Info Graphics - Brief

BA (Hons) Graphics Year 1 Unit BA1b

Date: 29.02.16 to 18.03.16

Project: Info Graphic

The brief in a sentence
Choose a set of interesting data and from this create an info graphic that clearly communicates that data in a creative and impactful manner.

Context
For this assignment you are required to explore the processes concerning the research, analysis and organisation of data. Your challenge is to find a creative way to gather and present information to a targeted audience in a clear, concise and appropriate manner. Some suggested territories of study are listed below.

Territories.
Consumption 
Medicine
Human behaviour 

Evolution
Gender Occupations

Invention 
Travel/Migration 
Time

Ecology 
Extinction 
Vices/Virtues

The challenge
A successful info graphic makes complex data more readily understood, or more powerfully communicated, through the use of graphic content. Information gathering will be achieved through a range appropriate research techniques, and the visual outcome will be developed through the use of a variety of graphic languages and exploring compositional possibilities.
You need to fully examine the relevancy and potential of the information that you are gathering, and consider inventive ways of exploring and displaying your proposed solution. Understanding the power of graphics to communicate data.

The audience
An appropriate, effective and sympathetic communication to a considered audience in relation to your subject matter should be at the core of your ideas.

Things to consider

How can you connect your chosen data and the graphic treatment together? Is there an idea in the subject matter that is the visual trigger that enables you to create something that is more than a complex bar chart or pie diagram? Research your subject fully.

Assessment
For assessment, you will be required to submit the following:
• A final outcome or series of outcomes as a response to the brief, in what ever
form/media you feel is appropriate.
• A supporting body of research and development work, which evidences your creative process and decision-making.

Books

• Ambrose, G. & Aono-Billson, N. (2011) Approach & Language, AVA
  
• Bergstrom, B. (2008) Essentials of Visual Communication, Laurence King
  
• Marshall, M & Meachem, L. (2010) How to Use Images, Laurence King
  
• Johnson, M. (2002) Problem Solved, Phaidon
  
• Ingledew, J. (2011) The A-Z of Visual Ideas, Laurence King
  
• Twemlow, A. (2006) What is Graphic Design For?, Rotovision
• Jury, D. (2006) What is Typography? Rotovision

Periodicals

Computer Arts Creative Review Eye Magazine

Internet
http://www.designweek.co.uk 

http://www.creativereview.co.uk

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog 

http://typewi.se 

http://www.septemberindustry.co.uk

 http://www.trendlist.org 

http://typocircle.com/learn 

http://itsnicethat.com 

http://formfiftyfive.com 

http://www.designweek.co.uk 

http://www.dandad.org/ 

http://www.istd.org.uk/ 

http://www.ycn.org/ 

Reflective Journal Crit

After having a week to work on my reflective journal I felt like I needed some more advice on the layout and binding. I want my book to be sewn together or even perfect bound if possible. This lead me to be a little confused about how to set my document up and I have always just stapled my booklets together. I now realise I need facing pages so I can visualise the spreads. 

I have also decided that I want a number of the pages to be full photographs. This will help to break up the written work and give my work more space of the page. 

It was suggested to make a plan of how much space I want to give each to each section within the booklet. This might make it easier to see what the final product would look like and how each page would flow to the next one. 

All in all a good crit with some good advice! Lots of work to be done!! 

InDesign Workshop

This projects InDesign workshop was very helpful. I have learnt a lot of shortcuts that will make building my reflective journal quicker. We went over how to place text over several pages, set paragraph styles and place multiple images faster. It was all really useful information! We also learnt about baseline grids and refreshed how to insert and change page numbers.  

