15th - 19th May 2017

This week, I have been allocated to my space for the display and I had to paint the boards using sand paper, gum tape, masking tape, filler, paint brush and a roller. Sand paper allowed me to smoothen the wall and get rid of any excess paint, which also revealed several pins and nails behind the paint. I filled in the holes made by previous nails, and placed gum tape along the sides of the walls ; however, I had to place gum tape along the sides of the walls in order to make it more secure and to avoid the tape from slipping when paint is applied. A paint brush was used to reach tight edges, a roller for creating a smooth finish, and masking tape and newspaper to protect the floor from any paint. I found this experience overtiring because I had to do a lot of stretching (even while standing on a chair) in order to reach high spaces. I was unable to place any gum tape on the top due to my height, however, the display looks acceptable without it.

I have also learnt how to fill in my brochure with text without having to write my own content (placeholder text); it saves time and my brochure will only be assessed on colour and layout. And after doing more research on brochure design, I decided to apply and explore different types of medium because I like the delicate effect the background has on the brochure, and I think it will represent the rural features of the town such as water and the countryside. I also think this will soften the effect of the art deco style within my brochure and will make my brochure feel friendly and inviting to consumers. I have been experimenting with pastel, watercolour, and acrylic paint, which have been edited on photoshop; I wanted to explore what effect each medium brings to my brochure. I had concluded that watercolour would be my primary medium due to the light and delicate palette it brings to my work.  I have placed this work as a background onto my brochure in order to bring colour to it, which I have been trying to edit so the text could be seen clearly. 

I have finally finished my poster and concluded that the slogan 'take a ride around...' should be included; it is inviting for the consumer and it acts as an ambiguity because the consumer could ride using a donkey, car, train, tram or the pier rides. I had originally planned to include 'weston super mare' at the bottom, however, this was removed when I came to the conclusion that the logo would imply the location of the image.

Additionally, I have changed the typography of the slogan in order to suit the style of my logo and to create consistency within my work. I also prefer this typography because it brings less weight to the image, making the poster feel unified and balanced as a whole.

At the moment, I am trying to decide whether the slogan should be in the top centre or the top left, however, once I have made my final decision I need to send my design off to the print room in Knightstone campus; Knightstone Campus has specialised equipment that will allow me to print on A1 paper.

8th - 12th May 2017

This week, I have been through a presentation about moving on towards university, which talked about note taking and speed reading as well as allowing me to try these techniques for myself. This is effective because being active makes it easier to remember this information. I was able to practise my note taking and I have learnt a new technique called 'Cornell notes', which is slightly more complex than my original method; however, this method will allow me to understand what the lesson was about when I look back at my notes because it requires me to write down a brief summary of my notes after the lesson.

Additionally, I have been moving studios so the walls can be altered for the summer show, which has taken a lot of time away from my project and I have had to limit the amount of space I have been working in. I have also had to clear away my shelf, which is filled with all my project throughout the year.

Most of my work has ended up in the recycling bin mostly because I have my best work in my university portfolio. I have also been busy balancing my work with finding university accommodation, which I have secured. I have signed and posted my first contract and will start moving in on 7th July; this will allow me to settle in Falmouth and understand how to live with my fellow flat mates, and it will be easier for my Auntie and Uncle as they will no longer receive funding for my keep. Hopefully, I can find a job to occupy most of my summer because I will not receive my loan until September and want to place less strain onto my savings. I am hoping to visit my new accommodation soon so I can work out what essentials I need such as a cooking set.

I have managed to design my layout for the brochure and I am considering using my poster image for the front cover in order to show consistency within my designs. However, I am currently working out what I am writing in my brochure and the colours I am going to use. I have also finished my oil painting of Weston, which I have photographed and edited. I was planning on booking a photo studio so I can take a decent picture of my painting, however, it doesn't seem available on the website techbookings.weston.ac.uk, so I had to take a photo with my own camera. After editing it on Photoshop, I decided to convert the image's size to A1 paper in order to get an idea of what the image would look like once converted in an A1 poster. I have found that my image was too pixelated, so I dragged my photo onto Fireworks software and now I am currently making the colours flat using a paintbrush, which has a similar effect to Anderson's group.

Next week, I need to fill in and paint the walls for my display, and finish my poster and brochure. After much consideration, I have decided not to design a website because I had given myself too much to do and wasn't considering the disruptions within this project. So I will spend next week editing the layout of my poser and brochure and start researching for my display. My t-shirts and mugs have arrived (bags should arrive next week), so I should arrive next week), so I should have enough for my display.

