BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN LEVEL 05 Module Code OUGD501

Module Title Context of Practice

END OF MODULE SELF-EVALUATION

NAME Jamie Pudsey

1. What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them? My skills in writing have increased dramatically over this year and I feel that the final essay I created was a big step up

from last year. I feel that after engaging fully with the lecture program, I have gained tons of useful contextual information,

which is very important for my personal practice. Whilst engaging with the program, I found certain topics and areas of

personal interest, which led to further research and eventually creating and essay and practical piece in response to.

I have gained other important skills across writing such as how to properly plan and structure larger pieces of writing as

well as essay techniques such as triangulation. I feel that this helped me successfully structure and generate my final

essay this year.

I am also now confident when Harvard Referencing within any piece of writing with carious different forms of sources

which will be a huge helping hand for the dissertation next year.

For the practical side, I wanted to research thoroughly into the world sustainable and ethical graphic design, not just

through reading other author but getting hands on and producing work in a more sustainable and ethical as I feel strongly

that I should be doing more.

The concept of praxis, which we have been introduced to this year was slightly lacking in my Street Art Map of Bristol

publication last year and I feel I have improved dramatically and I have produced something which is much more strongly

related to my essay and also analysing the work and theories of authors and designers that I was researching while writing

my essay.

2. What approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process? I really pushed the materials & production methods in this module. This came from the area of graphic design I researched

in my essay. I learnt how to manufacture my own eco friendly paper stock and how to screen print with eco friendly inks,

which is something I have never attempted before. This has put a whole new spin on how I would usually source printing

inks and paper stocks.

Another aspect of my practice I refined during this module is using my own photography in work. This is something I need

to work on but I am slowly but surely getting more efficient and more skilled at using continuous lighting and using the

photography equipment.

Application of theory and research in a narrow subject area is a major approach to design production, which I have

improved drastically in this module. I researched deeply into sustainable and ethical graphic design practice, Reading

Brian Dougherty and Lucienne Roberts’ book was a major influence on this and I think I am going to take everything I’ve

learned from these designers/authors into my personal and professional practice

3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these? One of my main skills generally as a designer is working on conceptually driven brief and I used this skill to a greater

extent in this module. I feel my concept for this practical side of this module was strong and I analysed and directly linked

theories from authors/designer and my own opinions and put this into practice. I am now even more inclined to work on

conceptually challenging briefs in ther modules, but it also put me in good stead for CoP 3. I will know now that practical

piece should link strongly with my extended writing piece which means that I have to think about what I will be writing this

very seriously.

I am much stronger when writing longer pieces with planning and structuring. I feel I have a much greater knowledge of

writing techniques and researching methods to help get the best possible results.

4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future? Writing an essay, which includes a strong triangulated argument, is something that I have lacked this year. This was

something I was told I needed to improve on in my essay feedback tutorial but I struggled to rewrite my essay with a more

triangulated argument so I left. I need practice this more in preparation for the dissertation next year so I may attend some

academic writing classes in the near future.

My crafting and production skills were very poor during this module, luckily though, the concept of my practical piece

allowed me to be so because not everything had to be professionally screen printed and made. However, I feel that I

rushed the posters for innocent drinks and quality of the photography in the print could have been dramatically improved if

I took more time. Also the labels I made for innocent drinks could have crafted and printed if I had spent more time on this.

This something I definitely need to consider for the practical side of CoP3 next year as I want my practical piece to be

something portfolio worthy and not just a good piece of writing.

5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these? 1_ I plan to create a much better plan when it comes to my dissertation next year. Much more than any of the essays I

have previously written. I feel that uses my knowledge in research techniques I don't have to waste my time researching

things I don't need. I can make a plan that involves both secondary and primary sources of research and can achieve this

over summer to a high level putting me in good stead for when it comes to writing it.

2_ I still need to work on my presentation skills even though they have really come along this year. I need to be confident

in my work in order to make other people confident in it too. I feel that I am constantly getting better at this, but again it's

something that needs to be fully sorted when it comes to the third year.

3_ I plan on picking a subject which will allow me to put my own design style into the design in regards to making a

portfolio worthy piece.

4_ will also be more organised on my blog next year. I often find myself at times going back through blog posts and drafts

inserting tags and losing important information along the way. I can't afford to do this next year and I don't really have the

time. I will just be on point more when it comes to correct tagging and generating posts rather than hundreds of unfinished

drafts.

5_ Use more processes to develop my knowledge of sustainable and ethical graphic design practice as this is the area of

design I would like to follow into.

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 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.