Reflective Journal Brief

Norwich University of the Arts
Graphic Design / Graphic Communication / Design for Publishing 2015/16
Year 1
BA1a & BA1b
Reflective Journal

Introduction
A Reflective Journal is reflective – it provides an opportunity for you to engage with a vital part of your learning journey; namely self-reflection. A Reflective Journal should, in essence, ask a series of simple questions:
- Where am I as a learner?
- What are my strengths?
- What are the areas I need to improve upon?
- What am I interested in and excited about?
- What am I looking forward to; what are my aspirations for 2nd year / 3rd year / my career?

You are required to produce a single Reflective Journal over the course of your first year of study.
It should be a cumulative process; in other words, you continue to contribute towards its content
and design as you progress through the year, and you ‘finish’ it – and submit it – with your BA1b assessment. Please note: at the BA1a assessment point we would expect to see your initial ideas and early content for your Journal. This can be simply collated in a folder or sketch book.
You are provided with a list of content; this list must be used as your contents page and you should closely follow the suggested word-count for each section. You are, of course, welcome to include further content, but the list below is the minimum and standard requirement.

You should consider adding visual content to your Journal where possible and appropriate. All images should be credited and captioned.

You should give the Journal a title. We refer to it as a Reflective Journal, but you shouldn’t call it this: you should devise a name for the publication that you feel is better suited to your content and the way you feel about your year.

Design: the visual outcome
You should be aware from the outset that the final outcome is a fully designed and produced journal. You should be considering very carefully the size and format of the journal; the paper (or papers)
used in its production; the printing process(es); the binding method; the layout, composition and typography; etc. You are both the client and the designer in this assignment, and as such the Journal provides you with the opportunity to push the boundaries somewhat. You are designing a journal about design and learning to be a designer, about a designer, for a design-literate audience. Therefore, we would hope that the content is interesting and intelligent, and the design execution is engaging, creative, beautifully made and challenging in its visual appearance and construction.

Content

1. A written evaluation of each of the units BA1, BA2, critically reflecting on your work, progress and learning. These evaluations should be retrospective; in other words, they should be written as close to the end of the unit as possible, and thus they should be looking backward at your progress, how successful you feel your work was, and what worked less well. (approx. 250 words for each unit)


2. A written piece on three lectures you attended from the TALK Lecture series. The three you choose could be your three favourite, alternatively you might chose three that were very different to each other in content, style and delivery. You should aim to write in a serious tone, being analytical and objective. Refer to the speakers by their surname as if writing an academic style review. (approx. 200 words per talk/speaker)

3. A critical review of the work of two designers (or two design companies) to include images of their work. You may want to consider a comparative study between the companies/designers. You should think carefully about who you choose to write about. You might choose two designers/companies who work in very different sectors, or perhaps you choose two people/ companies with very different approaches to their work. The choice is yours. (approx. 250 words per designer/company)


4. A written and illustrated (photography and/or illustration) on the study trip abroad (if you went). Your report should focus on any museums/galleries you visited; and designer’s studios you visited and your considered analysis and evaluation of the visual and cultural differences that the country offered, such as wayfinding / signage / architecture / graphic design etc. If you didn’t go on the study trip, use this section to write a critical review of two galleries or museums you have visited in the UK this year. There are numerous galleries in London that now specialise in the display of graphic design. (approx. 250 words)

5. A written report with accompanying images of at least two design books that you have found useful and inspirational to your studies this year. Consider how these books have affected you and inspired you. What have you learnt from them? How do you think they have contributed to your learning this year? (approx. 300 words)

6. A written report outlining where you feel you are on your design journey; what are your strengths? What do you need to focus on to improve? What have you found most useful/ inspirational this year? (approx. 200 - 300 words)

Why are we asking you to do this?
1. Firstly, self-reflection is absolutely vital if you want to assess your strengths and work out
how to improve. This holds true for any career path – and it is especially relevant for graphic designers, both students and professionals. The Journal is intended to help you focus your thinking around a set of questions about your learning and progress, your strengths and the areas you feel need improvement. Equally it asks you to consider a number of other influencers such as key books/texts, design companies/designers and exhibitions and galleries.

