Reflective Report

Critical Incidents:

1. This project seemed at first like in its entirety was a critical incident. Along the way I had many moments that left me stopping and re-framing or re-assessing my goals and outcomes. The first incident occurred when I was deigning what I thought was going to be the final design for the book covers – the Neon Concept. The concept was one that I was strongly connected to through my devotion to my writing. However after some discussions with mentors and peers I came to the realization that although I was enthralled with the idea and the look this concept provided it perhaps was not all that adapt at selling the story and marketing the design well. I had to examine the restraints of my project – my target audience was young Adults ranging from 12-25 and the design that I was working on was catered solely for my own desires. It was the first time in the project that I stopped and thought although this project is a self-directed work its not something I was just doing for me. It was something I was creating to hit a target demographic. And this realization forced to me to reframe my designing as well as strategize how my covers were going to sell in a market.

2. Ambition is fantastic when entering a project which is elf-directed for the first time in three years I was getting to call the shots on my designing. However it took some time for me to realize just because I was directing the project doesn’t mean that I had the ability to create something on the first go and be happy and done with it. My goals at the origin of this project were to create an entire range of collateral to accompany the designs of a book cover for the series. I had plans of a package, trans-media, posters and a range of things that would have been great – on the condition that I had achieved the correct strategy for the cover first. It was hard to hear at first that I wasn’t taking on to much work but rather taking the wrong approach to the project. But in the end it was an incident that propelled my work to where it needed to be. And in the final four weeks of Uni I had re-framed my project from three book cover designs with collateral to three different concepts across the series.

3. The Last critical incident occurred close to the completion of the project. I was struggled with how this project was going to come together to be showcased as a worthwhile venture of design. I had nine book covers in total, each concept being different and original from the last but was that enough? So I had a long talk with my mentor about why I didn’t feel it was enough and how I could add to my work to ensure that I would be doing justice to my endeavor. Which is when I became stressed about the accompanying collateral for the books. I had no idea where to take my designs and the time was ticking past in an alarming rate. It was then I realised that the books needed to be more then a front and possibly back cover – they needed to be full sleeves encasing the novel. The notion that I was going to have to create nine book-sleeves in under two weeks was a task that daunted and scared me. However I managed to focus my love for the project into the designing and completed them all within the deadline.

Learning Experiences.

1. The learning curves seemed to happen every other day throughout this project but the one that has stayed with me the most it the one that I realize is my greatest weakness. When mentors are available to speak to every week – use them and their knowledge as well as the comment and ideas of your peers. There were some days I came in and I didn’t have a long chat with anyone but sat in front of my screen working away independently. This is such an error and a waste no the people around you. Their insights and ability to help think outside of the bubble we often create for ourselves is vital to any and all processes we undertake as designers. In future projects I now will be making sure every little question I have is talked through to a proper understanding. And advice given to me will be taken under serious advisement. Mentors are speaking from previous experience they know how the industry works – their words are the catalyst for creating a successful project. In my future as a designer I hope that I will remember that I’m not on my own in a project and that words handing to me aren’t coming from a cruel place but one of a constructive nature.

2. Working with a long deadline doesn’t mean that the project should feel relaxed. After starring at the project for near on fourteen weeks I have reached the stage where I understand why short deadlines are given in the design world. It’s so easy to start to hate and become resentful of a work after such a long period of time working on it. Something that seemed great in week three was demolished and discarded in week seven. Which is why I now understand that just because we may have the time doesn’t mean we should leave things or continuously attempt to justify having time to work on a new aspect of the project rather then fix a problem as it appears. University has been a struggle for me in this regard, when I am given a design project I tend to want to finish it before any other work I have – however the other work I have always seems to take the first priority because it’s always something that can be done in one sitting whereas design takes time. I found dealing with this project I had to learn how to balance all my other work while giving this project the time it deserved. I am being a tad selfish in the hopes that once Uni is over and I wont be writing Essays at the same time as doing design work that I will ease into working with time frames better. If not then it is already something I am working to improve, taking each task as it comes and working to finish a project that way. My mantra for this project has been; remember to eat a whole elephant you need to take small bites.

