PPP Presentation

Notes


Slide 1
Personal & Professional Practice 2 - Billie Meredith 

Slide 2
First Year Interests
Last Year my interests were incredibly limited. What I knew of graphic design was limited. I knew what I liked and what I thought I wanted to create when I arrived here. I wasn't completely aware of how vast the practice was and what it would offer me.
I had never thought about, or taken into account the scale and choices I had within the practice.

Slide 3
Examples
This is an example of the work I wanted to create. Minimal, clean and aesthetic. All last year I wasn't really experimenting out of this comfort zone. It often left me feeling frustrated, as my outcomes were never as magical as the initial idea.

Slide 4 - 6
Trend
This year I fell out of love with Graphic Design. I became increasingly aware of 'trends' and began to see nothing else. I began dis-interested in designing because I felt as though it was losing honesty and meaning.
I affected my work ethic and my inspiration to create things. 'Trendy' work is so highly praised an put on a pedestal as 'fashionable'. I wanted to create work that looked good, clean, but was afraid that It would begin to become trendy and vapid as I stopped caring so much about concepts and development as I did last year.

Slide 7
Emerging Interests
Overcoming this, I re-evaluated the kind of work I wanted to do and create. I missed working physically. I hadn't truly explored any kind of physical products or outcomes, and those that I had, I did not do to a high-standard. I want to draw, paint, craft, fold and apply that to a digital era.

Slide 8 & 9
Examples
I realised that I wanted to create more tactile, physical design. I wanted to create things that people want to keep. It must be engaging and simple and fulfill the brief. The problem with design is that a lot of designers design for 'designers'. A specific style that other designers will appreciate and praise. I want to create for people, for customers, for anyone to understand and be able to interact with.

Slide 10
How To Make Said Stuff
The next stage is how I'm going to begin this process or creating. What I need to change about my process, to create the work I want to create;

• My time management has been a problem on & off since the beginning of time. If I want to create more physical pieces this will need to be fixed. It's something that takes more time than just working on screen so the way I procrastinate will have to be altered.
• I have to actually begin to craft things. And try not to begin on the computer. I need to respec my own process more.
• I need to stop staring at Photoshop, It makes me depressed. I don't feel like a creative. I don't feel like i'm 'creating'.
• I need to begin creating things that I can incorporate into photoshop designing. Real textures and pieces. as opposed to everything being made from screen.

Slide 11

So Far This Year...

• I'm definitely worrying less: I don't panic as often or feel stressed about deadlines. 
• Though I still feel as though I'm finding my feet; what kind of designer I want to be, who I want to work with. 
• Though I feel like those decisions keep changing, and I'm coming to terms with the fact that that's okay. I think in Level 5 we all have this pressure to finally figure out what we want out of this, and I often forget that it's all a constantly evolving process.
• I feel as though I'm finally beginning to fulfill my potential. I think I'm definitely a late bloomer but better late than never.
• I'm trying harder to enjoy the course as a whole, and take into account all other modules and briefs to create a satisfying learning experience for myself.

Slide 12

Enjoying This year...

• I've definitely been enjoying Context Of Practice more than I did last year. I'd like to try and incorporate it into my designs even more. 
• The impromptu workshops, especially, physical and group work has been so stimulating. It's so refreshing to do things outside of usual  day- to day. It's nice just to brainstorm and have a result all in a day. Working with people always has a positive effect on my own personal work ethic and habits
• Having the options of trips has been an nice change from last year.
• The freedom to create what we feel is most appropriate, and the ability to choose what we want to work on, and who with has been very rewarding.

Slide 13
One, Two & Five Years

• Actually begin to work properly. I need to stop making excuses or only half-arsing my work. I want to create something I'm proud of. 
• I'd like to leave third year with a decent grade. I know we are told not to grade hunt, but I'd like to prove to myself that I can deliver all the course asks of me to a high standard.

• Working somewhere in a creative field, perhaps not graphic design but other places like a games company or helping in an Art department or back to teaching  creative writing in Manchester.
• I'd also be working freelance, alongside this to create a little more income whilst keeping my graphic skills sharp.
  
• In Five Years, I'd like to be working within a team of people. I'd like to be comfortable and work in a company for long term hopefully working my way up as I do so.

Slide 14
Studios I'm Stalking
Being originally from manchester, I know that finding a studio I'll want to be involved with. These are just some studios I'm aware of and have been interested in, though some more than others.

Also, since visiting Barcelona last year and entertaining the idea of moving there after graduation I've also been looking at brilliant studios there to help me better understand the design culture and styles.

Slide 15
Work Experience

At this stage the studio I'm most likely going to work with is creative spark. I've been following them for a while and their work and design style definitely fits my own.

Slide 16
Cheers.