OUGD504 - Final Module Evaluation

OUGD504 - Final Module Evaluation

Throughout this module I have learned a number of different skills in print making, stock choices, and most of all.... website coding. Throughout the design for print project, I pushed to complete the print pack with as many different finishing processes as possible, to showcase them to the user. In my design for print and web, after learning the hard way about stock choices in Design for Print, I was able to make quick and easy decisions based on these experiences. In Design for Web, however I do not think I reached my full potential in applying new skills. But overall, I’ve crammed so much in, I wanted to show off my new skills, even if they need a bit more refining!

For probably the first time ever, I have found it natural and easy to go through the motions of producing comprehensive sketches and clearly document my design decisions, which I have found quite difficult in the past. I have also developed my skills in planning and time management a lot, especially in Design for Print and Web. This meant that I was able to make quick and easy decisions when faced with problems, and realise where these fit into my schedule - helping me resolve them based on time, as well as logic. I have also applied myself a lot more in the practical elements of things and been a lot more hands on! Although it’s been nice to do this, I have learned when the results are good they are very good, but if they are not they are excruciating and time consuming. For example, my screen printing sessions in design for print were very costly - 2 and a half weeks and around £30 in total! What I’ve learnt about this is to probably not try things too ambitious when my skills are still in their infancy.

Lots of the problems that I came across were because I had tried to balance too many plates at once; for example, my never ending card design cost me a lot of money and time, because I failed to triple check the design or print off a quick trial before I sent it to final print. 

The strengths I can see in my work is an arising style of Victoriana / 50’s style illustration. I find it’s what I enjoy doing the most and what I can execute the most professionally. In Design for Print and Web, I made this style a lot friendlier and applied to a younger audience compared to that of Design for Print, which was a more select, older audience. I can also identify with my ever-improving time management skills and learning to care a little less - in a good way. I have found I am easing off on my perfectionism that was holding me back, getting me stressed, slowing me down, and not necessarily improving my work. I will continue move fast through future projects, and not get too stuck in the minor details - ‘perfect is the enemy of the good’.

The weaknesses I have found in my work, especially when it came to designing for Web, was the fear of failure that caused me procrastinate to the point where I didn’t think I would make the deadline, for lack of confidence in my skills. This has made me keen to learn more about designing for web so that this didn’t stop me again. Ironically, compared to my strengths post, weaknesses I can identify in my work are giving myself too much work to do for the time frame. I feel like I am too ambitious in my designs and always find myself overworking myself just to meet the deadline, even though I have worked hard and consistently throughout the project. 

Five things I would do differently next time would be; to not give myself as much work as I normally do- because it exhausts me and affects the quality of my work/life, incorporate time to photograph my work professionally to build my portfolio up as I go, not too ask too much of myself in terms of applying brand new skills on a large scale because it affects the final outcome negatively, not shy away from learning things and never deem myself as incapable because new things are never as complicated as they seem and should never be scary.

How well do I think I have done/5?

Attendance

4

Punctuality

4

Commitment

5

Quantity of work produced

5

Quality of work produced

5

Contribution to the group 

4