Its the final Countdown!!

I haven't posted much lately due to having so many deadlines and so much work to do!

Im pleased to now report that the end is in sight!

In just over a week - Thursday 5th June it will be  our degree show and my degree will be over! :(

I have enjoy every minute of this year - the highs and the lows. I just hope my dad is looking over me and I hope he is very proud of all the hard work I have put into this year.

To my surprise my tutors have nominated myself for an award on graduation! Im so pleased but also shocked, so keep your fingers crossed!

At this moment in time I am just putting the finishing touches to my final honours project book and designing my banners that will hang within my exhibition on the degree show!

Possible banner designs include:-

So the journey continues - Logo development!

Following feedback from my tutor I have developed further my original logo taking inspiration from shapes and images associated with cancer and cells.

Top left of the 1st batch of images shows inspiration images and top right is my colour scheme for the project.

Sheet 1 development

Sheet 2 - development

sheet 3 - development

Final honours book

As part of the honours project, as the work is to be gathered together into an e-book and a formal presentation to the panel with take place next Monday!

I have started to create layouts using in design - Its a slow but therapeutic process.

  

 

Blast from the past!

I came across my portfolio of work from my days at Eurowrap. I was employed there from September 2006 to Februrary 2010 and this position expanded design skills I already had.

http://www.eurowrap.co.uk

Eurowrap is an imports company that specialise in the design and production of gift bags, gift wrap and greeting cards. They offer both a basic retail range which is sold to wholesalers and they also offer a bespoke service. The bespoke service has many clients including Matalan, Pennys (Primark), John Lewis amongst others.

The images show a wide range of products, including, greeting cards, gift wrap and gift bags. Also shown is a variety of both 2D & 3D mock ups produced for presentation to clients.

I used Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to produce each design and each mock up was produced using 140gsm satin A3+ paper, a craft knife and using in house printers.

Bespoke Greeting cards designs

Bespoke greeting card designs

Eurowrap retail range gift bag designs

Eurowrap retail range - gift bag designs 

Eurowrap retail range - gift wrap designs

Presentation boards showing product ranges

3D Mock ups of gift bags ranges

3D mock ups of different products

More self promotion!

Heres a sneaky peek at my business cards for the degree show next month!! You may think its nothing out of the ordinary but  wait till you see the final sample!!

Personal Business card design

I have also been updating my CV!

Updated CV

Behance!!!!

I have took the plunge and joined 'Behance'

https://www.behance.net/njphennah84


Behance is a great way to be inspired, network and view other peoples work, its also a way of showing off your portfolio via the Internet.

There is 2 options - A projects folder - which holds images of past projects and WIP - which is for work in progress which you can post to allow others to pass comment and give critical feedback.

Behance portfolio

I also have updated my Linkedin account, with links to not only thing blog but also my website.

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/nikki-phennah/6b/8a7/178

Linkedin Account

Shall I or shall i not carry on being a student?

With the end in sight (5 weeks and counting) I have began to think more about the options available after graduation. I am thinking about the possibility of further education, my options are as follows:-

Masters Degree (MA)

Having heard my tutors talk about their MA (masters degree) a lot I have often been intrigued to see what this will entail. I began to research into the different types of Masters degrees available, and obviously if I chose to study a Masters, I will stay at a university in the North West.

Having researched into the different subject areas, I am most intrigued in doing a Masters (MRes) in Art & design at Liverpool John Moores.

http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/course.asp?courseid=236

http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/course.asp?courseid=406

PGCE

 I have often thought about becoming a teacher, in particular a lecturer in design of ages 16+. Having spoken to Julie Balmer (PGCE lecturer at Hugh Baird), I feel that this could be something that I may just take up in September.

The PGCE is taught part-time over 2 years and is aimed at ages 14+.  

In order to complete the qualification ,you must do at least 75 voluntary teaching hours per year (this goes towards your teaching practice)

 Attendance on the course is one afternoon per week (Tues 2-pm)

The cost is £600 per module (£3200 for the whole 2 years)

The course is assignment based. Although this is not something which I am used to as being a visual person, however since both writing this blog and also my dissertation I have quite enjoyed it.

Although I really would like to continue to study at Hugh Baird as I feel that the support from the staff has been amazing, I am also reluctant to continue studying for another 2 years. Ideally I would like to complete the PGCE in a year so that I may enter employment as soon as possible.

Edge Hill college offer the PGCE or DTTLS as it is other wise known on a full time basis.
http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/study/courses/post-compulsory-education-and-training-dtlls-pgce#details

At the moment I have put any further education plans in the back of mind as deadline is looming and I have a lot of work to do!