CONTEXT OF PRACTICE: END OF MODULE EVALUATION

1.  What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?

The skills I have learnt through this module have enhanced my writing ability through making arguments in my essays. An example of this is, being introduced into the triangulation technique. This has been really beneficial for me to practice in order to obtain a well balanced argument and showing comparisons between a multitude of theorists.

I have also learnt a lot about the identity and the other in lectures and talk which had been the main influence for my research and practical designs. These lectures are a good way for me to think outside of the box and challenge myself through look and other subjects.

I have also learnt a lot from the mini study tasks given for the module, this constant challenge for writing and practicing different methods has enabled me to achieve a better understanding of how to construct a well written essay, which I have applied to my final essay writing work.

2. What approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?

For this module I have focused on contemporary design but also using cultural references such as colour, type and image to synthesis with my essay practical. 

I have also used my work across a multitude of platforms to show the range in which my ideas and theory can be expanded. For example instead of actually creating an exhibition I mocked up a design for it, this has not only saved me time but also money and has allowed me to push my idea's further for people to connect with.

3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?

I have a strength in writing and making arguments, I think I will continue to develop my skills in triangulation and other argument methods to strengthen my essays. I will also capitalise on this skill by looking into more theorists and focusing on one or two instead of multitude to build a strong argument and to show that I have really studied in depth with the writers thoughts.

4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future?

I think my weakness when it comes to context is ensuring that their is a design element synthesis between my work and my essay. I will develop this by looking further in to more associated design contexts  and doing first hand research. Another weakness of mine is trying to keep consistency throughout a design. I think for my black myth posters I should have kept them more minimal to fit in with the rest of the posters overall aesthetic, no the less I am still happy with what I produced.

5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?

To produce more developed outcomes for a brief to enable the best concepts and work  are produced.
To spend more time of focused research to make stronger arguments in my essay, this will heighten my writing ability.
To be realistic with my concepts and the time frame in which they are given, this will avoid me from making mistakes and overworking myself.
Spend more time with the crafting of my work this will enable a more professional aesthetic.
To create more mock ups and thumbnails to create a range of idea's.

6. How would you grade yourself on the following areas: 
(please indicate using an ‘x’)  

5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor

	1	2	3	4	5
Attendance			x
Punctuality			x
Motivation					x
Commitment					x
Quantity of work produced					x
Quality of work produced				x
Contribution to the group				x

Overall I have really enjoyed this module due to me choosing an issue, that I felt strongly about and was personal to me. I am really proud of what i've done and although I could of made a few design decision changes, I will now look forward to progression to my 3rd year of COP and challenging myself with a new topic!

CONTEXT OF PRACTICE: EXHIBITION PUBLICATION FINAL

CONTEXT OF PRACTICE: EXHIBITION POSTER FINAL

The Black Myth Exhibition Posters:: 

CONTEXT OF PRACTICE: EXHIBITION FINAL

CONTEXT OF PRACTICE: EXHIBITION POSTERS

CONTEXT OF PRACTICE: EXHIBITION PUBLICATION

CONTEXT OF PRACTICE: PRODUCTION

For the production of my book, I printed the design onto matt white stock in the print room and cut and bound it at vernon street. Below are a few images of how I did the process.

CONTEXT OF PRACTICE: PRIMARY RESEARCH INTERVIEW

In researching about Michelle there wasn't a lot of information about her in regards to her ethinic background and her views on identity as a black woman. I decided to contact her through twitter to see if I could get anymore information that I required form what I already found.

Luckily she replied straight away and I was really pleased that she had got into contact with me so I could as her the questions I required. Below are some screen shots from our conversation.

Q. What is your ethnic background?

A. My father is Nigerian, my mother white English.

Q. Have you ever experienced prejudice as a women of colour, if so what did you experience?

A. To an extent during my junior school years from other kids but mostly because I grew talk very quickly but stayed really skinny so they called me a Cambodian!!

Q. Do you feel like black british women are portrayed in the media enough, do you think there is a reason for this?

A. I've always felt that for colour not to be an issue it should never be an issue, in other words let's talk about who IS portrayed in the media and are they worthy, not about the colour of their skin.

Q. As a creative I feel I get most of inspiration from my background and where I come from, do you find this is something that is also relevant in your practice and influences your work?

A. No, if you're referring to my parent's background. With respect to mine, I was born and raised in the UK and lived in the States for a number if years after graduating, I think this and my decision to study architecture at university have had far more influence on my career than the colour of my skin or that of my parents.

Q. What inspired you to do architecture at university and then work within the creative industry?

A. Passion for creativity. Desire to study something vocational (too squeamish for medicine, wasn't interested in law, so chose architecture!). Love of magazines, and the power of the image plus the written word.

Q. What advice could you give to future generations of black women to empower them?

A. Follow your passion, forget about colour! You're a woman, not a "black" woman. Just get on with being the best you can be. Anything else is irrelevant, and that belief HAS to start inside otherwise you self-perpetuate racism. Strong words but that's what I believe... Don't make something an issue that shouldn't be an issue!


