tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54971358423508048602024-02-07T17:12:46.276+00:00CHRIS GRAYSTON ONLINE LEARNING JOURNALHNC INTERACTIVE MEDIA AT WAKEFIELD COLLEGEChris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-47750000370211315962010-02-09T19:47:00.001+00:002010-02-09T19:47:54.197+00:00So far so goodInitially when issued with the team brief there were mixed emotions throughout our team. A mixture of apprehension, uncertainty, anticipation and quite a lot of stress to start with, as we were all finding our feet, trying to establish our self as a team and adjust to our personal roles. Since the start of the course we have always been responsible for our own work, so I guess its only human to experience something like this. To be honest I did take things a bit too seriously at the beginning, however, I feel this was amplified by the fact that I have less time now to commit my self to the course and there is little time left before we graduate.<br /><br />After that initial hurdle I am pleased to say things have fallen in to place. We seem to be working well as a team and I am happy with the results so far. None of us were looking forward to large amount of written work we had to do, which is why we were so eager to get it of the way, so we could enjoy and focus on the design part, which we are working on at the moment.<br /><br />Once our personal and team projects are handed in we are then ready to start work on our “live projects”. Fortunately we have quite a varied amount of work in the pipe line. This will be beneficial for us individually and as a team. My only concern, which is understandable from past experience is having our time wasted by a client and work not materialising as a result. Because of this we have been selective and careful with who we intend on working with. Hopefully the outcome will be positive.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-69093441587068640872010-01-26T19:13:00.001+00:002010-01-26T19:17:13.976+00:00Professional folio AnalysisFor my online professional portfolio competitive analysis I have chose to write about a freelance designer and developer called Colin Miller (www.colinmiller.co.uk).<br /><br />I intended like before on finding someone inspirational, however, whilst browsing the web looking for a professionals site I stumbled upon this site and decided to use this for my analysis.<br /><br />In terms of speed, the pages loaded quite fast but were larger in file size than I expected, this is down to the large back ground image, however everything else is optimised for web.<br /><br />When looking at the design of the site, I would have to say for someone with 27 years experience I was expecting something a bit more well designed and contemporary. The main element that stands out is the background image, which in my view looks a bit outdated. Personally I would of opted for something a bit more subtle, also and I am not fond of the cliché Esso tiger style photo on the home page.<br /><br />The logo on the site does compliment the colour theme, and stands out on a white background, but again looks dated.<br /><br />On a positive note the site is very informative, the navigation is good, all the links work, the site validates (note links at bottom), and it is obvious the designer is aware of web standards as he even has a page educating the viewer on the subject.<br /><br />In terms of Parc principles there is definitely contrast, elements seem aligned, and grouped and there is use of repetition with the orange, yellow and blue, however the colour theme is disappointing. I would be inclined to change the colour theme colour theme, removing the background image would be a start.<br /><br />Overall, for someone with 27 years experience in the trade, I would have expected something a little better for a folio site. In terms of information and navigation the site does its purpose, however, I feel the site does not do his portfolio work much justice.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-55026064587278013002010-01-18T21:42:00.004+00:002010-01-19T08:39:06.866+00:00Competitive AnalysisThe site under analysis is a portfolio site of student who graduated last year (www.robertladkani.com). I found this site while looking at the D&AD students awards of 2009. The maker of this site won an D&AD award for web design.<br /><br />I chose this flash site because I wanted to write about something inspirational instead of finding something with plenty of negatives and ripping it to pieces. What attracted me to this site was the its simplicity and quality of work which is complimented by its clean, minimal, clinical layout.<br /><br />When looking at Proximity, Alignment, Repetition and Contrast (PARC), I would say the demonstrates these principles quite well. Elements are grouped and aligned. There is repetition of a minimal colour scheme and good use of typography which demonstrates contrast.<br /><br />In terms of navigation, the site works fine, and is easy to use. The internal links work, are labelled clearly, all the externals are distinguishable, and active.<br /><br />Another positive is the portfolio which is varied in style and medium. It appears the designer is quite versatile and demonstrates good use of print and interactive media. The minimalist flash animations that occur when one rolls over over the links at the bottom of the page also compliment this site.<br /><br />In terms of information the site also has a biography, a blog, contact page and an online CV which can be downloaded which is useful.