Looking for Work Experience

Over the Easter break I would like to do a weeks work experience in Exeter, Devon. I have been researching local design studios, however, I feel I will need Johns help in contacting them also I will need to contact studios soon as easter break isn't that far away. I have first found Believe In which I like the look of.

Believe In http://www.believein.co.uk/#/

"Working with brave clients to inspire people through simple, meaningful design. It’s what we believe in. A creative studio united by our love of the designer’s craft, and the power of a simple story well toldBelieve in was founded in 1996 by creative director Blair Thomson. We design for brands, printed and digital communications, packaging and environments, and our work is built on the strongest principles." 

Address:
Believe in
33—35 Southernhay East
Exeter
EX1 1NX
United Kingdom

Taking Care Of Business

This morning we had our first group meeting. My group is with Helen, Aimee, Molly and Katie. Overall, the meeting was a success as we established the basics of our business. Our current business idea is a screen-printing company which aims to promote more hands on printing methods and creativity. The company would both design and produce work for local companies as well as offering the general public lessons in how to screen-print. An exhibition space of both professional and public past work would be available to look around and inspire customers. The exhibition room would also hold events to promote artists and bring capital into the company.

Name Ideas:
The Print Room
Print Box
Screen Space
Creative Space

We came up with a list of possibly costings which we will delegate and try to figure out how much everything would cost.

Costing:
Rent/Space

Wages
Bills (water/electric/gas)  

Desks
Chairs
Macs
An A3 printer
Screens
Ink
Squeegees
Jet wash
Emulsion
Light box
Aprons
Decorations
Tea and Coffee

Skills and services do you have to offer?
We offer to teach screen printing to people wanting to learn as well as corporate element where we produce work for small businesses.

Target market?
Anyone who is interested in learning to screen print, including school classes. Equally local business' who want work produced for their company.

Competition and how will you compete?
LCA evening classes and Colours may vary

What are your costs, charges and financial considerations?
Not currently known.

How will you structure your studio?
The studio would have to be divided into separate areas including screen printing space, exhibition space, kitchen, preparation room (printers and computers) and somewhere for the work to dry.

Who will be responsible for what?
Not currently known.

How will you promote your services? To who? Using what media?
We will promote our services to the creative people of leeds as well as independent business' and even schools etc... We will use examples of screen printing to promote the business, for example posters about the studio but also we could extend it to tote bags which would be given as a gift when customers use the studio. This then acts as an advertisement through people.

Our next stages will be to think of a name, find a location and then begin to figure out costings. Once we have figured out costings we will be able to figure out how much we would need to charge for various services to still make a profit.

OUGD502: Disobiendant Objects

Over the weekend as a course we visited Disobedient Objects an exhibition examining the powerful role of objects in movements for social change. It demonstrates how political activism drives a wealth of design ingenuity and collective creativity that defy standard definitions of art and design. For someone, who isn't a massive fan of exhibitions (the pretence, the air etc) I found the exhibition actually enjoyable and very engrossing. Seeing the banners, and badges up close, rather than seeing them in photographs in the media made it a lot more real. I felt inspired by the possible outcomes I could have for the OUGD505 brief, such as stickers, banners, tote bags, badges etc. Overall, the exhibition was useful and very relevant and I enjoyed my time in London.

OUGD504: Module Evaluation

This module has been incredibly beneficial to me, it has taught me about designing for web and the restrictions that come with that as well as designing for print and branding. Overall, the module has given greater deeper understanding of the design process.
I feel my time management and commitment to the course has developed, as well as my ability to quickly work up designs within a studio environment. I think this is because I am much more confident  with the adobe software, and I have stopped worrying about what anyone thinks. This first semester of study I feel I my idea generation processes has grown, creating insightful, and established responses/concepts to design challenges.

My first one week brief was to create a folded leaflet of our personal understanding of our design process. For the first couple of days I struggled with ideas and getting in to the swing being back in the studio. Especially after a few months of summer relaxing, it almost felt stressful. I attempted to design a folded leaflet that is considered and effective. Everything has been carefully arranged even though it is to look casual. I have designed and used vector illustrations to go on my leaflet which helps communicate my design process effectively. 

I struggled most with the web brief. The purpose of this brief was to design a multi-page website that effectively informs a user about the interesting and informative facts, figures, observations and visual content that you have discovered within the summer brief. Over summer I travelled to Hong Kong and was inspired by these sacred spaces I visited, which is why my website is based on Sacred Geometry and Architecture. Sacred Geometry involves a sacred universal patterns used in design of everything in our reality, most often seen in sacred architecture and art. The basic belief is that geometry and mathematical ratios, divine proportions (golden ration) etc. As a designer, I felt it was important to have an awareness and draw inspiration from ancient design.

To this day, I feel like I didn't showed my full potential with the web brief, I think this is due to the fact we were unable to code and make our websites live. This was due to circumstances out of my control. However, I did learn a lot about  about web safe colours and html & css, as well as the restrictions when designing for web. In the the future I would like to revisit/teach myself to code. 

Overall, I am pleased with my website, I have really enjoyed learning about the subject and design for web. Ancient design and civilisations have always interested in me. I think as a designer I think its really important to have an awareness of ancient design instead of only focusing on current design thats happened in the last century. 

Also, the way I approach a project has changed, I find I a lot efficient and quicker at making decisions. I have found that my final outcomes are a lot more conceptual than last year, especially when considering industry, culture and audience. I feel I design for the audience, instead of what I think looks good. I also consider media, format, methods and communication a lot more. 

I have started appreciating grids especially when designing for screen and print, I find they are a really useful tool, in creating visually pleasing design. 

The Augmented Reality brief. There were time limitations with this brief, as we only had a week to print our work when the print room was fully booked. However, I managed to get into drop in for digital print as well as screen-print. Giving myself a lot of work to do and trying to complete it as best as I can, it’s amazing what you can accomplish within a week by focusing and committing fully.

Overall, I have pleased how the module has gone, I feel I have developed a lot as a designer and I am looking forward to the rest of the year.