Reflective Journal

Update..because its been a while.

2010-12-13T08:51:00.000-08:00

A lot has happened since my last blog. I graduated uni with the 2.1 I desperately wanted, moved to Cardiff permanently and got my first proper job. However, through living with a student, I am reminded of the fact that I no longer have that essential month long break that would commence in a weeks time had I still been in university. It's dark out, I have tidied my desk quite a lot today and Willow Smiths 'Whip my Hair' song has been on about 7 times since I dragged myself out of bed and into work this morning - on time might I add. Roll on Christmas.

Holly Wales

2010-05-13T05:57:00.000-07:00

I discovered Holly Wales through a coursemate's tweet. She is a lecturer at Winchester School of Art and is a Graphic Arts tutor. I love the way she experiments with materials and the versatility she possesses with regard in her self-initiated work and the work she designs commercially. Despite being a designer and a teacher, she still finds time to write a column for the New York Times and has been cited by The Observers 'ones to watch' list.

Sanna Annuka

2010-05-13T05:51:00.000-07:00

Artist and print maker Sanna Annuka has collaborated with New York stationary company, 'nineteenseventythree'. The results are beautiful. The stock is recycled which suits Annka's style of art and is adorned with gold and silver foils.

FINISHED!

2010-05-13T05:40:00.001-07:00

So much for keeping this thing updated while I completed my final project. I didn't even do Civil Rights in the end. I realised it was very boring so switched to Faith.
I targeted my peers as students on the brink of graduating and those who are heading out in the the big wide world of unemployment. The project aimed to encourage students (specifically graphic designers) not to give up on their dreams because of the recession.
I produced a kind of self-help guide with 8 simple steps to self belief. These were accompanied by recommended tasks and motivational quotes. Due to the nature of my subject matter, I turned it into a mini campaign and created posters, stickers and a mouse mat in the style of the book.

Final Project!

2010-04-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

So tomorrow is the beginning of the final term of university for me. This means the start of my last project and they've made it a hard one. In a bid to make my work seems intellectual, I have been given the following 5 words to make an engaging project out of : Authority, Faith, Civil Rights, Community and Abstinence.
Initially drawn to Faith and Abstinence due to my 'Catholic upbringing', I started to think about the things that are wrong with religion and general societal expectations. This led me to my final decision, Civil Rights.
Civil Rights are the human rights surrounding each individual for equality within society. If each person holds this right, then why is there still an air of controversy that surrounds fair treatment to women, homosexuals and ethnic minorities? During this project, I hope to find the answers and produce a piece of work which demonstrates the unnecessary and often inhumane attitudes associated with these areas.

The Election

2010-04-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

Crisp retailer, 'Real', is doing its part for the upcoming general election. Packets of ready salted crisps featuring our potential future prime ministers faces are to be handed out in shopping centres around the country. This is in a bid to discover the general consensus of the voting ritual. I guess I will be taking the yellow packet.

Student Set Project

2010-03-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

Nearly a month since my last blog..SLACK! Been really busy with my student set project on binge drinking. It's been very stressful to say the least but I have FINISHED. Deadline is tomorrow and I am not rushing about sighing a lot like usual because for once I am on schedule.
I've gone from producing a campaign based on disapproving visuals, to a slick typography piece, to a pro-alcohol angle which is almost entirely hand drawn. I decided a pro-alcohol mentality was best reflected in hand written copy and crude imagery. This is to demonstrate the naivety of the statement. The images above are of the campaign in situ. These include the designs in poster format, badges, stickers, beer mats, leaflets and flyers! (Dull photo's I know, they were too big to upload edited)

This.hurts.my.eyes.

2010-02-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

Found this whilst researching existing ad campaigns for my binge drinking project. It's such a simple design yet one fairly unique considering the client is the NHS. Nice to see them targeting the issue from a different angle.

Hey Jude

2010-02-23T01:21:00.000-08:00

I found this piece of infographic on the blog of Ben Terret, a graphic designer from London, who we were fortunate enough to receive a virtual lecture from last year. Whilst the author is unknown and whilst I'm a little sick of the song to say the least - Paul McCartney likes to perform it at every available award show he undeservedly appears at (sorry Beatles fans) - I think it is funny and sadly, I actually found myself singing along.