<br /><br />The only negative aspect of the site is the blog which unfortunately has not recently been updated. When taking in to consideration accessibility maybe the navigation on the top right could be a more prominent, but then again am a fan of minimal layout. The site seems fairly fast when loading however I am on a high speed connection. it would be interesting to view it on a slower one as the file size is quite large.<br /><br />Overall I feel the site does its job. its well designed, interesting, contemporary and legible.The folio is of a high standard, and is easy to navigate unlike some other flash design sites I have come across which seem to have lost their purpose and the value of navigation.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-10161054587482378732009-11-19T14:04:00.001+00:002009-11-19T14:06:10.820+00:00A9: In retrospectWhen we were issued the A9 brief, I knew we didn’t have much time to complete this project in relation to the to the previous sites, and for that reason I wasted no time in getting started.<br /><br />The actual designing of the website proved a little harder and longer than I expected. This was because I was not satisfied with my initial designs, and I ended up going around in circles for some time.<br /><br />When it actually came to the build of the website, as with the previous site, I was quite<br />daunted at first, because this time there was the PHP and JavaScript to be incorporated. Using these scripts were all new to me, however most of it, was easier than I anticipated, and it was quite enjoyable see it work at the end.<br /><br />Another rewarding part was been able to involve my own photography again. Photography is a medium I always like to incorporate given the opportunity. The challenge on this occasion however was taking an everyday mundane object and portraying it in an interesting way.<br /><br />The end result of the design and photography was quite pleasing, and I think I did what I set out to achieve, however, I feel at some point I need to step out of my comfort zone, and instead of always opting for the clean, minimal design look, maybe go for some thing more experimental, rustic, or opposite to what I normally produce.<br />There will be opportunities to build more sites, so I will need to put this in to practice at some point. This will also show more variation in my folio.<br /><br /><br />In terms of the technical aspect, overall, I am quite pleased with the project outcome, and once again my knowledge, and skills has improved. I am looking forward to building more sites, however, from now on, each new site I take on, I intend to incorporate something new, whether it is PHP or Javascript, or something else.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-22039739510663727052009-11-10T12:29:00.002+00:002009-11-10T12:31:15.911+00:00Interview QuestionsFor an employer interviewing a potential employee for a Web designers Job Vacancy.<br /><br /><br />1. Tell me about your self?<br /><br />I think this is a good question to start an interview with because it is not a common question, also it may catch the interviewee off guard. I feel it is important to find as much about the potential employee as you can, from this you can deduce whether they have the potential to fit in the place of work.<br /><br />2. Why do you want to be a web designer?<br /><br />I would ask this question to find out their personal motives, what drives them, if they are really passionate about the trade, dedicated, and whether the position is suitable for them.<br /><br /><br />3. What do you know about us, and why would you like to work for us?<br /><br />By asking this you will find out if they have researched the company, if they have done their “home work” it shows they are keen, and serious about the job, which is a good attribute. Finding out their personal motives for applying, evaluating whether they could make a good contribution to the company, and if they are a good team player.<br /><br /><br />4. Give me at least five reasons why should I choose you for the job<br /><br />This may be asking a little too much, but putting the interviewee on the spot with a question like this puts a bit of pressure on them, also it would be interesting to see how they react, and if they could answer with five acceptable reasons.<br /><br />5. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Why?<br /><br />A popular question, however, I think it is an important question to be asked. This would give an insight to their knowledge, skills, honesty, confidence, and whether they are capable of doing the work required. If the person is uneconomical with the truth, this may show up later, if they are accepted.<br /><br />6. Where do you look for inpsiration?<br /><br />Another important question, finding out how the person operates, where they look for inspiration, and their knowledge of Art and Contempory Visual Communication. This will determine whether they have intregrity, and being able to work off their own ingenuity.<br /><br />7. How do you react under pressure?<br /><br />To know how the person works under pressure is important, because the design trade is a highly pressured industry,<br />and to work under stress is imperative for a graphic/web designer.<br /><br /><br />8. Where would you like to be in three years time?<br /><br />By asking this question you will find out what the persons long term plans are, whether they want to work for you short term, or stay long term. This will give an idea if they are a suitable candidate for the postion.