Evaluation - Alternative Christmas.

During this brief I definitely improved being able to work towards a very small timescale, due to it being a very quick turnaround I had to think on an idea and execute it very quickly. Initially it was slightly stressful but as I got into the swing of it I became more comfortable with the situation.

I have learnt that being involved in projects that are for a good cause like this is very rewarding and it is nice to be able to put my skills towards something that can help others. This is definitely something I would like to continue doing in the future. Even if it was organising the whole project like Lizzie and it was great that she took time out to do something so positive.

To gain some inspiration I looked at current Christmas designs on the market and as initially I hadn’t decided whether I wanted to work with type or image I gathered research of both examples. Some took a more traditional kitsch approach whereas some were a lot more contemporary using geometric shapes. I also read up on the lyrics of the song. Before this project I had limited knowledge or riso printing but from my research I learnt that it is very affordable which therefore makes it favourable for experimentation and popular with young designers.  

A strength I can draw from this project is the strong link with the outcome to the original song. I feel that even without words it would be clear to an audience what the illustration is depicting. The design also fits with the rest of the collection.

In order to develop the brief further I could have extended the range from the postcard to a selection of gift material like cards and wrapping.

Evaluation - M&S Picnic.

During the process of this brief I feel I have improved my collaboration skills by working with another individual. I found that I really had to focus my organisation so that what I was doing was in sync with Beth. I also had to learn to compromise because even though we agreed on nearly everything there was the odd decision that we had differing views on. Because we relied on each other to get certain jobs to done it was very important that it was done on time. I also developed my skills in Illustration as this was a big aspect of the aesthetics. To help this progression a lot of research was done for reference material. Initial hand drawn experiments definitely helped.

The initial research that took place was gathering primary images of current products within the Marks and Spencer’s store so that we could have a strong idea of the aesthetic they are known for. I found this really helpful and we found that the illustrative approach really appealed to us and would link with our chosen theme. In regards to the theme we also had to investigate into food and design aspects associated with Scotland. We also looked into current picnic designs and general food packaging this was helpful in terms of thinking of interesting and relevant formats. Finally was illustrative research, this was extremely beneficial as our final style was strongly inspired by the examples we had found.

I think a strength for this brief would be the illustrative scene and how all the products fit together to create a composition. The logistics was quite hard to arrange but I am glad we persevered as I feel it really paid off and created and exciting and interactive format for the audience. I am pleased how the packaging works as a stand alone design as well as a whole scene. Another strength would be the overall style of the design. I am glad we didn’t go down the route of traditional Scottish aesthetics such as tartan and blue and white as the bright tones and contemporary illustration gives an up to date appearance.

I think some weaknesses within this brief was that the we could have incorporated more M&S branding such as a logo or specific copy, however I don’t feel this is a major problem as these could be added.

Evaluation - Galina London.

Through this brief I have improved my skills in working for a real life client, even though I didn’t have actual interaction with the brand I was still creating something that was for a company that I hadn’t specifically created for the brief. Because of this I really had to think about what the brand stood for and their current collection of products. Thinking of this influenced a lot of the decisions I made especially in regards to the designing of the logo. I also developed my laser cutting skills by using it for different tasks such as the cutting out of packaging and also experimenting with new materials like the velvet.

My research for this brief circulated around getting to know the brand so that I could produce the most relevant outcomes, as I wanted something that could instantly be recognised. I also looked at general shop paraphernalia to get an idea of what gift options I would need to create and also more innovative ways of doing it that would be more interactive and memorable for the audience. After my initial designs I felt the aesthetics could be developed further so my research flowed on to looking at more luxury brands and what techniques they use to have that association.

I think a strength for this brief would be development and experimentation. The logo went through quite a few options before I was happy with the end outcome and I really enjoyed the development process. I think I did this more than normal due to the fact it was for a real company. I also enjoyed experimenting with new materials such as the velvet, in regards to the laser cutting and how I could incorporate it into the product format. Such as the layered labels etc.

I think some weaknesses within this brief could be that I could have extended it slightly further by producing mock-ups of the shop itself. I also feel the photography could have been improved by taking shots of the products in context so that it was easier to understand.

Interim Crit - Elmwood.

Recently, Steph from Elmwood visited the studio to do an interim crit for this brief to discuss peoples initial ideas and progress. Here was my feedback:

• Funfare idea is strong and quirky, definitely something that people will remember
• The idea of bumper cars could be associated with dangerous driving
• Pair with  a slogan that cancels this out
• Funfare - without the bumps?
• Theme of the funfair could be pushed a lot further
• Look at more products associated with the fair
• Use of language
• Design aspects like typography and colour