Louise MothersdalePDF Portfolio

Semester Overview1. Type of brief

I think that I respond best to a ‘tight’ brief that has clear guidelines and demands, as it allows me to plan properly and work through the brief to a final outcome. I think that I work best when I am able to work to a similar pattern of design processes (e.g. initial research, development etc.) as I work at my best when I am organised.

2. Integral elements

From looking at the work I have produced over this semester, I think that typography plays a key part in how I have worked. I have also enjoyed work involving photography, although this has been minimal so I hope to expand on this in year 3. I prefer to create work on the computer, be it hand drawn or photographed and then computer edited.

3. Success

I think that my main strength lies in my attention to detail. I like to make sure everything is neat and in order. My need to be tidy and on top of things means that I am also quite organized so I am therefore good at getting things completed by the deadline.

4. Problems

The problems in the way I work are in someway the same as my strengths. I think that I sometimes need to let go a little bit and break my usually neat and tidy work methods to create more varied or more appealing results. I think this is down to confidence and I hope that I will be able to gradually work on this as I continue to develop and gain experience on the course.

5. Personality

I feel that my personality is reflected in my work, as I am generally a very organised person. I do have a slightly crazy side though, and I think that it is this part that I need to let take over my work sometimes. I really enjoy photography so hope to incorporate this more into some of the work I do. I also hope to progress into art therapy after university, so there is possibility at looking at more into how we read art and design as a viewer.

D&AD1. Choice of brief

There was a choice of briefs from the D&AD competition, and I decided to go with the Whiskey Packaging Design brief. It involved creating a bottle/package for a new brand of blended scotch whiskey that would be aimed at a female market, yet would continue to live up to the whiskey brands already on the market. It needed to be modern and not stereotypically ‘Scottish‘.

2. Concept

From looking at the products already on the market, I discovered that a lot of alcohol products aimed at women are a ‘softer‘ version of masculine drinks, for example cocktails or light beers. This market sells well so I went with the concept of creating a more approachable whiskey, by packaging it with a mixer or flavouring. The five flavours I decided on had to compliment the already strong taste of whiskey, so I went with citrus, chocolate, honey, cinnamon and coffee. I then branded the whiskey as Seeing Double. This was intended not only to point out the double bottle, but also to create a playful take on the effects of alcohol.

3. Success

I think that my the product I created was a good concept as it created a more accessible whiskey brand that would be aimed at women. I tried to avoid the stereotypical Scottish images such as tartan, which helped in making it more of an up to date product, and also taking it away slightly from the usual whiskey bottles. I am pleased with how it turned out in the design stages on the computer and paper, however I haven’t created an actual 3D product so would be interested to see it made properly.

D&AD cont.

D&AD cont.

Meltdown Festival

The brief for this project was to create four posters for the Meltdown Festival. The festival celebrates computer generated music throughout June 2012. The time limit for the brief was one day.

University LogoThis brief was to redesign the University of Cumbria logo. We had three hours to complete the brief and had no specific rules as to what we could do.

Manifesto1. Ideas

Through my manifesto I tried to communicate points that mean something to me personally. I would like to think that there is a wide variety of points and no two portray the same thing. It focuses on my interests and also on how I live my life. I think that a manifesto is a very personal piece and that it is difficult to show in a way that will be easy to understand for everyone.

2. Development

To produce the physical piece for my manifesto I began by deciding to create a book. I tried to take points and use them as inspiration for a theme or a format. The decision I came to was through experimentation and wasn’t a deliberate development, but revolves around point number 11, to take lots of photographs. The final book looks like a collection of slides that have been bound together, however it also incorporates point 15 (what goes around comes around) in that when opened, the book opens up into a spiral that if read would continuously revolve. From this idea of slides, I decided to create a video, that was a simple recording of a slide projector, to show my manifesto in a form that it was meant to be displayed in.