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-7799485263938599532009-10-12T12:32:00.012+01:002009-10-12T12:47:10.662+01:00Chosen Job Advertisement: Graphic/Web Designer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_Um7SVFBmrA8SkClxSy1t4oEJPe7wsbE3o7dYRUiMIO_O4b_tf63GgvMI4qHhyphenhyphenShz9k5AA0McoqFikXLOAgJnmLrQpuru26IIc-DSVwZ1NO6Zuy0osjQ4Y_qKWDraDpysk_il7e2FnY/s1600-h/Picture+6.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_Um7SVFBmrA8SkClxSy1t4oEJPe7wsbE3o7dYRUiMIO_O4b_tf63GgvMI4qHhyphenhyphenShz9k5AA0McoqFikXLOAgJnmLrQpuru26IIc-DSVwZ1NO6Zuy0osjQ4Y_qKWDraDpysk_il7e2FnY/s400/Picture+6.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391678589221794978" border="0" /></a><br />After browsing several jobs jobs in this field, and much careful thought, I decided to choose the job advertisement above. There are a few reasons for this choice:<br /><br />Firstly, the job on offer covers print, web design and branding, which means one would have to quite versatile to work in this environment. To me, a role as a print and web designer would be more interesting than specialising in a particular area. The daily challenges would vary, there is more creative scope, and you wouldn’t be always stuck be doing the same thing. Ultimately I would like to work in both web and print, which is why I find this job appealing.<br /><br />I also have print design, art-working experience, and some branding knowledge. The software<br />requirements for this job are not out of my depth either, I use most of the applications on a daily basis, and the others for example: Quark, which I have worked on in past, I could easily brush up on.<br /><br />Another reason for my choice is that, at this stage of my study I wouldn’t feel confident enough to tackle the role of a developers job. I do have a basic understanding of XHTML, CSS, and intend to learn PHP, and Javascript, however, my knowledge in this field is not vast, and I think at this moment time it would be over ambitious to apply for such a role. When looking at my level of ability, I would feel more comfortable applying for the role of a print/web designer, working in an environment where I could expand my knowledge, and eventually build up to a front end developers level one day.<br /><br />From what I have mentioned above it is apparent of what my strengths and weaknesses are.<br />So far I have been impressed with my learning curve, and my ability to take the bull by both horns on some occasions, but there is so much more to learn. The XHTML, and CSS seems to falling in to place now, I just need an understanding of PHP and JavaScript, and what else could prove useful. The current brief will help me in doing this, then it is just a case of keeping it up, and producing more websites.<br /><br />My action plan is:<br /><br />To build on my XHTML and CSS, to a level where I can hand code, without using Dreamweaver.<br />To learn PHP and JavaScript, or have a good understanding of both.<br />Learn WordPress.<br /><br />Maybe several months down the line I will be saying something different. Hopefully by then<br />I wouldn’t be so daunted by a developers role.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-63611899157769555592009-10-05T21:24:00.000+01:002009-10-05T21:25:06.707+01:00Glad to be backIn all honesty, after the long summer break, I must say It is nice to have some order<br />and direction in my life again. The break has been a relaxing period, however for me, too long, andrelaxing. Over the summer period I managed get some design work which was print based, but not enough web work as I wanted. <br /><br />We were issued with our first brief last Wednesday. I knew this was going to be a bit of a shock to the system, in terms of time management, organisation etc, for that reason I have wasted little time and I got stuck in straight away.<br /><br />The first phase of the A9: Up Your Street has gone quite well in terms of,ideas generation, taking my own photos, research, etc. The deadline for phase one is on the 7th October, which gives us two weeks. After that the final phase (another two weeks) is developing the web site, which I must admit I am finding this quite daunting at the moment, because this time we have to incorporate new languages like Java script (for the gallery) and a PHP (for the contact form), both of which are new to me.<br /><br />The sooner I get the site design finished the better, this means I can use time gained to learn what needs to be done for the Java script and PHP.<br /><br />That apprehension I had last year before the A5 builder brief has come back to haunt me again.<br />Hopefully once again I hope I can prove my doubts wrong.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-61256130412611882602009-05-13T19:10:00.000+01:002009-05-13T19:11:53.988+01:00A time to reflectWhen I submitted the A1 Sketchblog and A7 Rasterised projects in on Tuesday I must say I had a mixture of feelings, and emotions. Part of me was happy and relieved to have completed the last assignments, and to have made it to the the end of the first year (which around Christmas I doubted), the other part still apprehensive about whether I had made a silly mistake on the assignment, or that I might get referred. The thought of that still lingers a the back of my mind, and will only go to rest when I have found my results. Hopefully the outcome will be positive, then I can wind down slightly and enjoy the summer period, however I don’t intend to wind down too long, as I have have work lined up all ready to keep me ticking over that period, which will hopefully put me in good stead for the second year.