Portfolio...

I have completed my PDF of my portfolio to hand in at my deadline. I have included the majority of my work because I feel that all of it deserves a place. I intend to tailor my portfolio for each interview/event I take it to, making it relevant to the situation. I will do this when it is a printed portfolio, whereas at this point I felt it necessary to showcase all of the options.

New Business cards...

The re-print of my business cards arrived today. The sent me 200 rather than 100 cards, I am guessing as repayment for the mess they made of the first lot. I am very pleased with this batch, they're pretty much perfect! They are 28mm x 70mm and have a matt laminate coating.

Client Experience...

I have been working on several briefs that have required input from clients. I have taken on live briefs because I wanted to gain experience of working for/with someone or a team of people who have their own ideas and expectations of the work. The Fashion Yearbook brief has shown me that working collaboratively and for a client can be really positive and help the design process, and also hinder it a little. A lot of people with a lot of ideas can make a project difficult and make the good ideas tricky to pick out. Appeasing everyone is difficult and I have discovered that working together needs to be a joint decision, working toward to same goal, not slightly different ones. I am now better prepared to work within a team and for a client, and have become better at considering all of the ideas and trying to incorporate all of the strong elements to create better design.

The End of Year Show brief has been different because it has been an individual brief and I have been working with one other person on the production of ideas and options for the outcomes. Working alone has shown me that it gets work done quicker because decisions are made faster, but not necessarily better or stronger. Having someone else who knows the brief and is open to experimentation within it really helps to drive ideas, but keeps the work ticking over and fast paced.

I know that I do not want to be a freelance designer as I prefer company and people to bounce ideas off. I really enjoy working within the studio and having people around, and I would like to find this in the jobs I get post-graduation. I am going to look for opportunities in mid-sized studios with people that are good at and enjoy working together.

New Direct Mail...

I have edited the mail out a little. This one is A4 format and I have changed the content a little. I chose a heavy newsprint for the stock. It felt more interesting than plain paper but it isn't too thick or heavy, so it folds easily and will be suitable for saddle stitching. I have published it on Issuu so that I can send it via email to prospective employers.

Business Cards...

I found a company online that had a good deal for printing business cards that are just one colour. I also chose this company because there was an option for having the cards cut down at no extra cost, which is exactly what I needed because my cards are small and slim.

I received my finished cards and was rather disappointed with them. They have clearly been printed badly and therefore don't line up exactly on the back. They have then been cut badly so that in some cases the front looks ok, but some of the information on the back has been cut off, so much so that the information from the next card along is appearing on the opposite side!

I contacted the company and requested a reprint for no extra charge. They are doing this for me and I will hopefully receive the new batch soon.

This is what the cards I received looked like; (they're not green, but the right blue colour I have chosen for my branding)

End of Year Show Display Submission...

I have submitted these ideas as the options for my end of year show display. The quote poster idea was chosen at my tutorial, because it would be strong and stand out well. I have given options of producing three or more posters. The tutors will chose the one they prefer and I will produce the work particularly for the show. I have also illustrated the idea for a small 'take away' item for the preview and private view nights.