5th April - 7th April 2011

Reflective Practice

As I have stated in previous journal entries, presenting case studies to the group is a nervous time, but I feel that since that last journal entry on this subject, I have improved greatly, I think this may be a result of reading 'Presentational Skills for Students' by J. Emden and L. Becker.

Exploring Specialist Pathways 1
Today was the second 'day brief' of which we focused on Juxtaposition. Initial I was slightly confused with the concept of Juxtapositioning, and I still feel confused with it now. I now understand the concept of it, placing two contrasting images together to make creative piece of artwork. But I don't see how placing to contrasting images together can work. I feel that in the future I need to read over this subject again and make myself clear with it.

Professional and Contextual Studies 1

Today's lesson was set aside for a group meeting to discuss the show.

The following points were discussed:-
Printing of all A3 images for display are to be carried out and paid for by the students. There is now an A3 colour printer located in room B301.

Clair Chick from the college marketing department will be attending Thursday’s afternoon lesson to discuss publicity and other services that the marketing department can provide.

Agreement from Clair Chick required that the college marketing department will be printing of leaflets and posters for the event.

Clair Chick to provide at Thursday’s meeting the deadline for the completed leaflet and poster designs.

Clair Chick needs to provide NS & MH with poster and leaflet sizes.

Boards to be painted white by all that can attend. The college will be open on Tuesday 12th April where painting to commence at 10am.

PM / RC / NS / MH / NBz to meet on Thursday 14th April to discuss progress at a location to be determined.

Event opening times agreed as follows:

Tuesday - 6pm to 11pm
Wednesday – 11am to 5pm
Thursday – 11am to 5pm
Friday – 11am to 3pm

All show boards and materials to be removed, stacked, and covered before 6pm on Wednesday 4th April.

All show boards and materials to be replaced into show positions before 11am show opening time.

SB & ZE have agreed that they can get work printed at a printer located in Penkridge.

Those not on this mailing list, and those that did not attend the meeting dated 05/04/11 and wish to have work displayed in the show to forward names and email details to paul.brockhurst@ntlworld.com

NB informed group that Clair Chick and the college marketing department will be able to provide foam mounting board for display images.

A laptop computer will be required to display any work through the projector located at the event venue and will need to be self-insured.

Clair Chick to will be arranging publicity for the show which needs to be confirmed. It was highlighted that a free copy of the Express & Star is distributed throughout Stafford on a Wednesday night.

29th March - 31st March 2011

Reflective Practices


Second week of presentations are now underway, the 2 most impressive presentation from today were "Helvetica" by Steve Plant and "Duval Guilaume" by Phil Roberts. I consider both the typeface and the design agency to be a success. The Helvetica typeface was my first choice for my reflective practice presentation, reflecting back to when I researched the subject, I remember instinctively feeling it was a success, the typeface was created over 50 years ago. It is still widely used today, which I think is down to it being clear and legible above other leading typefaces. 

Duval Guillaume is a new design agency to me. My reasoning for this being a success is that its a relatively new design agency in comparison to design agencies I normally research, they have also designed work for a variety of companies is a short space of time, I feel that the work they have done could prove as inspiration to me. 


I like the quirkiness of Duval Guillaume's artwork, the two bottom images use simple geometric shapes which create a successful outcome for the poster, when first viewing the poster for 'Lotus and coffee' I instinchivly thought of Mike from Pixar's Monsters Inc. I think that the effect, creating a hand holding the pack of biscuits out of the mug handle creates a friendly apperance.

http://www.duvalguillaume.com/news/tag/work
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http://www.duvalguillaume.com/news/tag/work
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http://www.duvalguillaume.com/news/tag/work
[accessed 27.05.10]

Creative and Social Context








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Exploring Specialist Pathways 1


Today was the first of two 'day briefs' we have been set. The day was split into two sections, the morning was set for library research on the subject of type and layout and hierarchy of the layout of the grid, and the afternoon was set aside for workshops to implement research from the morning session, I feel I have learnt a significant amount valuable information of which I didn't believe at the time. I have learnt about various different grid structures including horizontal, vertical, diagonal, angular, asymmetrical and symmetrical. Alongside this I have also investigated the rule the third and odds, axis and juxtaposition.

When designing. I have always been in the mind set that there must be an even amount elments of a page, and that they must be evenly positioned. After reading the rule of odds, it references that an odd number of elements can appear on a page. (Ambrose and Harris, 2008) state that an odd number of elements on a page appear more interesting that an even number, as they are more natural than the symmetrices that happen on a page with even numbers.






Professional and Contextual Studies 1


As part this module we as a group are to organize a show or exhibition of our work, the originally location of the show was going to be the light house in Wolverhampton, closer to the date of the show which was the 3rd May - 6th may the light house cancelled, so another venue was to be found. When searching for venues closer to college I came across the Pie and Ale house, situated in the town centre. I feel the Pie and Ale house is a good venue and will attract the audience we desire. When investigated further I spoke to the General Manager, Peter, he informed me that there would be no charge for hire of the room and that the room was available at the date and time we requested.