End of Year 2, Now for Year 3!

Three blog posts in one day!! But since I have all my work back now I thought I would showcase what I have done before it all gets packed away. Its amazing how much work I have produced throughtout this second year, putting it all together and packing it away made me realise what I have actually produced and that I am much happier with my work this year than last year, which is a good thing as it actually counts towards my final degree classification. So with year 2 done, its time to think about dissertations and FMP’s ready for September and my last year of being  a student.

All the work produced this year: 5 sketchbooks, 5 research journals, 1 essay, 1 personal development journal, 1 set of exhibition promotional material, 1 set of packaging, 3 posters, 3 handmade books and a portfolio of prints, impressive for one year at uni, and now everything is going to be boxed up and labelled YEAR 2.

YEAR 2, DONE!

1960’s Bookmaking Project

For the second semester support module we were given the option to pick any theme related to the 1960’s and create a book about it, using elements of traditional printmaking. The theme I chose was 60’s Fashion. I chose to explore this subject by looking at old pattern envelopes and pattern sheets used in garment making. I didn’t want my book to be just printed, I wanted to encorporate a 3D element, so as well as print, I embelished my pages with buttons, material, needles and threads to add another element.

Stitched fabric front cover with ribbon tie and Japanese binding. Alongside an envelope containing a series of fashion prints.

These are some of the pages in my book. Mostly printed on 160gsm pastel paper for the texture. The purple pages are 80gsm card with a monotone print. There are tissue paper headings for each year that had a pattern piece printed on them and then letterpressed over the top and the inclusion of materials and colour.

78rpm-MP3 music project

As one of our second semester projects our tutor adapted one of the old D&AD briefs for us, to get us used to the idea of what live competition briefs were like. The brief I chose to do was 78rpm-MP3, we had to create a typographical expression of two songs from two different decades. The songs I chose were U2 Sunday Bloody Sunday from the 80’s and Muse Uprising from the 00’s. Both songs are “protest” songs and this made it easier to create a link between the songs. I created a book that encompassed both songs together so you are able to draw comparisons and contrasts between the lyrics and the mood of the song.

Front cover: 160gsm Pastel Paper with 80gsm printed spine covering.

Song One: U2- Sunday Bloody Sunday. The pages for this song were printed on 50gsm newsprint to represent the fragility of the lyrics and the situation spoken about in the song, along with the quality of being able to see pictures through the paper under the lyrics adding another dimension to the book.

Song Two: Muse-Uprising. The pages for this song were printed on 150gsm paper to represent the strength and anger shown in the lyrics and the musical beat itself. The song is such a contrast to U2 but are of a similar theme so the two worked well together combined in one book, with the use of materials to display the contrast of feeling and emotions.

D&AD Newblood Student Judging

On Thursday 30th June I ended up taking my first solo journey to London for D&AD’s Newblood exhibition. I was invited up as a second year student representative for my university. Was a really good show and a great opportunity to meet other second year students on a whole variety of graphic design courses across the country. Together as a group we were asked to go around and judge the stands and note down what we thought was the Best Newbood entry and any outstanding work on display. I had a really good day and it allowed me to try and ‘borrow’ ideas for next year when it will be my turn to exhibit.

Us second year students judging the work at one of our stands. If my memory serves me correctly it was the University of Staffordshire’s Graphic Design course.

Norwich University College of the Arts contribution at Newblood. A very busy stand from the graphic design course.

Typographic work from University of Plymouth graphic deign course.

This was one of my favourite pieces of graphic advertising from a student at Swansea Metropolitan University, his name escapes me at the moment! So these were what caught my eye at the show, and if anyone is interested I voted for AUCB for D&AD Best Newblood stand.