Learn To Fucking Spell

2010-02-22T12:26:00.000-08:00

Paddy Donnelly is a man with some issues surrounding bad spelling and layout with regard to graphic design. Here, he has designed some work that will assist those who are bad spellers in getting the hang of those difficult yet common errors. I like his use of opacity to differentiate between the words.

Nick Van Woert

2010-02-22T12:17:00.000-08:00

Brooklyn based sculptor Nick van Woert has produced these interesting pieces of art. Debates on the materials used. Wax, Plastic? Who knows..

Andrea Berretta

2010-02-22T11:42:00.000-08:00

Picame magazine is the product of 4 young creatives with a drive and passion for Graphic Design. This piece of work is the product of Andrea Berretta, the creative director of the group. This piece of work questions individual happiness in a simple and efficient mind map. The 'aged' look of the design adds to it's position as a collectors item.

Apurdy and Remed

2010-02-22T11:33:00.000-08:00

I found this on www.yayeveryday.com. I googled further into the artist(s) and all I could get was a Flickr page. Whether this is a duo or a one man design team, it's made me appreciate hand drawn typography again.

Tyler Askew

2010-02-22T11:21:00.001-08:00

Living and working in New York City, Tyler Askew is a graphic designer and creative director that is hard to pigeonhole. His work covers such a broad spectrum and he has recently extended his client base from London to Tokyo. His work is bright and contemporary which is perfect for his latest client, Rave HD - a dance music channel. Other work includes night club identity and make up advertising to name a few.

Aspiral Clocks

2010-02-22T11:15:00.000-08:00

Having been launched at the end of 2009 in London, Aspiral clocks mark a new age in timekeeping. A ball rests on the edge of the spiral ledge which gradually turns throughout the day in order to display the time. By the end of the twelth hour, the ball has made its way to the centre of the clock and drops through the central hole to mark a new 12 hours!

Supermundane

2010-02-22T11:03:00.000-08:00

I completely forgot about the work of Rob Lowe a.k.a Supermundane until I was reminded by a link posted on my friends Facebook wall. A talented illustrator, graphic designer and typographer from London, he was voted by Grafik magazine as 'the king of the repeatitive doodle.'
I love his work for its simplicity and untouched form. In a world where everything seems to be computer generated, Supermundane is a breath of fresh air.

Cardiff's Finest.

2010-02-22T09:38:00.000-08:00

For my student set project, I am looking at the stigma of binge drinking. I chose it because it is a big issue that is associated with my generation and one that was very recently brought to my attention by Polish photographer, Maciej Dakowicz.
During his 4 years of study in Cardiff, Dakowicz documented some of the delights that can be found on St. Mary's street on a Friday and Saturday night. The hundreds of photographs he took have just been displayed in an award winning exhibition (much to the anger of Cardiff Council) and have attracted a wealth of controversy. Many say the photo's are a selection of images that highlight the problem of binge drinking, and seize Cardiff as a playground for such behaviour. Others laugh and have the opinion that the photo's merely show people winding down after a heavy night in the clubs.
To produce a governmental style campaign would not only be against my beliefs (what someone does is down to the individual) but it would also be boring and a sight that we have all seen before. I want to target young adults - those at university and those who are starting out in their first jobs - to make them see the effects alcoholism can have on a person. Using embarrassing images and witty copy, I wish to approach the issue from the angle of alcohol making you act out of character. a.k.a like a twat.
I am currently still in research stages so I am unclear of my direction but I am in the area of social networking at present. The shear amount of status' on Facebook over the weekend about being drunk was pretty hilarious. What interested me most was how things went from ' SOOOO excited 4 a nite out wit da gurlz' to 'had dja,fuckind ggod niteee, i lub my jfrends' to 'omg. i feel like death' the next morning. Status' are a way of updating people on what you are doing/what's on your mind and the posts are recorded in order of time and date. With Facebook being more about conversations, I am looking to Twitter as a means of recording 'just status''. Instead of a post being 'tweeted' 3 hours ago, this could be '3 glasses of wine and a shot of sambuca ago' in a bid to communicate alcohol consumption as a replacement for time.
I will update the blog when new things come to me..

