Alex's Blog - Professional Studies: May 2011

Referencing of Tasks Completed - Blog Glossary

(Links to all the completed objectives.)

Interview with Mentor/Industry Professional
John Strike (Future Publishing) - http://alexparkerblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/interview-with-john-strike.html

Work Placement Report
COBC Work Experience - http://alexparkerblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/work-placement.html
COBC Placement Report - http://alexparkerblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/work-placement-placement-report.html
Future Publishing - http://alexparkerblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/days-work-at-future-publishing.html

Placement Provider Feedback
COBC Placement Report - http://alexparkerblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/work-placement-placement-report.html

Freelance Portfolio
Paul Parker Music Business - http://alexparkerblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/dads-music-company.html
Brian Sellars Book Cover - http://alexparkerblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/freelance-work-whispering-bell-book.html

Evaluation of Freelance Work
Paul Parker Music Business - http://alexparkerblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/dads-music-company.html
Brian Sellars Book Cover - http://alexparkerblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/freelance-work-whispering-bell-book.html

Career Launch Show (Contribution to Exhibition)
End of Year Exhibition - http://alexparkerblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/end-of-year-exhibition.html

Career Strategy
Career Strategy - http://alexparkerblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/career-strategy.html

Career Strategy

I’ve always said that I will try and learn as much as I can about graphic design and industry around it. In my A-Levels at secondary school, I focussed on studying Media Studies, Graphic Products, and ICT to prepare me for that exact goal. I’ve always been interested in design and creative expression because it’s something that I enjoy. I’ve never really found a certain field inside design and digital applications that I’ve wanted to specialise in exclusively. In the past I have set my mind to exclusive practices, but I had never managed to stick with it, usually getting tired of doing the same thing over again. ‘Design’ as a whole covers a massive area of the creative industry and there are many fields within it that specialise in specific applications, such as web design, branding, advertising. But I always got a buzz from working with many applications, it keeps me stimulated creatively and allows for more diverse outcomes and gives me more freedom in how I work. I joined the 2 year Digital Design foundation degree to get a good qualification and hopefully gain a foothold in the industry, the course covered a broad spectrum of topics and I had hoped upon completion that I would have a better idea of what I would want to specialise in, and I do have a better idea but at this stage it still feels to me like I want to continue to work in all fields of design, a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ per say, I feel as if this occupation would be the most satisfying for myself as someone who is creatively driven.

With the FdA course behind me, I had hoped to continue studying the Graphic Communication top-up year at the Bath Spa campus but was unsuccessful in getting accepted. I was really counting on getting into university this year and was pretty confident that I had a strong chance of being accepted at Bath Spa, in my blind judgement, I had been left without an alternative university to study as a back-up choice. I’ve made contact with a Careers Adviser at NextStep who has assisted me in helping to look into other alternatives (both academically and occupationally). Upon expressing interest in completing a top-up design degree at a university this year (despite it being 4 months late for applying – for many courses) I was instructed to look into the possibilities of applying this year at the universities that support my request (despite it being late). I’ve contacted a number of universities regarding top-up courses and the possibilities of studying later this year also enquiring into being considered as a potential candidate in clearing. I’m hopeful that it is possible to be accepted this year as the fees go up next year and I’m just not entirely certain if waiting to do the top-year then is worth the debt. I’ve looked into possible job opportunities as well that could support me should I fail to get into university this year. I have plans to contact all the major design institutions, product design companies and any other careers in the field looking for potential jobs. I’ve looked into the concept of applying for junior positions and apprenticeships within companies as well because the experience from these will be invaluable and the work will also be paid. I’ve signed up to apprenticeships.org and applied for one already, which is a job as a Design Support Apprentice at Globe IQ; a product design company based in Bath. I hope to get into this sort of work, whether it’s working full time in a design institution or working in junior positions or as an apprentice. At the moment I am creating my own brand image as a freelance designer where I hope to build up my portfolio and get work via my internet site, networking, making calls etc. On the side I would maintain a job of some description, if for whatever reason I can’t get involved in the design industry, I will have to settle for something less permanent to get a steady income while I look into other opportunities in the design field. If it seems I cannot get a decent job in the industry with my current qualifications, I may look into studying that final third year top-up degree at Bath, UWE, Hereford or anywhere else that supports it. It will be expensive, but I’ll have to do it, otherwise I may not stand a chance of acquiring a position within a design institution. The future is always an uncertainty, but I’m on the look-out for new possibilities in both academic and career goals and that’s all I can really do if I want to achieve my goal of being involved with the design industry.

In five years I would like to see myself working as part of a design institution performing creative tasks for a living, meeting loads of passionate people along the way. I hope to be living in a place of my own, or perhaps sharing a flat with some friends either in my hometown of Frome or in Bath, or another city if my work required it but ideally I suppose I'd be stationed locally so that I could keep in contact with my family and friends. I would hope to have an improved knowledge in the field of design and have an increased familiarity and proficiency with the software and skills required to perform in it. I would hope to have a successful side-business in freelance graphic design with a strong client-base and an excellent quality portfolio. I would hope to be happy and contented in my field of work. I know there are many people that despise their careers or the choices they'd made in their lives, and if I'm in the percentage that is happy and satisfied in there scenario, then that could only mean I’ve succeeded in completing my original goal.

End of Year Exhibition

Twenty Exhibition -
"Showcasing design work from twenty photographers and
designers from Bath Spa University."

From the19th to the 21st of May 2011 we held our end-of-course exhibition at Milsom Place, Bath. Everyone on the course prepared work to show in a number of various ways, there were two rooms where our work was being exhibited. The larger room held the majority of the banners which we had got specially printed from ColourWorks, it also held some of the photo framed work, this room was somewhat dedicated to the Photography lot on our course. The smaller room held the rest of the photography work and much of the Interactive lot work. My own self-directed work was displayed in this room in banner form and other portfolio work was displayed on a Mac on an internet portal which had been made specifically for the Interactive members of the group. The opening night was a huge success, an excellent turn-out and an all-round enjoyable night! You can find a more in-depth summary of the event and the exhibition as a whole on my self-directed Digital Art project blog which follows the production of my work for the exhibition more intimately.

Business Card & Brand Identity

Business Card Design

Website Design


My business card collection.

Over the last few weeks, I have been developing my own brand identity as a freelance designer, which I plan to put into action over the coming months. Throughout the Digital Design course I have been collecting business cards to inspire me with desiging my own and here is a sneak preview of what I have so far!

Work Placement - Placement Report

Upon completion of our work experience doing promotional Fda videos for the City of Bath College. We had a work placement evaluation report filled out by ourselves and our client. Karen Frazer overlooked the report and signed her acceptance of our disembarking from the project to hand over to another student (Zelah Hart).

Thursday, 26 May 2011

Referencing of Tasks Completed - Blog Glossary

Career Strategy

End of Year Exhibition

Business Card & Brand Identity

Work Placement - Placement Report