3. Uses

I think that the manifesto has been quite useful to me in a way, as it has allowed me to put my points down in a simplified list. This may allow me to follow them more easily, and possibly to point my work in a direction that I will enjoy. I think that there are hints as to what I can do to improve my work, such as use of photography, as these are things that I enjoy in everyday life. I also think that it has let me evaluate how I work and what my strengths are.

1. ‘If at first you don’t succeed, try again’Don’t give up too easily. What does it matter if you don’t achieve something first time?

2. Don’t take things too seriouslyA bit of sarcasm goes a long way.

3. LaughAs much as you can because it makes you happy.

4. Enjoy YourselfYou only live once, so don’t waste time.

5. Change your mindIt’s OK if things don’t go as you planned.

6. Organisation is keyGetting things completed and on time will become a whole lot easier.

7. Be tidy and cleanThen it is easier to be organised!

8. Give to charityIt doesn’t take much effort to donate, and it can make a lot of change.

9. Mans best friendWhen nobody else listens, the dog will.

10. ‘Travel broadens the mind’Travel as much and wherever possible.

11. Take lots of photographsTo remember the good times on your down days.

12. Badminton is dangerousAvoid it. It can result in serious injury.

13. 13 is unlucky

14. SuperstitionSalute a lone magpie, don’t stand on three grates and don’t walk under a ladder.

15. KarmaWhat goes around comes around.

Manifesto cont.

Manifesto cont.

I also created a set of slides that were simply of the images from the book. The video of this series of projections can be found at:www.louisemothersdale.co.uk/manifesto.html

Photographers Book

We were paired with a photography student for this project, in which we had to create a book that showcased one set of their images. It had to be appropriate yet simple so that it enhanced the images, yet didn’t become too over the top.

Photographers Book

Personal Development1. How will you develop and broaden your technical abilities?

The main thing to further develop my technical abilities is to keep practising. I think that I need to use Dreamweaver a bit more to further my web skills, as this is an aspect that I enjoy.

I think that I need to experiment more with the camera, to allow me to make use of photography a lot more. Learning and practising things such as aperture and shutter speed etc. will allow me to make more appealing and therefore more useful imagery.

2. How will you develop and broaden your knowledge of contemporary practice in relation to your own interests?

Although I am subscribed to a couple of contemporary magazines, I need to make more of an effort to sit down and read them thoroughly. I think that this year I have progressed a lot from first year in how I research and make use of the resources that are there for me (mainly the library), and that this has helped me to take inspiration from others ideas and develop my own, however I need to look at more modern resources such as journals and magazines.

Over summer I hope to make use of my camera a lot more, as I feel that since A Level Photography, I haven’t used it as much as I could have done. Research into both techniques and photographers is therefore needed. I also hope to complete the third year dissertation on the subject of art therapy and will therefore be researching into this topic in more detail, which will hopefully expand my knowledge on how art and design is viewed and understood.

3. How will you nurture and develop your current strengths?

I think that my current strengths are ones that I need to develop further. I am good at making things neat and tidy and precise, yet I think that I need to now pick and choose when this is appropriate. This is not to say that things learnt such as grids and layouts etc. should not be put into practice, but as a whole a piece of work doesn’t need to be simple and sometimes just boring.

I want to develop the little amount of skill I have in Dreamweaver and photography more as well as I think that these are valuable skills to have.

4. Where do you need to strengthen your game and more importantly how are you going to make this happen? What action needs to take place?

The main thing I need to strengthen is my confidence. I have always lacked confidence, but I think that if I can gain more, it will pull my ideas and development together to create better work. I need to stop playing it safe with finals in particular, as this always seems to be my downfall in projects.

Experimentation in different medias within the development stages of my work could also benefit me, as it will provide variety and possibilities to develop computer editing skills further. It could also improve the confidence I have with my drawing ability.

Louise MothersdaleContact Details

Email: design@louisemothersdale.co.ukTel: 07851597204Website: www.louisemothersdale.co.ukBlog: louisemothersdale.blogspot.com