Helvetica Cookies?!

2010-02-11T07:06:00.000-08:00

I saw this link on my course mates twitter. Beverly Hsu, a 'design librarian' as she calls herself, has created these cookie cutters in the shape of the font Helvetica. I may never be able to look at a round cookie with such appreciation again.

Vanity Barcodes

2010-02-10T00:23:00.000-08:00

Created by the senior editor of The Dieline, Vanity Barcodes is the newly launched site which features boring old barcodes in distorted, illustrative forms. The concept of the idea is to show a crucial part of packaging in a new light. The best part of this is that the barcodes actually work and would assist a product greatly with their innovative designs.

www.vanitybarcodes.com

MTV 'New' Logo

2010-02-09T15:49:00.000-08:00

The new MTV logo has been revealed. Executed as a 'refresh' rather than the unveiling of a brand new design for the channel, MTV has joined the ranks of those whose logos are receptable for imagery. With this a growing current trend, it seems MTV's alterations are bang on trend after their 29 year old predecessor.

Guido Daniele

2010-02-07T16:04:00.000-08:00

Daniele has been an established photographer, sculpturer and illustrator for many years. Hailing from Milan, he is a product of several prestigious art schools around the globe. Fancying a change of scenery, Daniele exhibited his array of 'Handimals' in 2000 and added body painting to his already impressive skill set.

Wallzo

2010-02-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

Having held the responsibility of the artwork of their last 2 albums, Darren Wall a.k.a 'Wallzo' has scored a hatrick for Hot Chip with his latest work. With a collective theme of 'mysterious objects' running throughout his time of working with Hot Chip, Wallzo states that it's Owen Clarkes trust in him that maintains their working relationship. Having been a fan of the band for several years now, I feel the artwork really reflects the alternative sound of the music.

YCN

2010-02-07T14:57:00.000-08:00

Friday the 5th of February marked the end of a long, tedious and yet experimental few weeks of graphic design competitions. Beginning with the Penguin Design Awards, we swiftly moved on to D&AD and ended with YCN.
I chose the Bacardi brief which invited you to flirt with the brand. With there being SO many rules surrounding alcohol advertising, it was tough not to be either 'overtly sexual' (it was directed at males aged 18-24) or promote alcohol as a booster for self or sexual confidence.
With the brief requesting we do 'whatever we want', I decided to create a limited edition box set which came with a 'Spin the Bottle' board and truth or dare cards. The concept of this was to instigate a flirty game whilst socialising with friends and still promoting the drink.

Crayola

2010-02-07T14:54:00.000-08:00

Saw this chart on Twitter posted by Weather Sealed. It's an interesting piece of infographic that documents how certain colours of crayon have doubled in production every 28 years since 1903.

The Body Shop Brief

2010-01-21T13:37:00.001-08:00

I was given the brief for The Body Shop D&AD entry last week. The campaign is designed to promote the morals and values of the company whilst being cheeky, honest and challenging. Having been down to the shop and getting a feel for the place, it became apparent that the 'Peta' style challenging route I was previously going down was all wrong for the company's image. I decided to do something a bit lighthearted, focusing on the ingredients used in their products. Using bright, eye-catching colours, I produced a range of posters that will also feature as magazine pull outs and window displays within the shop.

Moneygami

2010-01-13T14:43:00.000-08:00

Origami expert Won Park has created this bear out of 2x $2 notes. Below is its British equivalent, a bulldog!

Adam Voorhes

2010-01-13T14:36:00.000-08:00

Adam Voorhes is a photographer from Austin, Texas. His series Explode and Office, among the others, are really worth the visit of his web-portfolio, www.voorhes.com.

Disco Betty

2010-01-13T14:18:00.002-08:00

Stumbled upon the work of Liz Stott when googling fashion illustrators for my latest project. She's a student at London College of Fashion and creates the most amazing illustrations. I wish I could draw this well..

