Who are you? Editorial design

Abbas "MUSHY" Mushtaq


Who are you?
Erm, well I'm Abbas, obviously. I'm the only Asian on the course! I'm 20 years old, I'm into art and design, obviously. I barely made it into this course, I went through clearing! i'm really enjoying it though and learning shitloads. I've only been doing art and design for a few years but fuckin' glad I did. I was gonna enrol onto a media course when I was a confused bastard, thank god I didn't. 


Nicknames?
haha mushy, everyone seems to call me mushy, because of 
my last name thats why i guess. 


Where are you from?
Im from Huddersfield, Its pretty shit. Rugby league was invented there thats about it
really. 


Who do you admire?
"Ermmmm if i had to pick anyone it would be my mum probably,
its easy for everyone to say Mandela but i don't know the prick do i."  


Where do you want to live in the future? 
Tokyo for sure,  all that technology and shit plus i love the japanese 
film industry and culture.


When did you decide you wanted to be a Graphic designer?
Errm as soon as i found out what the fuck it was.... Even though im still finding that out.


Post modern or modernist graphic design?
Modernist GD but it has to push the boundaries a little nothing boring.


What style of design do you like and why?
I like design that is basically concept generated "sick ideas" that make you stop and think..... shit...why didnt i think of that? 


Favourite typeface?
Century Gothic  Bold only in caps tho, lowercase is shit! i love how it looks nice and round and holds a high amount of readability.


Favourite colour?
Red/black , but not a primary red a nice dark maroon red. Black is sick as well everything looks good in black.


If you could change anything what would it be?
Fuck all, everyhting happens for a reason dont it.......
Is that it bro?




Layout design ideas:
I have decided to experiment with many innovative and experimental layout design ideas after creating these designs i then confronted Abbas on which layout he felt worked the best, We where torn between two layout designs. I decided to digitalise both and see which worked most effectively. 

                                

Developed Digital layout ideas:
Creation of Digital idea:

I have decided that overall the layout i have created is confusing i feel that this is down to the weak hierarchy of the design, this causes confusion for the viewer this is something that i am going to revisit, i feel that the design should make my partners work the focal point. so i feel that i must simplify the design so that there is a strong hierarchy throughout. I feel that reducing the amount of images used will also improve the aesthetics of the design.  

Revisited Design:

 

When putting the images into my document i went through the same process everytime:

- Start off by drawing a template in InDesign of how large your image will be measure the size for example W - 41.65mm H - 79.75

- Then set up a photoshop document with the selected dimensions  

- Then place my selected images into photoshop and scale to fit the document size

- From here after making any changes to the image i then save the document as a tiff file and import it into InDesign.

404 Self evaluation:

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

I feel that the main skill that i have developed during this module has to be, what i have learnt from Lorenzo's sessions on type and grid. I feel that from the development and exploration of thumbnail layout designs, combined with my new enthusiasm for editorial design. Has allowed me to create innovative layout designs and finals, I also feel that i have combined this with what i have learnt from the hierarchy sessions to give my designs a strong hierarchy which i feel helps communicate my design solutions to a much more effective level.       

2) What approaches to/ method of idea generation have you developed and how have they informed your design development process? 

During this module i feel that i have tried not to stick to one idea initially, i have kept my options open throughout and i feel that this has been shown in my what is a line brief i did not commit to one idea straight away like i have been known to in the past. Instead i generated a range of ideas and combined this with peers feedback to produce one of my strongest design solutions to date. This is something that i have learnt throughout this module and i will apply what i have found to my work in the future and i feel this will allow me to produce much more effective outcomes. 

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

I feel that i have shown strengths within book and publication design, i feel although i know the design solution wasn't perfect, however compared to editorial work i have produced in the past i have shown a huge amount of development. in the ways of hierarchy structure and the readability of the editorial as a whole i feel that i have set a goal and achieved this due to a modernist style layout that was created to maximise communication for my what is a line brief.  

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

During this module i feel my main weakness was to not draw enough this was again shown in my what is a line brief although i was happy with my icon designs, i feel that from looking at my research into existing icon designs i realise now that to create icons that are effective they must run smoothy as a set showing consistency all round maximising communication and minimising confusion. Another key feature that i must improve on is experimenting with different styles of design i feel that throughout i have produced work that is heavily inspired by modernist graphic design. With the up and coming module for context of practise i am looking into the theoretical features behind post modern graphic design and i plan to experiment with this i feel that this will open my options when it comes to design outcomes and not sticking to one style.

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

Digital experimentation: I feel that with the past modules i have developed ideas traditionally in the means of design generation on design sheets but once my mind is set on one idea, I then go onto digitalise this idea alone, however i feel that by experimenting with ideas digitally i will then be able to produce much more effective designs as i will be able to see the elements in place on the screen.  

Screen Printing: I feel that i should experiment with different styles of print, i have really only used digital printing methods throughout my previous modules, i feel that after seeing peers work that they produced using traditional methods of print such as screen printing. I feel that it can give off a real hand made high quality feel to the product.  

Photoshop: 

I was first introduced to photoshop when beginning this course i have always been much more drawn to working in illustrator and  indesign however after some experimentation i have pushed my photoshop skills further. I plan on exploring what photoshop has to offer over the coming weeks as i feel i can use this to push my work to the next level. 

