OUGD602 - PPP3 Summative Module Evaluation

Throughout this module each year, I am constantly gaining confidence not only in myself but in my work. The more I compare my work to other professionals over the years the more I am able to talk about, promote and have faith in my own work. When I started the course I didn't think my work was professional level, and I never imagined that a client would be happy with it, as I had this idea that it was home-made looking. Although my standards have gotten higher and I can achieve a more professional image, by professionalism within myself has grown with it, too. This year particularly I have developed a better eye for branding which has helped me define myself through my personal branding more professionally. Last year, my personal branding was too complicated and too illustrative to the point where only a year later it looks dated and juvenile. This year, whilst still having the mid-century style through colours and shapes, the branding has been stripped right back and now just lets the work speak for itself.

I have networked an awful lot this year, and considered many paths to take upon my departure from university. Because of this deep investigation I was able to define a structured plan for when I leave, giving me confidence to leave knowing that I know what I'm doing!

Weaknesses in my work I would say this year is not being more proactive in visiting studios I want to get involved in. I kept focussing on the USA, which of course I can't visit so easily when maybe I should have looked at a load of studios in the UK, where I could go and visit properly.

If I were to do this module all over again, I probably wouldn't do it any differently, except look out for more UK studios.

OUGD602 - PPP3 - Personal and Professional Practice - Final Design boards for Personal Branding

OUGD602 - PPP3 - Collaborative project - DBA Capital North

Here, I am posting links to my extended practice blog, where I documented a collaborative project I participated in. The reason is because this particular project fulfils both collaborative with visiting professionals, learning to work in a team, and working conceptually.

DBA Capital North - Briefing

DBA Capital North - Initial Ideas/ Brainstorming

DBA Capital North - Campaign/ poster ideas

DBA Capital North Idea Generation for animations

DBA Capital North development of my poster design

DBA Capital North - Development of environmental designs

DBA Capital North - EVALUATION

It also led me to realise that branding is not something I want to pursue as a career, it's definitely not one of my strong points. I'm not good at condensing illustrations down into icons for logos, working minimalistically, and I don't enjoy working in a commercial style. However, thinking conceptually and letting ideas drive a piece is definitely something I'd like to feed more into my work!

OUGD602 - PPP3 - Visit to Pressission Print, Leeds

This morning, a group of us from the course visited Pressision Print on the outskirts of Leeds.

The visit was really interesting and really opened my eyes to a world of FINISHING a world that sadly, I'd never realised I'd not paid a whole lot of attention to since my incident with the gold ink in the screen printing room last year (sorry Andy).

The best part about this was, for me, you could see these sort of select, 'arty' finishes being exercised in a commercial environment, hitting home that it doesn't hurt to be extra creative if it pulls the whole design (and budget) together.

Rather ignorantly of me, I had never realised that practices such as gold foiling and ENGRAVING ON FOIL were so popular in today's tight-budget climate. It was so refreshing - we got to watch some absolutely beautiful work being crafted before our eyes.

There was also a digital printer that printed white - something I didn't even think was possible!

The business card has digitally printed white ink on it.

Although I don't really have time to apply any finishes commercially to my work for university, the trip was still fruitful because it has planted the seed for many curious design and finish opportunities long after I depart.

OUGD602 - PPP3 - 1 Week placement at Entyce Creative (2)

Yesterday, I received an email from Jane, the Director at Entyce, notifying me that the icons I created for their site were now online! : http://www.entyce-creative.com/what-we-do/

Here's how the illustrations/ icons appear on their site: 

For 'web design and build' I drew a trowel as a more tactile meaning for 'build'

Copywriting and content was simply a pile of books

A little more provoking than your standard smartphone! 

'Strategy and planning' left me a little dry for ideas, so a simple arrow was used to represent positive results.

a rather obvious decision for 'Search Engine Optimisation'

A playful symbol of an origami fortune teller for 'design for print'

Simple speech bubbles for 'social media'

A playful watering can and flower to represent support and the growth of a company after the 'seed' had been planted.

You can also read about my experience at Entyce on their blog at: http://www.entyce-creative.com/sarahs-week-with-entyce/

OUGD602 - PPP - My Crash course in Augmented Reality at Media and Digital

Today, I got the chance to experience a 'crash course' in Augmented Reality, the feature for many designs at design studio 'Media and Digital', formerly Printel UK based in Widnes, Cheshire. 

