Wk 5.1 Shared Moment

Shared Moment with the Photography Class

Define/Critique

We had five people work chosen from our class to show the Photography class and the vide versa with the Photography class (expect they only had three peoples work). Our class was first and they said what their work was about and we would all give them feedback. Then it was the Photography classes turn.

I felt like this benefited the people whose work it was but I didn't really get anything from it. I think it would have been more effective if everyone had to lay their work out and had a piece  of paper next to it where everyone would write some sort of feedback on it. That way everyone would get feedback rather than the strongest pieces of work in the class. 

Wk 4.2 Homework

Making my Development

Making

I started making this new idea in Photoshop but I realised it was harder to make look professional and as a final piece. 

The first mock up:

I don't even know what I was thinking about the colours here. I think this is just really poorly executed. Because of this first mock up, I was really put off the idea but I kept trying. 

Second mock up:

I feel the colours are better here as they relate more to Twitter. But the free bird at the top is awkward to look at and the way the patterns of the Twitter birds carry on behind the free bird gives mixed messages as well. I thought lightening the top of the composition would work but its didn't really do too much. 

I'll get Toms feedback next time. 

Wk 4.2 Part 2: Feedback

Advice on my concepts

Define/Ideate

I had another one on one with Tom and I got some really good feedback. He felt like the Twitter birds that were hanging by their feet upside down weren't as effective as the ones pinned and upright. This was because it looks like the birds are trying to fly away and be free too but they were stuck whereas the upside down ones looked like they gave up or were dead. 

So Tom and I discussed how we could use the pinning down idea in a more effective way. We came up with this rough plan. 

We decided it would be the right way up Twitter birds pinned down in a hen house type place and one spot would be empty where a single bird has flown away to be free (from social media). The free bird will be different looking to the Twitter birds. We think more realistic and perhaps in a different style. 

Wk 4.2 Part 1: Learning about Text

German Text Mainly..

Understand/Define

We had a lectorial on text. I thought the lectorial would be about how to effectively use text and what types of font etc to use. However this was a lecture just on the history of the German font Black Letter.

I felt like we didn't need to know the history of one font, especially a font that was implied at the end not to use because of its very heavy symbolism behind it (with the Nazis). 

Wk 4.1 Homework

Developing the strongest solution:

Making

I developed the concept that Tom thought was the strongest. I wanted to build on the breaking free concept and also enforce that the majority of birds were stuck in this one place. 

I came up with the idea of having the Twitter birds nailed to their perch and they cannot get away. 

I tried the experimenting with the cropping Ls and developed to this.

I liked the last one here because I feel the cropping brings all the attention to the middle and is hard to look away.

I experimented having a branch and not having one also. 

Wk 4.1 Interim Presentations

Group Presentation and Critique 

Understand/Define/Critique

We were split into groups of about four or five people and given prompts on how to critique each others work. We were  given bullet points on the whiteboard to cover and also cue cards with De Bono's Thinking Hats as well. These really helped with our discussions. I was the last person to show my work in my group and I only had about 3 minutes to discus my four concepts. This was really annoying and I feel like I missed out on some good feedback.

From the three minutes though I was told my concepts were a bit too obvious and quite literal (exactly what I was worried about) and that my ideas were good but I couldn't portray them strongly in the visual department. 

After this quick feedback we looked at the whole classes strongest works. This was very interesting and helped me have a fuller understanding of what I could do to improve my concepts. 

When this was over I talked to my tutor Tom and asked his advice about my four concepts. He said the same as my peer assessment group but also added that I had come up with good visual ideas that were clever but when asked, I couldn't say what my concepts were trying to say. I totally understood where he was coming from and I want to improve that. He chose this as my strongest concept out of the four:

There are some of the teachers scribbles on here from the discussion we had

So I have decided to develop this idea further for class tomorrow and hopefully I can get another one on one with Tom again. He is very helpful. 

Wk 3.2 Homework

Developing Concepts for Next weeks Interim Presentation

Making

For homework we had to create 4 more concepts rendered in sharpie pen on A3 sized paper. I found I struggled to find new ideas so some of my concepts were different takes on previous concepts. While making these, I found them to be too literal and not entirely clever or really engaging at all to my target audience. I am slightly worried that I am shooting and missing with my designs so far. 

I feel it is really helpful to get all of my ideas out onto paper even if they aren't good. It helps clear my mind and even find new and better ideas from the not so good ones.