END OF 2nd YEAR EVALUATION

I can't believe 2nd year has come to an end. Time seems to be passing by very quickly at the moment. I seem to be constantly questioning my self as a designer and where my skills lie. From 2nd year I have learnt that my passion lies mainly in design for print and I want to become a better illustrator and image maker. I have enjoyed creating my own illustrations this year and have tried to develop a style I can call my own. I have been challenged and worked harder than ever. I have found myself struggling at times to keep my head above water, with the pressures of modules, critical studies, enterprise and innovation and PPD to juggle. At times it has been overwhelming but has been a big learning curve for me in how to manage my time. I have taken away with me a lot to reflect upon over this summer.

I am more aware of my strengths, my weaknesses and what I want to strive to become. I'm ready for my 3rd year and eager for it. I just know I need to keep this enthusiasm and thirst going over summer so I'm going to try my best to keep active in my practice, even if it's just a little here and there that keeps my ticking. I'd like to try and do some t-shirt designs over summer. Some friends of mine on the course have expressed an interest in wanting to produce some and I think it'll be a fun little project to become involved in over summer so when we get back we can hopefully get them printed up. The printing process too will be a learning curve for me and I'm excited to see where that could take us. Next year I would definitely like to do screen printing. It has been something I have wanted to do all this year but never got around to doing. Next year even if i don't use it for a course project, I will definitely give it a go. There is something about print that I have taken a shining too this year and want to become more involved in. I want to know more about it and become better at it. I have managed to try out digital printing, which is a process I will use again. It was very enjoyable to experiment with and very satisfying to see an end result.

I have realised that I would like to become more involved in the corporate side of design and try my hand at letter heads and logo design more. I feel my designs have been too fun and I have been too precious about them this year. I need to push myself until things go too far so I know I can develop my work better. I find I often have an idea, stick to it and then don't explore it enough to get the most out of it I perhaps could. From that, I know I am lazy and need to push myself harder.
I would like to develop my skills in InDesign so that my layout skills are better. I am still very much a novice to InDesign and only know the bare minimum. Summer is my chance to play around with it and test my hand to it.

I have been lucky enough to do a work placement at the end of my 2nd year with a print and design company however I am currently on the look out for a couple more and are in touch with some designers. This is all still very much in the process however. I gained an awful lot from doing a short placement with them. Just a few of the things I did for them were, help design a double sided business card, deliver work to clients, sit in on client briefings, give my opinion on page layout of a 200 page lighting brochure and help in and around the studio. I was able to speak to all the team and shadow them. I learnt a great deal from just talking to them and being able to observe what they were doing. Watching how they manage their time and the pace they worked to was a big eye opener and I didn't have to make tea or coffee! My time there has really inspired and informed me and kept me eager to find more and learn more over summer.

I hope 3rd year isn't going to finish me off, however I can feel the stress and soul ripping of it brewing already...
Quite what my plan for 3rd year is going to be yet I do not know, though this summer I am going to try to maintain my design practice through, type/visual journals, live briefs or independent practical research. Hopefully by doing so my plan will be ready and prepared to get the ball rolling as soon as I'm back in September. I just need to stick to it!

Work Experience

For the past two days I have been having some work experience at a graphic design and printing company in Leeds called Print Ideas and Printing.com. Both have been really useful I have learnt so much over a short space of time.