OUGD601 - Dissertation - Module Evaluation

Overall this module has been a success from start to finish from my perspective from beginning to the end. The module has taught me very crucial traits and skills that I will take on further in to my graphic design career. It has been a very crucial learning process for me, firstly due to the fact that as a designer my literary and critical analysis traits are lacking in some proffesionalism and clarity and so it has helped me to further develop me overall skills within these areas. This has been further developed within my researching skills. Previously my researching skills have been undermining my theoretical writing due to the fact that in the past I haven't been as proficient at researching and so this has massively effected my writing skills as a designer. The final of my personals skills that it has furthered is my skills in time keeping and planning. Overall during past written investigation my time keeping skills have held me back in the way that the inability to keep to a schedule has found me behind and trying to catch up at every instance. Due to this for this investigation I added massive emphasis my project management skills in order to ensure that it is completed to the best of my ability and the need to catch up hasn't held me back.

The first aspect of the exploration that have advanced me as a designer is the written element of the module. Through the systematic analysis of different design aesthetics found within the world of fashion editorial I have developed a new skills for the identification of design aesthetic evident within graphic design but not only this, I have also furthered my ability to reason the extent to which these aesthetics are intentional implemented to aid contextual backing. The synthesis between the written and physical components of the investigation has enabled me to further advance my ability to fully investigate a research question from initial ideas to completion of writing and to how this research and investigation of literary sources can manifest themselves within the practical elements of a research question.

OUG601 - Dissertation & Practical - Synthesis

Synthesis­

Before looking at the synthesis between the written and practical elements of my context of practice three investigation there must firstly be a look back at the initial research question the whole essay revolved around to identify exactly what was intended through the exploration­­­. The research question and complete purpose of the exploration was to examine and determine how aesthetic decision can be implemented through the design process of fashion magazines to create theoretical and contextual links between content and delivery. The exploration then includes a further investigation centred on how the implementation of these design aesthetic can be directly relatable to the overall perception of the fashion industry and its ideologies.

Within the written exploration it was identified that the giant glossy periodicals such as vogue implement design aesthetics to help convey the overall content of the magazine and their own brand ideology. This is done by creative typographic and illustrative treatments of which aid the viewer in the understanding of the content of the articles. The exploration then went on to concur that while said magazines do use these aesthetics to represent content and brand ideology actually these representation that are constructed throughout the magazines are not only unrepresentative of the contemporary woman but actually perpetuate harmful misconceptions of the feminine identity and create gender differences that go on to manifest in social inequalities. The exploration finalized by also examining a number of alternative contemporary fashion and lifestyle magazines of which rather than continuing to perpetuate harmful stereotypes instead actually have an ideology of which is directly contrasting to the normality’s built by the fashion industry. Rather than using design aesthetics to represent the constructed normality’s of femininity instead through the implantation of simple design aesthetics they counteract this by conveying the importance of the women features in the articles and their achievements. With all aesthetics only aiding the conveying of solely their important content and not heir brand ideology.

These written findings materialize and synthesize within the practical elements of my context of practice module by means od implementing the exact same aesthetics that were identified within the written exploration but instead implementing them within my own practical magazine project. The magazine features a half and half style structure in which the implementation of both of these aesthetics is evident In order to evidence the fact that not only have I understood the means in which aesthetics are used within fashion magazines learnt through the written investigation but also shows that I have the ability to accurately implement and represent these aesthetics myself though my practical project.

OUGD601 - Practical - Production

Format & Audience

The audience of the magazine is quite large, due to the nature of the intention of it to be appropriate and attractive to anyone who reads fashion magazines and isnt happy with the media perception related to the fashion giants.

This means that due to the large audience, the magazines must be as accessible as it possible can be in order to ensure that as many people could reas the magazine as possible, and therefore overall must be as cheap as it can be in production. The A5 paper size of the magazine aids this trait.

Stock Choices

The stock choice was a crucial aspect of the production decisions for the magazine. The decison was made to use a 120gsm glossy paper stock The first of these was tha the glossy paper is most relevant to existing magazines within the industry, which should attract the correct target audience. The decision of weight of the stock (120gsm) ensures the thinner stock allows the thichness and creep of the book to remain appropriate while binding. The thinner stock also allowed the price of production to stay down and therefore the retail price to stay down respectvely

Binding Method

For the binding method of the final prouct of the practical project for this context of practice three module the decision was made to implment a simple staple bound saddle stitch method.

This decision was made due to its time and cost effectiveness. These were btoh crucial issues as the perspective magazine if in the real world industry would have to be able to be produced as cheaply in possible in large quanties to ensure it could be sold at a cheaper price to attract perspectve audience.

OUGD601 - Practical - Visual Research

Visual 

Research

Due to the nature of the practical being centred around proving the conclusion of the essay, the ony real forms of visual reseach that are approprate for this brief is looking at the editorials that are the feature of the written dissertation in order to aid the replication of the implementation of aesthetics

VOUGE

When looking at the vogue editoials it is immidietly appharent that the use of aesthetic to represent content and brand ideology is very evident. The use of typographic trickery, feminine aesthetics and mysterious photography culminating in the overall femining ideal of womanhood they convey through the magazine, which during the dissertation was disproved to be unrepresentative of contemporary women.

Riposte/

The 

Gentlewoman

Instead magazines like Riposte and The Gentlewoman rid the magazines of these over-feminine cliche aesthetics in the place for much cleaner simplistic typographic treatments and layouts in order to not take any concentration away from the real feature of the magazine, the women the magazines revolve around and their lifetime achievements and goals. Much more sucessfully representing the contemorary woman.

OUGD601 - Dissertation - Progress Tutorial 4

OUGD601 - Dissertation - Progress Tutorial 3

OUGD601 - Dissertation - Progress Tutorial 2