Graphic design stuff & CO.

I’m so proud of my first catalogue! =)

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My first year at the FdA in graphic communication is going to end soon so for me it is probably time to think about what I have learnt most during this academic year.

One of the thing I appreciated from this course were the workshops with did. Almost all of them have been useful to me and they gave me the opportunity to learn new skills and work on some graphic design areas where I was not too familiar. The workshops have always been a great opportunity to feel moreinvolved in each project I did and more confident on the approach of it.

Fist term

Cropping, Visualizing, Layout, Colour, Text image, Type. In these sections we were invited to experiment these areas as they represent the main elements that each graphic designer should always consider.

Cropping workshop helped me to understand how cropping an image can alter the viewer’s perception.

Visualizing was pretty funny as the outcomes were always interesting and unpredicted. Basically we were asked to draw an object without looking at the sheet.

Layout workshop run by Jo Spencer helped me to understand better the concepts of layout: hierarchy, grid, type and negative space. As more elements - letters, images etc. - are placed on a surface with boundaries the more complicated relationship become between the edges and space it creates around itself.

Text image was focus on what consider dominant when we are using text and image. Whenever we are using text and images the content should be considered after the content as what the eye would see first would be the image.

The 20 page PDF we had to do for the end of the first term was really useful.

I was never asked to do a PDF when I was studying ABC Graphic Design diploma at LCC but thanks to this project I started to feel more in all the element that are part of a design process and his stages: the brief, the target audience, the client, the research, idea generation.

Having used De Bono suggestion in order to generate innovative ideas to help engage our audience was really interesting. I actually found the lesson about De Bono suggestions one of the most interesting session I have had this year.

Second term

One-week project. We started the second term with this project. For this group project we were asked to focus on the field of graphic design to gather a range of reference material in order to “teach” the viewers one aspect of the graphic design practice. Our goal was to show a place - we chose an island called ‘no brand island’ - with no reports of any written or graphic identification (on streets, on buildings, on billboards, on road signs, traffic lights etc..) to show how this result would be a totally non-functional place.

We decided to follow the tutors suggestion, who liked the idea of showing the value by presenting something with the design taken away, we realized that the concepts of islands, boxes and what we call ‘bells and whistles’ in danger of being confusing and over-complicating. Thereby maintaining the target for our presentation of showing the value by presenting something with the design taken away, we decided to focus exclusively on presenting well known brands with the graphic design identification removed. The aim of our presentation was to both involve and teach the viewer just how important the imprint of a graphic designer is on marketing products. It is essential for a product to be well designed to attract the customers.

For this reason, our group has decided to show images of products without the branding, and therefore, from a design perspective, these products were ‘naked’. We decided to make our presentation interactive to involve the audience and to make them aware of how important the packaging and designing is for a commercial product. My contribution to the presentation was to establish a comparison between a commercial product like the ones found in a supermarket, and the same packaging but without any recognisable elements of design on it. We asked the viewers to identify the contents of the two boxes, and as predicted no one was able to guess the contents of the modified box. As the figure besides clearly demonstrates, the modified box does not have any elements that would make a customer recognise its contents. For this reason it is not commerically viable. To our surprise, the outcome of our group project was much more significant that what we had thought. For instance, the role of packaging and the process of packaging a product - often allows the immediate recognition of the product, oftenly only by its category. Additonally, the aesthetics of the product guarantees that the product will be instantly recognised and therefore purchased. In this way a connection is made beween the manufacturer and the customer, this allows the product to become trusted and of value. A clear example of this would be the Kelloggs brand. By designing the packaging with an effective use of typography, colour and images the product is instantly recognised as a high quality brand.

Mapping project. I thoroughly enjoyed this project as it gave me the chance to explore the area of information graphics in a fun and captivating way. By carrying out this project I learnt that the two areas in which I should next time focus more on were book design and information graphics. I decided to tackle this project by choosing branding areas and studying it in depth. I attended the workshops so I would get a better understanding of the topic and after careful consideration I chose the area of branding as I was particularly interested in learning more about it. I decided to approach the topic by asking myself a question that would best describe this area of graphic design. I came up with many possible questions I could ask but in the end I agreed that the most suitable would be: ‘what are the recognisable elements that make up a logo?’

