming exchange trip with Changsha Central South University. I loved my experience so much of course I choose to attend to find out some more information about this years trip and the potential of returning. With my recent studies abroad and confidence in traveling to many different places this past year, I was looking forward to see what would be different about the experience this year.

I couldn't help but think back to the time I was first presented with a very similar video and information and my thoughts and feelings then. I felt very wary and nervous about traveling such a distance back then especially alone and in experiencing the difference in culture and food. However the whole trip from start to finish was such an amazing experience that I have now fond memories from those two weeks which I will forever be thankful for.

Myself enjoying a calligraphy workshop at Changsha Central South University 

Since that trip I had always expressed my interest in returning to China and being part of the Changsha University and exchange program again. However I feel that this year with the current work load and the expenses rising for flights and travel, returning may not be the best choice and decision for myself. I would really like to concentrate on my current projects and building my portfolio to be the best it can be for when I leave my studies. Last year I wanted to gain as much experience and grab as many opportunities as possible and I feel that I learnt a lot from traveling and living abroad. With my studies nearing their end now, I feel that by focusing my attention on them I will gain the grade I am after and have the portfolio I want.

Before Christmas there was a brief mention of an upcoming field trip to Amsterdam for the whole class. I have always wanted to visit Amsterdam and experience the galleries and art scene its so famous for. Therefor I feel my money and time would be best invested in doing things and traveling to places I haven't before.

NAP x

London Trip

 Last month there was a scheduled trip to London which I unfortunately missed from being unwell, so I decided to make up for it and start getting into the festive mood with a trip to the capital. The original plan was to be dropped off the coach outside the National History museum, I had never been before and felt gutted to have missed the opportunity. I have also always wanted to visit the Science Museum, which so happens to be situated only next door, so I choose to spend the whole day exploring both! 

This however wasn't a trip to solely enjoy the museums and have fun, I was also determined to go with work in mind.. With the recent typography brief considering art galleries and spaces were running through my mind around the different exhibits and collected a few materials and photos of inspiration. With the V&A only across the road and limited time to fit all into my day visit I quickly scanned the building looking for possible and potential spaces for my work.

Whilst on my travels I found it important to take photos of places I could potential import my work into for presentations. A reminder of my tutor stating people from last year using the same in-situ photo for their final degree show and the level of how unprofessional it seemed rang in my mind. I snapped away whilst rushing through the tube stations and train stations.

NAP x

Prospects

This week I focused my attention on finding job opportunities through the university' prospects scheme. Whilst reading my emails i came across a few interesting roles that really appealed to me so I have decided to apply. Currently I am in communications with a possible new project for myself to be part of. The details of the project are under wraps at the moment and are to be veiled later, however it is clear that this will involve packaging design. 

I am working on a few different packaging projects at the moment to put into my portfolio from wine labels to coffee branding and packaging. I hope to have a variety of examples of projects for when I am applying for different roles and to show in my portfolio for the final degree show. I am hopeful about these new possible career moves I have applied for and hope to achieve the best outcome from my studies.

NAP x

Dissertation

A glimse into the hard work of final year was presented this week with a discussion based around the dissertation I will soon be writing. We was also allowed a look at a list of our competition briefs, which will begin after Christmas, to consider which project we would like to approach over our festive break. With recently wanting to look into more packaging projects I was happy to see a few possible briefs to consider and I hope that these projects will allow me the chance to design the kind of work I want in my portfolio. With our typography module kicking off soon we were also presented with a choice of competition briefs to consider.

Whilst over the Christmas break I hope to research further into these new briefs and gain some understanding of which is the most suitable for my portfolio and style of work I can create. I would also like to catch up and refine a few existing projects to finalize so that I can concentrate on starting new work.

NAP x

Me, myself and my freelance business

Recently I have been attending my add vantage module, a short extra course that runs alongside my degree studies. This year I choose to learn about the possible steps and knowledge I would need to go freelance as a graphic designer or photographer and setting up my own business. I have always considered working freelance as a graphic designer or photographer and have dabbled in this area before working for family and friends. I have had the pleasure of photographing family weddings and portraits of new family members and each time the results have been professional standard creating a demand. The current module has really made me think more about my future career and portfolio and the qualities I would need, not only in my work but in myself as a person, to run my own creative business. Throughout the module we were constantly reminded of how we should project ourselves to potential clients with our C.V's, websites portfolios etc.

With the thoughts raised from this module and my current reflection of my personal development planning module, integrated into my course, focusing on preparing for graduation and working in my field has lead me to focus on my personal branding. I want to start realizing what my personal style and personality in design is to communicate to potential employees or clients, so I can begin to translate this into my online portfolio. I am planning to re launch a website I created as part of a PDP module from my second year studies, as I felt the minimal and sophisticated design style I created still suits my personal style currently.

I would also like to improve my portfolio with my next university briefs and projects with design styles I appreciate and personally find appealing and attractive. I wish to demonstrate my design knowledge of trends with the upcoming briefs and some existing projects I have now. I am very much looking to gaining some packaging projects within my portfolio as I currently have no examples.

NAP x

Soundbite

I have recently been working on a live brief presented to us from Birmingham's Town Hall & Symphony Hall. This has been a group based project working within a team of four, we were asked to create a new brand and advertising campaign to raise awareness of TH SH's project Soundbite. Soundbite is run for students aged 16-25yrs promoting discounts, new events, shows and gigs with added promotional material. 

We were given the task of re-branding the currently out dated image and form a new advertising method for its new campaign and re launch. As we were teamed with two international Chinese students from our class, communication was a little bit of an issue within our team and decisions weren't made on design choices as quick as I liked. With a mix of different working styles and methods it was a little challenging to resolve our work together.  I have recently been struggling with the progress of the work we have produced as a group and found it stressful since the deadline and presentation is so close. I feel that the design of the concept from the group work as it is wasn't really what I had in mind originally to include within my portfolio.

The concept of the brand image was to be a very minimal style with a geometric pattern influence. An idea formed from the name focusing on the word bite, we chose to develop this idea into a shark to create a powerful connection to the name and to our audience. Below are the shark illustration I created and the logo for the name Sound Bite inspired by the shark and minimal style. I have been battling with trying to create a short animation showing a light show to be screened on the Town Hall building in Birmingham's city centre with no success so far. Another idea has come to create another animation showing how the general public can interact with the shark too by it chasing them down a street. The idea is to create a memorable and powerful message to the audience by allowing them to connect with music and the amazing venues through the shark.

NAP x