IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 5 REASONS WHY YOU CHOSE TO STUDY ON THIS COURSE:
Honestly, I'm not too sure why I chose to come to Leeds College of Art. In the process of applying to universities, there wasn't any key direction from my college of what courses offer the best education and what would benefit me the most in the long run. Something just appealed to me about the city, it was kind of an instinct that wanted me to be here. Amongst other things I knew I wanted to be somewhere that I felt would keep pushing me to achieve and become a successful designer. Leeds is definitely that place.
- Whilst researching into the course, I couldn't believe the standard of work that was actually coming from this place. Design driven, ready for the industry and clean cut were the first things that came to mind. I want to be somewhere like this by the end of my degree. That's why I applied.
- At the open day, I remember sitting in a lecture with fred summarising the course and explaining what it had to offer and what you could achieve. The broad range of direction and paths you could take, specialising in your own particular field of design was the best thing I took back from his talk. No offence to other universities but they did not offer this, or even speak about it. I knew that I could create a particular path of design that I wanted to work at.
- Leeds City in general has a lot to offer, a lot more than my own town back home. There seemed to be this buzz of creativity and wide range of people when I first came here. I felt like it was a never ending place of exploration, the amount of shops, places and things to do was impressive. I had never been to place like this before. Coventry is a dead city, nothing to offer anyone. So in a few words, I wanted to get as far away from home as I could.
- The fact Leeds College of Art isn't a massive university, spitting out degree students every year was another aspect to my choice. This place has more care towards it's students, carefully selecting potential designers and not leaving it all to grades/background/money. As it's an art college, everyone here seems to be interested in similar things, one way or another. This makes it easy to keep your creativity flowing.
- More importantly I chose to be here because I want to be successful in design. This is something I have done of my own back, nobody has pushed me to be here and that's something I value more than anything. By pushing myself was the only way I can develop. LCA BAGD has been the catalyst to my understanding and education into the world of Graphic Design.
IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 5 THINGS YOU WANT TO LEARN DURING YOUR TIME ON THE PROGRAMME:
It's hard to put it down to five things really, I want to learn as much as I can about everything that is particularly important to being a designer and become fully ready for the industrial world. There will always be things I want to learn, wether it's solely to do with Graphic Design or any influence that helps to create my ability.
- I am going to be an Illustrator. Whatever it takes. I wouldn't even be here if I didn't start drawing. Leaving that behind for the sole purpose of design would let a part of myself go. It will take an extra amount of time to enforce this into solid design work, but at the end of it I know I would have done exactly what I wanted to achieve by benefiting from all the important aspects of design, taking them throughout my career.
- Learning is important to anybody's progress as an individual and more importantly a creative. You can only develop by knowing what's already going on. The constant strive to want to know more, in order to push the boundaries of what you already know. I want to be able to turn around in two years time and look back and think, I've come a long way through the process of Graphic Design as a whole.
- Type, layout, format, colour, print, image. Without knowing about these important values to design, I won't be able to become successful in the industrial world. I'm interested in the process and concept as to how a piece of work like this can be created. I had never even thought about any of this before I came to uni, I wasn't prepared at all. Already I feel like I know what I need to think about to and extent, of what the basics are to design. You need to start from the bottom and work your way up, there isn't much point just smashing out a few designs without even thinking about the concept, of process into how it's been reached.
- Amongst the boring generic answers, '' time management '' has to still be in there. Nobody will ever be able to turn around and say they've perfected their time management, after all we are human. This doesn't give anyone an excuse to be at a point where procrastination is taking over. I will always feel the need to develop this skill, by being here I know I'm going to be able to at least create a functional method of working for the design industry.
- The importance of development, progress and a starting point is probably one of the things I'm trying my hardest at the moment to push. From last year I have learned I need to just get on with it and not allow myself to consistently feel stuck. I cannot afford to for my own self, I want to be somewhere and in order to do this I have to push myself to the limit.
IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 5 THINGS YOU THINK ARE YOUR STRENGTHS:
My strengths that are the most important to me and what I think are towards my development seem to mixed. By being able to create an image without reference in front of me has to be the strongest. For some reason or another, I seem to have built an archive of images in my head that allow me to recreate a drawing from. It's just something I can do. This has allowed me to put ideas down in the form of images, much more apposed to writing.
- Being able to draw is something I rely on, again like I have already said I wouldn't even have chose to be on this course if I couldn't. What I intend to do now is allow myself to be more design driven. Focussing on the important factors to Graphic Design and putting them together with imagery.
- As a person I like to sit back and take things in. By observing and taking a moment to reflect, my understanding towards design becomes engraved, as apposed to spitting out words that have been said to me. I want to form an opinion and understanding in my own way so I am able to develop myself as an individual and designer. You need to take time into what you are doing, effectively otherwise you approach to others won't be clear and successful.
