What Have I Learnt in 502?

• Talking to people is the best way to get answers.
  - Found when I spoke to professionals I got a lot of insight into the industry that I wouldn't have known otherwise.
  - Talking to people is also one of the best ways to get yourself out there and get you noticed. It's a good starting point for developing a career as a creative. It gets you used to the types of conversations you'll be having, this really helped with my confidence as a designer.
• Ask the questions you want, even if you think they're silly.
  - If you hold back on something you're really curious about because you think it's going to make you look silly you'll always wonder what the answer is. It's better to ask the questions you want than ask a professional a question you think they'd want to be asked.
  - It is about the balance though.
• It's okay to be unsure, it seems like everyone was at one point, or still is.- From going to events and talking to people in the industry I've really found that everyone had a struggle point where they weren't really sure if what they were doing was what they wanted to be doing, or that it wasn't their long term goal.
  - Also after talking to people at rt fairs etc, it seems like the creative industry is a great place to create the job you want for yourself (you can find like minded people and start something great).
• I really want to work alongside other designers once I graduate.- When visiting Peter & Paul, as well as Dust I really liked the team energy in the spaces, the way Dan (Peter & Paul) spoke about the agency was so based around the team it was really positive and felt like an encouraging environment. Again talking to Pat, Alex and Andy (Dust) they had a really strong studio dynamic everyone was appreciated as an individual and as a valid member of the collective. 
• Self growth is a continuous thing.- Feeling unsure about my work isn't necessarily a bad thing, it gives me more room to experiment and grow as a designer.
  - Talking to Alex and Andy about their new studio, AWAR, really showed me that you can take on new challenges and solve new problems you've been wanting to solve no matter where you are within the industry. 
• The business side of the industry is important.- Of course I knew there was a business side to the industry and working in a studio, but I wasn't sure to what extent the designers were involved in this.
  - After talking to Dan I learnt a lot about how the clients influence the way you present your work, you need to show you know as much about them as they do.
• Keep questioning, an inquisitive nature will never be frowned upon.- It seems as though within the industry not getting too complacent is a positive thing, people praise a curious nature and it shows in the work people make. 
• Research is important, and research isn't what you think it is.- I've learnt this by talking to people in studios, Pat (Dust) believes research provides substance for a project. I feel this is an area I've been lacking recently.
  - This combined with the research presentation we've had from 505 has really made me reflect on what research is and how it can be used within my project.

Presentation

Final Presentation

Key points:
1. unsure about self in foundation
2. learnt a lot about physical design since starting uni
3. informed a love for physical design
4. inspired by everyday things
5. design i like isn't the same as what i make
6. how do i feel i am as a designer - still figuring it out
7. I've changed since foundation, know a lot more about the discipline but still feel the same about the work I make
8. Found comfort in talking to other professionals throughout the module
9. Summer aims, make more and push the boundaries, and network
10. Level 5 aims, refine practice, research to make more informed projects, keep exploring

Feel like I got my personality across in the presentation, was able to give a good overview of me as a designer and the journey I've been on.

TEMPLO Talk

Graduated in 2005
Worked at IDO (product design)
Worked within branding

Frustrated with the disconnect between what the design industry think they're doing for change, compared to what's actually happening.
Is the change you think you're making actually making a difference?
Doesn't want to be considered part of "woke culture".
Not trying to change everything as they recognise the can't.

How to make something with no money involved, no attention fly?

Creativity for change - the philosophy of the company.
Design out of the creative bubble, and feel okay with that.

Jargon and design terminology can be altered to suit

Do you think you're isolating change from larger companies? If you were to work for an unethical company do you think you'd be able to infiltrate from the inside? 
Working with Channel 4, where is the line to which companies you do and don't work with?

Work for the UN:
Very simple elements to be combined to create a consistent sense of branding.
Trying to present information as flat as possible? Not have any emotion tied to it (would be interesting to think about with COP).

Went into the Hope to Nope and decided to keep work in exhibition, would rather put pressure on the design museum to change their policies. Spoke about this in itsnicethat.

What does it mean to be british?
Travel around the country and get people in schools to participate and make a flag based on their own heritage.
Flags developed that refleted an individuals story - launched as an exhibition on the eve of the EU referendum (thinking about when to distribute something in relation to what's happening culturally 5050)

War Criminals:
Started campaign to arrest war leader in Sri Lanka.
hashtag arrestthegeneral
Made the tamul characters into an infographic.
Smuggled in the campaign merch into the UN
Again talks about this on itsnicethat
Started to be featured in publications (what design can do - netherlands).
Activism needs to be balanced withe legal side - activism doesn't work on it's own. There needs to be give and take on both sides.

Corporate:
Experimental business school in France, take CEOs from big corporations bring them down and then build them up to be more sustainability conscious.
Again something really simple translated across a wide range of formats (within branding)

Protesting: (plymouth college of art)
- the typeface, way of using the slogan really interesting, thinking about type as ink.

Survivors:
Survivor of Torture - charity
Again simple design technique applied to all areas of the company or brand etc.
Incorporating the individuals themselves into the branding, making it more cohesive.
Emotion cards = amazing intervention (research more)

Human Rights:
Frustrated when designers don't want to make actual help, they want to make a poster for an event to pat themselves on the back.
Use info-graphics to quickly deliver key findings (505)

Reflection:

• Really interesting to hear from someone who has very emotionally charged work, especially about how they have to appear neutral in a lot of cases as they're very sensitive. 
• Pali was a very interesting character, he had strong opinions but made everyone very aware and made us know they were his opinions.
• Definitely made me think a lot about my work and how it can be placed into the world, how I would want it to be placed etc. Really beneficial for 505 as well as PP making me think beyond the dimensions of uni.
• Opened my eyes up to the limits of graphic design, how it can actually be used to benefit people, their lives, education etc. 

