Design Production, Module Evaluation - OUGD504

Throughout this module I feel I have developed new skills which have helped my progression into level 5. I feel getting a new understanding of designing for screen has expanded my outlook of graphic design itself. Before this module I have never considered designing for screen, but now through workshops and Brief 3, it has given me an understanding of what is possible with this area of graphic design. Although I have only had the one workshop in coding, it has given me a small understanding of the necessary skills needed to code. I think applying this understanding to thinking about designing for screen will help me for future modules. I feel I got slightly caught up in designing purely for print, when it came to screen based outcomes it took me a while to think the length could be endless and I wasn’t as constricted. I feel another skill has been learning how to prepare my documents for print properly. It has helped me learn about commercial considerations and how to make sure what I am designing will work when professionally printed. Although I have not been able to print professionally, by baring it in mind I feel it has made me want to produce the finals to a higher finished standard. Also with this module I have used a number of new methods and tired to apply them within my work. I have used methods such as preparing the files for print and experimenting with printing on new medias such as napkins. Although the finished outcomes where not to a professional standard, it has given me an insight into what is possible and shown if I had have had the appropriate resources what I could have created. I feel as though I did not code my website in the end, the knowledge for designing for screen is now there and an understanding of the difference of designing for either web or print is surprisingly different. I feel I have also used and practiced with paper folding for my leaflet in brief 1. I feel doing this module and this brief in particular has made me aware of although something such as my leaflet could be quite experimental with the course, but how effective will it be in a commercial sense? This module has definitely made me think about this hugely and something I will think about in all modules to come. 

I feel I have had a number of ups and downs throughout this module, as I have hugely wanted to improve and show a difference through my level four and level five work. However, I am unsure how successful I have been with doing this. I feel a strength of mine with this module has been able to make a continuation between two briefs. I feel to say I did not enjoy nor think my website was visually appealing, I feel I have applied the same design decision such as type and colour in a continuous and successful way on my print campaign. I think a weakness of mine, which has been surprising to me, was time management. I feel I normally am quite strong with keeping up to date, where as within this module I do not feel this was the case. I think if I could have organised myself more efficiently I would have been able to screen-print the napkins, where as instead I have to struggle printing them on a inkjet printer. I think another weakness was my website. I feel I was so set on designing a single page website, I limited myself in terms of experimentation. I think I focused too much on how it would navigate as apposed to the design. This is something I would go back and change if I could.

I have enjoyed the overall idea of this module and the fact we have needed to focus on the production of the design. It has helped me realise how important designing commercially is and how I need to bare it in mind for future briefs. I think I have shown my printed media in context well, and printed all my outcomes to the best standard I could with the resources available. I think although certain outcomes such as my cups and napkins from brief four have printed mistakes, it shows how they could look if printed professionally. Through this module I have been made aware and now have the knowledge to know the potential as well as the limitations that designing for both screen and print have. I have been made aware that I do not have to be as constricted with screen based design as well as thinking about how I can apply interactive element through print. It has made me think of things I would have never considered such as costs and how different print finishes are more expensive than others. I have also thought about things such as stock and ink costs. I feel this module has developed me into thinking how you should design in the professional world as apposed to a student. With all future modules I am going to think about commercial considerations as I think it is one of the most important things to bare in mind when designing.