Time management 06/05/19

The day before the deadline, I have completed all the design boards for 9 briefs that I am submitting. I've printed 3 of those, but still have the rest to print. I am feeling quite confident with the quality of my design boards. I have also completed all my blogs. Although throughout the year I constantly felt as if I wan falling behind and not getting enough done, I really pulled it together in the last week and managed to get everything finished in time for the deadline.

Time management 29/04/19

With only a week left until the deadline, I am feeling quite confident as I have completed the designs for all my projects. I decided to scrap the 'Balcony Gardening' publication I wanted to do, and instead submit the magazine I created for 'Tall Agency', whilst I was on my placement. I did this because I knew that in the time I have left, starting and completing a project would be quite difficult and stressful. Also, the outcome for the project would not be very strong and likely would not help me in gaining any more marks. This week my aim is to finish all the blogs and design boards, I want to be prepared quite early on before my deadline so that I could print everything I needed stress-free.

Time-management 22/04/2019

With only two weeks left until the deadline, I am starting to feel some pressure and a little bit of stress. I am happy with the fact that I have been able to start completing the blogs for the projects I have done so far, however, I am feeling worried about the two projects I have yet to complete the design of. The research project about Lithuanian folklore is taking a little longer than I had expected, but I am feeling confident about the quality of it and am really happy that I choose this topic. The Balcony Gardening publication is only a short project which has quite the bulk of it completed already, so I am not focusing on it as much at the moment. Although two weeks until the deadline seems a very short time, I am feeling motivated and somewhat confident that I will complete everything in time. I am very happy with all the projects that I will be submitting, and now have to focus mainly on polishing them off, the presentation of them on my blogs and my design boards.

Lithuanian Folklore/Pagan History Research Brief - Final Outcome & Evaluation

Lithuanian Folk Art - Textiles

Lithuanian Folk Art - Palm Sunday Flowers

Lithuanian Folk Art - Straw Decorations

Lithuanian Folk Art - Crosses

Lithuanian Folk Art - Metalwork

Lithuanian Folk Art - Lithuanian Mardi Gras

Lithuanian Folk Art - Amber Jewellery

Lithuanian Folk Art - Easter Eggs

Lithuanian Folk Art - Woodcarving & Statues

Final Outcome:
The final outcome is a postcard series that showcases and celebrates the topic of 'Lithuanian Folk Art'. The concept for the outcome was to present the topic as something that should be appreciated and treasured. The concept and content of the outcome was inspired and informed by extensive research into Lithuanian Folklore and Pagan histories. The outcome is a series of 9 A5 postcards, printed using lino printing techniques, onto standard white card paper stock, and bound with a tracing paper sleeve that boasts a lino printed stamp. The 9 themes communicated within the postcards are: Crosses, Easter Eggs, Jewellery, Metalwork, Straw Decorations, Textiles, Woodcarvings & Statues, Palm Sunday Flowers and Lithuanian Mardi Gras. These themes were chosen as they are traditional forms of Lithuanian folk art, that is still practiced today. The format of postcard in which they are presented supports the concept. Postcards in our modern day society have evolved from being something sent in the mail, into a collectable. People collect them for various reasons, including the desire to appreciate their artistic expression and meaningfulness. By placing the Lithuanian folk art topic within a postcard format, the artistic expression and meaning of the topic is brought to attention as something that should also be collectable. This supports the concept, as it presents the Lithuanian folk art topic as worthy of being appreciated and treasured enough to be collected. The postcards are printed using traditional lino printing technique, to reflect upon how Lithuanian folk art is also traditional within Lithuanian culture. It was also used to make the postcard series more unique and visually engaging, as the printing technique generated an interesting and interactive texture. Standard white card paper stock was used to make the postcard prints sturdier and durable, as well as to allow the colour and detail of the prints to stand out against the bright white stock. A monochrome colour scheme was utilised throughout the outcome, to allow all attention to fall on the topic and content of the postcards. The postcard series is bound with a somewhat see-through tracing paper sleeve that boats a lino printed stamp with the name 'Lithuanian Folk Art' carved into it. A see-through sleeve was chosen to allow the attention to fall onto the postcards, their texture and their content. The lino-printed stamp was placed to provide context of what the postcard series is about. The production of the postcard series from start to finish was complete using analogue techniques. This was done to symbolise how Lithuanian folk art is also unique and hand-made. In the same way that not one re-production of the postcard series will be the same as the last, the Lithuanian folk art examples presented within this postcards are also all different and so should be individually appreciated and treasured.