6) How would you grade your self on the following areas:

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

ATTENDANCE =                                               4

PUNCTUALITY=                                              3

MOTIVATION=                                                4

COMMITMENT=                                            4

QUANTITY OF WORK PRODUCED=         2

QUALITY OF WORK PRODUCED =          3

CONTRIBUTION TO THE GROUP=         4

Its Your Choice: Revisit Brief

I have decided to revisit this brief to react to my feed back i received from the last semester, i feel that by doing so i will be able to improve my problem solving skill and will be able to increase how effective i am with visual communication, i aim to select a new problem and new proverbs and produce much more investigated proverb:


I have decided to select a proverb that can link into my personal practice i have decided to link the proverb into graphic design showing how it can relate to the subject. I feel this will inspire my production of visual outcomes for this brief.

Module Title	Visual Thinking, Visual Communication	Semester	1
		Doc. Code

PROVERBALLY YOURS // MESSAGE & INTERPRETATION

BRIEF

Produce designs for a set of three high impact posters that deliver a personal identified message derived from your given proverb.  A proverb (from Latin: proverbium) is a simple and concrete saying popularly known and repeated, which expresses a truth, based on common sense or the practical experience of humanity The three posters should work as a set or series and be visually consistent. The first must be produced solely using type, the second solely with image and the third a combination of both type and image. You are restricted to the use of two colours plus stock.

Background / Considerations

Memorable, immediate high impact and clear. Challenging, potentially controversial but appropriate and not offensive. Factual, statistical, informed and specific. You should use the (visual) language appropriate to one of the chosen papers. You can be bold, subtle, humorous, serious, and satirical.

Mandatory Requirements  Resolutions should be supported by a broad range of visual investigation in the form of design sheets and notebooks. On going documentation on your blog.	Deliverables Posters presented at A3 scale Each poster should be supported by comprehensive   visual research into frame format, composition and  content. A photographic image of one of the posters in context.
Studio Deadline	Module Deadline
What are you revisiting? I have decided to revisit the proverb poster brief as i feel this is something i can improve on dramatically, In my opinion my outcome from the brief initially, did not really work as well as i would have hoped.  Why are you revisiting?  The reason for me revisiting this brief is to improve on my visual communication skills and problem solving this is a reaction to feedback that i have received throughout my time at LCA. I feel that this is somthing i have improved on but i am revisiting this brief just to push this further.      For what reason?  I am also using this brief as an opportunity to experiment with different printing techniques such as screen printing. This will then prepare me for moving on into the second year as i will have experimented with more.     Between the devil and the deep sea To choose between two equally bad alternatives in a serious dilemma. Where there's a will there's a way When a person really wants to do something, he will find a way of doing it. A burnt child dreads fire A bad experience or a horrifying incident may scar one's attitude or thinking for a lifetime. First come, first served The first in line will be attended to first. A friend in need is a friend indeed A friend who helps when one is in trouble is a real friend. Discretion is the better part of valor If you say discretion is the better part of valor, you mean that avoiding a dangerous or unpleasant situation is sometimes the most sensible thing to do. A hungry man is an angry man A person who does not get what he wants or needs is a frustrated person and will be easily provoked to rage. Empty vessels make the most noise Those people who have a little knowledge usually talk the most and make the greatest fuss. A man is as old as he feels A person's age is immaterial - it is only when he thinks and feels that he is ageing that he actually becomes old. Great talkers are little doers Those people who talk a lot and are always teaching others usually do not do much work. An idle brain is the devil's workshop One who has nothing to do will be tempted to do many mischievous acts. An ounce of discretion is worth a pound of wit It is better to be careful and discrete than to be clever. Faint heart never won fair lady To succeed in life one must have the courage to pursue what he wants. A penny saved is a penny gained By being thrifty one will be able to save up. A rolling stone gathers no moss A person who never settles in one place or who often changes his job will not succeed in life ; one who is always changing his mind will never get anything done. As you sow, so you shall reap One will either enjoy or suffer the consequences of his earlier actions or inactions. Barking dogs seldom bite Those who make loud threats seldom carry them out. Better late than never To do something that is right, profitable, or good a little late is still better than not doing it at all.  A bird in hand is worth two in the bush Something that one already has is better than going after something seemingly more worthwhile that one may not be able to get. Birds of a feather flock together People of the same sort of character or belief always go together. Call a spade a spade If you say that someone calls a spade a spade, you mean that they speak frankly and directly, often about embarrassing or unpleasant subjects; an informal expression. Charity begins at home A person's first obligation should be to help the member of his own family before he can begin thinking of talking about helping others. Dead men tell no lies ( often used as an argument for killing someone whose knowledge of a secret may cause one loss or get into serious trouble.) A great talker is a great liar A smooth and persuasive talker may be a good liar. Every cloud has a silver lining If you say that every cloud has a silver lining, you mean that every sad or unpleasant situation has a positive side to it. If you talk about silver lining you are talking about something positive that comes out of a sad or unpleasant situation. All that glitters is not gold Do not be deceived by things or offers that appear to be attractive. Eat to live, but do not live to eat Man was created for a divine purpose and he has a destiny with his Creator - he was not born just to enjoy food. Don't put all your eggs in one basket One should not risk everything he has in a single venture. Every dog has its day Everyone will get a period of success or satisfaction during his lifetime. Every one can find fault, few can do better It is easier to find fault in other people's actions or methods than to do it properly or correctly. Any time means no time  When an event is not decided on or planned earlier it will never take place. Fair exchange is no robbery A contract is fair as long as both the parties understand and agree to the conditions willingly; after a deal is closed neither side can turn around and say that he was unfairly treated. Fire is a good servant but a bad master Fire, like any other manmade tool or device, will serve man well only when it is controlled and used wisely. Loose lips sink ships People who talk too much may give away important secrets that could harm themselves or others