This FMP module has allowed me to focus and work on the areas I am most interested in within graphic design. These areas include branding, packaging, pattern design and layout. I have managed to stay away from websites and moving image, as I definitely know I have no future in it. The skills I have developed and evolved will hopefully stand me in good stead for my future career in graphic design.
I believe the skills I have utilised and grown during this final module include brainstorming, layout, communication, my computer skills, especially with InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop, and how I record my thought process and development. I have obviously had to use all these skills previously over the last 3 years, however I now feel much more comfortable with them and have a greater knowledge of each. All of the briefs have challenged me to brainstorm and think outside the box. I have tried to show all my ideas, whether drastic or not. The fashion yearbook brief is one obvious brief which has helped me develop my layout, communication and InDesign skills. It was a challenging and fun brief to be part of with Alex and Sara and I believe as a whole we worked well together and created a strong yearbook for the graduates. At the start of this brief I was scared of InDesign and thought it was too complicated to master, however with the help of both girls I have started to understand it more and feel comfortable to work with it. This will help me in my future career as InDesign is a valuable program to know how to use. On the communication front this brief was invaluable. We got to have a direct dialog with the client, printers and paper stockists. However, overall I believe my biggest improvement and skill was the recording of my thoughts, trials and development. This is best reflected in my Old Wives’ Tale brief. I now realise how important it is was to show how I came to my final outcome. It also allowed me to evaluate the brief more as it was ongoing, and without the evaluating and feedback I would not have reached the final outcome that I did.
Overall I am pleased with this module. However, as always there are areas I could have developed more. Hindsight is always my worst enemy. I feel that some of the briefs, Old Wives’ Tales and Viewpoints, I pushed the briefs as far as they could go and I am happy with the outcomes and back-up work. But the stationery brief and Italian food brief could have gone further if time had not run out on me. I think the outcomes work, however I did not experiment with the ideas and themes as much as I would have liked to. I am unsure what to think at this time regarding my final outcomes and feel slightly disheartened that I have not finished on a better, stronger brief. Everything I have learnt from this module and the course as a whole has allowed me to shape myself into the graphic designer I want to be. I now fee like l I have the foundations to build upon when I enter the ‘real’ world, so yes not my best final brief but this is the first of many briefs to come, hopefully!