<br /><br />It seems like yesterday when we had to write our first journal entry, and in all honesty I never anticipated the first year would go by so quick. In a way, this year has kind of been a wake up call, it has made me appreciate and manage my time better, and has stopped me wishing my life away.<br /><br />I remember quite clearly when we were issued with the first brief A2 (Journey of 1000 miles), my anxiety at the time, bonding with new people, the fear of failure, getting use to the education system again, and having so many other things to take on board. Now looking back I seem to wonder what all the fuss was about. Every brief issued gave me some form of anxiety at the beginning, but yet as always everything always seemed to work out, (with much hard work of course). This is something else I have learned during the year, not to take things too seriously, which I often did, to a level where sometimes it affected the enjoyment of my study.<br /><br />The A2 brief was a nice way of breaking us in to the course. It introduced me to new terminology, it gave me time to get use to college life again, and improve my writing skills, which were rusty indeed. I must admit at the time I just wanted to jump in the deep end and crack on with the design, and I was a little bit peeved with been issued with the A2 assignment at first. However I soon realised the importance of the it, and how it prepared us for the A3 (Sounds Like a Plan), and the fact that you cant run before you walk.<br /><br />For me A3 project along with the A5 (Builder) were the hardest briefs of the year. The A3 was hard in terms of the volume of work we had to cover, research, write up, and prepare. The A5<br />was hard technically, as we were introduced to the XHTML, and CSS, which was totally new to me. It was while working on the A5 I think I changed for the better on the course, as I had serious doubts at one stage whether I could deliver the goods. Like I mentioned above, everything worked out.<br /><br />The hardest aspect of the course for me was balancing my job with the college work.<br />Apart from helping me fund the course the long stressful shifts in the kitchen did not help my studies, especially at Christmas time, the busiest period of the year. When enrolling on the course I thought I could work 40 plus hours a week and still have time to study, that was not the case.<br /><br />Another spanner in the works was an operation I had on my foot. Because of this I was unable to work for ten weeks, and as result I ran out of funds towards the end of the the course. Fortunately the college helped me out a great deal, and I was able to overcome my financial difficulties. In a way the operation was a blessing in disguise (apart from the pain), as I had to have time off to recover. This meant I was able to spend more time on my course work.<br /><br />From that experience, I aim to to do is save up enough money over the summer period to cover next years fees and costs, this will ease the pressure of having to so many hours, which will enable me to focus, and commit more time to the course.<br /><br />My targets for next year are build on what I have learnt so far, in terms of design and code.<br />I aim to further develop my knowledge of XHTML, and CSS, and hopefully delve in to some ecommerce. I would also like to learn Action Script as I have always been interested in learning Flash, or to be able to incorporate Flash elements in to a website.<br /><br />In terms of next years grades, I don’t want to sound over ambitious, but I would like to aim for merit and above. At first I thought it would be near impossible to achieve that (especially, when I got referred on the A2 brief), as there is so much criteria to meet, but taking on board the experience I have gained so far I am fairly optimistic I can achieve some good grades nest year. <br /><br />Overall I am happy with the way the first year has gone, and my progress. Up to press it has been an enjoyable experience, however, there is so much more to learn. I am really looking forward to the second year, when I can build on the skills I have developed, and better my self as a designer. I am also looking forward to the live project, where we will have the opportunity to go out build a website for a client, then eventually it will be time to find a job in what I have trained to do. I am sure that time will come soon.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-60750672963847764562009-05-03T13:40:00.001+01:002009-05-03T13:41:41.702+01:00The End is NearWith the deadline of the A7 Rasterised brief in sight, things do seem to be going to plan.<br />Up to press the project has gone considerably well, and I have had more time than usual to dedicate my self to the brief.<br /><br />The first part of the brief was quite awkward at first, as I didn’t want to go down the obvious route. After developing several concepts to logos, I found I still wasn’t happy with the logos I had created, because of that I decided to create more, until I came up with one I was satisfied with. I thought this would be fairly easy to start with, however this proved to be more difficult than I expected.<br /><br />The actual process of designing the CD cover went better than I expected too. As the chosen album was quite minimal, and abstract, I wanted to reflect this theme in my design.<br />This also involved using my own photography, which I always try to do, however the weather wasn’t great when I was out taking the photographs, so I had to make do with what I had.<br /><br />We have two weeks left yet before submission, and so far so good.<br />Ideally I want to finish the assignment quite early, this will give me time<br />to proof the work, and make sure I haven’t made any silly mistakes.