Self Evaluation form

NORWICH UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS

UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

STUDENT SELF-EVALUATION FORM

Nathan Mison

                                                                                                                                                      

Student Name:

BA6 : Contexts: Collaboration, audience and employability

Unit title, number & credit rating:          

Jill Rodgers & Visiting Tutors

Tutor(s) Name(s):

27/05/14

Date:                                                     

Please think carefully about how well you achieved the Learning Outcomes for this unit and write down your strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for future development for each one.

1.   LO9: Demonstrate an understanding of a wide range of applications for your work, including the workplace context for your subject practice.

Strengths: Whilst the progress on my project has developed, so has the intended use for my final designs. Through my Pinterest account it is clear that my visual research is focused around the interiors market, researching both high end and high street designs, keeping in touch with the latest colour trends and design styles. The intended focus for my final designs are based on the high end, more bespoke areas of interior design, aiming for the more handmade touch with a feeling of quality. This intended outcome has been influenced by my continuous contact with the art and design world through exhibitions, my work placement and trade shows. Each of these different areas of primary research have pushed my work and my mind set away from the more commercial repeated vintage floral patterns which are so prevalent, focusing more on an emerging trend of bright and bold shape and pattern based on a influence from 1980s design, looking to create designs which not only reflect this, but also aim to create works of art as well as useable interior design fabrics. Weaknesses: I think my weaknesses in the context of my work relate to my efficiency to develop an idea and push that through, thinking about its use in the interiors market, my intended focus at the beginning of the project. This however, is a difficult idea to follow when you consider all the work and opportunities I have had during this project. My placement, primary and visual research has continuously influenced the development of my work, making it impossible to stay focused on one area of the design market. I like to think my context has developed and has become more concentrated, allowing me to develop and tailor my work as I progressed from sketchbook onto the A2 boards and sampling. Basically, I think I could have been more focused with the context of my work a little earlier, so I can start thinking about the final ideas earlier. Opportunities: I learnt, through the course of this project, the importance of being involved in the wider design industry and how important it is to our work. This is a world that we are going to very soon be entering, so we need to keep up with ideas. For the future, I would like to be more organised in primary research through exhibitions and trade shows. I would like to have a course of visual research which follows the course of the project, because I only realised the importance of this towards the end of BA6. In the next project, I would like to have researched places to visit, so I do not miss anything which may be relevant.

2.   LO10: Use a range of strategies to articulate and extend the limits of your subject and contextual knowledge.

Strengths: My work placement, although completed towards the end of BA6, has contributed to its development and the change in its course. My placement, at Smiths Row Art Gallery, was ‘office based’ mainly research and gaining contacts. Although there was not a specific design element, which I did miss, this did pointing out to me the importance of me, displaying myself as an artist, be this how I present myself, an online presence, or my work. This placement has affected my work a little, but I feel it will be more useful in the future of my work, next year. As I completed the work placement towards the middle of BA6, everything I learnt is hard to put into action straight away. I have used my blog as effectively as I can to put my written skill to best use and I hope to employ the skill I have learnt to my dissertation in my third year. I have also realised the importance of the presentation of my work. Looking at the gallery exhibitions has made me re-think how I develop my work, and there is evidence of this in the progression out of my sketchbook. Moving out of the sketchbook onto boards has allowed me to experiment further and focus my ideas and the progression further. Weaknesses: I enjoyed my work placement at Smiths Row and learnt a great deal about what goes on behind the scenes at an established art gallery. Although I am glad of the experience, I do not think it will be a part of the design industry that I will be joining because of all of the computer based work. I like the mix between the research and design, but I am glad that I have found this out now. Having said that, I have experienced a great deal which can help with my work in the future. I would like to have had a better placement in place, to gain more understanding of perhaps the more design based or commercial aspects of the design industry. This would be down to time management, but due to my circumstances, illness, appointments and time off made it impossible to organise anything in advance. I was only able to complete the placement after I had the all clear from the hospital, which although I had an extension, made it impossible to organise anything. Getting everything sorted in advance would help to know in future. Because my placement was conducted so late on in the project, I did not have much time to think about its role. I know understand it was hugely beneficial to the way I think and how I produce work, that my current way of working is too structured, I need to be more free and let the work take its own course. Opportunities: Following this placement, I would like to complete another placement to gauge more understanding of different areas of the design industry. Whilst in conversation with the gallery manager, she mentioned an interior design business in Norwich who would be really willing to take people on for placements. Design House Norwich is a specialist furniture and design shop in the heart of the city centre aimed at high end interior design based around client’s needs. I would very much like to contact this business to secure a placement with them, to gauge a different area of the design world. This is something I am to act upon when I have handed in BA6, to contact them well in advance to sort something out.