Unfortunately after printing my book, she didn't reply in time for me to put the interview within the exhibition manual. However I will use what she has written in the exhibition art pieces which will be in the form of posters. I really enjoyed contacting and speaking to Michelle and was grateful that she replied. That fact that she is the editor in chief for Elle Decorations magazine and owns her own studio is a really inspiration thing for women to look up to and I have also created a contact in the industry for future reference.

CONTEXT OF PRACTICE: EXHIBITION LOCATION & SPONSORS.

For the exhibition space I decided to research into places in manchester were I could propose mine to be. I initially looked at the Beehive Mill, due to it being a well known place were exhibitions are held and in the city centre.

I initially chose this space due to attending there before and also because it's a good space and in a good location. However after my critique with Richard, he suggested that I should look into community based places that would be more relevant to the context of my publication.

I then researched further into other exhibition places and community centres in Moss Side, which is where I am from where there are a lot of ethnic residents.

Powerhouse

The Powerhouse Library is now open to all. Moss Side Powerhouse Library will throw open its doors for library users of all ages to give residents the opportunity to take advantage of the centre's enviable facilities. These changes will make the library's resources – books, computers with free internet access, and meeting room space – accessible to the wider community between the hours of 11am and 2pm each day.

Hideaway

Hideaway Youth Project has been providing innovative youth work since 1965 in the Moss Side area. Hideaway is a project aimed at young men and women aged 13-25 of all culture, religion and race, responding to the issues that are affecting them such as fear of crime and violence, not having a safe place to be, unemployment, healthy lifestyle, achieving their best and lack of confidence. We aim to give the young people a voice and in order for them to respond in a way that they feel they are being heard. We want the young people to have ownership of their community youth project and have activities that reflect their needs.

Zion Centre

The Zion Community Resource Centre provides full internet access and computer facilities to the general public. The Zion Centre has been providing support and resources to the people of Hulme and the surrounding area since 1991. It has many facilities and rooms for dance classes, drama sessions and so on.

From the community centre I looked into I felt that the Hideaway project was the best one due to it's location and aesthetic. Even though it is a community centre it still has a really modern and contemporary aesthetic which will fit in with my idea's for the exhibition. I also know one of the workers there also and I spoke to her about my idea and she said that there are plenty of spaces available for exhibition idea's and I would also get it at a discounted price if I was to go ahead with actually doing the exhibition.

With the location established I also thought about looking into other projects for the community services that could sponsor my exhibition. Initially I researched into charities such as TUC - Stand Up Against Racism and  Womens Aid and WomanKind. However I felt that these didn't really fit in with my exhibition and I wanted to find something that was based in Manchester also.

I then came across the Reclaim Project, RECLAIM is a multiple award winning leadership and mentoring project based in Manchester. The project empowers young people across the North West to make positive changes in their communities and to find inner strength and self belief. 

RECLAIM enables young people from the region's most disadvantaged communities to engage directly with the decision makers influencing their lives. Promoting leadership and facilitating dialogue with the police, council, politicians and media; RECLAIM helps those who are often marginalised to realise their voice. Directed by the agenda of its young members, RECLAIM enables young people to maximise their capabilities by pushing the boundaries of effective youth engagement.

I really felt that this project fit in well with my exhibition and the tone of voice behind it, so I wanted to propose this project as sponsors of my exhibition.

CONTEXT OF PRACTICE: EXHIBITION POSTERS DEVELOPMENT

For the poster designs I wanted to create something that was consistent with the design of the exhibition publication. Below is the screen shot process of how I designed my work.

Local Heroines

Initially I had the quotes at the left of the page, but it looked to text heavy and hard to read. I then decided to condense some of the quotes and make them more centralised for a more readable aesthetic. The developed designs are displayed below.

Pride of Black British Women

With the celebrity style images I decided to experiment further with keeping the same style as the previous images.

For the poster designs I wanted to replicated the same design as it had in the exhibition manual so that there was consistency throughout the design.

After establishing a colour and layout I began to add these to the rest of my work, to see the outcome.

However when trying to introduced colour into the design I felt that it didn't look right or stood out enough. I then started taking on the same approach that I did with the previous designs and centralised the image, so it matched what had been produced in the exhibition book.

After establishing a style, I then decided to make the images larger to fill more of the page, which is displayed below.

The Black Myth

I began by quickly highlighting the negative connotations of the words associated with black however I felt that it lost it's tone of voice of empowering black women. So i decided to develop this further by using positive connotations and images.

I initially started using images from the internet but felt they didn't really work with the vision I had.

I then started experimenting further with image and type experimenting with putting the image behind the type.

I then researched further into more typography to see what else I could use and came across the photographer Kate Friend that specialises in portraits of people from different culture and fashion. 

I decided to experiment with her images and develop them further into my own style and add typography.

 I then felt the design worked more cohesively with a set of different by same style images.

Love The Skin Your In

After establishing a style with the other posters, I created this section of the posters with the same style to create consistency and just changed the colour and content.