Bugger it.. ill do it now :)

Colour! mine was yellow.. i thought it wasnt great at first, but when we started work, it actually looks really good. Working with different yellows in different shades and tones and organising them into different orders. Made some quite nice collages.

The complete circle made of all the colours joined together flowing from one to another. Dead impressed.
Combining colours on different layers to see the effects.

Im actually scared.

Not scared for my life, oh no im fine in that department.. just scared about the lack of content on this blog. Just scrolling through BAGD's blogs and just looking at some of the things they've put on. So i need to add to it.! Here goes..

Ive had such a good few weeks meeting people and starting the work, its been a really weird experience of learning, not something im used to. In my old college it was all about outcomes and final pieces that were like posters and adverts, nothing really that we learnt until now. Its been really interesting and as days go im more and more glad ive come here. 

In the first few weeks I had a good balance between work and going out, getting a chance to meet new friends and enjoy leeds a little bit, but its also been good for the work. Over the summer we had a brief to recreate visually 2 letters in the alphabet, mine were A and H... i was a little worried, but kind of glad I didnt have U and X.. When we came back, we were put into groups for a 5 day brief to persuade and encourage people that out vowel (the groups) was better than the others.. It came out really good, ours was an advertising campaign I did the photography for to show the other vowels in bad situations in order for the A vowel to come on top. 

The example for the 'E' poster, it was a campaign for 'Exhibit A' treating the other vowels as threats to society. I thought it was good, but we weren't voted the favourite. It was a good confidence boost to see what can be done in just 5 days, without any actual learning. 

typeface! The randomizer stuck at uni.. (ill explain another time) and i got the two shapes circle and rectangle from the box, and from that we needed to form a typeface in print.. I decided to use potatoes, (take it old school) :D and i think it came out really good, with restrictions given. People commented that it came out with a 'x-ray' effect.

Just a quick snap of the studio with one of the wall pieces we've all been part of. Another brief from the randomizer.. we each had a word and it needed to be interpreted in 100 letterforms, my word was dissect. :S sooo worried at first but once I got started, wasn't so bad. As quite a few people said, it looked really good having 500 pieces of work up on one wall, just looking at what people can achieve.

Just a few examples of work, with the different words. Mine are the line of B's shown below..

fourth row down, in the centre column. I can't remember who did 'layer' on the left hand side, but they were sandwiches! brilliant.

Last week we had a print induction to the MASSIVE FACILITIES. Seriously 5 times the size of NCN's print room, and it wasnt even the only one, theres more in our building too! brilliant. Anyway, we had mono printing all day in the induction, but may seem a little bit boring, but at times it was tilting between creative genius and pre school fun, what you can do with CMYK and a few stencils. I have my prints back but unfortunately issues with my scanner for the prints on my mac, but i did take a few pictures with my phone of the plates which looked good.

My stencils laid over the top gave the nice effect, the ink began to seep through the paper stencils after constant use all day, which gave a nice effect on the later prints made. As soon as its sorted, they'll be on. the next image is actually the back of the plate I was printing off, after working all day on a dirty table, it created quite a nice print.

Some of the best work is always accidental, this is one of my favourites, I think it would be hard to recreate a piece like this by trying, probably why I like is so much. We've had quite alot of work this week already, plenty to do with colour, which ill post tomorrow night.. i think its abit late now. 

What is graphic design?

Ever since I created this blog, I have followed another week week on week and read with interest, not just with graphic design but inspirations and adventures which effect the way you work and what you create. The young graphic designer Gavin Strange or also know as JamFactory.  Originally from Leicester and now in bristol, Gavin produces Skateboards, websites, promo videos, corporate identities, artwork and even his own vinyl toy. 

check the websites! theres so much to list..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamfactory/

http://www.jam-factory.com/

http://blog.jam-factory.com/

It needs to be updated.. I know.. :$

i will when i'm home, just at uni at the start of the second week of my course :D its amazing! brilliant facilities, tutors, people and good nights out.

Anyway.. more tonight, I promise!

Aaaaaah!

Its been so long.. ive totally forgotten about my blog.. how terrible. I have plenty to say but probably best to put it in pictures and fill in the gaps with what ive been doing :) including the final show, visits to leeds, birthdays, a burglary :( emma's final show, wicked college marks, chatsworth, Sara joe and carley moving house, and other crazy antics :) and LCAD stuff! its been pretty hecktic.. here we go!

I found these in the window of a bakery in leeds when I was visiting Sara, they look so creepy! but kinda cool at the same time.. Leeds was fun as always even if its just walking round shops and things. later.. we got tapas for a tenner! brilliant..
Yummm yumm :) like the best meal in ages, all you can eat at la tasca. definitely doing that again soon.
When I was back I got some posters printed for my final show on a2 and they look sweeeet! three for £27 which worked out pretty good.. plenty more goodies to come too.
With an evening free I managed to go see Joni, tim and fiona (L-R) near the helmlock stone for some sort of crazy free music festival, which turned out to be quite good! the first summer evening of the year too. super warm drinking pints of real ale.. I couldnt have too much because I had to ride home :S not cool..
Ice creams at work! Cliff was a little left out, so I left half on his car for later for him :D Took and absolute age to get it off the windscreen.. was really funny though.
Anna's vinyl came to college while we put the show up.. It was amazing! super huge and really well printed. Got loads of attention at the show and was well worth it. Well done anna!
I havent been to dad's allotment in ages so I went for a look and see whats cracking off, bless him he loves it. Next door was some crazy old man that had made a shelter from literally rubbish! really freaky and interesting..
The Show is done! time to burn off some steamm... why not invest in some quality time on GH3 and get a new high score? Sorry I had to..
The show day! jeeez what a day.. It started off first in the morning and I had to drop my bike off so I didnt end up leaving it there for days and getting it stolen.. oh dearrr.. While I was out, someone broke into our house, took two consoles a laptop, ipod and a massive stack of dvds :( and probably my bike if it was there. I was so unbelievably lucky because Sara was in bless her in my room. The burglar probably opened my room door, took one look at her and left her alone along with all my stuff! I could of lost like 10,000 pictures (literally 10,000) my laptop, ipod, CAMERA, tv etc etc etc.. the list goes on. Im so thankful she was alright and I still had my stuff still. Gutted about everything else though.. its all covered so we'll be alright. Only material items gone which is an upside. ANYWAYYY. Back to the show.. Everything was up and people came. It was kind of a success.. I quite liked my show, but I had been looking at it for 12 weeks so I was really sure what to expect as a reaction towards it. The balloon on the display was a present with a bottle of cider tied to it. Get in! was brilliant.

