End of module self-evaluation

BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN

END OF MODULE SELF-EVALUATION

Module Code

OUGD104

Module Title                                                                 VISUAL LANGUAGE

NAME  Lindsey Marshall             

 BLOG ADDRESS  lindseymarshallbagd.blogspot.com

1.  What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?

I’m quite happy with how my skills have developed in this module. I’ve used illustrator a fair bit to give a better finish to my work, so I’m pleased with that.

I’ve just been trying to get on with my work really, so I’ve used whatever skills I’ve got to help my work progress as much as possible.

2. What approaches to/methods of research have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?  

I’ve used my blog quite effectively At first I struggled to get used to evaluate my work online, but it’s becoming more natural as the course progresses.

I’ve learnt to rely more on books rather than the internet for research which I’m happy about, because the information online isn’t always accurate.

3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?

I think my research is a strong area in my work. I like to know what I’m going to be doing, and like to have a clear view on where I might take my work.

Specifically, I like to work with type, so I’ve taken it within me to purchase relevant books to refer to, even for future use. I also like to browse online the works of others.

4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully?

I still feel as though my final resolutions aren’t as good as they can be. Recently, I’ve been very pleased, although there have been a few occasions. It’s never been my strong point, so I definitely need to make sure I keep enough time to focus on the final outcome.

5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?

1. I need to look at other work produced in the class more, and document.

 

2. I feel very dismissive of projects, which may not be of much interest to me. So I need to try and make myself more motivated.

 

3. I still feel as though I need to make sure I set out time limits for each park of the project, so I have more than enough time (if needed) to produce a final outcome to a higher standard.

 

4. I need to stay in college more to do my work. I tend to go home when we have time to get on with what we need to do. I feel more comfortable, and as though I can access more of my own materials instead of having to bring everything in, just incase I need something. I collect loads of material, paper etc, and like to use it in my work.

 

5.

6. How would you grade yourself on the following areas? (please indicate using an 'X')

5= Excellent, 4= Very good, 3= Good, 2= Average, 1= Poor

Attendance                                 3            

Punctuality                                 1 

Motivation                                   3 

Commitment                              2

Quantity of work produced    3

Quality of work produced      2

Contribution to the group     2

The evaluation of your work is an important part of the assessment criteria and represents a percentage of the overall grade. It is essential that you give yourself enough time to complete your written evaluation fully and with appropriate depth and level of self-reflection. If you have any questions relating to the self evaluation process speak to a member of staff as soon as possible.

Resolutions!!

So here's my final piece!!.. an alphabet poster! Bit of a cop - out, but considering I didn't work upto a final piece, I reckon it's pretty good.
I stuck with the whole connection business, and as you can see, made sure the letters were all joined. I wouldn't call myself a strong drawer, so I tend to make them very sketchy and rough. I found drawing with the left hand helps, and makes them look quite cool. So I decided to use that technique to write the alphabet.
All three will be printed at a scale of A3.

Nigel Palmer

Here's some work by Nigel Palmer, a tattooist in Brighton. He actually tattooed Boysie's arm!! But yeah.. his work's really cool!! It kinda relates to mine, so I want mine to look. I've been drawing more with my left hand, to get the squiggly lines, and I know that's definitely the way I want my piece to look.
I'm still not sure what I'm going to be using. I know I'll be using type, for sure! Imagery's debatable. It needs to relate to the type style. We'll see eh!

What I've been doing..

So, here's what I've been upto!!! These are some of my favourite design sheets! :)

Starting from the beginning, these are my inital responses. Because 'what is a line?' is so broad, I decided to narrow it down. I more or less did a design sheet for 'lines in images', 'lines in type', 'lines in patterns' and 'lines in animation'. From them, I more or less had a pathway of interest, so I researched more into animations. I created some of my own stop animations, which I uploaded a while back. They're nothing special considering I'd never done it before!

So anyways, here we are, my toilet man!

Patterns.

I actually quite like this drawing. I've never been confident in my drawings, but using watercolour pencils it quite an interesting way of working.

Here's another of my drawings. I used to draw flowers quite a lot. I find them fascinating. :)

After talking about my work, it was brought to my attention that I should use type within image. So here, I've used type to create an image. In this particular case, I've used the definition I chose of 'line'.
A mark indicating position, connection or boundaries.'

And another drawing using type. This time, I've used words which relate to the actual item. On the stem, I've used the word 'stem'. The same for the leaves, I used the word 'leaf'.

This shows where my work has gone.
I had some wodden letters which I stuck close together. This made me decide to focus mainly on type, rather than try and fit it in with imagery.

So I started with the basic, just playing with type. Using my own handwriting I chose to write the definition I've been focusing on using only one one. I think this works rather well. It looks quite interesting. :)

I began thinking of other medias I could use to write, without using pen or pencil. So, I rummaged (can't spell it!) round to see what other materials I had. I threw some shoes out the other day, and just so happened to keep the shoe laces! So they came in handy. Also, one of the obvious ones was string. So yeah, did that too. I think the string has a nice effect, although I'm not too excited by using it!

This is the shoe lace attempt..

I also used white paint above the A2 paper to write my definition.

'a mark indicating connection'
I tried it a few times, but on a reddish coloured paper. I think that looks a lot better than this grey.
I really like the effect the paint makes, even though the words aren't very legible. (On the others they aren't anyways!!)
I think I could carry on using this technique, although I don't have any other coloured paint- not drippy enough anyways!!
I didn't realise we actually had to finish this breif with a final outcome!
So I haven't exactly been working towards making one, which sucks, 'cause now there's only a week and a day left! Keep scrolling..

