Alright Annette? You're looking a bit peaky?

This is Annette:

She is made out of... well everything. Each part was constructed by a different group in the Graphic Design class. We assembled it together ensuring that each body part connected with wire or string. I believe this was a good activity because the next stage is making a website and constructing a working body allows us to see what connects together which could be possible links for the website.


My group made the spine, and although its not really that visible and no-one probably appreciated it but I think it worked out really well. I feel like no-0ne appreciated it because we don't in everyday life, its not the most important organ but it has a purpose, we wouldn't be able to be upright, walk or move our body. Maybe this should come across in our website? We want to make people understand that the spine is important and needs to be appreciated!


Here are some close ups of the spine we made using salt dough and acrylic paint with foam board discs, threaded through a thick wire:

The larger bones of the spine were made using salt dough and the round discs
in between were made using foam board.

To securely fasten the spine together, we used a piece of
foam board and a clip.

Typography Module - Learning the Mechanics

Today in the computer session with Pete we learned about Tracking and Kerning using InDesign.


It made me realise that every single piece of type needs tracking and kerning in order to improve them and make them stand out from other designer's typography. Being able to use the techniques means design can be made individual even if the font used is a regular everyday font.


Here is an example of some words I've used the tracking and kerning techniques on:

I think I learnt a valuable lesson, and now see all the gaps in Typography that I never saw before.

Add+Vantage Module..

When first choosing my Add+Vantage Module I thought that taking Professional Writing would help improve my grammar and writing style, then I went to the first session and one of the first things the tutor said was:


"This is not a lesson in Grammar or spelling"


I then sat there for 2 hours thinking why on earth did I choose this!
When I came out of the session I decided to have another look at what other modules were on offer, suggestions had been made by Phil that students should maybe look at photography, presentation skills or how to work with creatives. The photography module was already over-filled and I didn't really fancy the presentation skills so I opted for how to work with creatives. I think this will be useful for when I start my placement as I will be able to interpret briefs better and understand the creative process that goes on in a business. Not only will it help next year, it will help me when I get into the business, I will already have some background knowledge with dealing with creatives and handling myself there.


Hopefully I will have made the right choice and will really benefit from taking the module.
I definitely feel a lot better about my choice of changing modules.

Bit of reflection from the last project...

Visual Communication.
Starting a new project always reminds me of a new year at school - a new pencil case, school bag and new clothes. It's a fresh start where all the influences and problems from the previous project can be forgotten.


In the last module I struggled with the methodologies project. I could not get my head around using different methods that I am not used to and ending up with the same sort of outcome - due to each project still influencing ideas for the others. I didn't like being frustrated with a project, particularly the tools/technology section where I came out with 3 A3 pages which I class as not enough work for a project.
  
Before starting the methodologies project I knew I was a conceptual worker, I feel the need to research around projects before my ideas start to form. However, I did discover another methodology that seemed to work for me - Materials. Using cookies to formulate ideas made the ideas flow.

Just a few ideas I conjured up whilst playing about with different shapes of cookies and chocolate icing.



New found love... Metal Type

Today we had inductions for metal type.
Since the open day I've been wanting to have a go at this, mainly because I'd actually never seen it before and other universities didn't seem to offer it. This also swayed Coventry to be my first choice - The school excited me, everything about it, it was all in the atmosphere.


So I completed the task that was given to us in the first session in the morning - Create a logo using your name. I wasn't particularly adventurous with it, purely because I didn't want to get my hands and clothes dirty.. Ha!


I thought about using metal type in one of the current projects I am working on. The brief involves a paragraph of a story written as interjections (sound bites). I am only in the early stages of this project but thought I could change the size of some letters and words to make them stand out from the rest - The words that spoke louder to me on the page. I thought a few experiments would allow me to figure out what sort of direction I could take with the work.


So... I decided to go back to the Studio later when I'd prepared better for the task. Armed with an old hoody I felt I could really play about with the metal type and I believe I achieved some really interesting results...

Mixed the type up a bit, first ink rolled on.

Jumbled up the letters

Overlapping technique and jumble effect - Quite confusing!

My favourite print is the one where most of the letters are faded and the bolder and bigger letters have more ink because they shout the loudest. It visually represents sound and how some can be quite small like "Psst!" and others can be loud and want to be heard.

What a statement wall!

A Light Breakfast?

Found on DesignMilk:

Interesting way of getting the mind thinking, at first I thought it was taken from a birds-eye view but looking more closely at the little arm at the bottom cleared this up. The eggs are particularly interesting the way they've managed to place the yolks in the balloons. You instantly see this as an English Breakfast, but there's just one thing missing - The bacon!

Day Trip to Birmingham

As part of the project, we took a day trip to Birmingham for photo opportunities around the city. It was a good chance to explore a new unfamiliar city with a camera and take some interesting photographs - as well as completing a project in a day!


I think with the amount of photographs I took, I had plenty of choice for each of the categories in the photo collage. These pictures will definitely be useful in any aspect of projects in the future. Here are some of the ones I find interesting from the day out:

A low angle shot of the group, the first picture task on the list

Found this interesting, looks like some sort of printing technique
but I bet it is paint, very well painted though.

Milk Street, thought it was funny for some reason!

The figures were hanging from the ceiling but this photograph
has turned them into silhouettes which is interesting..

Cars all mashed up into blocks, this was the entrance into
a spare parts company

Capturing the shape of the Bull Ring.

A nice close up, can still see the curves and shapes that the
building makes

Inside the building, they made a Christmas Tree using Picture
Frames, interesting idea.

All these photographs show what kind of photographs I was taking on the day, I looked for interesting opportunities where you least expect them, for instance in the shopping centre. I feel this day was very valuable to my studies, (as well as fun to have a photograph scavenger hunt) and has inspired me to visit more places in the UK and take photographs of things and places that interest me.