I have researched a range of artists and breweries that I felt would help me develop my ideas and techniques to the best of my ability. I have noticed that the artists and breweries that I have researched have that handcrafted touch to them and their designs are very personal to the artist and the brewer and that was the sort of style I feel that I have successfully portrayed in my designs. These ideas and approaches have effectively supported me through my developments as I have explored a well-balanced combination of handcrafted and digital methods. I felt that my analysis of artists’ work gave me so much that I was rarely stuck for ideas.

During my process of developing ideas and a theme for my personal project I wanted to produce work that included a mixture of graphics and illustration as I felt they are my strong points and where I can bring my passion and ideas at its very best. Therefore during my research I came across the idea of producing work for a craft brewery as I felt that was the perfect theme for me to produce graphics and illustrations as one. I also wanted to include another theme to my final major project that I felt I have good knowledge and passion about which was Manchester and the North West of England as I feel I have a good relation to Manchester as a city and for its culture and traditions. During my process of researching my themes I have learnt some key things about my chosen themes such as the worker bee and why it symbolises Manchester and its working class traditions within Manchester’s past and present.

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During the process of putting my project together I felt that I expressed my ideas and created unique and bold designs successfully as they were liked by my target audience. However, when reviewing my assignment as I was approaching the final stages I felt that my branding and promotional items could have looked more professional. I made my work look more promotional by creating a label for the back of my bottles, which included alcohol content, volume in the bottle and a bar code. I have also overcome many aesthetic problems by adjusting colours and composition using Photoshop and by modifying or changing the techniques used to achieve a more refined finish. For example, the Photogram cogs inside the bee was an aesthetic improvement on the drawn cogs that were originally used.

I decided not to resolve my character designs and use them on the labels or logos. Although I feel they had potential there was much to be resolved and therefore I focused more on using symbols, mainly the work bee, to represent ‘the dirty north’ rather than the character illustrations.

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I have used up my time well for my project as I gone out of my way to make sure that everything is done by staying behind after class hours and breaks and I have also done work at home with what resources I have got. At the start of the project I felt that I was over ambitious as I had so many ideas for the project that I could have used as I feel that if I had more time within my project that I could have explored more elements. For example, developing the illustrations mentioned earlier to add humorous themes that links to North West’s history and traditions.

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Throughout my project I have explored many skills and techniques to create illustrations that I think worked well such as using a range of studio techniques to create raw imagery to be then refined digitally using Photoshop. I believe that the technical development of my designs noticeably improves as my assignment progresses. I have been interested in illustration the most as I have been exploring key elements such as character and logo design, using mixed media including embroidery and collage.

I feel that I have been inventive throughout my project as I have used a combination of different skills such as producing photograms, drawings and embroidery techniques such as weaving to explore different ideas that I could use to produce my labels. I feel that by experimenting with these skills I have explored the qualities to give my work that handcrafted and personal touch to my designs that I was aiming for at the start of the project. I feel that I have crafted my work together to a professional standard as I have used a lot of sharp details in my logo and illustrations for my promotional items as I feel my work fits and flows together.   

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At the start of my project I intended to create illustrations/ designs that were linking to the history of Manchester, the music industry and Football culture as I felt they were traditions that stand out to me when I think of the north and is very popular in the North West of England which I feel I have done effectively, particularly with respect to Manchester. However, I did focus less on the humour element due to both time restraints and the fact that I found the symbolic references to Manchester’s industrial past more interesting. I feel that I have met my intentions effectively as I have created bold unique designs that are different to other breweries and I have also added elements of wit and humour within some of my designs.

I have considered and responded to peer feedback by taking note of things they would do with my project on a questionnaire I produced for my peers such as creating coasters and T-shirts rather than just doing label designs to place onto bottles.

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During my project I have presented my work physically onto boards and digitally on a Wix. By presenting my work this way I can show what I have done digitally and physically as I feel that it is easier that way to show how I have developed my work.

 

For my final display that I am exhibiting I wanted to produce something that showed the craft of my designs and inventive as those two elements are very important to my project and target audience. I am displaying my work onto three boards with my first board showing framed pictures of my designs and what ideas I have, my second board will show my digital bottle designs with my physical designs displayed underneath and my third board will have my t-shirt designs.  By displaying my final pieces this way would give the audience a clear understanding of what my project is about and show how I have developed and crafted my final pieces together as the audience can follow through my exhibition.

 

I have been communicating my ideas successfully as I have given people a clear understanding on what my intentions for my project are and what pathway I want to follow within my project and what my project is about.

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