2. Secondly, this is a piece of design. As developing designers, you should consider that everything you arrange / visually organise from now on, ought to be well designed. This journal will contain quite large amounts of continuous type and image. It may also contain other visual elements... As such you are facing the most fundamental graphic design challenge that exists: the satisfactory arrangement of words and pictures. You need to consider page composition and layout and exemplary typographic skills.


3. Finally, this piece of work ought to be worthy of your portfolio. You are aiming for a glorious piece of print. As such we are expecting you to explore paper stocks, format, print quality and binding methods. This ought to be a piece of work that not only summarises your first year of study, but also brings together all of your recently acquired design skills and knowledge. The final outcome ought to represent the pinnacle of your abilities.

What are we looking for?
1. Great content: good quality writing (carefully proofed) that is critical and analytical, honest and reflective.

2. Great design: dynamic, exciting layouts demonstrating excellent typography.


3. Great format: an exciting ‘object’ that acknowledges that print is more than a two-dimensional experience. You should think carefully about paper choice, print and binding. The finished mock- up should demonstrate excellent craft and hand skills. We are looking for a high quality mock-up. 

I Wish I Had - Final Crit

This is the final outcome that I created, it is very simple but clearly states the message. 

I played on the fact that I keep accidentally deleting different versions on my uni work. This is such a silly mistake that can waste time that I don't have. I simply took a printscreen of my desktop and changed the text to read 'I wish I had stopped deleting my work'. 

As this is such a simple outcome that I what to create a second piece. It is an idea I came up with when doing mind maps for this project about not getting up on time. It would be a short film with lots of quirky shots and repeated scenes. I will update you on how I get on!  

UPDATE! 

Heres the short film! 

Lecture Programme - Taxi Studio

Taxi studio 

"the fearless creative agency that’s dedicated to getting brands noticed”. 

www.taxistudio.co.uk

I really enjoyed this extra lecture we had today. I hadn't heard of this studio before now but I really like their work and their attitude, it's very refreshing! The layout of the lecture was really well structured and easy to follow. I like it when companies give us advice as well as showing us their work. 

I have followed Taxi Studio on twitter and want to keep an eye on their work.  

The Medium is the Message (Directed Study)

Three months after this project was briefed to us my group has nearly finished it! This isn't because we have done something really fancy but because it was quite had for all five of us to find a free day to take the photographs. I think in future I will try and keep the size of the group I work in quiet small because it just gets too complicated.
We went and took a lot of photos in the park and I have edited together a postcard. I have suggested to the group that each person does something different with the images and then we pick the best one.

I Wish I Had - Brief

BA (Hons) Graphics Year 1 Unit BA1b

Date: 15.02.16 to 19.02.16

Project: I wish I had...

The brief in a sentence
You are required to produce a response to the following prompt. ‘I wish I had...’

Context
Your response should relate to the past year whilst being a Year 1 Graphics Student at NUA. Your outcome can be in any medium, but you are asked to carefully consider your medium choice and format to be outcomes appropriate to your design rationale and enhance your desired communication methods. This project is designed to enable you to develop an appreciation of communication design in its broadest sense. Responding to the research and analysis of personal data, you will be encouraged to develop experimental approaches to the visual representation of this material.

The challenge
This project encourages you to review and reflect upon your practice so far this year, looking at different ways in which you can convey and communicate what you have learnt, to those who follow you next year. This project is designed to enable you to develop an appreciation of communication design in its broadest sense. Responding to the research and analysis of personal data, you will be encouraged to develop experimental approaches to the visual representation of this material.

The audience
Next year’s new Year 1 students. Potentially your outcomes may form part of a student publication, which will be made available for the next Graphics intake on the course. Be generous, creative and think wide!

Things to consider
This is a one-week project so think fast and work productively. What would have helped you when you first started at NUA? What do you know now that you wished you had known at the start?

