OUGD603 Module Evaluation

This module has expanded my knowledge and ability in many different areas, because of the freedom and the professionalism that was applied.

Collaboration was a huge turning point for me, in that I gradually improved on my communication skills and was able to speak my mind a lot more while listening to others. I learnt how to keep organised so that other people's time was not wasted, as well as my own. Working with another creative meant that both our strengths could come together to make something twice as strong as if I had worked on my own. I meant to collaborate more, but it was difficult to fit it in with people when our availability clashed. I could have benefitted even more and I hope to collaborate with more people very soon.

Live briefs taught me that compromise is very real in the industry, and that is something I have never had to think about in level 4 and 5. Having to take criticism and think about someone elses needs before your own is very important in creating something successful.

This year I have definitely tried my best in creating conceptual work, and all of my projects definitely have a deeper meaning. I learnt that creating work without a concept is actually very difficult and not something I can easily do as a designer.

I have learnt many new skills, such as Adobe After Effects, Adobe Animate/ Flash, and how to screen print and prepare a screen completely independently. These skills were very rewarding, and will definitely be vital in my future creative endeavours. I would have liked to have explored more traditional print processes, and I could have if I had organised my time better. Unfortunately these skills would have been even more useful if I had spent second year exploring them, so that I could have worked faster and more efficiently with them this year.

Time management was something I was definitely better with this year. The strict deadline of live briefs helped with this and also the knowledge that I had to complete a set number of briefs. Having a short placement also taught me how to juggle tasks and made me a lot more efficient. However, I found often that the time I had given myself to complete a task was not realistic, and I would often go over, resulting in other things getting pushed back. This seems to be me not realising the length of some projects before I start them as I tried a lot of new things.

My knowledge of typography improved this year and how to use it effectively in design; in the past I have had no interest in typefaces or working with type, but now I certainly see how strong it can look and how creatively it can be used. I also invested in some professional typefaces and broadened my database.

Things I could further improve on include my ability to ask for feedback and welcome criticism; I am very sensitive with showing people my work and lack confidence in what I create.