OUGD601 has honestly been the most beneficial and inspiring so far. I have had the opportunity to explore a subject I am deeply interested in and previously was unaware of the amount of theoretical texts surrounding it. The LGBT+ communities level of acceptance is still an issue but it's very easy to forget what great changes and visual activism has occurred in order for it to be in it's current position. It's given me a whole new appreciation for the potential power of activism and social justice based design and inspired me to do more contextual research in order to produce accurately informed practical design. I was successful in identifying an issue within the academic research/writing element of the module and come up with a design based solution; which I feel is an integral skill to have as a designer. In reflection I know the experiance will aid me in future briefs; particularly when based upon social issues and projects that have historical and theoretical context behind them.
The worst part of the module for me has been having terrible look with printing. Two initial methods of printing were attempted (screen print and laser) before finally settling on the original (but expensive) process of risograph printing. Despite this being a stressful part of the design process it did allow me to learn about a new print technique, which I will be using again. Another negative element (also due to printing issues) was the amount of money I ended up spending on the final outcome; as I draw nearer to graduation I feel I need to be producing designs that are finished at industry standard; this is proving to be very costly but visually rewarding in terms of putting together a portfolio.
My favourite part of this module has been the amount of information I have been able to retain. I've read a huge amount of books in related topics; LGBT+, feminism, psychology, philosophy, theory etc. Each has aided me through the process and I have come out with a whole new mass of knowledge that I can carry through life. It's shown me the benefits of detailed research when producing design; as without this my whole idea and certainly the level of informed decisions would of been lacking. My analytical skills and the ability to adapt my findings into a visual format have most definitely improved in the completion of this module.
I feel one of my main strengths during this module was my ability to critically analyse the research collected, making decisions about what was most relevantly connected to graphic design as a specific field of interest. Another strength was time management, my organisation throughout allowed me to take avenues of research that lead me onto the right paths; I consumed maximum amounts of knowledge. A weakness of mine throughout was being overly passionate about the issue/question at hand. It was often difficult to stay un-biast to the cause and keep my opinions out of the writing; it would be interesting to undertake a similar research project again about a topic I feel I can be completely objective about.
Feedback has been an important part of the completion. Feedback on the essay itself ensured I evidenced both primary and secondary research from reliable and relevant sources. Peer and target audience feedback was also useful for my practical outcome. To ensure my design is meeting the right target audience and portraying the positive and informed tone of voice I wanted to portray. It's clear my design choices created a campaign and final manifesto that appealed to the upandcoming creative voices of the design/advertising world.
The final dissertation was a conclusive accumulation of data and research into the effects visual culture has had on the LGBT community. But what was most interesting was seeing triangulation between historical events and current affairs. It gave me predictions on what place design activism will play in the future of the LGBT+ community, gay rights and acceptance. I felt my final manifesto campaign expressed a good direction for the contemporary visual queer activists of the future.
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