The key improvement I stated on my statement of Intent was that I needed to explore how I could make my work have a more professional standard to it, I wrote that I felt this would be achieved through the packaging of my products rather than the items themselves. This is something which has previously let my work and designs down and not showing them to their highest potential. This was something I worked really hard on achieving, by looking at what is already on the market but also looking at the finer details on packaging and how these would help my products. I feel I can now say at the end of this module with 4 finished briefs that I feel I have overcome my issues with packaging and the lack of professionalism it used to have.
An important time for me in the module was with the National Trust brief, this was probably the toughest brief for me I found it very challenging and couldn't make my mind up on any design decisions which I found extremely frustrating, especially as it was only meant to be a small brief to get me going after christmas. I would class this as my biggest weakness though out the module through something which I can only describe as a mind block. However as well as stating it was my biggest weakness, it was also my turning point in the module once I had over come my personal problems this brief ran wild and I developed a vast range, using multiple production methods and materials and turning into a brief I really ended up enjoying and producing outcomes I was really proud of.
A second area I felt I let myself down on is the context side of the module including the publication. Because I fell so far behind my main priority was always my 4 briefs, I did collect research and interviews from industry however very vague and not necessarily relating to my work by the time I got round to sitting and thinking about my publication. I feel I have let myself down with this because when I eventually did come up with an idea of how I could source together my findings, I didn't have time to develop it to its full potential. I really love the idea of it and it alone completely fits in with my work and interests, its just a shame I didn't have time to get more in depth research and contacts on the final content for my books.
On a positive note I feel my work has had a vast improvement not only since the beginning of the module but from my entire time at LCAD, I looked back on my work I have produced and feel extremely proud of what I have produced and learnt in the short space of time. For the first time I feel I can look at my work in a room with the class and feel happy that it is sat next to everyone else's and not embarrassed that it hasn't met the level I was hoping to achieve. The standards I set myself in my Statement of Intent, were very high with hopes of learning and experiments with new processes to achieving a professional standard, this confidence in my work has also helped myself become more confident in the way I work and the types of work I can produce. I feel I have achieved a style for myself without it all looking too 'samey' something which would limit me and my designs into a specific market.
I can finally sit and write an evaluation where I am really happy with the work I produced and say that there was nothing more I could have to improved my products, the only area I feel is necessary to help improve my development would be my blog, I feel I could have documented my work better and fed more contextual references to support my work, but this aside with everything that has affected me since the beginning of the year I feel myself and my work are in a really good place for my future in design.
