(5.2.3) - Work/Flow
Part one: Reflect
In reflection, specifically on the workflow / process of the 5.1 module, the elements of the process that get me most engaged are a lot of the areas in which i can get quite hands on if necessary, but abstractly enough, the areas that make me feel
like I'm making strong progress. looking at my diagram, the visual research gets the cogs running, and such research can often be carried all the way through a project / process. I really like the ideation / conceptual side, for a similar reason,
it just feels fun and rewarding. The next chunk of green is one of the two areas of project process that make me feel like I'm actually designing. It's where the most work happens for me, and it's really entertaining. Taking process photos is really fun, and just generally experimenting, and letting the work and the project drive itself. I feel like a designer when I'm in this flow state. The other part when I really feel like I'm designing is develop / refine / versions / iterations part, as I really
like the nitty gritty details and making very slight adjustments and looking from further away and at odd angles, printing testers off to see how it looks in paper.
It gives me so much momentum, and i can so easily get lost in creating these very slight alternate versions.
What i would consider to be a pain point in the design process, where i get inefficient and my energy dips is the finalizing decisions process. I get caught up in my ideas to a point where it would be disappointing to have to let go of them, and not see them through to finished creations. I find it hard to self critique, i either hate it or love it, either way being blinded by both of those feelings towards my designs. It's these decisions that i can really struggle with, often delaying the process as a whole, as it takes me back to previous steps, creating worse work
only to discard it and pick elements from the energetic design portions. I find myself struggling with consistency also, again being a struggle of good and evil
of wanting to include all the ideas, but struggling to incorporate even one idea
in a consistent manner.
Part two: Research
During 'Grahams tool emporium' session, there were a fair few new software that i paid notice to, in the hopes that it would improve my workflow. Here I will show the tools and software that i hope to continue to use going further.
- Font Manager - FontBase:
I installed font base to be able to organize all the fonts I have downloaded, especially the ones that i frequently use, because its hard to keep track of them all, and font base is a much better solution than just favoriting the fonts on adobe software, and once my adobe license runs out, and i have to use an alternative software - like affinity - I'll be able to still keep track using the same font base log in.
- Font developer - FontForge:
In the future, hopefully over Xmas, i want to create my own fonts and typefaces, both for the fun and sake of it - to be able to say that I have done it, and because I don't like using premade fonts for my process documents, i want all of the work within them to be my own, so hopefully I'll be able to make one come 5.4 and 5.5. This software, FontForge, will allow me to both create my own font files for use within the app, along with edit preexisting font files. It creates a unicoded grid which shows a lot of potential glyphs for fonts, so it can also act like a checklist. It looks very technical and in depth, which I like, so I'm looking forward to trying it out to the full extent. It will be good practice.
- Photo saver - Eagle:
Quick and simple one, Eagle - a software and extension in order to save reference photos and catalogue images that may be of use. - Organizer - Notion:
I am / can be a big procrastinator, not always - but often. I'm also forgetful, and very specific about the way i try to organize myself, all at the same time. I have my notebooks, but they work more visually and quickly, so references such as websites or software to look into - that i note down - can easily get forgotten. Notion is a tool that i feel like i could make good use of, using pages of it to chronology timetables / references / and just general notetaking. The only
issue would be setting it up. If it is too arduous to set up / takes too long,
cant perform everything i need it to do, then it would be pointless, because I would quickly forget to even use it and keep it maintained in the first place.
Part three: Question
From this article, which discusses the every present and ever expand influence of artificial intelligence within the design sphere.
Thinking beyond efficiency: what does this mean for thinking, making, authorship, and craft?
I feel that, already and within the coming months and years, there will be more influence and usage of generated content and material within the design space, whether that's for better or for worse in the long run. Other than in terms of efficiency, personally the generation of design - whilst sometimes disheartening - challenges me to want to be better at the craft. Whilst some companies will use ai to cut out the middle man, others will be dead set on hiring human designers to create their designs, so ultimatley it just means i'll need to be better, more refined and more creative, using more processes that ai cannot replicate, full stop or just not as well as, to allow for the authenticity that i love about the craft to be present within my portfolio.
What do you think designers should keep hold of and what could/should be supported or automated?
Immediate thoughts that come to mind are the traditional and physical methods that are within our graphic design arsenals. Making by hand is such a fun way to work, and isn't something that can be generated. Physically binding books /
using nonstandard printing methods (riso / lino / mono) to infuse our work
with interesting ink application, making each print unique / and simply being interested and involved with the more detailed processes will hopefully elevate
our work into something that cannot just be replicated. Hopefully.
Where do you see the role of a designer strengthening or shifting?
Again, methods that cant be done strictly or as well on a computer will likely be a major strength for all designers, that and designers that are open to different and more unique methods will hopefully be sought after.
