Well...It was the first timetabled day back today. So maybe thats it for this summer blog?
One thing I did realise today was that I really don't like the brief I wrote for the manchester book fair. I've decided I am going to re-write it and I want to create a book based on quotes from celebrity magazines. This way I can combine two of my favourite things; illustrative type and celebrities :D
I might aswell make it something I will actually enjoy!
I've had a great summer, I can't believe how fast it went! x
Design Skills updated
Evaluating this skills plan against the one I did at the beginning of summer;
- I didn’t evaluate anything as ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’ - this didn't really change over the summer...I think I could do better in most things.
- Organisation average to good, not particularly awful but could be a Lot better.
- No skills in screen printing, only ever done it vernon street where Roger helps a lot; the thought of doing it on my own confuses me and slightly scares me so I just avoid it...but I wish I hadn’t...but now it might be too late.
- Dreamweaver and html completely baffled me and was one thing that I really didn't enjoy, I wrote notes with screen shots and still couldn’t even begin to produce a website (but I did leave it too late). Usually I seem to get the jist of software quite easily but not this. Now I’ve got a site, done on a website builder that I’m not happy with because it has a structured layout and just doesn’t look very good. I hope to have a significantly better one in the near future...but I know that website and interface design is no passion of mine.
- In terms of other software, I feel I am capable on them, but I want to work more and more with illustrator and photoshop to produce better work, rather than vectorised pieces with a black outline where its obvious that it was created in illustrator.
- Cheesy fact; when I injured my hand, I didn’t really get to do very much. It was negative for the most part, but in reality it meant even when I wanted to do something I couldn’t do it very well so it made me realise what I missed doing most and that was drawing. I chose the course to have a job that I LOVE in the end, no matter how long it takes, I want to be an illustrator. I'd rather struggle, possibly work part time and achieve my goal eventually rather than settle for a job doing something that eventually bores me and I'm not truly happy with.
- I want to focus a lot more on illustration and hand rendered pieces (type and illustration). I have always said that I couldn’t be good at illustration because I don’t think my imagination is very good, but if I don’t try to work with it then I will never get better and I now really know that I do want to get better.
- Critical studies - at beginning of summer I said I didn’t think I needed any support, but I changed my mind by the end of the summer. I don't think I need a lot of support but I will definately be more prepared for tutorials in terms of questions etc. I find primary research really hard - especially contacting people as I am really Really shy, I'm also not sure of the questions to ask that they would be seen as beneficial. In terms of visits/exhibitions, I don’t really know where to look or what sort of exhibition to go to? Writing, I don’t find too hard but I do find getting the bibliography right a struggle and structuring the essay.
- Right now, I don't have any promotional material but the contact I made with illustrators proved that they see it as successful method of promotion to have leave behinds/mail outs.
- Enterprising section - filled it in completely wrong early in the summer, because I haven’t really done any at all, I produced some floor plans for the library but I just told them how long it took and they paid me the rate that they already have so I still have no idea about charging etc. I do know how to invoice though.
- Finally, I Really need to work on a printed portfolio!
Putting my finger in some internet pies...
So! In terms of web presence and networking...I'm getting there.
I have registered on all the following sites...I just to need to actually put things on most of them;
Twitter;
This was my personal account but I've sort of transformed it into my personal/networking joint one. I created my own background and have a small description of myself.
The reason I chose not to have 2 seperates ones is; I don't really post that much anyway, so its not as if I'm going to offend anyone and if I set up one Just for the business/networking side of things, I would come across way too serious and boring when I don't want to. Twitter is a casual thing...I don't want to completely bore! Plus, a few designers/creative groups are following me already thumbs up.
Threadless;
Although I don't know if I would class this as a networking thing...its fun, it gets my work out there and if you are really Really lucky, you can earn some money from it.
As of yet, I haven't uploaded anything, but I intend to enter the 'movember' competition.
Flickr;
The above screenshot is from my personal one that is just photos really...I need to set up a new email account so that I can open another just for the illustration side of things. I am doing the opposite as what I am doing with twitter because flickr isn't really about your personality conversation wise, its about the work.
Plus...I can't really afford a pro account and I don't have much space left on this one so I might aswell try and get another, lol.
Etsy;
Once again, I don't have any work on here yet...purely because its about selling things mainly and as of yet, I don't have anything that I would deem acceptable for sale! But its great to see other crafty things that people are doing and at least I have the oppurtunity to sell things in the future!
Folksy;
Another site just like etsy really...but again, its nice to look around and gives me a platform to sell things in the future.
Tumblr;
Just another blog really...but lots of designers use it and it was suggested that I get myself on there by one of the people I contacted over the summer. Once again, I don't have any work on it yet...but throughout the year, this is probably where I will post some of my personal and college work and not have to give a description/evaluation of it.
I have registered on all the following sites...I just to need to actually put things on most of them;
Twitter;This was my personal account but I've sort of transformed it into my personal/networking joint one. I created my own background and have a small description of myself.