Burning Red

2010-01-09T04:54:00.001-08:00

Just finished my weeks work experience with Burning Red in the bay. Having worked with Alex Mills before when creating a youth centre brand identity at uni, I felt comfortable returning to the studio and being reacquainted with my mentor.

As soon as I arrived, Alex asked me what I was interested in doing. As I already have an understanding of design, I asked to be a part of the behind-the-scenes stuff and was instantly introduced in a copywriter position. With early responsibilities focusing on editing the monthly newsletter and developing writing styles to appeal to various ages, I ended the week designing downloadable desktops for Clic, Burning Reds biggest client. Along the way, I also learned the ways in which the websites are maintained as well as little sessions with Gareth, Alex's brother, in which he taught me about printing, finance and several programmes they use to keep on top of their workload. Unfortunately the snow restricted travel for one or two days of the week but overall, I had a great experience with the company and will be returning maybe in April if I can, to pick up where I left off.

Check out their website: www.burningred.co.uk

2010

2009-12-30T03:14:00.001-08:00

I can't wait <3 Happy New Year x

BasingSNOWke

2009-12-30T02:58:00.000-08:00

21st December 2009 - Yes we made national news :) However, this was simply highlighting the fact that we couldnt handle it! Cars were abandoned as people got bored of the standstill with many people spending the night in the local shopping centre, if not their own cars or specialist rest centres that were provided by the council. Thankfully after being snowed in myself for 3 days, we are now snow free. However, with my return to Cardiff looming, maybe I could get snowed in again please?

Pottok Prints

2009-12-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

Silk screened in Los Angeles, these wallpaper prints have been created using recyclable paper and water based inks. The papers are not treated with chemicals of any kind which results in a beautiful, not to mention durable, finish. Having always been a fan of Geoff McFetridge, this co-project with retail stores is incredibly exciting for the world of interior design.

Matthew Hollings

2009-12-18T03:57:00.001-08:00

These are the works of London based illustrator, Matthew Hollings. These particular pieces that I've selected are my favourites because they depict well-known celebrities. I like seeing celebrities immortalised through art, especially in this mixed media, abstract way.

Neighbours 3 week Christmas break..

2009-12-17T16:57:00.001-08:00

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't missing them.

The Penguin Design Awards 2010

2009-12-17T16:19:00.001-08:00

Figured it was about time I actually put some of my work up! This is my entry for the Puffin section of the Penguin Design Awards 2010. As you can see, its for 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' by Lewis Carrol. The cover is completely collaged to add to the fantasy element. Saturated bold shapes cover the spread in a bid to attract the eye of a younger audience. Hand written text is particularly fashionable amongst children's books right now so obviously, I included this to get in with the crowd! Informative text is displayed in Optima, a more formal font.

Hopefully, you can see this book is directed at a more sophisticated audience. I was unaware of the storyline upon accepting the brief so was sure to familiarise myself with it before beginning the design. It was suprisingly enjoyable. (Crime-thriller isn't usually my bag.)
Having got all images of noses, perfume bottles and all other literal connotations out of my head, I sampled French Renaissance wallpaper and added a dark edge.

Symposium Poster

2009-12-17T16:03:00.000-08:00

This poster is a visual interpretation of my dissertation title. The quote is from one of my case studies, Notting Hill. The dissertation aims to discover the ideologies created by romantic comedies and how far they are to blame for creating false expectations of love and romance in the minds of women. All in alI, it probably sounds pretty tragic but its a good read :D The purpose of this poster was to show off our design skills to the Bournemouth version of our course/share ideas about our dissertations.

Cardboard <3

2009-12-17T15:25:00.000-08:00

Purely because i'm well cheesy..

I found this site in which this girl writes really nice stuff on bits of cardboard.. pointless really but I enjoyed.

Matteo Basile

2009-12-06T14:40:00.001-08:00

I don't usually appreciate photography unless its used in conjunction with graphics but this really appealed to me..maybe its the hot bod..The photo is taken my Matteo Basile, a photographer who uses avant grade as a research base and social discovery as an outcome.

Pop Up Trainers

2009-12-06T13:14:00.001-08:00

These paper trainers were the idea of David Brownings, a second year illustration student from UWE in Bristol. I love the way popular culture has inspired this piece. It makes a nice change to see an illustrator using contemporary 3D elements.

