So just last week I was featured in Notes on Design‘s graduate season. It was a privilege to be asked to contribute by the lovely and talented Dave Cuvelot.
It was a bit surreal actually! Mainly because the questions that I was asked… I had never really even thought about how to answer them before. I hadn’t ever stopped to think about what my design inspirations really were, or how to explain them to people.
In my head I know what I like, but its difficult to put into words. It’s like if someone asked you to describe what makes you happy, or how you feel when you are most relaxed?
Also it was a strange feeling to be asked “what’s next?”, as I guess everyone has an end goal but I’ve never been asked to address it before, to sit down and think about it seriously is another thing entirely. Next?? What do you mean next!? I only ever just have my head around what’s going on now!
I’ve included the questions I was asked, and I encourage you to attempt to and answer them, whatever stage in your (design) career you are at. I know most of them are focussed around my MA, but instead, swap it out for your current job position/university/college course whatever. You might learn something about yourself, I know I did!
1. Who are you and what do you do? (university name and course, education history, current profession, current situation)
2. What is it about design that gets you excited?
3. Why did you decided to do an MA? Is it something you would recommend?
4. How does it differ to an undergraduate degree?
5. If you can remember, what was the hardest thing you had to overcome as a graduate?
6. What has been your key to success?
7. What’s next for you?
8. Based on your experiences do you have any advice for this years graduates & those considering taking an MA?
Once I’d finished, I did feel a bit like perhaps I might get in trouble for that interview… and every draft I did I thought that perhaps I should make it a little less “honest”. Perhaps the World of Warcraft insight was a bit too much information, but it might be of use to know everyone fucks up. Not everyone glides perfectly into the job of their dreams, there are struggles, and mishaps, if WoW counts as that? And actually I think its the difficulties that craft us into better designers, harder workers and better people.
The other way of looking at it is, who wants to read an interview where everyone says the same old thing?? ^_-
Richard Harvey is a recent LCC graduate who studied a BA in interactive design. His work is amazing, I think you could describe them as inventions, they really are mad scientist type ideas.
Especially my favourite “Sound, Fire and Smoke” a variation on the Ruben’s Tube theory, a gas filled tube with different sound qualities applied, pushes out more of the gas where the wave peaks, resulting in a sound wave of fire… though not exactly safe as you will see if you watch the outtakes video. Definitely do not try this at home.
However, this featured video above is a floating display that reinterprets weather information via hovering patterns and flowing movements. Quite different from the fire experiment, in this one the user is invited to create patterns and sequences using either an iPhone interface or a sequencing program. Ah iPhone, is there anything you can’t do?
Really brilliant innovative work from Richard Harvey, be sure to check out the rest of his work in his portfolio and prepare to be amazed and inspired. Mr Harvey, I salute you!
These are the designs for the range of Topshop Make Up items and also the Spring/Summer 2010 range by Sarah Thorne a fellow University of the Arts student who graduated with a first class honors from Central Saint Martins last year and landed the job as Topshop’s Creative Designer… lucky girl!!
“Design for Topshops’ new Main line make up range. Packaging features matt grey componentry with black patterns, uncoated cartons with grey print, hand drawn illustrations and text.”
Check out the pictures of the two different ranges on her portfolio site, gorgeous stuff, cute hand drawn features.
Amazing amazing amazing! This was brought to my attention earlier this week by @chris_jordan. Very cool. A sensory project that has been created with multiple projectors making a display which can only be described as sci-fi!
Here is an example of one that uses just one projector and still manages to be pretty awesome, all of these were made by SuperBien.
Unit 2 is fully underway. I’m not panicking. Who am I kidding, I’m always panicking about something… but this atleast feels like it’s all under control.
I have 2 electives to complete and also my major project proposal, in which I have to define what I will be doing in Unit 3. I have already chosen to *investigate interaction in a 2d and 3d space* my tutor was enthusiastic about it and described it as “a strong idea”, so I am calm and collected and just intend to plough on with the work. As usual, I already know what I am going to make for my outcome, but I’m keeping it hush-hush for now. (Mainly because I am a creature of mystery, but also because if I change my mind I will look stupid!)