The reason I chose not to have 2 seperates ones is; I don't really post that much anyway, so its not as if I'm going to offend anyone and if I set up one Just for the business/networking side of things, I would come across way too serious and boring when I don't want to. Twitter is a casual thing...I don't want to completely bore! Plus, a few designers/creative groups are following me already thumbs up.
Threadless;Although I don't know if I would class this as a networking thing...its fun, it gets my work out there and if you are really Really lucky, you can earn some money from it.
As of yet, I haven't uploaded anything, but I intend to enter the 'movember' competition.
Flickr;The above screenshot is from my personal one that is just photos really...I need to set up a new email account so that I can open another just for the illustration side of things. I am doing the opposite as what I am doing with twitter because flickr isn't really about your personality conversation wise, its about the work.
Plus...I can't really afford a pro account and I don't have much space left on this one so I might aswell try and get another, lol.
Etsy;Once again, I don't have any work on here yet...purely because its about selling things mainly and as of yet, I don't have anything that I would deem acceptable for sale! But its great to see other crafty things that people are doing and at least I have the oppurtunity to sell things in the future!
Folksy;Another site just like etsy really...but again, its nice to look around and gives me a platform to sell things in the future.
Tumblr;Just another blog really...but lots of designers use it and it was suggested that I get myself on there by one of the people I contacted over the summer. Once again, I don't have any work on it yet...but throughout the year, this is probably where I will post some of my personal and college work and not have to give a description/evaluation of it.
Threadless*
*This is the brief I am most unsure about. I like the idea behind it; t-shirt designs and uploading them to threadless to be put to public vote, but I'm not sure about the theme/content idea. Hmm.
Stamp
I recieved my stamp this morning :)
Its not the most fantastically made one and I kind of wish the cut out bit was a little deeper...but as a starter, its great.
I need a better ink pad but I've enjoyed playing around with it!
Need to make some business cards now!
Its not the most fantastically made one and I kind of wish the cut out bit was a little deeper...but as a starter, its great.
I need a better ink pad but I've enjoyed playing around with it!
Need to make some business cards now!
Website...
I left it a bit late in the summer, but I realised I wanted a website online before we go back for the 3rd year...
However! There was one major problem...
I couldn't remember how to use dreamweaver...and I lost my notes.
This is my no means an ideal situation and I am annoyed with myself, but a situation that I can't change.
I admit, I somewhat cheated...or feel like I did, and took the easy route out...
I used mrsite.co.uk
Although the site isn't like I originally planned and I will probably do a different one next year...I have a site online and it shows my work so it does do the job.
Its an ongoing project and who knows how much it will change in the future...
www.helloimcharlotte.co.uk
However! There was one major problem...
I couldn't remember how to use dreamweaver...and I lost my notes.
This is my no means an ideal situation and I am annoyed with myself, but a situation that I can't change.
I admit, I somewhat cheated...or feel like I did, and took the easy route out...
I used mrsite.co.uk
Although the site isn't like I originally planned and I will probably do a different one next year...I have a site online and it shows my work so it does do the job.
Its an ongoing project and who knows how much it will change in the future...
www.helloimcharlotte.co.uk
Dissertation research
As I have mentioned before, when Kate from Criminal Damage emailed...I replied asking her if she could give me any information for my dissertation research.
To my surprise and happiness, she replied with really helpful information!
She actually did her dissertation on a similar subject about 7 year so she referred to how useful she found the Dick Hebdige book, Subculture: the meaning of style.
To summarize;
- Information about who criminal damage see their target audience as.
- Whether they believe that people who wear criminal damage clothing do it portray a sense of personality or just because they like it.
- Contact details of another guy that she went to university with who she believes it would be helpful for me to contact.
Considering I'm really not very good at contacting or talking to people I don't know...I think this is definately a valuable bit of research! :)
To my surprise and happiness, she replied with really helpful information!
She actually did her dissertation on a similar subject about 7 year so she referred to how useful she found the Dick Hebdige book, Subculture: the meaning of style.
To summarize;
- Information about who criminal damage see their target audience as.
- Whether they believe that people who wear criminal damage clothing do it portray a sense of personality or just because they like it.
- Contact details of another guy that she went to university with who she believes it would be helpful for me to contact.
Considering I'm really not very good at contacting or talking to people I don't know...I think this is definately a valuable bit of research! :)
Steph says hello again!
I emailed Steph again, just asking if she did any placements while she was on the course...and if so how helpful she found it.
She didn't do a placement while on the course, as she couldn't find anywhere appropriate - which is similar to how I feel.
She did however suggest I just continue emailing loads of illustrators to get lots of advice. Spend the time researching and speaking to people...for her, it was just as helpful.
This was encouraging for me to hear!
She didn't do a placement while on the course, as she couldn't find anywhere appropriate - which is similar to how I feel.
She did however suggest I just continue emailing loads of illustrators to get lots of advice. Spend the time researching and speaking to people...for her, it was just as helpful.
This was encouraging for me to hear!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)