Jasper Goodall

2009-11-18T13:09:00.001-08:00

Jasper Goodall is my all time favourite illustrator. He combines photography, hand drawn illustrations and graphic design to create beautiful images.
Having graduated from the University of Brighton in 1995, he now works as a freelance illustrator. He recently produced the new Muse Album and has worked alongside Beck as well. Part time, he lectures at the same uni he was once a student at.

JG4B is a collaborative project with Goodall's fashion designer mate Louise Middleton. His imagery alongside Middleton's cuts and styles look perfect as bikinis. I wouldn't mind one but I wouldn't mind her stomach either.

'Inspired by the promise of summer days and distant lands... injected with vibrant colours and exhilirating graphics... and ranging from the decadent to the elegant. '

Best Background Ever

2009-11-18T13:03:00.000-08:00

This has been my laptop background for the last 2 years. Admittedly, it makes it a little hard to see icons and that but I pretty much love it. It's by an illustrator called Genevieve Gauckler. She's part of the Big Active design agency - one of the few design websites that i'm consistently drawn too. I love her use of colour but also her abilty to create fluid characters with a witty twist.

Video Phone

2009-11-18T12:48:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn0LOxP_g4s

My favourite song just got a bit ruined by Lady Gaga. Good video though.

Film Infographic

2009-11-18T12:43:00.000-08:00

When searching for infographics for my previous project, I came across this complex hand drawn diagram. It looks simple enough but actually documents the character interaction throughout movies such as Jurassic Park, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars.

Eyewriter

2009-11-18T09:09:00.000-08:00

Legendary LA Graffiti artist Tony Quan AKA Temptone was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in 2003. This disease meant that Quan became almost completely paralysed except for his eyes.Thanks to a low-cost, open-source eye-tracking system that was developed to allow him to draw graffiti just using just subtle eye movements,he was able to create art and tags from his hospital bed into the real world.

Dissertation

2009-09-15T08:20:00.000-07:00

I spent too much time this summer not doing my dissertation. Now I have a week left and i'm stuck with a 3 month old puppy who I can't actually take my eyes off in case he eats/destroys something. I'm never going to get this done. argh.

Powerpoint

2009-07-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

The finished Powerpoint with corrections:

Less dominating front image.
Addition of a gradiated background to each slide.
Relocation of the images. Bleeds removed.
Addition of drop shadows to images.
Font size/colour alterations.
Adjustments to the size of the header and footer and hue saturation.
etc etc - there was loads wrong.

Finished anyway. Not yet sure whether they've received it. I havent had a thankyou? :(

QUITTERRRRRRRR

2009-07-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

So I quit. How awkward.
Yesterday I spent my day inputting data for approximately 5 of the 8 hour shift. One of those hours was spent visiting M&S for lunch which can only be described as the highlight of my day whilst the remaining 2hours were spent researching why African people should be allowed mobile phones too. The technical term is emerging markets. I read so many articles. Apparently Africa, particularly the south, is where its at.
Anyway, I couldnt really take much more so I informed the owner of the company I wasnt staying. This was after he put me on the spot and I told him I was loving it. He obviously thought I was a complete liar.
Today I was taken to one side to discuss my departure. I apologised for wasting their time. He ended up apologising to me for not recognising my strengths and using them for the companys best interests. Valid point I hadnt actually thought of. He handed me a load of rival company powerpoints and told me to use them to compare the strengths and weaknesses with those of the CC powerpoint.
This is where I felt a little possessed by one of my lecturers. I literally spouted so much graphics babble about opacity, bleeds, house style etc that I suprised myself. I think he was shocked I could actually speak a little bit intellectually - (this coming from the girl who cannot use Microsoft Office)
Rich (he has a name) then asked me to spend my second week fixing the problems. In my mind, I had already decided to go and had arranged shifts at the hotel for the following week. I felt bad anyway but had to decline. I did however agree to complete the powerpoint assignment in my own time and email it back to him by Tuesday. At least I'll have something to stick in my portfolio and he will have had some use for me besides updating the database.