I started playing with the alphabet. I thought perhaps this could be included in a final outcome?? Like I said, I'm not prepared AT ALL to have a resolution. I thought it was based on research!!! So yeah, a possible typeface?
I really like the way in which this looks. I started off using my normal writing hand, but then attempted with my left! I used my left hand for some of the drawings too, which was earlier on in my work. I think it gives the work more of a character. It's as if it's aloud to be messy. Whereas with a normal writing hand, it's expected to be neat and perfect! Screw that!!!!!

Icons and pictograms!

I appreciate the fact that I haven't actually uploaded or mentioned anything to do with the icons and pictograms work in visual language, but I will put up my finals. 

I can say honestly, this wasn't my cup of tea! I found it really hard for some reason, although I did try, and I now have two final sets of routines. So I must be doing something right???

Here's the first routine. See if you can guess what they mean!? The answers will be at the end. :)

Ok, so that was the first routine!! Yeeeeaaay! 

Now to see if you guessed them correctly!!..

They were.. wake up at 6am, have a shower, blow-dry hair, get dressed, do make-up, have breakfast, and brush teeth. 

Now for the next lot!

And there we have it. The second lot. :)

They were.. walk.. to Morrisons.. get a trolley, collect items, pay, call a taxi, get in the taxi, and return home. 

I think I prefer the first set, just because they work better visually. The visuals are much more interesting. I have to say, I struggled a lot more with the trip to Morrisons. But ah well, it's done now. :)

Line Rider

It was recommended that I look at 'Line Rider' during the presentations today. I didn't realise what it was until I had a look!! I used to spend hours playing it! It's not until you have a go, do you realise just how precise you have to be to get it right. I guess it goes for anything though!!!

Bunnies

This is cool too!
I found it on www.brickfilms.com :)

Circle circle dot dot music video

I was given the link to this awesome video earlier!! It's a-omazing!

'...I got my cooty shot!'
HAHAHAHAHA!!!!



And here's the guy who made it. Apparently all he got was an iphone! :O CHEEK!
Anyways, he just talks about how he makes his animations. He talks about what should be taken into consideration when making videos too. It's quite an interesting video!

String animation

For some reason I can't stop making things look like snakes!!! :s You noticed yet??? Haaaaa!!!
Anyways, yep, another one. 143... or was it 8.. photos. Enjoy!

Certificate 18!

During a group blog session, I watched a video someone had found online of stop animation. Some very clever person had drawn then photographed, then drawn the photographed etc.. on a wall which then lead to other places. He'd painted over what he didn't want to be seen. I thought it was cleve, so I tried to have a go at it myself!! Bare in mind I'm not the best drawer, I wouldn't call this the greated film ever made!

What's a line??

After giving a short presentation of my 'What is a line' work, it was brought to my attention that I should focus on stop animation. So, I've been looking at other people's work. Just some random stuff that I find on google or youtube. This, I thought, was rather grand, and cute! ^-^

Flip book from le youtube..

And here we have, masterpieces number two! Oh yeah! :D

A line video?

I wanted to have a go at stop motion, sooooo.. I grabbed myself some maltersers, paper, and a camera and thought yes!
I've never made one before, so I'll say this, I'm pretty damn chuffed. :)
Please don't laugh! Fanks.

'What's a line?'

1. A mark or stroke long in proportion to its breadth, made with a pen, pencil, took, etc... on a surface

2. Something arranged along a line, esp. a straight line; a row or series; a line of trees

3. A number of persons standing one behind the other and waiting their turn at or for something; queue

4. A row of written or printed letters, words, etc... a page of 30 lines

A line holds everything together. 

How many lines do you see in these images?.. Countless! 

Even in type...

Visual language - Visual communication

Perspective - 

In the graphic arts, such as drawing, is an approximate representation, on a flat surface (such as paper), of an image as it is perceived by the eye. The two must characteristic features of perspective are that objects are drawn:

• smaller as their distance from the observer increases
  
• foreshortened: the size of an object's dimensions along the line of sight are relatively shorter than dimensions across the line of sight

Geometric shapes - 

polygon
concave polygon
constructible polygon
cyclic polygon
decagon
digon
dodecagon
nonagon
equiangular polygon
equilateral polygon
honagon
hendecagon
heptagon
hexadecagon
hexagon
lemoine hexagon
icosagon
swastika
octagon
pentagon
regular polygon
regular decagon
regular octagon
regular pentagon
star
star polygon
decagram
octagram
heptagram
pentagram
triangle
acute triangle
equilateral triangle
isosceles triangle
right triangle

Photography

Me and a certain someone started playing around with photography..

We had a camera, a tripod, a phone, and ourselves. Now, I'm sure the possibilties are endless as to what you could do with all that equipment. But, we decided to put the camera on a timer, and set it to a 30 second exposure. Using the phone's light, each of us took it in turns to doodle in the air, forming these quite ravishing images!!

And here's a few of Boysie's images.

The 4 month brief

Well here's a few of the snaps I've taken during this week for this rather long brief. The definition I've chosen to focus on is... 'a formation of people, objects or things on besides/behind eachother'. I've tried not to think too literally, just to make it as interesting as possible.