Creative Journal

Type Evaluation...

2009-04-01T20:54:00.000-07:00

From the start of the module i began learning new skills.
Layout was a weakness for me before this but from the session work i think that i am more aware of grids, fonts and composition, also the importance of higher-aches.

Throughout this module i have learnt both new things and developed on those things i already knew. I feel now that i can talk about type with more confidence, as i have learnt the type anatomy and spent the time to understand and learn new definitions and what they mean. With the new skills that i have learnt, an example that i cant think of is leading, i knew what it was but now i have the confidence to use it.
In addition i have gained a further understanding of how to use type effectively, for both design work and for written work. This has showed within the session work folder that i have created. Also i think that now it has started to show within the design work that i create.
I think that the constant recording of the session work had helped me to develop. It has been a reliable reference to look back on when developing both more session work, also the individual type journal. Also i think that this has helped me develop my organisation skills. Also the researching, although there isn’t vast amount, it has helped me by anaylsing the found work and avoiding their mistakes. This i think has helped me to keep the standard of my work high.

I think that a strength within this work is the documenting of both the session work, and the recording in the journal. As they have both started with simple type analysis and progressed as the understanding of type has increased. I like how the quality of design has improved within the type journal and narrowed down to fit more into my own interests. These skills show be used within all my design work, as it shows the development of skills and shows where my interests

I would like to say i have no weaknesses but i think that i can say now that i know where my weaknesses lie within type. Hopefully allowing me to work and improve on these. A weakness that i would say that i have become more aware of is my ability in layout. I think that this hasapproach layout itself, that i can improve this.

The most testing think i had to learn was the new software quark express. But with working on it in each individual session this soon improved my skills. the tasks we have been focusing on throughout this module have been very varied in terms of tasks set. This has been useful to me as i have been able to learn something new each session and helped to develop my confidence

The first few sessions taught me more that i initially thought. They taught me the basic skills that i would need to use for layout, as we began working on our initials to create patterns. It was useful to me personally as it gave me chance to use the new skills and tools learnt on quark. Also starting to get me to think more about layout.
When we moved onto analysing characters and fonts, this was a chance for me to develop skills about anaylsing type. And although i was apprehensive at first, it became something i enjoyed doing, this i would say now is something i have started to do with fonts, when deciding which to use.

Advertising type was one of the hardest exercises for me as i found it very hard working on the small scale that we did. I found it hard to fit the information to the size, whilst adding hierarchy's of information. But i think that this was a very useful and valuable in ordering type, not just form a design point of view but for the audience but how the audience will read it. Now that i have developed the skills to work with type this way i think it will be very useful in my design work.

Moving onto leaflets and magazine layouts, it allowed me to put the skills i had learnt already to use. I think that this gave me more confidence to play and be more experimental with the layout. It showed me more about spacing type and methods of creating space, filling space and how to highlight a new paragraph without physically leaving a space.

The module started to become more personal when we moved onto working with our CV, as it was work for me personally i became more passionate about the design look.
I learnt a lot more about how to work with a large amount of information type in a page size file. Also improving my hierarchy skills.

Lastly Packaging, this i have to admit was harder then i first thought but since i have an interest in packaging, i found this really interesting and i enjoyed experimenting with the skills i had developed to improve the packaging design. I also got the chance to work with type in small spaces, hierarchy, layout and separating sections of type.

I believe that i have gained some many useful skills within this module and these are skills that i feel will help me develop my design work.
If i was to do anything different i think that next time i would like to feel more in control of my time management as i feel that i did not set enough time aside each week to look further into what we had done during the sessions.
I would also liked to have developed my type journal more in sync with the classwork journal as i learnt more about type. Although i am proud of my documenting i would have liked it to show more of my development through work i looked at.
lie. become apparent as we have look though others work at the start of sessions. However, i do feel that now i have been able to see this weakness and look at how other when using type.

Final Outcomes...

2009-03-27T13:15:00.000-07:00

I screenprinted the final set...take a look

The Anatomy of Type....

2009-03-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

I have been doing some research into the anatomy of type and have decided that i needed to think of a way that will help me remember the terms and what they mean. To do this i thought of ways that could help me do this, i then came to the decision that i could screen print on everyday things that i do. Such as Sleeping, Eating and Working.

I then thought about what would i screen print and i experimented with the idea of printing the same terms on each bag with a definition, but after trials i realised that this could be boring and i needed something fun and simple to help me remember it.

In the end i chose to do the words, Eat, Sleep and Work, on each product, with the anatomy of type on there too.

Business Card Designs...

2009-03-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

Business Cards here are too complicated for my personal liking. I like the simple designs that are clearer to read.
The log at the side of the card is unclear to what it reads. And the centre text seems to be placed randomly. There seems to be little structure to the design. Also it seems to be too smaller point size and the kerning i would have personally made bigger, for the readers sake. Also created some form of higher-ache. To make some form of reading order. Also to attract people to the more important aspects of the card. For example, the name, or email, telephone number.

Design Set....

2009-03-12T13:26:00.000-07:00

These are design sets, from logos, letterheads to business card designs. A few good designs and some are not so good, but they are still relevant to what works and what doesn't.

I do think that these are so cute, the font is flowing, clam and appears to be very friendly.

I would also say that i would trust these people. Maybe it's the Sans-serif font, or the pink girlie colour but i do think that this is successful.
This one i am not so sure about. It is serif font, which to me says that it is a confident business, but the bubble effect that it has been given by the outline or drop shadow makes it seem less professional. Also i would say that it makes it seem to bold and appears that it is trying too hard to stand out.
Sidepony - is a sans-serif font but it is more decorative font than i would like. Although it communicates a very childish message. I might be wrong but it comes across as not very proffesional. Also the play with the letter o might add to this. However, when looking at the inside of the design itself, it appears to fit with the decorative style.

I have added this to be able to anaylse it, a i really don't like this design. The appearance of the bubble type might work with illustrations, personally i think that a more hand drawn font might have worked well. The distorted letter forms and the over proportioned serifs on some fonts, gives the appearance that it is mean to be fun.

Graphical House Designs.....

2009-03-06T12:09:00.000-08:00

This set is from a company called The graphical House....and i loved the simple design. Also the colour variations which the design, as they are simple, yet effective.
There are two fonts being used. The Bold and characterised & font. The combination between the two, looks effective and the contrast works quite well. In addition, the mix of black and gold adds to the design. I really find these designs effective.
As a set they work very well too, this shows me how the link between a business card can be moved onto the Letterhead, and via versa. This i am hoping helps me which my design work.

Anatomy of type....

2009-03-04T12:09:00.000-08:00

I have been researching some type terms and definitions of type anatomy. This as i really want to learn and understand the definitions of type. I want to learn more about type than i am going to have time for, but this is the start....