OUGD603 - Module Evaluation

This module has charted my professional engagement throughout the year, I have managed to find an area of graphic design that not only interests me, but reflect my passions within the arts and architecture. Exploring work for the cultural sector. This has defined the studios I have contacted and work I have been creating, and the opportunities I have interacted with.

A large part of my engagement this year has been within college opportunities, working for the creative convos week of talks, creating designs for the end of year show, and the end of year publication. All these live briefs gave me a chance to deal with real clients real content and beginning to understand what it takes to be a professional graphic designer.

In terms of setting up for life after university I feel I have found a niche in graphic design that interests me and the level of professionalism within my work has really improved and is reflective of real graphic design.

A part of this module that has been really successful is engagement online, creating a professional graphic design Twitter account, utilising Behance, and tailoring my Instagram account to express my ongoing development and passion for graphic design. I have tried to document my work in progress on Twitter as I have found the other social media accounts are more the finished product.

In terms of contacting professionals, creating a screen printed poster was something really different and would try and set me apart to contact studios. This whole process didn't prove that successful, Although I did arrange a week internship with Esterson Associates, but the contact back from this wasn't really very successful. Doing an internship while studying would have been beneficial and given good experience but I am glad that Esterson Associates deal with editorial content inline with my interests. I have tried to prepare for this by caring out a number of editorial briefs and contacting printers, commissioning illustrators and other things that go hand in hand with editorial and magazine design.

Time management and use time effectively has been really important to keep on top of this years work. I have found my knowledge of how long projects take and what goes into this has been greatly improved. I feel overall my time planning and engagement with briefs has been consistently high throughout the year.

In terms of self branding it has always been an aim of mine to allow the content to be the real focus, personally I knew having a really distinctive self branding wasn't me and I just wanted to allow the qualities in my work to be highlighted. Using Squarespace for my website ensure a really high quality and a consistency across different channels and formats. It has taken three years now for my website to be up to the standard I wanted and reflect my work and practice. The next task would be to put up all the new work I have created in Extended Practice.

Overall this module has been really useful and effective in elevating my practice in a professional way, I have consistently engaged with talks throughout the year, and tried at many times to raise my knowledge and understand of what it takes to be a professional graphic designer. I am really proud of my personal achievements this year and I have begun the process of creating an advanced and interesting portfolio that is inline with my interests in graphic design.

High quality images of website redesign and PDF Portfolio

In light of feedback with Alec and the research into the website of the designers I admire I have redesigned my website based on the new branding using my typeface I have designed. Much like Astrid Stavro's website I have split the website into 4 sections, Project, About, Contact and News.

Within the contact section their is a PDF Portfolio Download link. This links to the images bellow of some of my favourite projects I have undertaken. The typeface is again custom designed reflective of the self branding.

Too see the real website in action please follow the link bellow -

http://www.samuelharpin.com/

Business Card Designs

In connection to my refreshed branding for my website I have designed a business card. These utilise both my typeface designs. Showing off the headline and geometric typeface, this created an immediate personal touch and recognisably to the designs that refer to me and my practice only. The cards have been designed with simplicity in mind as I am not a very show offy person I wanted this to be reflective in my business cards. The content on the back is again simple featuring all my important contact information. I elected to not use black backgrounds as this would not have the white crease marks when cutting them out.

Social Media Consistency

An important part of the self branding is across the various social media platforms, with links from samuelharpin.com to – Twitter, Instagram, Behance and Pinterest, each needed to be consistent and display the same level of professionalism and quality of work. As these channels is often the first port of contact with the creative community ensuring the content shown is appropriate, professional and in no way damaging to my professional personality.

A simple thing like consistency of profile photograph ensures a consistency and recognisability across all social media.

Twitter has come a key place for the documentation of my creative practice, showcasing work in progress rather than the final outcomes often seen on Behance or Instagram.

Behance is a great way to gain feedback and exposure for free, ensuring all the work is described and presented professionally is vital in the communication of this.

Self Branding Update

This consistent typeface has been implemented in the heading and browser icon, as it is of my own personal design this means it is completely individual and recognisable to my practice alone. This has also been implemented within my own business card designs, using the headline typeface and the geometric typefaces I have designed. This simple self branding allows the work to become the main focus this is really important for me as I feel my work has quality to it and this is important to showcase.

Website Research

The web designs show are all the personal and studio pages of designers I admire working within the cultural sector. The examples include Astrid Stavo of Atlas, Studio Fernado Gutiérrez, Matt Willey of ‘The New York Times Magazine’, the studio – A Practice For Everyday Life and Experimental Jetset.
All of these designers have been highlighted as they work within exhibition branding, editorial design and other areas of the cultural sector of graphic design. The websites designs all have a common desire to allow the work on show to become the focus. The self branding side is through a consistent typeface or highlighted in the work they produce.

In terms of how the websites are laid out they often split the sections into three to five categories – work, about, contact, news and shop when appropriate.

The overall size each of these headings is small, and often the full size of the site is maximised for the work. 

A clear constant throughout all the web-pages is the level of quality photography, this ensures each project is to a very professional standard as well as being communicated in the best form possible.

In light of this research an slight update on my own website seems appropriate, using my own designed custom typeface will ensure a individuality that is specific to me and my own practice. 

BAGD Publication & meeting Evolution Print

Another project that I have worked on this year is the End of year publication alongside another student. This has been an amazing opportunity to gain experience in editorial design. Exploring innovative print techniques and sending off work for a professional print job with a budget. As I visited the print house perviously I had some extra knowledge of what they can do and the facilities they provide.  The die cut cover concept as illustrated above would act as the perfect portfolio piece and showcase my own editorial skills and my ability to create a high quality print design. Meeting with Evolution Print about the job and discussing prices and deadlines has been vital experience for the future as editorial design is an area I would love to work within.

PPP Presentation

As a guideline this list is a set of examples for things to cover.
Studio visits and open days
Industrial/work experience/placements
Professional activities
Live briefs
Visiting professional talks/workshops
Portfolio surgeries and creative CV workshops
Information of conferences, talks, exhibitions...
Timetables, schedules and strategies

This in mind I have began planning what it is I want to cover and talk about.


My experience in first and second year -
Learning about the ideas of design, thinking about what interests me most...
The importance of collaboration and working together, as well as constant feedback.
An appreciation and admiration of typography & type design.


Work I have completed in third year 

Work within the cultural sector.

- MCB branding - creating a modular typeface system. Exhibition branding.
- Creative Convo's - Collaborative Branding

- Editorial Design project - Cover designs. 

- Artfund

- BAGD publication.

Finally my PPP screen print 

Creating a new typeface based on some of my favourites - Avant Garde, Futura, Tschoild Architype. Creating a composition based on two of my favourite modern artists - Franz Marc & Kazimir Malevich. 

Sending out the poster with a link to my website. 

What this lead to.. 

Meeting/ interview with Springetts packaging & branding. 

Meeting with Simon Esterson & Holly Catford from Esterson Associated & Eye Magazine. 

Arranging a week of work at Esterson Associates. 

These images above show my presentation slides, I wanted to speak about my developing practice and the kind of work I enjoy doing. Also referring to my ongoing contacts with studios and the creative industries. Overall the presentation went well and I feel I communicated my skills as a designer and the kind of work I most enjoy as well as the methods in communicating with the design community.