PPD presentation

PPD Presentation resubmission.

Hello my name is Ben Mckenna. Firstly I would like to welcome you to my presentation. I shall begin with some background information about myself. Before this course began, I was at Amersham College where I studied a BTEC in Graphic Design. My interests that relate to graphic design are photography, type and graphic image and moving imagery. Design is a big part of my life and I am very fortunate to be able to continue studying it at degree level at Leeds College of Art.

I would like to discuss my influences. I am influenced by visually inspiring design; something that captures the public's imagination and encourages them to get involved. Advertising is essential for selling but it can be quite generic. I like design that is thought provoking and distracts the viewer for that moment and leaves a lasting impression on them; design that draws emotion from them. For example, some of T-mobiles most recent adverts interact with the public. I find this type of forward thinking inspiring.

Moving on to the present; I am fortunate enough to have access to some very specific and professional equipment at Leeds College of Art which has not only enabled me to complete my projects, but also to further my existing knowledge and at times even develop brand new knowledge of how the equipment works, how it is used and which pieces of equipment are necessary to use for a specific task. I would like to talk about some of the things I have learnt this year. Firstly I am amazed by the great equipment the university has to offer to the students. For example, the screen printing, textile and book binding equipment, the Mac suites, the studio space, the photography studios and video equipment as well as the digital print room facilities and the brilliant library resources on offer.

An example of this equipment being put into practice is when I had to create a book for the brief 'Collection of 100', which involved me using the disperse dye printer to print the background on the buckram and then screen print the logo. This was more practical than my initial idea of using the screen print technique to produce the background layer and then screen printing the logo on top of it; the reason I chose to do it in this order was because I would not have been able to get the paint splatter to bleed over the edges.

On first arrival to the course, my knowledge of computer programmes was basic and I was enthusiastic to learn more. I have developed my knowledge and understanding of how to use programs such as 'Indesign', 'Illustrator', 'Photoshop' and 'Finalcut' over the duration of this course. I feel that these skills learnt have aided my progress in projects and will also benefit my professionalism.

My time at Leeds College of Art has helped me to appreciate the importance of time management and how this effects my ability to meet deadlines. I understand that in order to gain satisfactory grades and stay on top of tasks, the way in which I manage my time is essential. As the Graphic design course has developed, I have come to realise the higher expectations of a degree course and how important it is that I put the maximum time and effort into my work. I shall be discussing this a little later on.

Through working in a team on given projects, I have acquired new skills, including the ability to delegate tasks within the group equally in order to achieve the ultimate goal. In relation to this, another skill I have learnt is also the importance of being able to work independently in order to build upon my own existing knowledge and therefore evaluate and analyse initial ideas to increase the development of the brief and ultimately the project in hand. This new ability to learn independently compliments my contribution when working within a team.

Additionally, I have learnt how to work from a formal brief given. This involved me being able to read a brief, analyse it and develop new knowledge accordingly. This has in turn also resulted in an increased ability to recognise that projects should not simply be aesthetically pleasing, but rather they should contain a message that is justified through thorough research and development.

Whilst in the process of completing projects, I have found the use of the technicians knowledge extremely beneficial. I have learnt how to take their advice on board in order to successfully complete the project.

Finally, I have improved upon my research skills and techniques. I am now aware of how important it is to research specific areas accordingly to the given brief before starting the tasks. This has not only taught me about the topic in question, but has also helped me to organise and order my knowledge efficiently before carrying out any practical work.

I shall now continue to discuss things that I need to focus on in Level 5. As previously mentioned, time management is such an important aspect of the course and I must focus on this in order to progress throughout Level 5. By improving this skill I will feel more competent and confident in completing tasks. I also need to focus on prioritising my work over my social life, resulting in a healthy balance.

Furthermore, I would like to improve my analytical skills in order to successfully criticise and evaluate my work. An advantage of doing this would help the development of my work from start to finish.

Throughout year one, I have been given multiple tasks that involve me presenting to a group of students and my teachers. I have found this fairly daunting as I would not consider this as an area of strength. I would like to gain confidence in speaking publicly which would benefit my assignments and is a skill I will carry into my professional career.

In addition to this, I feel it would be very beneficial to gain work experience in order to source live briefs outside of college. This will develop my professional skills and develop my understanding of what may be expected of me in the future following completion of my degree. I have already gained valuable experience while designing a logo for 1989 records, which has become the face of their record label. Additionally, I have designed a logo for a t-shirt which was successfully used in P Money's music video “Madness”. This t-shirt was reproduced at least 200 times in various colours for the video. It is work like this that makes me keen to continue looking for live briefs. Furthermore, by working outside of the college it will enable me to gain professional contacts which I would like to use in the future.

As well as working with other professionals, I also feel it would be hugely rewarding to network with other courses within the university as well as other universities in order to meet new students studying similar courses and gain an insight into different views and approaches to design. I hope that by doing this I will develop my own outlook on design and put this into practice with future projects.

In order to build upon my existing knowledge I feel more focus should be put on independent research rather than merely researching once a brief has been given. I could achieve this by visiting more exhibitions and galleries, and attending external lectures independently, and documenting this on my blog.

One area that I feel I am passionate about developing are my skills and knowledge in animation and moving image. The programmes that surround these are mainly 'After effects' and 'Final cut' and I will make it my priority to use and develop my understanding of these programs independently.

One more area that I am aware I need to focus on next year is my attendance as I appreciate that missing studio time, crits and lectures greatly hinders the progression of my work and therefore the overall outcome of briefs. Alongside this my punctuality needs to be improved upon as it will not only help at university but also in life.

I need to maintain a positive attitude towards the course and briefs and not lose interest in certain projects and this is an area that I will focus on as I progress through Level 5. It is highly important that I remain up-to-date with my blog, as by documenting my work regularly I can save valuable time and use this to concentrate in other areas of my work.

Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are of interest to me and could aid my work over the duration of this course. I believe they will be of benefit to me as I can not only gain an understanding of why social media is now so important in a professional career but it will also enable me to gain opinions and feedback on projects from other users.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my first year at Leeds College of Art and I am grateful for the opportunities university has given me. I have developed a variety of skills and relationships throughout year one, which have contributed towards my enthusiasm for the course. It is important for me to maintain and build on this in order to complete the course successfully.