Here is my list:
What I want to learn at LCA
- How to use all of the traditional printing methods
- How to set up as a freelance designer
- I want to know all about type
- To understand layout and grid systems thoroughly
- How to communicate with clients
- To be able to create some packaging
- Be more confident with my work
- Create an online portfolio
- Be able to use the Adobe Software
- How to be a good designer
How to use all of the traditional printing methods
In my first year I learnt how to screenprint, and I became quite competent with this as I screenprinted a whole book for my final PPP project. That is the method I was most interesting in learning as well. We also had a induction in monoprinting, letterpress and lino cuts. I already knew how to lino print, and monoprint or letterpress isn't something I did in my first year.
However, at the beginning of this year I have already done some monoprinting, and I also organised a print induction with few other students. It was a workshop in photo etching, embossing, foil stamping, and every other process that was available to do at Vernon St. I also learnt about what I couldn't do and the limitations of the processes which was useful.
How to set up as a freelance designer
I haven't learnt how to set up a business yet, but that is something I realised in first year wasn't important. However, I have an online portfolio now and have come to a standard where I can do freelance work for people, and have had some experience in this now. Although I don't have my own brand and payment method etc, I have done paid work for people that I know, and that is enough for me right now.
I want to know all about type
The type anatomy sessions were useful, and I know a lot more about typography in that aspect now, but this point was about how I wanted to learn more about type designs that are seen on posters or logos. However, this isn't something I stayed interested in during my first years and I focused on other areas of design.
To understand layout and grid systems thoroughly
The sessions on grid and layout were incredibly useful and I feel I know a lot more about them now and this has helped me considerably within my practice as from these sessions I realised I was really interested in layout design. It has made it a lot easier for me when using InDesign and designing for editorial and web because I have gained a better understanding of this.
How to communicate with clients
As I have improved a lot within my design work and I am more confident with it, this has helped me interact with clients because I can suggest to them what would work best and support my ideas. I also did a placement over Summer and they had clients coming in every week for meetings and proposals and that was really valuable to see how businesses deal with clients they didn't know.
To be able to create some packaging
I really wanted to do packaging for all my briefs at the beginning of the 1st year, but I soon realised that I was interested in other areas and that I didn't actually enjoy packaging when I did it. I didn't enjoy the maths of it and found it hard to get a professional finish when making the packaging. Although I enjoy actually designing for it, I felt I lacked skill in making it. Maybe this is something I can do in the future as in the industry I would only be designing it and not making the product.
Be more confident with my work
I feel that because I know more about design principles, it helped me become a better designer because I understand the design decisions I'm making now. And because of this, I am more confident with my work and talking about it because I know that I consider everything that I do and can justify my work. Having weekly crits also helped with being confident because I got used to talking about my work to people I don't really know and accepting feedback to produce better work.
Create an online portfolio
I created a Behance, and have uploaded some of my work to it which I am happy about because it is a lot easier to show people. Now I just want to carry on uploading projects, and start to take professional looking photographs of my work as I think that showcase my work a lot better.
Be able to use Adobe Software
This is something I have improved a lot on in the past year, as I am a lot more competent with Illustrator, and can use Photoshop better than before I started the course. I was introduced to InDesign on the course and I love the programme now and have used it extensively in projects. I also began using Fireworks and Dreamweaver when I started at the web design placement which I am now using frequently and understand well.
How to be a good designer
This is an ongoing process, but having learnt the fundamental principles last year this has helped me considerably when making design decisions. Also by using software more and becoming more competent at it has increased by quality of work. I also think by being aware of my surroundings, other people's work and gaining feedback continuously this has helped me become a better designer. Also, as I have tried out a lot of different processes and areas of design, I am becoming more aware of the kind of designer I want to be which is important. I have become very interested in web design, and I think that it is a strong point of mine because I enjoy it, I have produced designs very quickly for websites and I think I have a good idea what makes a good and bad design.
I'm now going to write a new list of 10 things I want to learn this year:
- I want to become more competent in web development
- I want to learn how to design and develop for responsive websites
- I want to become better at drawing, as I think this will help me at the ideas and concepts stage as well as increase the standard of my work
- I would like to learn how to take professional images of my work
- I want to have another placement this year, particular somewhere that does branding and web design to experience an industry environment
- I would like to use other programmes for web development such as Sublime or Aptana rather than Dreamweaver
- I would like to gain a better understanding of the Fibbonachi sequence as I found that quite difficult to relate to my own work last year
- I want to be able to create intelligent concepts in all of my work
- I want my work to have a more professional finish
- I want to find a way of being able to create an embossed finish with ink, like the letterpress effect in industry, as that is not possible to do at college
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