OUGD402 | STUDIO BRIEF 1 | FOILING

A particular technique I've always wanted to try out is foil lettering or any use of foil on a design. I think when done correctly it looks extremely effective and interesting. The effect is a bit more interactive than just a normal coloured ink, and it's a technique I'd like to learn how to do whilst here at the university and possibly incorporate it into a suitable brief.

Examples of different coloured foil.

Used on not just the lettering but the actual design, gives extremely delicate feel on this geometric butterfly.

 

OUGD402 | STUDIO BRIEF 1 | REFLECTIVE PRACTICE | ZINE

In the summer, me and Charlotte and some other friends decided to use our free time productively and create a pro-feminist zine. We managed to include a lot of articles and art which gave it a good variety of content.

Now we've learnt a lot more about design and layout we've made the next issue a lot more mature and appealing than the last. Our use of type, imagery and colour is a lot more informed and a big improvement from the last issue so far. We asked a few of our classmates and friends to get involved with their photography, writing and art.

As a designer it's great to be able to do your own side projects away from the course as it breaks it up and adds more experience for the actual briefs given to us in university.

Here are a few of the screenshots from our Zine so far. The next step is to get all the pages finished and print it but a large amount of the layouts are done.

Our colour palette for this issue, a mix of calm egg shell and red really pops out.

OUGD402 | STUDIO BRIEF 2 | SELF BRANDING | RESEARCH

For this brief we must create our own branding, for our identity as a designer. The task is quite daunting as it is defining who we are and communicating that clearly and effectively. I already dislike my last name, Wilcock, for obvious reasons, and it just sounds very clumsy and unappealing. I know this will have an effect on how I will carry out this brief, as I don't particularly want to include my name. 

To begin I did some research into personal branding on behance to get a good idea on trends (things to include or usually disregard and avoid..) and a feel for what's already been done and what's out there. Also to grab some inspiration. 

These are by Tyler Hartalage and I adore the colour scheme. The peach and light aqua blue give off a really positive, cheery vibe already. The white incorporated into the palette makes it look clean and neat, along with the charming illustrations. Illustration is a big passion of mine so I'd love to be able to include my own drawings and sketches into my personal branding.

With a similar colour choice to the previous brand, the blue just popped out to me. I admire how simple it is, however I'm unsure if the branding as a whole sticks out and looks that good. Initially it looks aesthetically pleasing but really upon closer inspection it's not that great. It has strong points such as the use of 'messy' hand rendered logos, but the colour scheme just looks a little weird to me, and not in a good way.

Out of the research I did into branding this is probably my ultimate favourite found on behance. I'm a complete sucker for anything dark with lots of black. The grungy effect really appeals to me and is something I'd consider in my own branding as I think it effectively reflects my style perhaps. I love the use of animals and the many avenues The Black Dynasty have considered to create this. There's just something a little different about this brand that stands out to me and has a certain edge that some of the 'safer' designs just don't seem to have. 

Another brilliant brand I found was this one above, with the beautiful illustrations and vivid teal that caught my eye. I particularly enjoy the use of lines to create shape in the last image, something I've also done myself in previous work. The colour scheme is simple and not over complicated which works efficiently and stands out. This brand is well designed, and I think the fact it has a clear theme (sealife) is very appealing and interesting to the audience. 

From doing this research I have got my brain going and thinking about how I will carry out this brief. I need to now do some more focused research and come up with some options for the name, if I don't use my own, and the logo. This will set the foundations for the entirety of the task and will be beneficial to the process and moving forward.