Print, Perform Present Exhibition

I went tot he exhibition in the Tetley to get more of an understanding for events surrounding publications happening in Leeds.

The event was full of different print designers, publication designers, and creatives of all kinds.

- It was really good to see events like this taking place in Leeds, especially am I'm interested more in physical graphic design than digital.
- Lots of people were just looking around rather than buying, I think lots of people see event like this as simply exhibitions, and not to purchase the work (sad reality of the arts).

Saw people from my uni getting involved, was really good to see people getting out and doing their thing, really inspiring to do the same.

Saw Pyramid arts and spoke to the lady running the stall, they invest in people with a learning disability through the discovery, development and disruption of the arts.
- Interesting to find out about organisations like this, they need volunteers to help with their events, this could be a really good thing to get involved with over summer (emailed for an application pack).

From their website:
'Our goal is to help people with a learning disability to discover the arts, develop their talents to become world-class artists. We also disrupt the social and institutional barriers that prevent them from being recognised, supported and celebrated.

We do this through collaborative art groups, including a programme for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities, as well as providing one-on-one creative support and professional development opportunities.'

When talking to the creatives it was really encouraging to hear people talking about their experiences getting into the creative industry. I feel my main fear is getting a job i like that pays the bills, I understand it takes time to find your feet once graduating which is scary. However, talking to people at events like this provides a sense of comfort.

Presentation Methods Research

Pecha Kucha

20 slides at 20 seconds each, gives you 400 seconds to present (if I were to do this for my presentation method it would have to be shortened as pecha kuchas last 6 mins 40 sec and I have 5 mins).

- Pecha kucha means chit chat in Japanese.
- Inspired by their desire to "talk less, show more," Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Tokyo's Klein-Dytham Architecture (KDa) created Pecha Kucha in February 2003.

I think a pecha kucha wouldn't be the best format for me, I get nervous presenting and having the time restrictions wouldn't work well for me. I also enjoy highlighting specific pieces of information and this is difficult to do in this format. You're encouraged to spend the same amount of time on each page.

I think having the time restraint to the slides would be good, but not having it consistent across all slides would be more beneficial for me.

Slideshow

Allows for you to work to your own time, creates issues with timing for me.
- To solve this keep a time on the desk to make sure I'm not running over.

Can have text on google slides that you can see but no one else, good for keeping track of what to say when.
- also means I wouldn't waffle on about what is on the screen.

Can become boring and tedious, want to avoid this if I use this presentation method.

Video/Moving Image

Not very good t animating, it takes a very long time to edit and I don't have as much time to work on somethign as complicated as this.

I think it would be a really good way at telling the journey but as I'm not particularly interested in going into animation or film it wouldn't be an appropriate method to use.

Demonstrations

Lots of talks involve demonstrations and very few visuals, would this work for me in my presentation?

Pretty much all the work I've made is physical, could be interesting to have physical representation of this for the audience to participate in.

Showcase my own work compared to the work I like to look at in a physical way, not just show my work on screen. Potential here.

Personal Presentation Thoughts

WHAT'S MADE ME MORE OF AN ADVANCED CONTEMPORARY DESIGNER?
- Constantly observing things round me, watching documentaries, talking to my younger siblings keeping my mind working. Things aren't always related to design but I think this helps within design, I'm not being pigeon holed.
- Beginning to really understand research and the importance of it. Feel like I'm getting a better understanding of what true research is and how it is integral to my practice.

WHAT HAVE I LEARNT SO FAR?
- Lots of physical techniques related to Graphic Design that I didn't think I'd be learning. Particularly interesting in publications, wanting to explore this more.
- Learnt how I don't really have a specific process, I find approaching topics with a new mindset each time to be the way to keep things interesting.

WHAT'S INFORMED AMBITIONS?
- Talking to professionals in PPP has been really informative, given me a taste of what roles, jobs there are and how that all interacts with a city.
- Was really beneficial talking to those in industry and see the passion they have for design despite some being in the industry for a long time.

ASPIRATIONS FOR THE FUTURE?
L6:
- wanting to continue refine practice, feel as though I haven't fully figured my way of working down yet.
- Want to focus on publication, ones that push the boundaries more.

Summer:
- hoping to figure things out about my own practice by working on self directed briefs.
- Networking, want to continue to talk to professional in cities, not just Sheffield. Also attending creative events and putting myself out there as a designer more.

Future;
- Aim is to work for a small studio as part of a design team.

PPP Submission Guide

Creative Report
Introduction of who the person is.
Why have you chosen to look into them? - could include this in overall introduction.
Include the interview, questions asked and answers received - evaluate responses within the creative report, talk about what you've learnt.

- What do you plan to do with the feedback from the response?

Main aspects:
- research, introduction, profile creative
- interview
- personal reflection and what you've learnt

Life's a Pitch
Own personal responses and reflection can be made on blog.
- working as a team, work well?
- personal evaluation to the module
Design boards made together everyone submits same boards.

Personal Presentation
Make sure it isn't longer than 5 mins could get cut off.

Misc.
Anything related to professional practice include on the blog:
- print fairs
- exhibitions
- events etc.