- My design thought process is another element to my effective strategy that I aim to develop. My thought process has to be informative, effective and productive. In order to create a piece of work that is relevant to my concept of a brief. By talking about the importance of design, what's out there now, what I can do as a person is always going to help me generate ideas and improve my understanding.
- Being different, in any possible way is something I have always tried to do. By being able to see what's already going on and get on with my own thing is definitely a key factor to my personaluty. But you can always tell a lot by how a person addresses themselves to the world. By taking a different approach and working with all together different people and egos allows me to create a network of understand, learning and progress. You can always learn from what someone else has to say about your work, having a fresh pair of eyes allows you to get feedback, take it in and evaluate.
- Although It is boring to say, but as a strength I think I have background in a lot of different fields of design, product, packaging and illustration are the three types od design I have always been interested in. From school to where I am now on this degree. This has helped me pick out at least a type of direction I want to go in. Combining Illustration, type and layout with packaging and promotion.
IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 5 THINGS YOU WANT TO IMPROVE:
Everything. As hard as this is to pin out onto specific points It seems to be the best word to describe what I need improve. There is a lot to learn about Graphic Design in terms of it's key factors, and fundamentals of what successful design is all about. By knowing the basis of which the stand on, I am able to improve my critical thinking, analysis and strategy towards a direction in design.
- Again I am going to mention Illustration. Although I'm not directly learning to be an Illustrator, the course doesn't entail that into it's properties and structure it won't stop me from achieving this in my design work. I want to take both Graphic Design and Illustration and mould them together.
- As a whole, I want to improve my knowledge. There isn't anything greater than being able to fully understand the career you want to take. To be successful you need to have a good understand of what it is you are trying to achieve. Without a doubt I have to have the best method of approaching a given brief.
- Design skills. By creating a piece of work that reflects your idea without actually needing to figure out why you are drawn towards it. I have to be able to effectively give people a reason as to why they are buying, admiring or even being inspired by a piece of design is crucial. That's how I will make a career out of my degree.
- Improving my attitude and personality towards the whole design process, what has to be done in order to achieve the best I can. It can be tedious at times but at the end of it all, you always have to back track of what you have created. So you make yourself fleixble in terms of what the client wants from you, allowing an easy way to change a piece of design work to their vision.
- Work flow, I can never get a fully functional, structured strategy to my design process and approach to creating work. This has not yet been fully functional as I occasionally get lost it the whole idea behind the brief. I need to be able to take something, put it as direct as I can and effectively solve the problem.
IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 5 WAYS YOU WILL EVALUATE YOUR PROGRESS:
Evaluation being able to summarise your whole approach, action and finished result to a given process towards a brief is massively important. Without being able to reflect on your own design work, the key factors that will eventually improve it. You won't have an effective understanding to the underlying fundamentals of design. Knowing, Where you went wrong ? What could be improved ? What you would do differently ? How has the answered the brief ? Was it successful? All these questions need to be flowing through my head.
- A written evaluation, detailing the the whole design, concept and process of how you ultimately came to the design point. This benefits me in determining which factor I need to improve on. This is crucial to any part of development.
- Having a Crit, with a number of design led people always shows me the benefit of what needs to be improved, the message I want to be clearly written on my work. Fresh eyes and minds help me understand how the design could be seen by the consumer world. Gives me massive takes to approaching the evaluation of my design.
- Tutorials, spoken words that give me a clear indication of what I am currently doing, what I should move onto next and How driven I actually am. This is 'graphic design gold' - Amber Smith. Words of guidance that will push me into reflecting on my current progress. This is another brilliant factor of design in general.
- Putting my work out there, into the real world. Not allowing it to be stuck between a folder and set of draws. It needs to be in the public eye, in a place where people can actually see it. By doing this I will eventually be able to understand how design works towards people. Feedback will be essential, so I am going to generate as much as necessary.
- Reflection, being able to look back at what I have done. This is something that I would not be able to develop without. If I don't know where the design has faults, weaknesses and potential improvement, then in reality I am doing it all wrong. By having this I know I will always be able to see the need for constant improvement.
IDENTIFY 5 THINGS YOU WANT TO FIND THE ANSWER TO:
Having an answer, or asking questions ? Honestly, I know I do not ask enough questions at all. So how can I really find an answer to them. Realistically I need to push my approach towards knowing even more about design in order to develop effectively. Answers come from all sorts of places, so there is always somewhere I know I want to learn more about. Hopefully I will at least have a plan of action for this, then I know I will have a better chance of becoming a success.
- Where does the line between Illustration and Graphic Design lie in order to develop these skills simultaneously ?
- What is Graphic Design in my own personal perception of the process and product ?
- How can I effectively approach the procedure of doing work and the effects it can have in the terms of successful design ?
- What can I do next and where can I take it to by not allowing restrictions to dictate the outcome of work ?
- Is there a solution to all problems from the client, in a way which creates a solid structure of professional design skills ?
*Mitchell Weaver - BA (Hons) Graphic Design / LCA / 2
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