OUGD502 - Studio Brief 01 - Printed Pages On Tour x It's Nice That

To celebrate the launch of the Autumn/Winter 2016 issue of Printed Pages, It’s Nice That put on a series of talks and workshops around the UK.  I managed to sign up in advance for the Manchester workshop and was lucky enough to get a spot on November 26th. This talk was run by Ali Hanson, Owen Pritchard and Manda Wilks, three key members of It's Nice That.
Upon arrival I was allowed to meet the other participants, which was really good from a networking perspective as I met quite a few people from different courses and backgrounds.

The workshop started briefly after this. Here, I learnt a rough background behind the talks and what the day was going to consist of. Immediately, we were given some creative tasks to get our brains going. The main task was to produce a series of magazine covers based on a list of words set by the It's Nice That Team. The word that I chose was 'Sauce',

What was so great about the workshop was how quickly we had to work. We were given roughly only an hour or two to come up with an idea and produce the final covers. Working in such an efficient way was quite stressful, but really productive. I managed to create 3 covers that I think vary quite clearly in aesthetic and style. The concept I came up with was an adult magazine that looks at proper 'saucy' food. The covers therefore played with sexual, adult imagery combined with food in some sense to clearly, and immediately, give the reader a sense of what the mag would be about. The three covers that I produced can be seen below.

Some basic tips and feedback was given by the It's Nice That team throughout the workshop. Whilst this was helpful, what was more beneficial was properly getting to know the team after the workshop had ended. A few of us went to the local pub for some drinks with the It's Nice That members. It was great to ask questions about their practice and how they managed to get to the positions they are in. It was more of a chilled conversation, nothing too formal, therefore I did not make notes or write down specific answers. Their insight into the industry was fascinating to hear about however.

I managed to get Ali's personal business card, which I am going to use to contact him when I have produced a piece of editorial work that I think is strong enough. They love being sent publications on a weekly basis, so I am going to try and produce a really high-quality piece of work to see if they could potentially feature it. Ali is a good contact to have also, as It's Nice That is one of the biggest online blogs for promoting editorial work and print.

OUGD502 - Studio Brief 01 - Collaborative 3D Project

Because one of my objectives is to learn how to create 3D motion graphics, I have started a collaborative project with a friend on the course who shares a similar interest. The project focuses on developing our skills in Cinema 4D, by purely producing posters that have been created in the program. One poster is produced a day, each, which ensures that we continuously learn about the program and push ourselves throughout the year. The 24 posters created to date can be seen below.

Once I feel like I am competent enough with the program I am going to try and produce some animations. This is not too complicated; however, getting the outcomes as desired can be quite tricky, as certain elements are difficult to control. We have made a joint instagram for this project to get the work out there and try and gain some feedback/recognition. Ideally, we are thinking of possibly setting up a design studio at some point in the future. Having a fairly large following and interest in our work before leaving university could help when trying to find clients.

OUGD502 - Studio Brief 01 - Study Task 01 - Cross-course Questions

Before working with the animation students I was asked to consider various aspects of my own practice. This was a helpful task as it allowed me to identify areas that I want to improve in, and areas that I should pursue, moving ahead in Level 05. The questions asked are as follows.

5 things I have learned so far on the programme:

◦ Editorial skills
◦ How to use Illustrator properly
◦ A lot of in-depth graphic design considerations
◦ How to present clearly and confidently
◦ Traditional printing methods

5 things that I want to know more about:

◦ 3D
◦ Animation
◦ Marketing
◦ Finishing Methods
◦ Getting into industry

5 skills that you think are your strengths:

◦ Branding
◦ Editorial Design
◦ Motion Graphics
◦ Time Management
◦ Organisation

5 skills that you want to improve:

◦ Production Quality
◦ Typography
◦ Communication in Industry
◦ More diversely skilled
◦ Photography skills

5 practitioners that demonstrate my interests:

◦ Motion Graphics - Manvsmachine
◦ Web Design - Only Studios
◦ 3D Design - Berd
◦ Editorial - Ewelina Orlowska
◦ Branding - Liu Dan

5 website/online resources that demonstrate my area of interest within the creative industries:

◦ https://www.dandad.org
◦ http://www.itsnicethat.com
◦ http://www.peopleofprint.com
◦ https://www.ted.com
◦ https://www.behance.net