Business Card Designs for Emma

Here are some mock up designs for a friend who is a recently graduated photography student. There is a few variations of the design but all in all its no fuss vintage baby!
Printed on recycled card, off white 400 gsm.

    

                             

Online Portfolio Update

I have revisited my online portfolio this week. Looking at the layout of the navigation page and how the viewer will interact with each of the buttons. The green that is used throughout the portfolio site will continue as a rolls over, to inform the viewer of the category of work. This gives the page some interactive appeal.     

  

AUCB Catalogue of us ShowReel

The credits

D&AD stop-frame

Portfolio tags final

Here is the design for the portfolio tags front & back! ready for print.

The back will have each students name, hand written to tie in with other aspects of the show including the catalogue thats being 'Risograph printed' - exciting stuff!

portfolio tags

D&AD Space

Showreel test 1

Test Stop Motion from This Is on Vimeo.

Newspaper Catalogue Template

EMP Photographs

More from 'This is'

Start of summer print

Career & Portfolio - Evaluation

For career and portfolio I thought it was necessary to include a portfolio of work that best represents my career aspirations . Over the last year I have been thinking of what line of work I would be prepared to pursue post university.

The style of the portfolio Is a clear representation of my design skills, using 2 colours with a conscious use of white space. This describes to the viewer that the work is uncomplicated- simplicity through a variety of design platforms. The platform for which my portfolio sits on is loosely linked to brand identity and

packaging, as well as the potential for digital design which is represented in my website.

I hope to benefit from this freedom in design when it comes to promoting myself as a designer. I was conscious that having a broad range of design work, may appear to the viewer that I am and indecisive individual and a jack of all trades, but fact is I have deliberately chosen not to pigeon hole myself. As a

result I feel this selection of work will broaden my potential for employment.

To accompany my portfolio I have included a cv and business cards that supports my intentions as a designer, again the same theme continues to show continuity throughout. I have reduced the dribble that normally clutters mu previous c.v, and have contained it into a concise piece of visaul communication. One aspect of the promotional material that sets me apart from the rest is a QR code that sits on the baseline of my c.v and business card, this barcode is a direct link to my online presence, http//: prendesign.co.uk.

As for post University my intentions are to carry on with design perhaps freelancing tailoring my work to increase my chances of employment but also I will be on the lookout for opportunities at the shows.. Come October I shall be looking for work else where in london or perhaps abroad in a major city.

Here i will use what I have learnt in the last 5 years into practice but somewhere new and exciting.

As I make my transition from university to employment its now time to make full use of design schemes such as design buddies here I will be able to gain invaluable design experience. So far I have had 2 meetings out of a possible 4 with my buddy Gareth, from Redweb. My experience of industry has been documented on my Posterous blog from which I will continue to write about my experiences. In terms of the position that design buddies has put me in as a designer I feel I have gained and insight in to the day to day running of a business in particular this company has over 100 employees who all have their own job to do.

After being shown each area of the business I felt more clear about what area of design I wanted to go into, this difficult decision I feel would not have been easy to make during my time in 3rd year Vis-com because of the diversity certainly in the course and also AUCB in general.

So as the future sees me entering a world of working in design I feel I will be more equipped, using the knowledge I have gained from 3 years of vis-com and experience of industry proving that I am a worthy graduate.

Included in the brief was the submission of a D&AD entry which would count for a large percentage of our unit grade. This project coincided with our EMP but ended half way this means we were juggling 2 major projects at one time. The brief I chose was 'Honda' " To design a environment or structure that best shows off honda as a company that society wants to exist" The project was difficult to execute with such a broad and sometimes vague brief finding the right outcome was difficult. I think all in all I struggled with the brief, after choosing it because It was the most attractive. I think the concept was a strong point but was let down by a poor visual execution.

This was only made worse when I realised that this project should have had a direction towards my career aspirations post uni. My theory on the unit was that it was compulsory to complete a D&AD brief meaning I would have to go out of my comfort zone (Brand/Identity/Print) and complete a digital brief with little other choice because the majority of the other briefs were for a digital audience. In hindsight D&AD may not have been the right choice , because now I feel that I have missed out on a whole project because it did not suit me as a designer. I have certainly missed out on a piece of portfolio work for which this project was set up for, moreover when looking at learning outcomes I will struggle to make up for this in my portfolio and promotional aspect not to mention 'Show preparation'

The final task for this brief was to document the continuation of our show preparation which we are still completing in groups. I am part of physicality which is a category that can together plan for the way the show will look but also relies on the other the groups together branding in print and screen based to decide on a name and theme.

It was a personal choice to join the physicality group mainly because branding had enough designers with contradictory and conflicting views of how they saw the end of year show as a final product.