2nd May - 5th May 2017

This week, I have been to the Oxford trip and explored three galleries/museums: Ashmolean (museum of art and archaeology), Pitt Rivers museum, and Modern art Oxford. Ashmolean did have a few interesting things but nothing that could have inspired my work; it was mostly prehistoric art, full of pottery and sculptures. Pitt Rivers Museum was filled with stuffed animals and brains, which was very uninspiring. And the Modern Art Oxford gallery had closed their exhibition, so there was only a piece of photography available on display, which are portraits of individuals that visit the local fish and chip shop, placing emphasis on the different identities. This inspired me to take photos of Weston to represent each personality or characteristic; it makes the consumer feel more informed about the town and more engaged, which secures their decision to visit. I have captured different snapshots of Weston using specific adjectives that describe Weston. This technique is effective as it will make my brochure more visual and it will increase the consumer's level of interest and allows them to absorb information easily. 

The Ashmolean handout has also allowed me to make a note of what I need to include in my brochure such as a map to show all the main attractions ad restaurants; it makes it easier for tourists to navigate themselves through the town. And I also need to highlight the activities available for each age group, which makes it easier for visitors to decide what they want to do in their visit.
I have been experimenting with slogans because I thought it would give the consumer more information on the town's character, however, the shape of the logo makes it difficult to unify a slogan to it. And I don't want to use too much varied typography because it can ruin the effect of the logo, and I feel that a simple logo can be powerful and full of ambiguity on its own.
I have also went around town taking more photos in order to capture the town's main characteristics, which I am planning to use in my brochure. I have been looking at brochure designs and I find that the geometric design most appeals to me because it goes well with the Art Deco movement and brings a modern approach to promoting the town.

I have also designed my t-shirts, bags and mugs on vistaprint.com because I am unable to create the same shadings using screen print, and I think it would look cleaner and more accurate to my design if I have them professionally printed.
Next week, I am going to note down what I need to include in my brochure and create layouts for my brochure.

24th - 28th April 2017

This week, I have explored more into my typography by playing with the collaboration of shapes; it takes the style of art deco architecture with its use of shape and form. As I started off exploring shape, I found it difficult to make the typography clear to read, however, I have reflected on my mistakes and figured out how I could make each shape more recognisable as a letter. I had decided to use the initials of the town for the brand because it acts as a symbol and makes it easier to recognise; the long name would need to have smaller font in order to fit a specific scale. Additionally, a symbolic modern, which allows the consumers to recognise the way the town is progressing, and in time will lead on to regeneration and further investments.
I have also been looking at the colour theory in order to follow the semiotic theory of interpretation within visual communication, and I have concluded that blue would be most appropriate as the town has been famous for its fresh clean air throughout history and a calming atmosphere .  I had decided to create a gradient within this symbol that diverts from sky blue to vibrate blue because I couldn't decide between both shades; however, this has an interesting effect as it appears like the sea, which indicates the town having water element.  was at first unsure about the colour once I printed it because it looked too modern and neutral like a computer company, however, once I had experimented with the layout, I had managed to capture a sense of warmth by creating a circular outline; its feels community based and represents the warm atmosphere that locals recognise.
I have also decided how I am going to promote my brand in consideration of what is in trend and what isn't. My research tells me that postcards are no longer favoured due to the advance and convienience of technology., and billboards are known for 'visual pollution', which is why it has been banned in places such as Bristol and Brazil. I have decided to create my own website that can be adaptable to mobile phones as it is on trend at the moment and it will be easier for people to know what is available and what events are taking place. I am also going to create a Facebook page that is linked with my website because most of my target audience are using social media, which allows me to communicate with them more effectively through advertisement and notifications that are relevant to them. I have also decided to create a poster and a brochure in order to inform and persuade. Brochures can be placed in many supermarkets around North Somerset, which is where families are most likely to be and this will encourage them to visit the town as it is cheap and family orientated.

So far I am using the same composition I used in my aleatory project because I need to capture the town from a far distance and i had already concluded that this was the best view of Weston as it shows the consumer most of the centre as well as the country and seaside elements. However, I am trying to make the colours blocky in order to suit a artist I have recently been looking at (an illustrator within the anderson group ) that creates 20th century style posters with oil paint. I have been exploring my use of colour for my poster and seeing how I can match the colours with the town as well as getting the right colours to match the logo.
Next week , I will confirm my use of colour for my poster and start painting it using oil paint, which is the same medium that the anderson group uses. I will also use software to work out the layouts of my bags, cups and t-shirta in order for my products to deliver in time for displaying my work;  printing my work professionally would allow me to show the delicate gradient within my logo as screen printing techniques do not have the same effect. i will also attend the trip to Oxford, which I hope will inspire my work. The logo design I have chosen as my final piece is the last photo (at the bottom), which will be placed onto posters, broachers and promotional items.