Presentation - Level 6 Introduction.

Direction for Level 6

During this year the main focus of the briefs I have picked is retail as it is something that really interests me and I feel that previous projects I have undertaken like Kubu homewear have been my most successful. I also feel that within this sector there are a lot of routes that I can also explore like branding, packaging, editorial and web which will give my portfolio variety.


Collaborative Briefs

I have planned to take part in a selection of collaborative briefs with other students on the course but also with outside individuals. I am really excited about this as I have really enjoyed collaborative projects in the past and feel that they are successful because of the increased skill set and ideas. One project is with a graduated millinery designer who is looking to start to brand herself with business cards and a look book, I am looking forward to the editorial side of this. With Beth we plan to do a past YCN brief, M&S Perfect Picnic that will lead us to improve our packaging design skills. Lastly with Emily we had the idea of creating a stationary brand that uses practical techniques like laser cut for the products.


Individual Briefs

My briefs I will undertake individually I am also excited about and cover a variety of my interests. For example Brabantia that is primarily about pattern design that is something that I really enjoy, this is a brief I would like to extend as it is a competition brief and the main aim is to just create a print although I would like to push this create a new product range and promotional material. The next brief is Graze that focusses on the practical side of packaging which will be interesting to learn about. I also plan to design a new cosmetics brand that will focus on luxury, I think this is one of the projects I am most looking forward too. Another brief is some work linking with fashion brand Motel, whilst researching I noticed that their promotion is predominantly digital so I plan to make a print magazine that would aim to target new customers. Lastly is a competition brief from Talenthouse, where accessories company Galina London has asked for a new logo, although similarly with Brabantia I want to extend this and create related objects that the branding can be applied to.


CoP Research

I also briefly talked about the current research I have done for my CoP work. At the moment I plan it to be about the relation between propaganda and advertising and explore the similarities and differences between them. Although as this develops it may change to something else if I feel it is more suitable and relevant to me.


Studio Visit

Finally I spoke about my visit to Studio Baum in Bristol over summer and the possibility of a placement there. I also plan to visit some larger studios in order to get a comparison.

Studio Visit - Studio Baum.

During the summer I went to visit Sam Baum at his studio in Bristol and I found it really beneficial. This was the first studio I had visited on my own and initially I was quite apprehensive about it as I hadn't shown my work to anyone out of the studio environment before. When I arrived the space was part of a large building filled with other creatives that I thought was great. The studio itself was small but this was due to it being a one person work place. After introductions we went to a near by cafe to go through my portfolio. I found this to be a big confidence boost as Sam was impressed with my work. We then went through a few of his projects and I was able to ask questions. I am really glad that I took the time to do this as I found it to be very helpful and I would definitely do it again.

About

"Essentially, Studio Baum is a family business – we value each other and the people we work with. Established in 2005 by husband and wife team, Sam and Jess Baum, we are an independent studio specialising in multidisciplinary design and art direction. Studio Baum flourishes on the variety of creative projects we work on: from brand development to letterpress printing to moving image, and digital design to annual reports to education outreach. We collaborate with clients internationally, across both the profit and not-for-profit sectors."

Looking into Studios - Numiko.

After Numiko coming for a talk and visiting their studio I have decided to do some further research into them and their work.

"We are an award-winning digital agency, solving problems for our clients through user research, design and technology. 

We have a team of 28 talented people working across a variety of disciplines.

Research: knowing who your users are, what they think and what they do is incredibly useful. Never skip; do not pass go.

Strategy: how best to engage with your users to persuade them to do something. User Experience: understanding how users move through systems and services. Digital Design and Brand 

Development: brands can and should be developed to take advantage of interaction. So often they are not.

Bulletproof tech: we prefer and therefore only use open source, largely Drupal. We can make it go very fast without falling over. We can make it do what we and our clients want, rather than us working for the machines."

numiko.com

Studio Visit - Numiko.

After Numiko did a talk in college me, Beth and Imogen went down to their studio to have a look around. During their talk they mentioned how web isn't just coding but is also a lot about design and how you incorporate the two together. This interested me as I enjoy constructing the look of a website but don't always have the knowledge to put it together.

Turning up initially I was quite nervous as this was the first studio visit I had done and I didn't know what to expect, however going with friends made it easier as they were there as support. It made me more confident as we could all ask questions and turn up together and I think next time I have the confidence to do it individually. The visit mainly consisted of a tour around the building and being introduced to different members of the company, it was interesting to see how many people there was as this was something I didn't expect. There were a lot more job roles than I initially anticipated as well, for examples researches and finance departments that seems obvious now but I hadn't considered them beforehand. It was interesting to see how the design team worked as well from the front end that determined what the user would see and the coding team that would put the ideas of the previous group into something usable.

Overall this experience made me think differently about web and the opportunities within it. It also made me a lot more confident in visiting studios in the future.

Statement of Intent.