3. The hardest learning curve I have had to admit to myself is that everywhere idea and thought in my head isn’t going to be as great when I attempt to design it. Trying new things is hard and working with a step-by-step process is something that I struggled learning to do. I wanted the project to be the first idea I had and I wanted to make it work so badly that I didn’t notice it wasn’t that great of an idea. As such when I finally had to come to this realization it was a knife to the heart. I had to learn to research more, to see what the market was doing and what people of my chosen demographic wanted from a book cover. I had to learn that a project is going to change and I had to be flexible while still following my brief. It was a double-edged sword for me to learn this. Stick to the parameters of a brief while giving it room to change as the project grows. Letting go of something that you have designed that you love is hard and in my opinion one of the hardest things to learn to do. But its something I’m going to take out of this project and remember for the future. Ideas are frequent and designing is a process that moves in all sorts of directions not just straight ahead.

Thinking about Design Practice: Alterative outcomes

1. The first outcome that could have prevailed is if I had stuck to my original design parameters and created a trans-media campaign for the book rather then the covers themselves. This would have given me a more unique project then the completed work I have now but also would have limited my methods for creating the designed strategies of the books. This outcome would have given me an online based campaign and allowed me to learn to work with different elements of design media. This outcome would have provided me with a different platform in which to market and sell my idea.
2. Another outcome which could have come out of the project was rather then finish with three different concepts to market, I could have finished with a single strategy and with it a wide range of accompanying collateral. The parameters of the project mean that my demographic will never change and as such this limits the possible outcomes changing in a drastic way. However the manner in which the collateral could be changed as well how to best market the idea and concepts. Although I wouldn’t want to change the outcome of the project it is interesting and helpful to see where and how the project can be taken. Perhaps given more time I would have been able to connect the two alternate outcomes with the end result and create a larger body of work.

The Future:

1. Approaching a similar design situations

If granted the opportunity to attempt a project like this one again there are several things I would set out to achieve differently. I would work with a fixed plan, having a goal to work towards each week and within a time constraint that is easy to work within. I would be researching the same amount if not more into the market of other similar designs and make sure I understood who my target demographic was and what they wanted most from a project such as the one I underwent. I would also hope that the book would not be written by myself so that I could talk with the author the editor to establish a firm brief to stick to. I have to come to this conclusion because I do not believe someone who writes a book should be in charge of designing the covers – the personal attachment makes it hard to separate yourself from the project and your ideas from the story.

2. Approaching a different design situation:

Something that has now been ingrained into my design practice is working carefully within a time frame and setting out goals to achieve each day or check-in with the project. Working on a project needs to be a commitment and have the all attention focused on it. But within that each step needs attention not just the final outcome. I have learnt that I should be taking more care with the little details, as they will all come together to help frame the finale product. I will talk more with the people around the project and my peers to establish I am heading in the right direction within the desired brief. I believed I have learnt from this project where my weak points are and how I can improve them from this point on. I believe that I have become a stronger designer and the lessons learnt will carry through to my future design career.

3. How this semester prepares me for the industry:

I find this question very hard to answer. As I don’t have any proper industry experience and I am not sure at this stage in my life if I want to jump-start into a Graphic Design career. I think Uni has given me skills that if I wanted I could work in an industry and be moderately successfully. However I am limited in my knowledge of how to use certain aspects of adobe sweet. The last semester has greatly prepared me for working with briefs and timeframes, deadlines and research. In saying that I can look around my class and pick out those who I know have found their calling and will be successful and happy in their graphic design careers. The last semester of University has been one which challenged me the most, I broke down many times throughout the project and it was pure stubbornness that kept me working to achieve my goals. I can only say that time will tell if I am prepared to fully take on life as graphic designer. For now I am grateful to the last semester for showing me that its not all about the creation of beautiful things but the process behind it.