<br />Hopefully the outcome will be positive.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-59283691140357690632009-04-02T17:45:00.000+01:002009-04-02T17:46:18.260+01:00Biting the BulletOn Monday we received our feedback, and results from our latest completed project, the A5 Builder. This has probably been the most difficult brief so far for me, as it was my first experience of building a web site in XHTML, and CSS.<br /><br />At first I found the introductions on these languages very hard to digest, which for a while made me doubt my performance on the course. After much research, practice, and tutorials, everything started to fall into place, eventually my web page began to look like my initial design.<br /><br />I have been offered web design work in the past, but because of my lack of knowledge in this domain I have avoided this subject over the years, which is why I eventually enrolled on the this course. So when finally I was confronted with building my site this for me was more than just a college brief, it was like biting the bullet, or facing the music. In retrospect I think this was the reason I was so apprehensive at the beginning of the course.<br /><br />Because of a recent foot operation, I have had much more time to devote myself to the course over the last several weeks. If I was working the same long hours as during the early stages of the course, I would have struggled with this brief, especially my time management.<br /><br />Given my pessimistic nature, to start with, I thought this brief would be the making or breaking of me, but once again I proved my doubts wrong. <br /><br />I am delighted with my performance, and my results. My aim now is to keep it up over the summer, which will hopefully put me in good stead for the second year.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-67856034272662062132009-03-21T13:42:00.006+00:002009-05-05T10:15:52.424+01:00Signal: Robotron, Album ReviewWith its minimalist, hypnotic rhythmic beats, energy pulses, clicks, and bristling static sounds, Signal-Robotron, was released in 2007 by Raster-Noton, this cutting edge album will most definitely be sought by keen minimal electronic music enthusiasts. It reminds me of a set played by the music producer and DJ Sven Vath back in 1999, when I was then a regular visitor to certain venues of industrial, and minimal Techno music, such as the Orbit in Morley, near Leeds. With Raster Noton’s electronic wizardry, this also evokes memories of another German group called Kraftwerk, who treaded into a similar domain around thirty years ago. My own personal interest in electronic music stems from being a child, listening to my mother, playing the music of Kraftwerk, and Gary Numan with his group Tubeway Army.<br /><br />In 1996 Olaf Bender (aka Byetone), and Frank Bretschneider set up the German art-electronic<br />record label Rastermusik, which was based in Chemnitz, Germany, as a means of releasing their own music.<br /><br /> In 1999 they merged with Carsten Nicolai (aka Alva Noto) who had ran the Noton label, to form Raster Noton, and in the following year they released their debut album “Centrum”, which proved a success.<br /><br />With the increase of music technology, and the expanding use of the internet, within a few years the Raster Noton label had made a name for itself, and because of this, worldwide connections were made.<br /><br />Apart, the three artists have very busy careers producing their own music, despite this, they always find time to collaborate. “Robotron”, which was recorded over a five year period is their second album release since 1999.<br /><br />It has been a very long time since I have heard anything like this, but with repeated playing on my part, I was quite amazed and pleased by this album. With the energetic sound of rhythmic clicks and deep bass pulses, this makes a surprisingly powerful compilation . The tracks blend seamlessly together, even though they are a collection of various live and studio music, recorded across the globe, from Berlin, and Chemnitz to Tokyo. The album starts with a short droning intro, developing into ultraminimal techno on “Ermafa”, but my favourite track is “Robotron”, as it features clean mid-frequency sign tones, which is common in Bretschneider’s work.<br /><br /><br />After listening to the album several times, and visiting their website, I can see myself going to experience one of their live performances, the next time they visit the UK.<br /><br />For those music fans seeking melodies, or commercial dance floor hits they would probably not appreciate the simplicity of this album, as it relies mainly on a small set of percussive sounds, but for the electronic minimalist, abstract, and experimental fan, this unique creation is a must. The album design is equally artistic, incorporating a totally unconventional and minimal packaged sleeve.<br /><br />Hopefully we will not have to wait too long for their next album release.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-49149378827342552622009-02-02T14:24:00.003+00:002009-02-02T14:35:56.470+00:00Diligence is a VirtueLast Monday we received our results for the A3 brief. I was hoping for a pass, but I received a referral. In a way, I was relieved that the errors were only minor and would not take too long to amend, however, they were silly mistakes, and I was annoyed with once myself again for not noticing these during the project.<br /><br />One of my main faults was not keeping a detailed account of my self study on my time sheets. I admit they were put on the back burner, especially over the Christmas period, and I did rush them off towards the end. This will not happen again, and I will fill them in properly from now on.