OUGD502: PPP2 - Task 2

• Phone call - it is always best to ask a studio for a visit by phone or written letter because it is much more personal than an e-mail. It is also a better way to get someones attention
• Written Letter - this seems much more personal and like the person really cares about the option of a visit
• Sending a CV - A CV is a great way to showcase yourself and clearly list who you are as a person and what skills you have as a designer
• Linkedin - Linkedin is social networking for professionals and therefore is a great way to network with people within the industry
• Skype or FaceTime - digital technology is becoming more and more prominent and people are now using Skype and FaceTime to hold meetings, this combats the travelling time and any other factors which could interrupt
• Who do you know and who do they know? - it's not what you know but who is a saying which is becoming much more true. A good way to meet other creatives is through the people we already know

We were asked to carry out another task with one of our friends and discuss what is good and bad about their practice. 

Feedback from Laura:

Bad:

• Drawn to using Bulky newsprint which may not be applicable stock for all briefs
• Shy away from using processes because you are not as confident  as using digital
• Still exploring what you like to do as a result of this it may affect the decisions when working
• Need to make more informed research decisions
• You need to bring in skills which you used to use before the degree
• Could improve on primary research

Good:

• Concise and successful application of grid systems
• Evident that I have a passion for digital print

I want to pick up on one of the negatives which Laura raised when giving me feedback:

• You need to bring in skills which you used to use before the degree

Before starting the course I was very illustration driven and I used a set of skills which I have not used since being at university. I want to look over my old portfolio and analyse it and think of a way which I could bring my old practice back into my practice now. 

Above are some examples of my work before I started this course. It is very illustrative and hand rendered which is something I do not do now. I feel quite sad looking back over this work because I feel I have lost part of myself because I do not work like this any more. Recently I have had to think very seriously about my practice and I have been finding it very hard to define myself and I think the reason why is because I have lost part of my practice. I do not choose to work in this way anymore because I prefer to work digitally but I am realising that to be a good designer I have to be able to produce hand rendered crafts. If had little experience with this type of design  I do not think that I would have the problems I am having now but because I spent 4 years of my life working in this way I cannot ignore it, I must embrace it and use it with my new way of working and find a happy medium between digital and hand rendered.