A little demo of Augmented Reality:

I came across augmented reality during second year, after looking at one of their brochures. For me, it was an opportunity to experiment with both print and digital media, and the opportunity for potential experiential design for my portfolio (which would obviously be great for concerning my interest in the Themed Entertainment industry)

Media and Digital encompass the use of this amazing technology to bring prospectuses for local colleges and schools to life.

Chris, one of the designers at MaD showed me around the studio and gave me a quick tour of the necessary technologies that make this virtual reality a reality.

Although Augmented Reality can use any kind of digital animation, a lot of what they use is video, meaning they can take a still from a video and use that as the 'trigger image' (a symbol or marker in which the app can scan from a real life product, usually a printed product and 'marry' up with a digital image, thus creating a 'trigger' for the app to play a video). Because they use a lot of video for their AR, they actually have a green screen in their studio, and Christ showed me how they remove the green screen for a nice clean background on their video. He also explained that the background can then be substituted for any background digitally.

Me in front of said green screen

He also showed me many of the different tools and tricks within Adobe After Effects such as frame transitions, moving imagery and text animation that all assist in masking any lack of alignment between trigger images and the video itself. The result is very effective.

We finished off the session with me creating some front cover designs for Riverside College's 2016 prospectus. 

I really enjoyed the session it was really beneficial. He advised a few different websites for different tutorials on creating your own transitions and said that the best way to know your way around the software is to teach yourself through online tutorials and that a one-time session isn't enough (Much like the rest of the complicated Adobe Creative Suite).

Georgie and Gill from MaD's team.

OUGD602 - PPP3 - Recent Communications (2)

I am currently subscribed to a newsletter for freelance art and design professionals working in the Themed Entertainment industry in and around Orlando called SLICE. It's been a good source for me discovering new inspirations and mates, along with ideas to steer my portfolio and career.

Over the course of the week, I have had the pleasure of connecting with a kind, talented and  knowledgable illustrator living and working in Orlando, FL. I reached out to him on LinkedIn, as I recognised his name from having seen his artwork before.

If you wanna take a peek, his work is right here: http://adamicenogle.com/

He offered a lot of friendly advice and basically reaffirmed for me that being in Orlando is definitely at the epicentre of the industry and the best place to be:

I am very interested in working with him collaboratively on a project, and was delighted and honoured that he suggested it. I don't think I'll have time to do it before the end of my degree though, which is disappointing. 

It was such a pleasure talking to him and has made me excited to 'follow my dreams' all over again! 

OUGD602 - PPP3 - 1 Week placement at Entyce Creative and Interview at Chester Zoo

This week, I have been lucky enough to experience days in the lives of the fabulous team at Entyce (Chester). It’s the first time I have been placed in an agency that deals mainly with web design, and I was amazed at the speed and efficiency in which Entyce performs.

Have a look at Entyce's Twitter page

Here is there website, where you can find a little more about the wonderful people I have had the pleasure of sharing an office with this week.

I have been busy with trying out designing a website independently and was overjoyed at the positive feedback I got from my colleagues, especially considering I have little background knowledge of designing websites professionally, but the team at Entyce have really boosted my confidence with their constructive criticism. 

The experience has opened my eyes to dealing with creative work in a professional, organised manner, observing how Entyce conduct their talents in their practice has been a very valuable lesson, just from time-sheets to organising meetings - everything runs so smoothly!

Jane, Libby and the team have been so friendly and welcoming and my nerves were soon settled. I am humbled they have taken time out of their busy schedules to be so accommodating for me.

I am now even more excited to graduate from my bachelors and become a professional in this industry because of my positive experience at Entyce.

I created some icons and a couple of images for different blog posts and for their website:

http://www.entyce-creative.com/news/

The image on the left is slightly different to how I designed it, and was altered according to the director.

Although I have had a great experience at Entyce, it has sort of confirmed for me that web-based design really isn't my niche and I would prefer and flourish in a more varied setting and a role that didn't mean so much solitary design time. It certainly wasn't lonely in the studio, but I like to work in a team, preferably. It became clear that I don't have an eye for such constructed design, and definitely sway more toward illustration more so than Graphic Design, after all.