Industry project. For this project we were only given the name of the typeface: Balance. With so little information to start from, I decided to start drawing a big scatter diagram onto which I jotted down all the words that would come to mind associated with the word balance. With every word I then tried to sketch its visual representation on paper so that I would have a better vision in my mind. After having written down all the words, I googled them to see what photos would come out. I printed some of the images and decided to separate them in different categories and show them to my group so we could discuss about our ideas as a team. In my opinion, I think this approach to the brief allowed me to experiment with my research much more before choosing the final subject. The fact that we all proposed different ideas, also meant we could get inspired by one another and brainstorm with more ideas. As a designer I believe working as a group can give excellent results. As a group you create a melting pot of ideas and most importantly, in very little time!

Despite working on our ideas quite thoroughly, the end result did not match our expectations. This may be due to lack of time, but also because working as a group can also be quite daunting. At times we would work all together but some of the work was done singularly and, when pasted all together, the work seemed, in my opinion, a bit disconnected. In my point of view, the ‘unhealthy’ recipes part of the book was ruined by the choice of design that was overly messy and not well aligned in some parts. I was also let down by the choice of colour, too bright and bold, I would have picked a more organic-looking colour to go with the photos of the recipes. The ‘healthy’ part of the book, however, looked more professional as it was clean and simple, but it could also be drastically improved by changing the layout of the text and by making better use of the images. If I were to make this project again I would definitely change a lot of things starting from the format of the book itself. I would have made the book look like a student agenda to remind the viewer about the connection with student life. I also wouldn’t have separated the book into the two distinct sections but rather put the junk food and the healthy food side by side. For example, I would have the recipe for burgers on Monday and maybe have the text say “hangover day food” and then on Tuesday print the healthy recipe and write “time to detox”. In this way, I believe, the book would communicate with the students in a more direct way whilst also adding character to the design and layout. As I previously mentioned, we weren’t very pleased with the final result but given the short amount of time we had to produce it, I think the results could have been much worse. I also had to take into consideration that most of us had never produced a booklet before and that therefore we were not aware of the time management needed. Working as a group also has its ups and downs and, if we had more time, I believe the result would have been much more consistent and polished. Personally, I hope we will get more opportunities to work together in groups as I think it’s an easy, quick and fun way to share and learn ideas.

Currently, I’m working on my final major project…!

A new Banksy piece has appeared on the side of Poundland, Whymark Avenue, London. The stencil depicts a child hard at work sewing some Union Jack bunting, of course another statement on child labour. Let’s see how long that bunting lasts..

Photography: the lonely villein

Have another look.

VCT Contemporary Design Debates summative assessment assignment

By A. Carboni

What makes a person who studies Graphic Design more qualified than one who is passionate but amateur or, in other words autodidact in that field? Furthermore, why should a customer spend more money and contact a professional rather than opt for an autodidact for the realization of a project? Nowadays it is well know that thanks to the availability of graphic design softwares such as Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator - just to name a few – and tutorials online, it is far easier to learn the skills of a graphic designer without attending a university course. For this reason there is now much more competition between junior graphic designers and autodidacts. However, clients now welcome autodidacts more due to the cheaper production costs.

What does a Graphic Design student acquire during his course of studies compared to a autodidact? During their studies, graphic design students do not just get knowledge on how to use graphic design softwares but also learn how to broaden their horizons. By learning this vital skill, the students will be able to take advantage of these tools and will therefore succeed in more fields. During the university training, students learn how to focus their imagination in a way that will then be transferred into a useful and concrete idea to complete projects. In this way, they acquire the ability to respond to problems logically rather than just by following their intuition. In fact, the role of an academic institution also consists in teaching their students the applications of today for a better understanding of tomorrow. During this period students learn how to be autonomous and independent, a skill that will always be important throughout ones career.