Evaluation:
The brief's aim was to research into the history of Lithuanian folklore and pagan traditions, and then to present that research in a way that would be accessible to an English-speaking audience. I believe I have met the brief's aim successfully, as not only did I allow the research and topic to guide me throughout my design process, but also because the final outcome is accessible to both English-speaking audience and non-English speaking audiences. Although this was not intentional, the choice of a postcard format made me communicate the Lithuanian folk art topic mostly through the use of illustration and visual communication. In doing so, this gives the outcome the potential to inform and communicate with non-English speaking audiences as well. By embracing the research and allowing it to guide me, I was able to bring to attention an area within Lithuanian folklore and pagan history that still exists and has influence today - folk art. I believe what was most successful was that I narrowed down the research into 9 very clear topics within Lithuanian folk art, and was therefore able to communicate them in a concise and visually engaging way. What is most interesting is that these 9 folk art expressions are still practiced today, which gives the audience a unique and unexpected insight into Lithuanian culture. To improve the outcome I believe I should have explored the use of colour and different materials. The black and white colour scheme that is currently utilised, although effective at giving all attention to the content of the postcards, is also a little dull and may not be very eye-catching or enticing for the audience. The use of material and paper stock could also have been more exciting, by experimenting with different material I could have an combination between paper and ink that highlighted the texture of the lino prints even more, which potentially could have made the outcome more visually engaging. Nonetheless, I believe the final outcome for this brief has been successful because it communicates and brings to attention a topic that is not very commonly discussed, about a country that is not commonly known, and engages the audience by giving the opportunity to collect, educate themselves and appreciate a part of Lithuanian culture.

Lithuanian Folklore/Pagan History Research Brief - Design Development

I decided to create postcards for my research brief outcome. I choose postcards because I wanted to showcase that the topic of 'Lithuanian Folk Art' is something that should be collected, appreciated, recognised and treasured. Post cards in the modern day society are now collected more as souvenirs, memorabilia or simply beautiful things that are artistic and meaningful. I chose to communicate 'Lithuanian Folk Art' through postcards to show that the topics and art forms that I present are still used and appreciated in modern day, just like postcards.

I decided to create the postcards using lino printing technique. I choose this because lino printing is a traditional and old technique, just like the folk art I am communicating within the project. I also choose it because it will give the postcards a unique and interactive texture, that will make the postcards both visually and physically engaging for the audience. By lino printing the postcards, I am creating postcards that are not stereotypical/common, which reflects and brings attention to how the topic of the outcome 'Lithuanian Folk Art' is also not very commonly known or appreciated by the wider English-speaking target audience.

I took the illustrations I made during my initial design stage, and transferred them using tracing paper onto A5 lino printing blocks. I also created and transferred 6 more illustrations, one for every 'Lithuanian Folk Art' topic that I had written out during my copy-writing and initial designs stage. I picked those 9 topics/themes because they are all in their own way unique to Lithuanian culture and traditions, as well as are still practiced and created as art forms today.

I then printed all my designs several times on white card paper stock. I choose the card stock because I wanted my designs to be presented on a sturdier stock, in the same way postcards are usually printed on card also. I choose a white card because I wanted the colour and design of each postcard to stand out. Also, to give the ink a nice sturdy base to sit upon, so that it does not bleed or smudge too easily. I had to print each design a few times as the lino printing process is not perfect, there were imperfections in places where there was too much or too little ink applied, the ink smudged, or the ink had dried out too quickly. After a few attempts at each design, I was able to get some better quality prints, however not one of them was completely perfect. However, I think the imperfection is what makes the analogue lino printing technique beautiful and more personal, the pattern and textures that are created by those mistakes and imperfect prints is what gives the postcard design authenticity and uniqueness. Not one of the postcard series, when put together in the end will be the same, as all the prints will be slightly different. I think this is what makes the process and the outcome more appropriate to the brief and concept, as like the imperfections and differences between the reproductions of the postcards, in the same way 'Lithuanian Folk Art' is different each time when a different person puts their perspective on the art form. Not a single one of the Easter Eggs, Wooden Crosses, Palm Sunday Flowers and etc, is the same as the next, and so not one of the postcard prints are the same as the next.

Crosses

Easter Eggs

Woodcarving & Statues ('The Pensive Christ')

Metalwork

Lithuanian Mardi Gras (Masks)

Jewellery (Amber stone jewellery)

Straw Decorations ('Straw Garden')

Palm Sunday Flowers

Textiles ( 'Sashes')

After the postcard prints had dried, I decided to add the postcard guidelines on the back of each print by hand. I wanted to include the guideline to clearly communicate that this is a postcard series, and all the collectible and treasured associations that go alongside postcards. I did the guidelines by hand because I wanted the postcard series to be made using analogue techniques throughout. Much like all the topics within 'Lithuanian Folk Art' are made my hand/using analogue techniques, I wanted the production of my postcard designs to reflect this.