<br /><br />Another mistake was on the “Who is query”, in which I had put the wrong domain name in instead of the proposed name for the site I intend to build. I think at the time I was so concerned other elements had to be correct that I over looked this fault, which was staring at me in all the time.<br /><br />My last fault was not having enough detailed measurements on my screen design. Again this was a something I have learned from, and I will make sure all my measurements are more detailed in the future.<br /><br />We were all given a week to amend our work, and resubmission was this morning. Hopefully everything should be fine now, and I will be able to concentrate more on the latest A5 (builder) brief, which we started last week.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-16006919641886594822009-01-19T14:53:00.002+00:002009-01-19T15:06:25.657+00:00Time FliesWith the second semester approaching already, I can honestly say time does fly. Steve assured us a the beginning that the course would would be over before we knew it, but I never thought it would go by at this fast. It only seems like yesterday when we were dropping eggs in the induction period.<br /><br />At the beginning of the course I mentioned to Steve that I would like to consider transferring<br />on to the the full-time HND course at some point, or maybe in the second year. He advised me at the time to play it by ear and see how the course progresses, and that we would discuss the option again at a later date. Maybe at the time I didn’t realise what I would be taking on board if I was to join the HND. I think I underestimated how hard the course was, and the workload involved. In retrospect, I know now that I would really struggle studying the full-time course and working a full-time job outside of college. The HNC is demanding enough, and several occasions this last semester I have been hard pushed at times to get the work done.<br /><br />If I had the opportunity, or if I could afford to leave my job and study on the HND, I would do tomorrow, however, my current situation dictates that I will have to stay on the HNC. I am just a bit disappointed that I have missed out the typography brief, which looked so interesting, and that I will miss out on the interactive module, but that is how the course is.<br />I just need to make sure that I try and get as much out of the course as possible.<br /><br />Last Monday it was a relief to hand in the A3 assignment. The proofing of the work took longer expected, and I didn’t leave myself as much tinker time as I wanted. Because of that, combined the with hours at work, I had very little sleep the last weekend before submission, and the fear of sleeping in on Monday meant I didn’t sleep much Sunday night either. To make things worse certain software on my computer wouldn’t work properly, at first I thought it was some type of virus, and in the end I had to re-install CS3. That again added to the stress levels. Why would my machine work fine all semester, then error just few days before submission? I have been less nervous in about job interviews than I was about submission last Monday.<br /><br /><br />So far in one semester I learned more about graphic design than I did in my first two years on my BA, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. of course at times it has stressful, but no one said it was going to be easy. If I knew now what I knew then I would of bothered enrolling on a BA, I would of studied a HND, or HNC instead, but in hindsight I guess we all would change things.<br /><br />My aim for semester two is to have more time to dedicate to the course, to find a better paid job, with more consistent hours, that isn’t so tiring. Unlike my previous jobs I now work different shifts every week, and this does make my time time management harder to handle, as I don’t know what I am working one week to the next. Hopefully something more suitable will come up in the near future.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-70135684708003486072009-01-11T03:05:00.001+00:002009-01-11T03:10:21.536+00:00Panic-strickenSince my last post, life has been very busy. There was no time to celebrate Christmas this year, it got cancelled. For a while I was panic-stricken about the work load, as I do fear falling behind on the course. Balancing my work hours with my college work over the festive period has been both physically and mentally demanding, and I am quite relieved that it is over. Hopefully I will not be in the same position next Christmas.<br /><br />With the A3 project deadline approaching, this last week has been stressful. Since last Monday there has been quite a lot of refining to do. As well as the Assets list to finish, and evaluation to complete, my web page needed re-designing, which took longer than I expected, however, I am much more satisfied with it now than the previous version.<br /><br />The A3 brief has been harder than I anticipated. Certain aspects were quite hard to digest at first, for example, measurable goals, and delivery requirements, but after a while things began to fall in to place, and make sense. The competitive analysis was the most challenging part of the write up, having to break down and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a website, with a limited amount of words to use. The main test of this project has been managing my time, as I mentioned earlier balancing my work hours with college seems to be an ongoing struggle.