Yes, it’s all coming together… but I have so much stuff on at the moment that I find myself constantly under the risk of overdoing it. I honestly think if I wasn’t so organised I would have flunked the last unit. ‘Swamped’ is the word. I have to much *work* work to do and it is taking a whole lot of concentration getting some kind of structure developed so that I am not constantly working on that and forgetting how much I have left to do for uni projects.
If any of you were ever considering doing an MA and have to make the decision between full and part time, I would strongly suggest part time. Not only will your uni projects be alot more thorough and you will not feel like tearing your hair out, but you will have enough time to make some real money in the mean time.
Where as I have either had to squash the work in around my timetable or cut back on work (and therefore also my income!) It’s not easy being a full timer.
It’s difficult to work on all these new projects without taking a look at my own brand speculatively. I don’t have time for a full re-work so I just gave the design a bit of a spruce up. Beige and teal have replaced grey and cyan!
Simple yes, but it satisfies me for a bit longer. If you revisti the site in a few weeks time and it’s purple laced with crazy sparkly gifs then don’t be surprised!!
Due to high demand following my Unit 1 Square project, I am posting photos of my final outcome here for all to see.
Thank you everyone for such awesome feedback. I have had loads of messages comments/twitter/facebook/email and texts about it, and whilst the project was great fun to do, the fact that it is totally focussed around user interaction means it’s nothing without you guys <3 I never knew you cared!
It's always nice to get feedback on work you spend alot of time on. Once I have taken some proper photographs I will upload some previews of the artwork.
So I handed all my work in for unit 1, aka the square project, on Monday and the next morning at 10.30 I was given the briefing for unit 2. Such is life. Not even 24 hours later and I am rammed with work again.
In short, this 2nd unit is all about planning for the 3rd unit. The 3rd unit being my final major project.
The two projects on the, go as of yesterday, are my final major project proposal (a 2k essay describing the work I plan to do in the 3rd unit) and a project called Design Rhetoric, which involves compiling all the work I will be undertaking in order to decide on my major project.
Essentially it requires that my final major project be epic, and that I spend the next 3 months working on ensuring this!
I’m not panicked, I think that I already have an idea of what I am going to do, it will involve creating an extension of the main things I looked at in my first unit… which I will explain fully when I have figured it out.
At the moment, I am still working on Elective A (that’s silk screenprinting to you) and Elective B – “Branding and Identity” starts in a week. When I have wrapped those up I will let you get a peek ^_-
Watch this space! I will update this post with the new briefs once I have scanned them in.
Today was the day I handed in my Square project, as part of Unit 1 of my MA in graphic design at the LCC. It developed from looking at just the form of the square to a brief about perspective and space, inspired by David Hockney and his ‘ways of seeing’, I explored the ways of creating a square in a depth of field by using abstraction as a reverse methodology.
It took 4 months to finish the whole thing, an expansive project with loads of different aspects, I decided to contain it in this box, with my books printed by the magical Ripe (they were a huge help I cannot thank them enough!)
The box was an added extra, four layers, hand made, foam slots for all the books. I am a bit of a perfectionist and wanted it to look “whole”, I am super pleased with it, let’s just hope the tutors think the same! ^_-
You know what! My whole site is busted and It really is on the top of my ‘to do’ list, along with the Design Discourse essay (view the discussions here) oh by the way my topic is “The Digital Economy and the Future of Copyright” should be interesting, I get to rant about my qualms with the Digital Economy Bill whilst completing a unit. I call that a win!
2000 words on that shouldn’t be too difficult… she says. I will post it online for you to see when I am done, which should be soon, as I need to plug all my time and energy into the Square project.
I had my presentation the other week about my progression and the route I had chosen to pick for a final outcome. I have chosen [clears throat] “using abstraction as a reverse methodology, how can perspective be used in an imaginative way to create a square?” Oooooohhh!!
Would it tantalise you to know I already know what I am going to create as a final outcome??
There is a downside though. And it’s a bit of a secret so I’m keeping slightly schtum until it would be too late for anyone to copy me (!) basically according to the brief I have until the 19th April to hand this in, but I have 10 days less because I am… up to something. >_>
Because of this possible foolishness I need to have everything done by the 9th April. Ah I bet you are curious now??
So now I guess you can understand why my website has taken a bit of a back burner for now. Priorities people!! I only have 34 days to go!