Having said that, I personally think it is also important to underline another aspect that I consider very important in the formation of a student at the university, which is the multiculturalism. As an Italian student who has decided to change country and explore a completely different culture, I think my time at the London College of Communication has been of great value to my personal and professional formation. The multiethnicity present within the University makes it possible for students to interact and learn from all these different backgrounds thus enriching their knowledge. Students therefore now have the opportunity to have international careers and this allows for better communication and spread of ideas between cultures. The goal for a graphic design student is to learn how to be proactive both within and outside the university course. In this way the student will be able to achieve his goals in relation to his objectives. Additionally, the student will also learn how to work cost-efficiently, as he will have all the tools and expertise to do so.  

In the business world, a professional stands out from the rest because of his ability to use the right tools in order to reach his goal more successfully than, for example, an amateur. Due to the training, the professional will always be a step ahead as he will have learnt how to communicate with the client in a more efficient and quick way. As a student, I decided to focus on prioritising the importance of a university formation, simply because I believe it guides you step by step through your development into a professional. I believe the main difference between a student and an autodidact lies in the fact that students are constantly bombarded with information from different disciplines whereas, the amateurs only learn limited skills. In the constant fight for work, this is how, in my opinion, the student emerges.

References:

Books:

Heller, Steven. (2005) The Education of a Graphic Designer. Canada, Allworth Press

Internet:         

http://creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2012/january/what-kind-of-logo-does-25-buy-you, 25 January 2012

http://prestonforeman.articlealley.com/the-difference-between-professional-and-amateur-graphic-design-1377719.html, 05th February 2010

http://creativemf.wordpress.com/2011/01/09/what-makes-a-professional-designer-most/, 09/01/2011

http://www.examiner.com/article/graphic-design-statistics-and-facts-and-the-truth-about-getting-a-design-job, November 28, 2009

http://blakemccreary.com/2010/02/graphic-design-evolving/, February 3rd, 2010

http://www.taniaschlatter.com/?p=662, 2011

http://www.stepinsidedesign.com/STEPMagazine/Article/28556/0/page/2/index.html, 2010

http://www.usabilitypost.com/2011/05/03/what-makes-a-good-designer/, 2011

VCT Contemporary Design Debates summative assessment assignment

Group article: by A. Bloomfield, A. Carboni, J. Geoghegan, C. Boasso, J. Blackmore, E. Ridout, C. Ly, A. Norwood

Graphic design is an ever-expanding industry, with the rapid technological advancements of the last two decades the process and product of graphic design is more visible in the world around us than ever before. However the majority of the public would still struggle to accurately define what a graphic designer is or does. Today there is a very noticeable trend for ‘do it yourself’ design solutions, many companies are happy to produce their own design instead of hiring trained professionals, and individuals are able to produce their own design based projects from the comfort of their own home without any formal training.

Economies around the world, including that of the UK and America, have faced a downturn in recent years and when your economy is primarily based on the tertiary sector, and service providers are predominately judged on their image and PR, how your company is presented is of crucial importance. It is therefore understandable that maintaining an image or presence yourself, without hiring trained (and potentially expensive) designers would seem very attractive. In a more domestic context amateur design is visible in everyday life. In the past you would have to have considerable artistic flair, or take a class in calligraphy to be able to produce a decent wedding invitation yourself, however with the majority of computers being sold today coming pre-installed with software such as Microsoft Publisher and Adobe Photoshop, with little technical knowledge or experience it is perfectly feasible for the average member of public producing their own graphic products. And the availability of standard computer software and digital technology is the crucial factor in this movement from professional design to amateur.