To present the postcard series together as one topic/story, I wanted to bound them all together in some way. I decided to use a strip of paper/tracing paper and wrap it around the pile of postcards. I did not want to use an envelope or something that would hide the postcards, as I wanted the audience to be given first of all a hint of the illustrations, and second the ability to feel the texture and unique quality of the postcards series, making it more likely that the audience will be intrigued and want to engage with the postcard series further. The strip of paper allows for both of these things to happen, as well as holding the postcards together tightly and securely. The only issue with this binding technique would be the lack of protection from weather or human destruction. However, as the postcard series is not intended for a physical shop setting, and if sold they would be sold online, then this binding method is not an issue as there would be no human destruction, and if sent to someone the pack would be securely weather-proofed as appropriate.

I knew that my postcard series needed some form of packaging, not just binding. The purpose/theme of the postcard series was not clear, and because the aim of this brief was to bring the 'Lithuanian Folk Art' topic to an English speaking audience, I needed some way to label/name the postcard series as such. To do this I decided to further use lino printing. As stated earlier I wanted the whole production of the postcard series to be analogue, from the start to finish. I did not want to write the name of the postcard series by hand because I felt like the imperfections and human error that that could encounter might distract from the main focus, the postcards. Therefore I decided to create a design for a lino print 'stamp', that could be applied to the paper wrap, and state the name of the postcard series - 'Lithuanian Folk Art'.

I first sketched out several ideas for the 'stamp'. The surface area I was working with was quite small, so I had to figure out a way in which I could curve out letters in the stamp so that they are clear and legible. The name 'Lithuanian Folk Art' is quite long, so I had to consider not only how to fit the name within the circle stamp shape, but also how to make it easy for me to carve out without losing legibility.

From my sketches I found that utilising the circular shape, and having the letters follow it was the most appropriate as it made the words easy to read, as well as gave enough room to make them big enough to carve out.

Lino block with name/stamp design. Carved out in reverse, so when printed, the text would read right to left.

 I then did some practice prints, to find the right amount of pressure that needed to be applied so that the stamp prints as near perfect as possible - and so is as clear and legible as possible.

After I found the right mixture of ink to be used, and pressure to apply, I went to apply the stamp/name to various different paper stock and materials. I wanted to explore different coloured and textured card, to possibly give the postcard design something more vibrant and attention grabbing.

The stamp/name worked very well on coloured paper. It made the stamp/name stand out and the text was legible. I was really enjoying the effect that the coloured card created, and how eye-catching the postcard pack became. However, I felt that in fact the stamp/name design being coloured was drawing attention away from what should be the focus of the pack, the postcards inside. I made the binding for the postcards see-through tracing paper so that all the attention could go to the postcards and design on it, so to have the stamp/name take attention away and distract from the focus would not be appropriate. After all, the stamp/name was designed simply to inform the audience what the postcard pack/series is about, and therefore should not be the centre of attention.

The stamp/ink printed very weakly on the metallic sticker paper. The ink did not dry easily and smudged a lot. Although visually the metallic would have been quite eye-catching and engaging, the combination of this material and the lino printing process was not compatible.

Realising that the use of different textured paper or coloured card for the stamp/name was not appropriate, I went back to the use of black and white, and created stamps on simple white paper. I also experimented stamping the name design straight onto the tracing paper binding sleeve.

I really like the effect that stamping the name design straight onto the tracing paper sleeve created, because unlike the coloured card previously, it was not distracting from the postcard designs at all. The stamp/name was very subtle and sat well printed on top of the tracing paper. Unfortunately, although it was doing a good job at not taking attention away from the postcards, the legibility of the words within the stamp was being lost slightly. Due to the nature of tracing paper being see-through and quite dull, and the stamp being printed in black, the letters of the name within the stamp began to slightly blur, and so the audience may not be able to easily notice or read the name. Especially the 'Folk Art' printed in the bottom corner of the stamp.

Printed on white see-through tissue-like paper, the stamps and the legibility of the name were much better. However, this paper stock was not as see-through as tracing paper, and so hid the postcards. This was not something I wanted as I wanted the postcards to be noticeable and be the centre of attention.

Printing the name stamp onto white paper, and then sticking that onto the tracing paper sleeve proved to be most effective. This was because the stamp, being black and white did not distract from the postcard series, which is also clearly visible through the tracing paper sleeve. Also, the stamp printed on white paper makes the letters within the stamp and the name of the postcard series clear and legible. After all my experiments, I knew that this simple and minimal approach to the postcard packaging is the most appropriate and effective.