Results! A week or so later we had our results for the course. For my FinalMajorProject I got DDD (triple distinction) which is wicked :D and overall I got DDM (two distinctions and a high merit) which is really good, im really proud of it. Everyone else did really well and got what they wanted, so well done!

'After party' which almost went to pot.. but we ended up in the rescue rooms with nachos and bulmers. good times :)
Carlitos menu in the rescue rooms which was cool.. I didnt catch the artist, but I will! Im sure locals have seen it and know what its like.
Art show number 2! Emma's final Art show in B'ham which was good. Emma knitted columns in the main foyer floor to ceiling which looked really good. There was reason behind it, but like all the art, you should have your own opinion and just enjoy it visually.. almost a theory for how design should be, apart from with function. 'Design is art people use'

There was a guy upstairs who did spraypaint on stretched canvas architectural forms.. how cool are they? it went all the way up the wall.

Adam's birthday! which was pretty sweet, went to his with mili and ben for a bit of bbq and beers. Nice a realxed, his family and friends are so laid back.. Was a really good evening. I was meant to go out too on the thursday but I couldnt make it out :( gutted. But I will! eventually..

N'awh Adam back in the day..
Crazy bong with banana flavoured stuff in it... I didnt try any but it apparently tasted well good.
Now im off and free, I managed to tag along with a day to chatsworth house for abit of a picnic and a nice wander.. and in the coal line too.
Aaah! sorry...

Bit of camera phone photography.. looks quite nice. i went a little over the top that day but this is my favourite.. Nothing wrong with a few flowers?

On the way to leeds on the train.. this time a long one straight from nottingham so I took a few pictures..
Blurryyyyy! but kinda coool. I like seeing what you can do with just a phone.. not bad?
the new home of carley and sara! not bad is it? And I only had to move two lots of stuff. You should've seen the taxi with sara's stuff.. and sara in there somewhere.. hehe
Cool poster? yes yes yes! more like this in nottingham pleasee!
Can you believe there was no microwave at sara's? so me and joe found one near his, and a chair... and rolled it! So funny, especially when we lost a wheel...

Thats it for now! its only taken me a few hours to do it.. expect more soon like a seaside trip, first bit of uni work and bbq's!

Yeah! im back x

Deary me..

Well it has been a long time since Ive properly posted. Sorry! But it has been a pretty busy week or so. lots of things happening and lots of work for deadlines and such. Instead of the usual ramble, ill break it up with pictures. Always works best.

Plenty of 9 hour days at college and late nights needed serious energy boosts. The crazy canteen lady wasnt kidding when she called it sugared stodge. was really nice though..

Always best to take a break from work so I jumped on a train to see sara in leeds :) and look at some halls of residence. Still wondering where they plan on spending the £95 a week its going to cost me.. but theres not much choice in the matter.

Round the corner was a super swanky dentist! Chandeliers and everything inside. Seems a much nicer experience than the one I go to.

We got our spaces for the show! yaay! look how big it is! and to think its all for a magazine. Put I have some tricks up my sleives to fill it, you wait and see.
Quick trip to B&Q for some prices on materials for the show, what is he using chippings for? You'll have to wait and see.

Back to college after a day off to lug the work around, im kinda getting fed up of it now.. especially when the lift decides to break at college. I swear the air on G floor is thinner.


My magazine! only in a rough draft but more or less done, it just needs a few more bits of text and tweaks and its finally done. Off to the printers pretty soon hopefully.

Another sneak look at part of my final show, but again unless ive told you in person you'll have to wait and see. Im really looking forward to it.

On my trip to leeds I bought a copy of Computer arts from borders, and pretty much havent put it down since. Its so good! definitely consider a subscription to it in the future.. Thats all for now. Hopefully have some progress with the show in the next few days x

Hmm.. fixed gear?

amazing video! just a quick post for now.. a proper one tomorrow, I promise :)

(looook! I learnt how to put a video on..)

The second of the season..

BBQs! got to love them.. went to my parents which is always good, and ate too much as always. good times. Lots of cycling today going to and from work and my parents which is amazing in this weather. I do recommend it. Its fun until..

You get a massive puncture :( Not too fun walking 4 miles home pushing your bike. I wasnt fussed anyway because I had too much to drink.. (dont laugh) Although on the way home I did see a cool Anchor advert billboard. Unfortunately it was too dark and far away for a good picture so I found something similar on the net which is just as good. I really like the simple build up of layers for the grass and the typography. The website is really good too, if you apprechiate good web design.. http://www.thefreerangebutter.co.uk/
Sorry if its a little distorted, darn internet images.