In the late seventies companies like Apple Mac and Commodore developed personal computers, machines that were small enough and affordable for household domestic use. However it wasn’t until the nineties that these machines had truly user-friendly operating systems and useful software. Since then, in mankind’s endless race of progression, companies have been battling to release the latest gadget or software, always more advanced than their competitors. This has seen software developed for professional uses in industry become expected as standard on domestic machines. Most of this software goes unused and is unnecessary for everyday use but it has to be there to satisfy modern mans ego and vanity because us humans like to think we’re clever enough to use it and therefore need it. The current combination of access to the internet - the biggest archive of data in existence, coupled with software which when used properly can produce professional quality products and a lack of understanding of the graphic design process has caused a revolution of amateur design. The Internet also provides infinite space for this design to be published instantly and most of the time, for free.

A more difficult question is how can we define the difference between amateur and professional design. There is definitely a very blurred border between the two, where good amateur design and poor quality professional design could be mistaken for each other, and the question ‘what is good design’ is a whole other subject entirely. The easiest way two separate the two is by formal training. It is a universally recognised social trait to perceive someone who has studied a subject at a higher education level as ‘an expert’ in his or her chosen field. This authority of a degree or acknowledgement of academic achievement allows the bearer a certain level of credibility and is often seen as a specification necessary for particular jobs. However within the creative field it is difficult to judge the quality of work based on a degree; inspiration talent and communication of ideas can only be taught to a certain extent and some people are more ‘naturally gifted’ in these areas. It is safe to say that a trained designer would be expected to have learnt a certain skills during their studies such as technical use of software and design processes, however these could just as equally be acquired through experience of professional practice. It is definitely true that after working professionally within the industry for a certain period of time, that professional experience negates a degree or other form of design education.
Due to the vast expanse of technology that is pushing forward the limits of graphic design, many companies are encouraging the public to develop their products for them: social media and ‘smart’ mobile phone companies offer users the opportunity to create applications that can be uploaded and used through their platforms. Although professional companies are also developing ‘apps’, the ability to make them on your own personal computer with minimal professional software has certainly levelled the playing field for the amateur designer and allowed DIY products to gain the same scale of popularity and success as their professionally developed counterparts. Even simple mediums like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter can host graphic products, and through theses social networks can go ‘viral’ and gain large amounts of exposure. Before the luxury of the Internet or user-friendly software, the only way to produce graphic products (for example printed advertising) was to hire trained professionals, who specialised in individual processes. This meant that it was impossible to produce the finished article if you weren’t trained in all the specific areas necessary and even then it would be unlikely that you would be able to complete all of the processes yourself. Different people would handle each step of design and production, whereas with the development of technology, graphic professionals have had to diversify their skills so that they can be responsible for more areas of the design process. This has meant that technology has been developed to complete tasks that people were once trained to do, and now that these processes have been simplified and digitalised highly valued skills like type setting have been made redundant by word processing in programmes like Microsoft Word. Although it could be argued that the rise of the amateur designer has had a detrimental effect to the graphic industry, and it is clear that there is more poor quality or ‘bad’ design in society due to modern techniques, the ready availability of design programmes means there is less hierarchy separating trained designers and the general public. This has resulted in an equal playing field, if you will, for anyone who wishes to produce a graphic design. It also negates one style or form of design becoming prominent, as the output of design isn’t just coming from designers with degrees from universities but from all sorts of people with all possible variations of training.

How then, should we react as the next generation of trained designers? There are definitely many beneficial arguments to support amateur designers, but their existence in such high numbers could threaten the necessity of trained designers and therefore our careers and livelihoods. If we embrace a DIY ethos and encourage amateur design, we undermine the current position of designers and most likely will have to carve out another niche within the industry to ensure we have work. Another way of ensuring our position as designers is to steer away from amateur design and make it seem undesirable to companies and industry. This would involve pioneering new processes or software that would not be achievable/useable by amateurs. Realistically it is impossible to avoid amateur design, and if amateur design is responsible for producing poor design, then it serves as a benchmark with which we can define what better and good design is. The fact that we question our position as designers, enforces a self-awareness, which presumably allows us to reposition ourselves based on the answers we draw from debate, and allows designers a certain level of control over how we are perceived and our function within society. Rather than being passive maybe we, as the future of the design community, have ability to choose how necessary trained designers are.