Yesterday, I left my placement at Entyce early as I had my interview at Chester Zoo. It wasn't your conventional one-on-one interview and it was conducted in a series of group tasks. They were a bit unusual (such as creating animals out of drinking straws and sellotape) but I can understand that this was good for observing cooperative skills and initiative. I think it went really well - so now just waiting to hear back. They said yesterday that I would hear back in the same day but I didn't so I called them up today during my lunch at my placement at Entyce and they said it would be sometime this week. I'm excited to hear back!

I have just one more day at Entyce and I'm hoping they'll be able to assist me with my own website for my personal branding. It's quite basic (I have created it on Wix), but I would appreciate their professional feedback.

OUGD602 - PPP3 - Personal Brand Design - Logo

I am uploading my new logo online so it's accessible to be used in an email signature/ footer. (Branding post to follow)

My new logo:

OUGD602 - PPP3 - Different Ideas for the 'game plan' after my departure from Leeds College of Art

In my last post I explained how I bagged a placement at a Chester design agency and how I applied for a job in Chester Zoo's new park; Islands. 

Following on from that, I have decided to look at different visas for visiting the USA again, as the idea was to have a summer job (hopefully at Islands) to save for another visit early next year, 2016.

During the next visit, which I hope (dream) to be around 6 months long, the idea is to arrange and line up a number of work placements in agencies surrounding Orlando, what can be argued as the Themed Entertainment capital 0f the world, that I know do work for Universal, Disney etc. 
So I am looking into my different visa options. I know that most likely a visa that provides permission for paid work is going to be more expensive than a visiting/travelling/holiday visa, so I'm exploring all my options. If I were to save up during this working period this summer, then next year during the USA visit only have unpaid work placements, is that allowed? Is that legal? Is there a work placement visa?

I know that if I were to visit, I would most probably have somewhere to reside with one of my good friends I met upon my last visit, who I still keep in touch with often. 

It sounds like the best visa for me would be the J-1 visa (cultural sponsored exchange - the same visa I went to Disney with) or the H-3 visa which is a trainee visa.

Since the places I would be pursuing for these internships/ placements will most likely not have enough money/ willingness to sponsor me for a costly visa like the J-1, the preferable option would be the H-3 : http://london.usembassy.gov/niv/work.html

Of course, this will all be reviewed closer to the time, and I will also have to look further at how to fund it, besides my job (probably design work, you-know, that degree I will have?!)

OUGD602 - PPP3 - Confirming a placement at an agency/ Job at Chester Zoo applied for after uni

Today, I can confirm I have a 1 week placement at an agency in Chester called Entyce.

The studio is interesting and the people seem friendly I am to go in on Monday 20th April at 10am to start. I'm really looking forward to it, although it's not necessarily fitting in with my goals of themed entertainment design and experiential design, I'm still really looking forward to working in the fast pace of a design agency, and getting a chance to work with some real clients. I'm also looking forward to not working on my own in my room, for once! 

Of course, I will be documenting my time there on my PPP blog.

***

On a separate note, yesterday, I applied for an entry level job as a Guest Experience Assistant at Chester Zoo's new expansion, called Islands.
To be honest, after toying with the idea of avoiding a Graphic Design based job straight after uni, then after hearing my classmates similar aspirations in the PPP presentations, I've decided to have a couple of months break from full-on design work after such an intense degree and whilst I plan my next career move. After the disappointment of the squashed possibility of an internship at Disney straight after uni due to time constraints, it actually occurred to me that I need more time to think, to plan, to re-cooperate and above all TO SAVE MONEY.  
My dad, upon his drive home from work in Chester decided to take a different route home and noticed a billboard advertising the new expansion and told me to have a look.

The website is really great - check it out here. The Islands expansion is going to be amazing, and I'd love to be part of it as it's a big breakthrough in the Themed Entertainment industry in the North West of England.

The main thing here to me is that even though the position would not be in the design career path, it still concerns Themed Entertainment, my old love! I am also excited as I am well qualified having a very similar position in Walt Disney World in Florida last year - which I actually enjoyed a lot! 