Assessment

For assessment, you will be required to submit the following:
• A final outcome as a reponse to the brief, in what ever form you feel is
appropriate
• A supporting body of research and development work, which evidences your creative process and decision making.
Books

• Ambrose, G. & Aono-Billson, N. (2011) Approach & Language, AVA
  
• Bergstrom, B. (2008) Essentials of Visual Communication, Laurence King
  
• Marshall, M & Meachem, L. (2010) How to Use Images, Laurence King
  
• Johnson, M. (2002) Problem Solved, Phaidon
  
• Ingledew, J. (2011) The A-Z of Visual Ideas, Laurence King
  
• Twemlow, A. (2006) What is Graphic Design For?, Rotovision
• Jury, D. (2006) What is Typography? Rotovision

Periodicals

Computer Arts Creative Review Eye Magazine

Internet
http://www.designweek.co.uk 
http://www.creativereview.co.uk 

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog 

http://typewi.se 

http://www.septemberindustry.co.uk 

http://www.trendlist.org 

http://typocircle.com/learn 

http://itsnicethat.com 

http://formfiftyfive.com 

http://www.designweek.co.uk 

http://www.dandad.org/ 

http://www.istd.org.uk/ 

http://www.ycn.org/ 

The City New Perspectives (Directed Study)

After playing around with lots of different ideas I decided to look at all of the churches of Norwich. I concentrated on churches within the inner ring road. It has been said that there are 52 churches in norwich, on for every sunday of the year, but this is no longer correct. There is now only 30 something remaining today. 
I spent the day walking around norwich to take a photo of every church. I took inspiration from Bernd and Hilla Becher, whose work we were shown in the briefing on Monday. I still have to finish my piece but this is what it currently looks like. 
I quite liked this project as it was nice to do something different. I am starting to really enjoy photography and would like to do it more often. 

Mid Unit Review

I had my mid unit review on Monday for BA1b. This is a 20 week project so on week 10 we all had a one to one tutorial with a tutor to make sure we're on track. 

She went through my work project by project to make sure I had work for each. It was only a 20 minute slot so there wasn't really any time for advice on any unfinished projects. I found the whole process of the mid unit review a bit mechanical. Even though it was one to one, the same questions were being ask to each student in the room. Because of this I asked to speak to a different tutor today about the unfinished projects. We went through and talked about each project and I now feel a lot more confident with my ideas. 

I feel like I sometimes get stuck in a bit of a spiral of self doubt and just need to have a chat with someone about everything on my own. I also felt better talking to the second tutor because I have known her longer and she knows my work more. 

The City New Perspectives - Brief (Directed Study)

Unit BA1b Directed Study – Group or individual project 

Date: 01.02.16 to 12.02.16

Project: The City – New Perspectives

The Brief in a sentence
Investigate and document an element of your city, seeing it from a different or unexplored perspective.

Context
The City has been a continuing source of inspiration for generations of artists, designers and filmmakers. These practitioners are irresistibly drawn to the life, mystery, excitement and even danger that a City inherently possesses.

The Dutch Artist, Piet Mondrian, on arriving in 1930’s New York, drastically changed his approach with his direct interpretation of the exciting urban pace, jazz and Manhattan’s grid system, with his painting series ‘Broadway Boogie Woogie.’ Countless artistic practitioners have continually used the City as a catalyst for personal creative responses, popular culture is fed by the City.

The challenge
The main driver of this project is to push and exploit the potential of imagery to communicate an idea or theme. You will be encouraged to capture, review, develop and manipulate imagery in a range of ways, leading to the appropriate presentation of outcomes. You could use the following territories as a starting point.

Higher/Lower 
Language 
Underbelly 
Public/Private

Geometric forms 
Diversity 
Ephemeral 
Edges/Boundaries

Echoed Space 
Landscape 
Wildlife

Expectation

Develop your ideas visually, you are encouraged to push and refine these and select an appropriate media to present them in, for example this could be print, digital, moving image or 3 dimensional.