Although some of the time it has been a rocky ride, I have throughly enjoyed my time on the course and feel I have learnt an enormous amount, more than on any other course.
Over the last 3 assignments I have enjoyed the design work and feel my design skills have increased. I now realize you don't need anything "fancy" to make something look good. Something simple and aligned and balanced will also give the same effect.
I have found the feedback I have received in both my Online Journal and in seminar groups vitally important my progression an learning curve. I am going to try and produce more work at earlier stages of the design process to receive feedback on. I feel this will enable me to produce work that is more sustainable and can be accurately documented.
Now I know some of the fundamentals and know how much detail can really be looked into on the design side of a project I am going to concentrate on the building side of the course. I have built websites before coding by hand; I will now look into using such software as Dreamweaver as I will be able to create something much more accurately and to a tighter time scale.
I am looking forward to learning about the more advanced features of InDesign and a more informed knowledge about typography.
In my initial statement I suggested I should at some point over the next year start trying to find some freelance work which would give me a more firm understanding of the industry. However with what I know now I don't feel I am ready to do anything this advanced and instead I will endeavor to design things in a range of mediums for my own pleasure which will enable to to become more confident and learn from my mistakes. I think this will put me in a better Position to start freelance work much later on in the course.
Things I need to work on in the next semester:
- Time Planning
- Design work to receive feedback
- Dreamweaver
- Typography skills
- Personal design work
12 comments:
Hi Gary
I completly agree. I have also learnt so much while doing this course. I have also found out things which will help me all through my life such as time planing. I think that the course seems to go to fast though, it doesnt seem two mins since september.
I also agree, I’ve learnt so much more than I could imagine in this first semester and since it’s gone so fast, it feels like I’ve learnt it all in a matter of days!
I agree with your comment about simple effective designs. The process of streamlining a logo for example, will define the design and improve its simplicity. Often this process is over looked with devastating results. Consider working in B/W first. This will aid contrast and only when you are satisfied add colour, stand back and you will be bewildered by your cosmic colour creation.
The fact that we've learnt so much in the first semester just shows us exactly how big the step up from FE has been and how little we really knew.
The fact that we find ourselves really thinking about colour schemes and psychologies when designing a layout shows how far we've come!
I too have learnt a great deal just from this first semester, mainly due to us being taught a great deal in this first semester! This has been some what of a revelation to me after the freedom of a degree.
I think this realisation is important when responding to feedback on our work as it shows how much we can grow with the help of others.Like you the constant feedback during the term has been invaluable in my progress.
I think it's wise what you say about waiting longer before you start looking for some freelance work. It's definitely, I think, a better idea to wait to get a lot more experience in college and in personal projects before moving on to any proper work.
Freelance work seems like a realy good idea to take on when you feel ready for it. This was once an idea in my previous course at wakefield college. The initail idea was to work for free during the summer holiday for some ict based company.
As time progressed the idea seemed to crumble with other plans in mind for my future career and way of learning.
Approximately two and a half hours until comments are closed for Semester 1.
i alse agree, i have learned so much over the past few months, i didnt even know how to use photoshop before this course. its different form the way i was tought in the last course i was on, but its better
I think everyone's learnt so much in just this first semester it's almost difficult to take it all in at once, especially with a memory as bad as mine sometimes. The group has adjusted to the work demands well I think, given the background most of the group has come from and have introduced this style of working into their general lives with, well not 'ease' but quite effectively.
I'm glad you've changed your opinion on some designs as the time as gone on, I remember early you called one of my logo's waay to simplistic and boring. It's good to see that your now seeing the virtues of creative simplicity. I'm sure your opinions and views will continue to develop as the course goes on.
Semester 1 Journal Comments Closed.
I think my opinion has changed but not so much as to make a large impact that will change how I look at things too much.
I am looking forward to the next semester and hoping i will learn as much, if not more.
Post a Comment