Good ? : EVALUATION

BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN		LEVEL	05
Module Code	OUGD201
Module Title	DESIGN PRODUCTION - PRINT

END OF MODULE SELF-EVALUATION

NAME

Mitch Weaver

BLOG. ADDRESS

m-weaver1013.blogspot.com

1.  What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?
Throughout this module I have been able to work across the Adobe suite more effectively, utilising different aspects of the software that ultimately has allowed me to save time when designing for print. Understanding the importance of colour, finish and print production has benefitted me massively as I now have knowledge on each subject that will help me incorporate each part into my design work. Also by actually getting on with designing and not spending too long thinking about the whole process, has shown me that I can work much more effectively when I just put my mind to something.
2. What approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?
Throughout my design work I have tried to use two colours plus stock, keeping the cost down for a much larger distribution. By having this in the back of my mind at all time has determined how the outcomes should actually look when printed. Ideally I would have produced the magazine in full colour with a hardback cover to promote the company ‘LACE’ but due to lack of funds, I have had to keep my budget low and used whatever resources I could. Limitations are an effective approach to designing, hopefully I have managed to show this throughout my work.
3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?
Overall I think my biggest strength is the company I have created. The name ‘LACE’ has something about it and the fact I now have all of this backing from design work and idea generation I could easily carry it on in the future. The business opportunity is there. Throughout the magazine I have tried to incorporate a mixture of photographs, Illustration and type. By doing this I feel that it relates effectively with the whole magazine process and the ‘style’ I want to create as a designer has been utilised.
4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future?
Clearly the biggest weakness there is throughout my outcomes is the magazine itself. As I couldn’t afford to print it in colour or again when it went wrong, it doesn’t meet it’s full potential. The brand itself needs to have a lot more backing and clear sense of a company throughout. Next time I’m going to be spreading the cost more effectively and focussing on the print process itself.
5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?
-       Budget: This was a massive factor to the whole outcome to my design work. Realistically, I had to produce work with what I had available around the studio and the mac suites. This has made me aware of the cheapest possible way of producing the ‘zine’. From now on I want to spread my costs effectively enough, with the budget I have. Focussing on what expenditure should be used to its full advantage. -       Branding: The whole idea of incorporating a brand into the project only seemed to come to me towards the last couple of weeks. Essentially, If I focussed on what I wanted to achieve from the brief in the first place I would have had more backing and promotion from the brand. At least I now know that when I have an idea, I need to get on with it and not worry about it being wrong. -       Print Finishes: There isn’t a print finish on my magazine for the outcome, but again that has been down to me not having enough money to get it done. Die cutting onto a piece of cardboard of using a vinyl stick for the hardback cover and using a stitched bind would have been part of my design. Next time I will make this my priority. -       Time: Always need to focus on spreading my time effectively and not allowing myself to spend too much time thinking about an idea. Design is about doing after all, so I need to just get on with it and focus on producing the piece of work and not how I could do it. This way I will have a lot more productive pieces and development throughout a project. -       Multiple Magazines: My idea to start of with was to have a set of five magazines, each celebrating a specific skate shoe. Included with the zine would have been a collective wooden shoe and a print, packaged appropriately. To be honest I feel disappointed with myself that I did not actually produce all five, or the packaging I wanted to. You learn from your mistakes.
6.How would you grade yourself on the following areas: (please indicate using an ‘x’)  5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor
	1	2	3	4	5
Attendance				X
Punctuality				X
Motivation					X
Commitment				X
Quantity of work produced			X
Quality of work produced			X
Contribution to the group			X
The evaluation of your work is an important part of the assessment criteria and represents a percentage of the overall grade. It is essential that you give yourself enough time to complete your written evaluation fully and with appropriate depth and level of self-reflection. If you have any questions relating to the self evaluation process speak to a member of staff as soon as possible.