3.    LO11: Demonstrate your ability to negotiate, plan and, where appropriate, work collaboratively to meet specified goals.

Strengths: Due to my Illness and absence from university, my first draft of my learning agreement, completed at the beginning of the project, was not an up to date version. In response to this learning objective, I completed a second draft of the learning agreement, taking into consideration my time off university and my proposed extension to the project. Whilst off, because of illness, I completed a large amount of drawing and visual based research which was beneficial as a stead basis to the project. This work, although helpful, did not show any progression, even when I had moved into the second sketchbook which was meant to be based on sampling and development. When I returned to university, I had realised I had a great deal of work to do, so I began working out of the sketchbook to develop my ideas further, narrowing my ideas to a couple of motifs and by colour scheme, focusing on design from the 1980s. From here I realised that my work was not reflecting everything that I was learning so well, so I began to focus more on print and stitch further, exploring the two techniques to prove through my sampling that there was a development to the way I was thinking and working, Weaknesses: I found it hard throughout the project to stay motivated. For the first time in my time at university I was enjoying the drawing side of the work, playing around and just experimenting, but I realised that I had still not quite got the hang of things. I was spending my time drawing then moving on drawing then moving on, I was not exploring an idea thoroughly. Although when I was told this by my tutor, I was annoyed that I thought I still did not understand what university wanted of me. However, through this project, I realised something amazing, that I am creating my own university work for me. Yes meeting the deadlines and completing work is important, but I now realise that I am doing this for myself. For the first time this project, I was beginning to enjoy my progression, creating a variety of work, having fun experimenting. Towards the end of the project, this began to click, when I moved onto the A2 boards, working out of the sketchbook and developing my ideas with less a focus on the deadline, just allowing my work to flow. I only wish that I had realised this earlier, I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders when I realised this. Now, with this understanding, I know that my grade for this project is not going to be a high one; I noticed the signs just a little too late and did not act upon my thoughts as they came to me. However, I can guarantee that as I move into my third year, I have learnt a great deal and I hope my tutors will see a great change. Opportunities: There is always an opportunity to explore and develop further. The key again as usual is time management. Moving into my third year I recognise the importance of focusing a project on something I have a passion for, allowing myself to explore something I love and have fun while I am doing it. In Ba5 I did not have a passion for the connection between knitting and architecture, I have learnt from that in this project, looking into nature and using it to create patterns. I must choose my focus wisely to gain a connection. I will naturally complete more work if I enjoy the focus of the project, allowing myself not only to complete more work, but also more focused and developed work.

4.   LO12: Identify areas for personal and professional development and propose plans to acquire further skills.

Strengths: Probably one of my weakest areas of this project, due to the distinct lack of technique experimentation and development. Because of my time away from university, I have not been able to experiment as much as I would have liked, but I must point out that I have fallen back in love with machine stitching. Whilst at school, I used machine stitching a great deal and had fun experimenting, creating detailed designs. For some reason when I started at university, I jumped straight back to printing. Whilst I enjoy printing, I think it is more mixed media that I have more of a passion for. I like combining the materials and techniques to develop more textured design, exploring other senses, not just sight, a visually pleasing design. I have used this in this project and have found that this is a skill that I would like to bring back into future work to develop further. Although I have not developed one specific skill, I have finally found my focus for university and shall look forward to using this in my work more In the third year. Weaknesses: Due to my time away from university, I did not have access to the materials and techniques at home. This obviously limited my development of specific skills in terms of textile technique, but this is no excuse. I did not take the opportunity to get back into the workshops and take advantage of the university provisions in enough time. Once I was informed of the lack of progression in the project, I made a swift decision to get into the workshops, explore photoshop and make full use of university facilities. I now understand the importance of these facilities to develop my work and designs quickly and efficiently, allowing me to experiment and explore within the boundaries of my chosen subject matter. Opportunities: Now I have looked into a range of techniques throughout my time so far at university, I have now decided that I have a focus, I have a point for university. I must now grasp every opportunity at university as well as outside university, to develop my ideas and skills to create more professional design which are more useable in the design industry. I must manage my time more effectively to make the most of every minute I have, be it in a workshop, on a project or completing some research, using everything I have, bringing it together to create more informed work. It is important to look over this project again at the start of next year, so I can see the progression I have made and move forwards, not backwards.

Overall Action Points: (to be discussed and agreed with tutor)

Signed (Student):................................................ Signed (Tutor):..................................................