OUGD 303 FMP - Evaluation

This module has certainly, in my eyes, been a slight improvement on the last. When I received my grades back for last module and reflected upon them, I started to see where I had gone wrong. (or at least let things go astray without pulling them back in) My rationale wasn’t partially clear and it was clear from the offset that I’m not very good at writing and setting briefs for myself. Everything felt half finished and rushed towards the end. This time round I tried to plan my time better as I have done every year. (And every year my time keeping skills somewhat improve even if it’s only noticeable to me.)

The module did not get off to a great start due a client brief that would not get off the ground due to other people in the groups pushing back the starting date. By the time we did get around to working on the project it felt both strained and forced. It was at that point that I realised I was not enjoying the brief, nor did I have the freedom to design and I felt much more like someone simply dictated to. Of course working with a client is always valuable experience and I am now more aware of what to do in such a situation.

The briefs I chose at the beginning of the module and stated in my proposal where focused on narrative design as well as character design. These where my dream briefs, based around sequential art and telling a story but that’s where the problem started for this module. I was told to stop focusing on story telling and try to work towards what I did at the end of 2nd year (In which I investigated and researched into a concept that helped bore one of my most successful but least favoured-by me-project) So I looked back over my briefs, tried to work out a system in which I could achieve both narrative and character design without necessarily relying on a pre made story.

I believe that this has been someone achieved, especially with my Stereotypes brief. I striped an assumption of a person back to basic form. That stereotype became caricatured in a sense and is able to tell the story of itself without relying to heavily on a background.

Looking at the work I have produced for this module, I can see at least three decent bodies of work that will be able to go straight into my portfolio. In terms of my rationale, I think it’s always going to be changing because right now I’m not at the stage I want to be in terms of sequential art (Which was/is my ultimate goal).

Over the course of this module, I have had more of a focus and certainly more a reign in on my attention span. This time round I was able to pose questions and tackle problems in much the same way I had at the end of 2nd year. This can be seen in my Harry Potter brief, which evolved and expanded from what was essentially a small poster brief. I had originally 8 briefs that where starting to get out of hand and I regret trying to take on so much. I was so determined to better the grade I received last module and stopped thinking about the quality of work and focused on quantity. This was wrong, and something I only realised with 6 weeks to go. When I did finally realise what had happened I paused to take stock. I figured out what briefs to put a side (strip a day, modern fairy tales) and worked with what I already had. It was then that the Harry Potter brief was really able to take shape. I focused on the concept of, ironically, not using concepts from the stories but focused in on the characters and what they meant to the story. This in turn shaped the way the brief was designed using limited colour, selected stock and focus on character rather than narrative, for once.

Another brief that I felt was able to grow in the last few weeks was my context book and the way in which I approached it. I knew straight away that, like my dissertation, I wanted to focus it upon comic books but more specifically on creators and how they shape characters and comic books into existent. I was more that please with the information I received from professionals, as well as over coming a previous unwillingness to contact people. I don’t know if it was through fear or intimidation but once I bit the bullet and emailed my top heroes then everything seemed a little clearer.

I am very aware that my documenting skills are not up to par, nor are my organization skills. I am under the impression that it was both my boards and my blog which let me down last time (And one of my boards this time round in not up to the standard that I think it should have been at.)

My finished work has improved despite not being the world’s greatest crafter or the neatest person when it comes to layout and format. Where as my presentation skills have left much to the imagination, my ability to approach people and actually ask for the help this time has allowed me to produce more professional looking work. Last year when I couldn’t make a box or struggled with type I would do it in silence and simply not do it at all. This time round I asked people and it has yielded greater results.

Despite some positives for this module, some things certainly could have gone better and briefs could have been pushed further. (Or actually gotten to a stage where they could be pushed forward) My emphasis on character design has led me to neglect other areas such as production and range, which is important in industry.