Placement

2009-07-21T14:20:00.000-07:00

Today was my second day in the Reading office. The people are very friendly and enthusiastic about the company they work for. I personally am completely out of my depth :(
After spending the whole first day entering data into the system (I was told this was a fundamental aspect of PR) and almost the entirity of today, I am feeling completely exhausted.
The accounts manager took me to one side and explained about the job and asked about my interests/course etc. It seems I may not have done my research.
Having being recommended the PR route after a fairly long period of time resenting Graphic Design, I have literally never wanted to be doing it more. The company I am at specializes in Telecomms PR, a far cry from the exciting, creative field I thought it was. I think you either have the patience to sit at a computer staring at facts and figures all day (you love Telecomms PR) or you can think of a million things you'd rather be doing. (you don't love Telecomms PR) - I am the latter.
Having realised this at the beginning of my 2 week stint, I am unsure what to do next. Whilst I don't want to be a quitter and give the experience a chance, I feel I am wasting both mine and the companies time. This is just going to be so awkward to cut it short. If I make it through to Friday without falling asleep at my desk, I am a hero.

Summer Plans

2009-06-04T07:31:00.001-07:00

Summer plans work-experience-wise sorted..2 weeks in Reading with CC Group and then a very nice man called Chris Bignell who is a past employee of CC Group that has set up his own company called XL Communications has offered to let me sit in meetings and consultations with clients so I get first hand experience of what actually goes on. He's being really flexible and understands I have a summer job..not yet. Thats next.

Grayling

2009-05-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

Kate was telling me about her big sisters new job. Its at a big PR company in London called Grayling. Its a very forward thinking marketing/events management/general PR organisation with loads of high profile clients including Heinz, Nissan, Lloyds TSB to name just a few.

Although the HQ is in London, they have 14 offices worldwide so their range of clients are international.

'Our clients choose their destinations - we choose their roots.'

Anyway, it sounds really perfect for what I want to do, I havnt really gone into much detail sorry..The general gist is that they love interns and pay all their travel/lunch expenses and that I have a contact there. Looking into applying.

Work Experience Stuff

2009-05-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure I don't want to be a graphic designer by now so have been looking into getting work experience at various companies either locally in Cardiff or back home in Basingstoke.
I have a friend named Nathan Penis who works for Coca Cola Enterprises in Cardiff gate and he seemed pretty sure he could get me some experience in their advertising department but 'Kirsty Wait' wasn't really having any of it so I got that rejection email this morning...

Hello Kirsty,

I am looking for some work experience for summer and was advised your email address. I hope you don't mind me contacting you.
I'm currently a Graphic Communication student in my 2nd year at Cardiff School of Art and Design. I'm really interested in the advertising and marketing of brands and products and have been advised to try and get some work experience in your field. Having been so involved with the Graphic Design aspect for so long, I would hope my creative eye would also be of some use.
Basically, what I am asking is if I could possibly come and shadow someone in your department for a week or so over summer. I'm quite sure I want to follow up a career in this area. Having had some experience would just confirm that for me. I'm very hardworking and wouldn't waste the opportunity.

Thankyou for your time.

Natalie Coulcher.
______________

Hi Natalie,

Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate your request at this time. However, please my I take this opportunity to offer you the best of luck in finding a suitable placement and a successful career.

Kind Regards

Kirsty Wait

I think she likes heavy spacing...irritatingly ungrammatical much?

Next I thought I found a well good marketing and PR job in town which would mean i'd have to spend my summer in Cardiff but after googling it, it looks like a call centre job. Still, il go along anyway and see how it goes.
After my call centre discovery, I started to email companies in Basingstoke. I found two small PR companies which are really near my house. I emailed them this evening so i'm just waiting on that at the moment.

The Exhibition - 22/5/08

2009-05-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

The year 2 exhibition fell on my birthday this year. After a stressful and expensive few days of preparation, I mounted my Mabinogion work. My allocated board consisted of 3 book covers, a promotional poster and a spine display. I bought a book from a charity shop and covered it with my design to show a sample of the finished item. This stood on a plinth to show a 3D example of the work.