This change in scenery will see me take a different role perhaps leading if necessary, but the ultimate aim was to get hands on by organising a unique and individual experience for the viewer at the shows. At our last meeting, we discussed how the boards would look and we also talked about the idea of having a physical user experience near the students work, this idea is certainly on the back burner for now but has real potential and could possibly increase our presence at the show.

online portfolio

Final identity

Career & Portfolio - Identity

Business Cards

Holding page

With the career and portfolio unit fast approaching I feel it is time to start thinking about some sort of portfolio website for when I leave. Its a case of picking the right work that best portrays me as a designer.

I have a lot of work but not a lot I like so the challenge will be a great one.

For the moment, whilst I think about the content I have gone and got myself a domain name

and hosting which should encourage me to see it through until the end.

Here is my holding page ready for the website.

http://prendesign.co.uk/

D&AD FINAL BOARDS

Content

Interface

Post production

Design Interior

'This is something'

This is a artistic collaboration by a group of students studying BA Visual Communication @ AUCB.

This is Collective set up a monthly event showcasing up and coming artists in the local area. The theme constantly changes and March sees the title 'Adventure'.

The brief is to create a unique A2 portrait design, using the most appropriate means to communicate the term 'adventure'

Above is my design... love the vintage look in the woods!

http://thisissomething.co.uk/

D&AD Final

Here is the boards that contribute to the D&AD brief for Honda.

The aim was to design a structure or environment that show cases Hondas rich credentials as a company that society wants to have around in the future.

The concept is made up of an installation that encompasses the publics view on their own future coupled with facts about the Honda brand and their intentions of creating a complete sustainable future.

The installation measures a 5 x 5 Meter structure where the viewer can sit down and interact via an ipad with a touch screen application. The application is divided in to six categories each with a subject relating to Honda.

The viewer is asked a question relating to the particular subject, following a question the next stage of the application offers a fact about Honda and then the chance to find out more about Hondas vision.

The last stage requires the viewers initials and age so that the data can be collected and used by Honda to collect quantifiable data of the wider society.

Trains & Tings

Train stations are a funny place to be...

Here's my interpretation through the lens of a Nikon

Ilford 120 Format packaging

TLK 3

This week it was the 3rd TLK lecture with 3 new guests including Jane Richardson from Aquent Recruitment Agency, second was Joel Gardner a freelance illustrator who had work at the Aucb in the past, and lastly Chris Wharton a freelance Web designer from London.

This weeks session was all about making as a designer after graduating. Again the emphasis was put on networking and how beneficial it can be to finding a job. Chris' outlook appeared to be realistic claiming the journey will be long and hard knocking on company doors hoping one will give you a shot. and the first year spent mostly sending general emails out in the vague hope of a result.

According to the guests, getting a foot through the door is most of the work, It then comes down to networking and building relationships with companies. Just like last week the conversations turned to debate when the subject of accepting jobs. knowing where to draw the line on the right or wrong job.

Some of the final points discussed at the end were things like networking using sites like Linkedin and Arts Thread but to be careful with Twitter and Facebook

because you just don't know who is watching.

Look forward to the next lecture

Prendesign!

Valentine's day

For my card of love this year! I thought I would make something different, and have fun with some origami and letterset.

Good times!

Funky Envelopes

Who says thank you cards have to be boring?

TLK 2

So last week we had another networking lecture (TLk).

Invited back was David from Redweb and three new additions to the talk, Bella Lewis smith of Salad creative, Ross Cleaver of revolting, and lastly Paul Leon a freelancer based in london.

Titled the creative process the talked moved through various stages and the panel talked about their own experiences of a brief from start to finish considering all the problems or highlights of a task from the pitch to a potential client, to turning down work for various reasons.

One interesting point for me was the pitch debate whether or not it should be paid or not according to the panel always try and negotiate a deal with the client because it is your time and money also. The debate quickly turned to the dismissal of work and basically how far were the designers prepared to seal a deal. For this there were two very different ideas of what was acceptable three of the designers said they would pass a job if it was immoral or they didn't agree with the company ethos. On the other hand Paul suggested it would be possible to, depending on the circumstances.

After that questions were put to the panel and one particular point raise again and again was the right to work for free, as students this was very relevant to our process. Again half agreed and the others did not, it seemed to really spark a debate in the crowd with no real solution.

Other points I learnt was too avoid a powerpoint pitch when presenting to a client because you will loose the persons interest in minutes. The advise was to let them see things visual but physically as well get them to stand and talk them through the idea.

Lastly one of the points that rang load and clear was to research a brief, from the history of the subject to the environment, know everything there is to know about the brand.

TLk Talk

Last night we had a networking talk at the AUCB about, well Networking!

The talk came from three creatives from various agencies in Bournemouth including Redweb, Thinking Juice and Design South West.

They basically covered all the key aspects to networking in industry, Getting noticed was one of the main issues for designers the talk was spent somewhat reminiscing about there early days in the industry, But regardless it was very insightful and really put the networking process in to perspective.

On yer Bike!

Final Designs.