<br />Fortunately, the next several week wont be so busy, and I will have a lot more free time to dedicate my self to the course.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-16693446620648706232008-12-10T13:47:00.002+00:002008-12-10T13:51:08.542+00:00Bah humbug!Since the referral on the A2 brief, life has been a bit hectic. I managed to find another job, but they pay is considerably less than previous, therefore I am having to work more hours.<br />To add to that, the arrival of Christmas has just made things even more intense, as this time of the years is the busiest in the cheffing trade. I just hope it doesn’t affect my college work.<br />You could say I am Looking forward to getting Christmas out of the way, so I reduce my hours, and focus more on college, once my financial situation is stable again.<br /><br />On a light note, I got my result on Monday for my A2 referral, and was delighted to find out I had passed. The mood in the studio was a bit more serious than usual, some more apprehensive than others, as we waited for the results.<br /><br />Apart from that, the last few weeks have been really interesting at college. We have had lectures on certain design fundamentals, like the grid system. We have looked at the principles of the acronym PARC ( Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, Contrast), and lastly we had an introduction to colour theory, which the HNC and myself are doing a presentation on next week. All these principles mentioned above are essential, and are implemented in all aspects of design. Im looking forward to using and applying them more in my future work.<br /><br />The A3 project seems to be going okay at the moment, but there is quite a bit of refining to do on my competitive analysis, which has been harder than I anticipated, however I have gained<br />much knowledge on the subject, which will prove beneficial long term.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-26291901897319690182008-11-25T18:40:00.001+00:002008-11-25T18:48:25.527+00:00If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.Last Monday we received our results for the A2 (Journey of a 1000 miles) brief. Unfortunately I got what I feared, a referral. At first I was disappointed with the result, and annoyed with myself. I thought the project was perfect on submission date, however, after the feedback it was obvious there were things I had missed, which just goes to show no matter how many times you scrutinize your own work, you may still never notice the errors. It also proves, that it always pays to get someone else to proof-read your work, as well a yourself.<br /><br />After some discussion, and sharing my result with other class members, it turned out, I wasn’t on my own, and most of group was in the same boat. In a way, this alleviated my embarrassment, and made it easier for me to accept my mistakes made.<br /><br />The deadline for the A2 referral is on the 1st December. I have amended what needs to be done, I just hope it will pass this time.<br /><br />The A3 (Sounds like a plan) brief is the latest project I am working on. At first I found it quite hard to digest what was required, but now things do seem to be falling in to place. This brief not only builds on what we learn't previous, but educates us on building and proposing a website for a client, for example: project schedule, goals, requirements, competitive analysis, and screen designs, etc.<br /><br />Apart from the referral, everything at college seems to be going okay at the moment. Outside of college things are not going too well. Dues to cuts backs at work, I lost my job two weeks ago, so I am currently seeking employment. Its just a case of finding a job that fits around college hours. Hopefully something will come up soon.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-11595760564460893212008-11-11T17:32:00.003+00:002008-11-11T17:42:08.427+00:00Industrial visitorsLast Monday, the director of the <a href="http://www.thedesignmechanics.com/">Design Mechanics</a> Dave Pannell along with his employee <a href="http://www.thecraigdomain.co.uk/index.php">Craig Burgess</a> came in to the college and gave us a presentation. The last time I was in study we never had a presentation from an outsider, which I found disappointing, so you could say I was looking forward to the visit. From what I have heard its very rare such people visit colleges.<br /><br />To be honest I was expecting two suited men, a formal presentation, and not a great deal of advice, however, it was quite the opposite. Dave was Craig were casually dressed, the atmosphere was relaxed, and both were more than happy to tell us about their work, explained the running of a design business, and answer plenty of questions, which we all had prepared in advance.<br /><br />I was quite surprised by the amount of work the Design Mechanics turn over, the cheaper rates they charge, and how varied their work is. At a time when many design businesses are struggling or folding, Dave’s seems to be thriving, so it appears the credit crunch has gone in the his favour.<br /><br />I found their presentation and advice very helpful, especially when researching, pleasing the clients, and not been so precious about our work, which I have been guilty of, on many occasions. It was great for people with industrial experience to come in and tell us the reality of the design world. This is what my last course lacked in. Hopefully there will be more visitors in the future.