OUGD603 - Level 6 Extended Practice - Mission Statement

I consider myself as a multidisciplinary designer as I have a passion for all areas of design from typography to illustration, however, following on from level 5 I realised the area of design I am most interested in was branding and visual identity. This will form the core of my practice throughout level 6 and my aim is to have a portfolio of work that reflects this by the end. 

This year I also want to improve my skill set, with the intention of creating a variety of outcomes using both digital and print media. My aim is to have a portfolio which showcases a variety of disciplines from UI and UX to typography and editorial design. All the while I want to be able to link these projects back to an overarching strong visual identity. To achieve this, I aim to teach myself how to use Adobe XD and Glyphs mini, a typography editing software and familiarise myself with other programmes I haven't yet used such as Adobe LightRoom. I also want to become more proficient at using the photography studios to take my own product shots, therefore plan to arrange a tutorial to go through the lighting and camera settings to achieve professional photographs. 

Looking back on my portfolio from Level 5 it is clear that I have developed a recognisable illustrative style, therefore this year my aim is to move away from hand-rendered illustration in order to develop my style more as a graphic designer using purely image, type, colour and layout.  I also want to enter D&AD as it's something I've never entered and this year will probably be my last chance to do so as a student. 

Finally, as I consider myself an ethical designer, to prepare myself for the industry I want to delve into issues surrounding gender disparity, equality and diversity as well as how graphic design can help the world on an environmental level.