PPP: September 2011

Identify and explain 5 reasons why you chose to study on this programme:

- When I heard Fred talk on the open I realized that the course was very different than others I had looked at. It was more geared towards rewarding hard work and a professional attitude towards graphic design. This appealed to me because I felt that other courses were not as focused.
- I also felt that this course is all about teaching me to be a professional graphic designer with specific modules geared towards professional practice for example. I feel that after I graduate I can be a true-professional and not just another student with a degree.
- I liked to hear that all of the tutors are practicing designers themselves; this made me feel safe that their opinions reflected that of the industry in some way.
- In the 2^nd and 3^rd years I know that the students are able to find live briefs with real organisations, this is an invaluable form of work experience and I was very excited to hear that this was a possibility.
- Having studied down the road at Vernon St for foundation I felt like part of the college community, I also knew that the tutoring style and module layout was similar with regular crits and one on one tutoring. This is something I did not see at other colleges and I felt like I would be missing out on a major opportunity not to be studying in such a helpful environment.

Identify and explain 5 things that you want to learn during your time on the programme.

- Most of all I want to learn the professional side to graphic design. For example how to find and attract business, how to charge fees, how to set up companies and run them, etc. This is an area in which many graduating students have very little experience so I feel that it would be a massive advantage to have this knowledge if I want to make any money.
- I want to learn how to collaborate with other designers and artists (not studying graphic design). This process of working on a project with someone who has different skills and interests is something that would help me to work with clients in the future.
- I would love to learn how to screen-print effectively, I did not appreciate the technique during foundation but realised that its capabilities (for example printing on t-shirts/ records) would greatly improve my creative potential.
- Learn how to complete a brief to a professional standard. For example follow brief rules effectively and communicate with the client, how to set up discussion about the brief and use the right language. I would like to know this so that I can come off as a good person to work with in a professional environment.
- I would like to learn how to perform a professional style presentation of final work. For example what points to cover, how to ‘debrief’ the client and fight for the validity of my own designs.

Identify and explain 5 skills that you think are your strengths.

- I would like to think that one of my main strengths is to not be afraid to experiment with ideas while working. I will actively search out new ways of finishing a design even if it is going well just to find out what it will look like instead of waiting for it to go wrong before changing course.
- I am also not afraid to speak my mind on a collaborative project. I know that I used to not speak out if I saw something was wrong with a design but I realised quickly that more often than not most group members feel the same way or agree to test other ideas.
- One strength is an ability to come up with new ideas. I do not like taking an obvious route on a brief because I will feel that I have not tried hard enough so I will try to think of a different way to deliver designs.
- I think that I am good at picking colour. Often colour can be the one part of design which is overlooked at our level but I believe I can pick suitable colours for my designs or when helping others.
- I am good at using space on a page. I like to think that my designs look balanced and smart. I don’t like design when it feels lopsided or confused. I like to balance text and image over a page (or other media) so that it is enjoyable to look at.

Identify and explain 5 things that you want to improve.

- I want to improve the amount of visual research I create before I start a project. Sometimes I have an idea and I just want to do it, I will have the fact and figures but will not really plan very much. I will experiment but maybe this could be avoided or reduced if I had a coherent plan before I started a design.
- I want to improve on Photoshop and illustrator (who doesn’t). I feel that I am missing out on key features at the moment which could be affecting my designs, meaning that I am not getting 100% out of my ideas.
- I want to improve how I deal with other people’s criticism of my own work. Often I will think that they do not understand what I want to achieve when really I should be taking on board their opinions because they are trying to help me.
- I want to improve my interaction in large group discussions or during group presentations. At the moment I can talk confidently in small groups but in large groups I will freeze up and I feel that this could effect feedback and the groups understanding of my own work.
- I want to improve my willingness to experiment with other media across a wider range. For example, photography, painting, 3D digital media. I would like to try all of these and see if I can fit this into my own design work.

Identify and explain 5 ways that you will evaluate your progress.

- The primary way I will be able to evaluate my progress will be writing down the entire process of every brief on my blogs. I will then be able to share these briefs and look back at them to review my progress.
- I will also ask friends and piers on the course (through all years) for ideas and criticisms of my work to find out how I could improve and for general comments on where I could take the brief next.
- I will ask the tutors of opinions and help whenever I can so that they can help my evaluate my project and move it on in the right direction.
- By keeping an up to date diary and calendar so that I can look back and forward through time and see how my projects have developed, and to help me stay organised and plan time for evaluations and discussion.
- By looking at the work of others, professionals and students to see how my own work stacks up and to see how I could improve and make my designs more current, clear and informative.

Identify 5 questions that you want to find the answer to.

- How will I balance my work and social life when I really get into the swing of things at college and after I graduate?
- What processes do professional graphic designers go through on a brief, how does it relate to a college brief?
- How do I start my own practice? When can it happen?
- How can I promote myself and become ‘known’ in the creative world.
- How do I get myself a placement?

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