End of Module Evaluation Visual Communication

Leeds College of Art BA (Hons) ILLUSTRATION	Level	04
OUIL406 Visual Communication	Credits	20
End of Module Self Evaluation

NAME	Hollie Smith

1.  What skills have you developed through this brief and how effectively do you think you have applied them? digiI tried to concentrate on colours for both briefs. In Studio Brief 2 I used four complimentary colours in different tones to create continuity and make a replication of an image more interesting. For Studio Brief 3 I used a palette of five complimentary colours which I thought suited Jim Henson's work and personality, and represented the colours of his characters. I used the colours to make the images look consistent and part of a set, as well as the rainbows in the backgrounds, referencing the song The Rainbow Connection. I'm pretty pleased with how the colours turned out, although I broke my own rule slightly with three of the postcards because they didn't look right so I used the colour adjustments to alter them slightly. I think they look better as a result but it means they're not in accordance with the five colours rule I made.
2. What approaches to/methods of image making have you developed and how have they informed your concept development process? For studio brief 2 I obviously approached the brief using Illustrator which was tough at first but I'm glad to have learnt. For Studio Brief 3 I made the images entirely in photoshop, only using a scanned sketch for the poster. I'm not sure if this process was preferable at all, it was definitely much easier but I don't think it looks any better, it just made no sense to sketch the reference imagery onto paper and then scan and trace it when I could do it straight into photoshop. Also I tried a new process of using colour which was to layer different opacities of my five colours over each other until I got the right one, and shading with a light opacity of my darker colours and then eye-dropping that colour and using it at 100% as a new shade. I think it was good to do a whole project digitally as I often overlook this because I don't like drawing straight into Photoshop, but because I was heavily using digital reference imagery it made sense to do so.
3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?  In studio brief 3 I think I managed to make the images look quite consistent and cohesive by using the rainbow motif and the five colour palette. In my first attempt at the stamps I used one of the five colours for each stamp and made them more embellished, to imitate a real 1 cent stamp, but when I looked at them with the poster I'd already done they didn't look right at all because they were too visually different, so I started again with continuity as the focus and used the basic structure of the poster for both the stamps and the postcards. I think it turned out a lot better as a result because they look like a set now. In Studio Brief 2 I think my skill in Illustrator developed quite well and I took advantage of this by making more intricate drawings than I usually would.
4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future? For Perosons of Note my biggest mistake was not leaving enough time towards the end of the project to make everything except the poster. I spent quite a while designing, developing and making the poster but then left the stamps and postcards too late and ending up rushing them, especially the postcards which I had to do in the space of about three hours to get them finished in time. Also I lacked the organisational skills necessary to book a slot in digital print so had to frantically rush to the drop in session at 8am on the hand in day. Thankfully it all worked out fine but I made it much more stressful than it needed to be. A similar problem happened in Studio Brief 1 when as a group we failed to secure a printing session in time so had to print oto A3.
5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these? 1. Distribute my time better. It will allow me to put an equal amount of time and effort into all aspects of the brief so I don't end up rushing and making substandard work. 2. Organise printing sessions in advance. I won't have to rush around trying to get into drop in sessions and getting stressed out. 3. Plan more. I did very minimal planning for my stamps and both sets postcards and I think they suffered because of it. If I plan more I can try out more ideas and develop them into something better than the first or second thing I come up with. 4. Spend less time researching. I got a bit too into it for briefs 2 and 3because I was enjoying it so I ended up researching for a really long period of time compared to how long I spent making. It was fun though, and I think it made my work more informed. 5. BLOG. I have said in every single evaluation I've done this year that next time I will blog as I go along, but I still haven't managed it. I think I get caught up doing the work and just forget to do the blog, and then it gets so late in the project that I have to do catch up blogging before I can do current blogging, so I end up putting it off until the very end, which isn't good because it means I don't have that constant evaluation going on and its always retrospective. Maybe I'll manage it next year.
6.How would you grade yourself on the following areas: (please indicate using an ‘x’)  5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor
	1	2	3	4	5
Attendance			x
Punctuality			x
Motivation		x
Commitment			x
Quantity of work produced			x
Quality of work produced				x
Contribution to the group		x
The evaluation of your work is an important part of the assessment criteria and represents a percentage of the overall grade. It is essential that you give yourself enough time to complete your written evaluation fully and with appropriate depth and level of self-reflection. If you have any questions relating to the self-evaluation process speak to a member of staff as soon as possible.

A copy of your end of module self evaluation should be posted to your studio practice blog. This should be the last post before the submission of work and will provide the starting point for the assessment process. Post a copy of your evaluation to your PPP blog as evidence of your own on going evaluation.

Notes

Jim Henson

Here's the palette I used, some colours I 'mixed' and some textured brushes I was comparing. I wanted a soft and slightly aged looking brush similar to drawing with a chalk on its side.

Bert and Ernie. Stuck to colours for this one, also gave them matching/clashing jumpers

Used adjustments to make a more plausible yellow

Same again but red. I'm not sure about all that space in the bottom left corner. Perhaps should have extended the rainbow.

Used slight adjustments to make a better green that didn't blend into the background green

Fozzie Bear. Used colour palette, worked well I think. Not sure about the creases on the scarf and the fur texture should've probably been darker

Used the adjustments but I think on screen he might look a bit greener than print. I put 1st in the corner so it would appear more stamp-like but I don't think it looks right.

Miss Piggy. Stuck to the colours, maybe couldve make a greater difference between her and the background colours but it didn't look right lighter or darker

I very slightly altered the colours in this one. Otherwise it was too dull

I adjusted the colours of the poster slightly but now I think it looks too dark compared to the other things. It's the only one really where you can see the textured edge of the brush I picked, I like this on the shirt details. Before printing I added another border across the bottom to fit in with the rest, I think it looked better but there were gaps where I used that drippy brush.

I'm pretty happy with them overall. I think I could've done more to the stamps and postcards had I allowed more time and been less foolish. But they went pretty well, I like the colours and I think they work together as a set. Also I'd hope they communicate Jim Henson quite efficiently.