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-85173215802938371932008-10-21T20:08:00.002+01:002008-10-21T20:13:17.012+01:00First brief done..After submitting my first brief today, I do feel a little more at ease. Last week we had our we first taste of pressure on the course. A few of us have experienced pressure and working to tight deadlines before, however, after finding out how many students passed last year with the same brief, some of us are dreading the referral. Fortunately for us though, we were given more time than last years students.<br /><br />I feel handing in the first draft a week before the deadline helped, in terms of time management. This gave me more time (“tinker time”) to go over my work and amend things such as hyperlinks, SPG, and referencing, also it gave me time to become more familiar with Adobe Indesign, which is new to me.<br /><br />The referencing took longer than I expected, but the most challenging aspect of the brief was putting some of the languages and protocol definitions in to “layman's” terms, however, I do feel this assignment has benefited my knowledge of computer terms considerably and will compliment future studies.<br />I am quite satisfied on how I tackled the brief, however, some parts I could have been a bit more methodical in my approach. I think this is because I have been out of education for a while, but already I can see myself progressing. Now its just a case of waiting to find out the results.<br /><br />I was kind of expecting our first brief to be a design brief, but now I realise, and appreciate that these briefs are there for a reason. It is part of the learning process, and you don't get any where by jumping the gun.Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-80921347344076630732008-10-08T15:08:00.006+01:002008-10-20T12:56:04.333+01:00Apprehension...<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">When starting any new course, I have always experienced some form of apprehension. My first hurdle, like many others, was settling in and becoming familiar with other group members. We had a number of ice breaking exercises which helped a great deal, also some members have made the effort to organise team bonding activities such as go-karting, unfortunately I was unable to attend, hopefully I will be there for the next activity.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />So far people seem to be mingling well, the atmosphere is pleasant and everyone seems to be happy. There seems to be a good balance in the group, in terms of age, background, knowledge and software skill. I feel this will make us a stronger team in due course.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Another concern was balancing my college work with my full time job, and in the first few weeks, this proved to be harder than I anticipated, so I have had to reduce my work hours considerably. My situation is a bit of a catch 22, I need the money, however I can not work forty-two hours a week and perform well on the course. Instead, I will adapt by working more shifts during the summer break.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Everything else seems to be going fine. We have two briefs on at the moment, one is a glossery, to compliment our future studies, and the other is a visual diary which will continue throughout the course. I am aware the work load will increase, but having now settled I feel more ready for what is to come.</span>Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5497135842350804860.post-47766797786317737402008-10-01T14:03:00.005+01:002008-10-09T17:16:31.698+01:00Where I’ve come from; where I am now; where I’m going<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >My creative path started ten years ago, when I enrolled on an Art and Design Course at Bradford College. We were encouraged specialise in two areas, I chose Illustration and Graphic design. It all looked promising until the second year when three design lecturers left and were replaced by fine artists. Because of this, when I graduated my folio consisted mainly of fine art, and not enough design. After, I made the decision to go back in to catering again, which still is my trade, in my spare time I worked freelance as a designer, building a stronger folio. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Eventually I landed a job as an Artworker for Shawk, a company based in Leeds. The work was mainly prepping packaging for print, and after a year it became quite monotonous. A friend set up a design company called Surface, based in Ilkley and offered me a position, which I took. However, several months later Surface folded. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >Since then I have done the odd bit of freelance, but still working as a chef. So nine months ago, I decided I wanted to go back into education and better myself.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >As I have some design background, and I find the web very interesting, I decided the logical thing to do was look for a Multimedia Course, also that's where the work seems to be these days. Earlier this year, when browsing the web, I came across the Multimedia Course at Wakefield College, the <a href="http://www.hnd-interactive-media.co.uk/">HNC</a> seemed to offer what I wanted, with tutors having commercial experience, contacts with local agencies, and most importantly students finding work in the industry after graduating.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:arial;" >I'm confident this course will provide me with the skills and knowledge I need to know, hopefully, the end result being a job in the industry I want to work in.</span><br /></span>Chris Graystonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07383876842901676969noreply@blogger.com1