REFLECTION ON MY FIRST YEAR AT UNI

After completing my first year as a Fashion Communication and Promotion student, now is the perfect time to reflect on the course and my myself in regards to the work over the past year. Back in January, I reflected on my first module, Visual Awareness in this post. Now having completed my second module, and the year I feel I can now fully reflect on my strengths and weaknesses.

The second module, Creative Networks heavily revolved around group work and you can read my post on this, here. In regards to my strengths and weakness I identified after the first module, due to the nature of the work set some were developed and improved whilst others were not required. For example, with the Fragrance Advertising Analysis I was able to express my strength and passion for graphic design and writing, but throughout the module the need for a mood board, a weakness of mine, was few and far between – and when needed a group member who was more suited to do it took the role. At times the deadline for a presentation or booklet had quite a quick turn around, creating more pressure – something I feel can be a blessing in disguise in terms of quality of work.

STRENGTHS & LIKES

I love the graphic design element in all of the work, from studying magazine layouts to recreating them and producing my own work in InDesign.

AREAS TO IMPROVE

Throughout the year, and in particular the second module, I obtained a whole range of brilliant and fascinating books, which I aim to study this summer. My goal is to not read them all cover to cover, but sit down and really delve into them, gain inspiration and apply this knowledge to future work. Making time for this is not very easy but I hope to finish my summer looking back and really see I made an effort to read more.

ACTIONS TO IMPROVE

In between work and other activities, even if for half an hour a day I will try to dedicate to sitting down with a book and indulging on it’s content. I now own a substantial range of inspiring books, from graphic design, advertising and marketing.

KEEPING THE PASSION ALIVE

I hope to visit several exhibitions in London this summer, and to also practice and develop my Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign skills, making little booklets and magazines, as well as developing some basic illustration skills.

ACTIONS TO REACH MY GOALS IN THE FUTURE
I feel like I have slipped away from books and reading, and spend far to long scrolling aimlessly on social media - even admitting how boring it can sometimes be. Going back to reading magazines and books is my current aim, as it is the industry I want to venture into.

You may have gathered by now that I'm all about the graphic design and layout of my work, I'll spend hours moving an image and a line around, a pixel at a time to trying to make it "perfect". In my feedback for my Creative Networks module you can imagine I squealed at the comment, "Visually strong with good images and infographics".

Using my blog to fulfil my passion for English and writing, receiving, "Excellent blog – really interesting, insightful, reflective, looking beyond course content to wider industry and culture – great stuff" also really makes everything I do seem worthwhile, and reminds me how lucky I am that I do what I love.

WHAT IS LUXURY? ...not this!

Not this exhibition!

When I went to visit the brilliant Alexander McQueen exhibition at the V&A I also went and had a look at the What Is Luxury? exhibition which was also in the V&A. 

At the beginning of summer I'd made a list of exhibitions I'd wanted to see and this was one of them. Luckily it was at the V&A because I would have been fuming to have gone up to London just to see this on its own. What a disappointment! In all honesty I hadn't read up or looked into it at all but wow, was definitely not worth a trip just for that. With a title like it had I was expecting a really "wow" display of items and objects, beautiful things that were desirable and were lusted over. I vaguely remember a big circle of sand and some mechanical device hanging above it, a chair made of plastic and a vending machine of medical treatments. Actually, I'm not even sure what it was, that's how memorable it was!

If you're bored and have some time to kill at the V&A, go and have a drink or browse in the shop. 

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN SAVAGE BEAUTY

On the 1st of July I visited the Alexander McQueen exhibition, Savage Beauty at the V&A in London. Having had it booked for months, and hearing so many raving reviews and comments about it I was almost bursting with excitement.

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Louboutin: The World's Most Luxurious Shoes

"You don't need it, you want it. It's a desire" - Christian Louboutin

I couldn't have out it better myself, of course I don't need a pair of £600 red soled shoes - who actually does? But I certainly wouldn't turn a pair down (any offers are welcome, I'm a size 4).

I knew next to nothing about the designer of the most expensive shoes in the world, so enjoyed watching the Channel 4 documentary, Louboutin: The World's Most Luxurious Shoes with no previous knowledge of him.

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THE JAM: ABOUT THE YOUNG IDEA

On Friday 31st July I went to Somerset House to visit The Jam: About The Young Idea exhibition with my dad for his Father's Day present. The Jam is one of his all time favourite bands and when I first heard of the exhibit I knew I had to treat him with a day in London (top daughter points!)

NEW BEAUTY ITEMS

A peek at some new beauty products that I've been loving recently.