I hope to hear from them in the next couple of weeks - another update I shall be sharing on my PPP blog.

OUGD602 - PPP3 - Designing something for MinaLima - Ideas

As explained in this post, I want to start a dialogue with design studio MinaLima. But honestly not sure where to start! 

It takes good historical/ contextual knowledge and a hands-on approach to be a suitable Graphic Prop designer, and I want to somehow show that in a gift design for them.

I started looking at paper-craft ideas but I think it might be a bit fragile in transit:

http://madebystore.co.uk/store_sel_lie.html

http://southernbluecelebrations.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/free-frozen-party-printables.html

http://papercrave.com/printable-paper-cameras-by-mel-stringer/

https://www.behance.net/gallery/Little-World/10967899

I think these ideas may also fall into the risk of being a bit juvenile especially if not executed perfectly. 

Then, with my new Skillshare subscription, came across a class on kinetic typography:

http://www.skillshare.com/classes/design/The-Ultimate-Guide-to-Kinetic-Type-in-After-Effects/282677337/projects

I could create them a video based on typography ... this wouldn't conflict with posting plans.

Back to the drawing board?

OUGD602 - PPP3 - Contacts & Networking - Graphic Design in Florida - MinaLima

I am surprised looking over through my blog that I haven't blogged about these guys at all before now, as I have admired them for quite some time! 

Before I went to work in Orlando, Florida I only had a few faint ideas of where I could fit into the Themed Entertainment Industry, with my degree and skillset being in Graphic Design. But over the summer I saw lots of different aspects of graphic design that would involve me in the Themed Entertainment industry actually on the rides and attractions, the things that inspire me the most.

Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World (my own photos): 

This 'Town Square Theater' sign was created by design studio Wrenhouse Design of whom I've blogged my dialogue with here.

Universal Orlando Resort:

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida:

MinaLima are the studio responsible for not only the Wizarding World of Harry Potter area Graphics but also all of the Graphic design for the film series! 

There is a very varied approach to design styles colliding in the Diagon Alley area of Universal Orlando Resort.

For example, the really garish colour palette of the Weasley Brothers sweet shop

Against the quirky archways of the Diagon Alley backstreets

There were murals everywhere such as this.

Aging processes are applied to give the area a more 'lived in' effect. 

Simple packaging/ cup design for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

It is incredibly fascinating to see how just two people brought the story on the pages of JK Rowling's books to life through Graphic Design. 

In these interviews here, here and here, they explain their design processes which lead to their creations. 

They have also designed movie and film Graphic Props for other films such as The Imitation Game.

It came to my attention that I am probably most suited with a background in Graphic Props design, and I should head for securing a placement in somewhere that specialises in such areas. I was intrigued to find out more about the role and what qualities are desired for it:

M: “If you’re recreating something authentic you might go to an archive. We’re looking at the whole era of graphic design, not just Turing’s world. We do a lot of museum visits. You might be designing a complicated book cover and you’d go to a metalwork exhibit at the V&A.

M: “How do you start doing what we do? We value mixing handwork with the computer. If someone came to us and said they’ve been collecting wrapping paper, or strange typefaces for the past 15 years and they had an archive, that would be really interesting because they’d been looking beyond the internet."

M: “Yeah, how would you age something? How would you make a book look like it was 150-years-old and the character who owns it is a heavy smoker and drinker? It’s a lot of lateral thinking and being really curious. We’d look for someone’s curiosity in a whole wealth of visual stimuli. Typography is crucial for us too. Anyone who works on a film will – on every film, I don’t know why – end up having to make a menu, a ticket and a label.”

There was a Harry Potter celebration held in Orlando, Florida when I was there but unfortunately I couldn't make it because I was working but here is a video from their first presentation of their first appearance at the Harry Potter Celebration: 

Here is a look at some of their other works for films:

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2015/february/designing-for-the-imitation-game

MinaLima are actually based in London! I would love nothing more than to visit their studio, and perhaps get a work placement there (I'm not sure if that is feasible, but it's always worth a try)

I rang them a couple of weeks ago and their receptionist was lovely and very friendly but told me that 'the guys' are not available until at least April, so here we are!

I plan to design something for MinaLima to either send to them via email or in the post to start a dialogue between me and them.