Evaluating the Design Process
The first part of the term was spent learning how to generate ideas through experimentation taking into account the various workshops that we did, i.e: using layer masks, defining custom brushes, making different selections and adding textures and lighting effects to text. We also created a popplet plan for clarifying and identifying a target audience with a view to creating an appropriate design for a target group.
We then looked at formal design elements by examining examples of work by Neville Brody and David Carson, comparing how they communicate their ideas and how they differ in style and content. We also related the styles and techniques used by Brody and Carson in order to come up with a few ideas of our own (see experimentation, famous quotes), to further develop our skills and techniques.We also looked at typographic portraiture and attempted a few designs of our own which I believe will help me to develop my typographic skills further in the future.
I decided to come up with a project idea for a product which could be produced at my place of work using a machine called the "zund" which cuts stencils from plastic and card. Attempting a project of this nature will help me to improve my understanding of creating designs for this machine as I am often asked to do at work.
After generating a few basic ideas for my stencil project and T-shirt prints (sketches, vector images and header design), the ideas were presented to the class for further development. As a result of this a different font was used for the header design and various other ideas for stencils were added. I was also given some very useful feedback on how to design an instruction sheet for the stencil pack. The importance of collecting peer feedback was underlined by this experience as it brought me to conclusions which I wouldn't have come to alone.
Final Design
After completion of the stencil project:
The instruction sheet was designed to fold small enough to fit in a pocket, leaving hands free. The instructions were broken down into simple stages and are easy to follow.
The designs were cut out on the "Zund" machine quickly and easily and are suitable for fast production in a factory and are applicable to the target age group. They are easy to pull out and when sprayed into they hold their shape and are re-usable.
The waste material is always re-cycled.
The screen prints
After mixing the drawings with various vector swirls, patterns, backgrounds and Fonts in Illustrator for the "Jones" T-shirt label I produced two final designs. I learned how to print a detailed photographic image onto a black shirt by inverting the image and using the halftone dot filter in photoshop. I also learned how to develop a scanned drawing further using photoshop and Illustrator as a mixed medium. These are skills and techniques which can be developed further with tutorials and future projects.
Skills to improve
In order to further develop my skills in keeping with the needs of my employer I need to continue with:
- typography development
- tutorials on post script files
- tutorials on basic and more advanced functions in Illustrator and Photoshop including colour swatches, understanding pattern maker, colour separations ready for print, understanding file types, design and layout.
We then looked at formal design elements by examining examples of work by Neville Brody and David Carson, comparing how they communicate their ideas and how they differ in style and content. We also related the styles and techniques used by Brody and Carson in order to come up with a few ideas of our own (see experimentation, famous quotes), to further develop our skills and techniques.We also looked at typographic portraiture and attempted a few designs of our own which I believe will help me to develop my typographic skills further in the future.
I decided to come up with a project idea for a product which could be produced at my place of work using a machine called the "zund" which cuts stencils from plastic and card. Attempting a project of this nature will help me to improve my understanding of creating designs for this machine as I am often asked to do at work.
After generating a few basic ideas for my stencil project and T-shirt prints (sketches, vector images and header design), the ideas were presented to the class for further development. As a result of this a different font was used for the header design and various other ideas for stencils were added. I was also given some very useful feedback on how to design an instruction sheet for the stencil pack. The importance of collecting peer feedback was underlined by this experience as it brought me to conclusions which I wouldn't have come to alone.
Final Design
After completion of the stencil project:
The instruction sheet was designed to fold small enough to fit in a pocket, leaving hands free. The instructions were broken down into simple stages and are easy to follow.
The designs were cut out on the "Zund" machine quickly and easily and are suitable for fast production in a factory and are applicable to the target age group. They are easy to pull out and when sprayed into they hold their shape and are re-usable.
The waste material is always re-cycled.
The screen prints
After mixing the drawings with various vector swirls, patterns, backgrounds and Fonts in Illustrator for the "Jones" T-shirt label I produced two final designs. I learned how to print a detailed photographic image onto a black shirt by inverting the image and using the halftone dot filter in photoshop. I also learned how to develop a scanned drawing further using photoshop and Illustrator as a mixed medium. These are skills and techniques which can be developed further with tutorials and future projects.
Skills to improve
In order to further develop my skills in keeping with the needs of my employer I need to continue with:
- typography development
- tutorials on post script files
- tutorials on basic and more advanced functions in Illustrator and Photoshop including colour swatches, understanding pattern maker, colour separations ready for print, understanding file types, design and layout.