So that’s my thoughts on the last few months. These last three years I have managed to produce bodies of work that I would not have thought possible only five years ago. My aspirations and strive to better myself has driven me to keep going. I approached the end of the module with the clarity that this would realistically be my last chance to play when it came to graphic design.

It’s been a good few years. Wouldn’t change it for the world-even the anxiety attacks.
Thank you
I’m off to make a comic book. ~

Frinton Press Context Boards

Open publication - Free publishing - More frinton press

New Scientist Context Boards

Open publication - Free publishing - More graphic design

Tantarra Context Boards

Open publication - Free publishing - More graphic design

Vice Context Boards

Open publication - Free publishing - More context boards

Potter Context Boards

Open publication - Free publishing - More graphic design

Design Context Book Finished

Open publication - Free publishing - More comic book

...Why?

So yesterday I got my Vice booklets back from Lulu.
Everything printed great. (except the punk page looks lightly pixelated) but that wasn't really the problem. It knocked out my pagination by a page and shifted everything across a page so none of the pages line up correctly.

This looks good...

Fine as well...

Wait...what?

Oh, and even though you made the Indesign document full bleed, we're still going to give you a white border.

Oh well. Just one stag in the world and really this was just a tester. Bit wary now because I sent my context book off the other day so I'm sort of waiting with baited breath.

I can fix this though.
Either I print it out at college, take of the cover and re use it. Or I chop down both books, and make some kind of Frankenstein monster. Either way, it'll be fixed.

Edit: Figured out what was wrong. Knew it was my fault. It's always my fault.

I wanted a blank page at the front of the book but should have put in 2 instead so the first page would start where it was supposed to. Will take 2 seconds to fix.

Snap!

Snap cards are finished! Little bit thicker than I anticipated what with the paper stock and laminating so I'm having to sightly re adjust the box.

Potter pics~

So one of the lights decided to blow as soon as I started to shoot. In fact, as soon as I put the box on the table.

I guess that's an excuse for why the pictures did not come out as well lit as I had hoped. Oh well. They'll do.

Also, please excuse the horrible masking tape in one corner inside the lid. The way the box has been glues together and papered makes it hard to paper the inside. (Which is a bit of a bother, but not too noticeable and doesn't, i hope, distract too much.)

Playing Card Suites

So I had 16 places to fill for the card suites. The snakes where easy enough, just using those who where in Slytherin house.

It might look strange to give Ron a position as high as king, but I'm going for the "Weasley Is Our King" chant from when he helped win the Quidditch match in book 5, I think.

Laminated!

So i decided to see how some of the snap cards would look laminated. I used 2 sheets that where already printed with both the front and back design. They're now extremely thick, and it's made me re think about how I'm going to package them. I'm now going to opt for a deep box rather than the playing card format.

There should be fine for the snap cards, but I really should try and keep the playing cards thinner so they'll still be able to go in the playing card format box.

I'm going to attempt to make them thinner.

I also changed the back from bolts to Harry because, honestly, the bolt pattern was making me nautious. This way, it also refers back to my reasoning behind using the characters and not the concepts.

DC - Spreads So Far

32 page book, 17 spreads.
8 down, 9 to go.

(Will be updated when all the content is in/page numbers)

(Back Cover - Not finished)

Yeah, yeah, types not my strong point. But the interviewees took the time to write me those answers and they where great answers at that. It would have been such a waste not to use them.

I've really enjoyed doing this project so far. It's not as "intense" as the other briefs and I'm having fun with doing what I want to do.

Finished Piece

And of course I couldn't make a design context book without highlighting my usage of textures. It makes the character stand out from the lightning, without taking away from either of them. It's my own spin on the Dark knight cover that does not away from homage as a whole.

Front Cover - Figure

I guess I shamelessly wanted myself on the cover as it's my own exploration of comic books and character design. It's about highlighting the bits of me that aren't real like the mask and the cape to show that comic books have been a big part of my life.

Front Cover - BG

Made the lightning and the background for the basis of my cover. I'm not keen on the 'cape crusader' bit of the text and I'm thinking of dropping it as a whole.