YEAR 2 - Processes and materials - project proposal

For this module, the design brief is to create a product that is feasibly marketable and representative of how a creative person would produce work in the professional environment. The overlying theme for the project is that of 'another skin'.

This theme can be interpreted in numerous ways; from an ideological standpoint to a literal and figurative analysis of the term. My own interpretation of the term was to utilize the prospect of multiple instances hinted by the word 'another'. Thinking of the concluding result; I wish to manipulate the theme to solely aid the commercial viability of my product. Following my analysis of 'another', my deduction of 'skin' was that of outside appearances. While figurative in nature, my reflective result takes a more literal approach as I thought about what it was that I was designing.

Taking into consideration the skills that I have at my disposal, I aim to work with material that would best represent my illustrative and design related specialisms. As a result of this, paper as my primary resource was finalized. From a practical perspective my digital work can be easily converted into physical realisation through print, and from a sustainable perspective paper is readily recyclable. The options presented through the medium of paper is very attractive to me, as a prospective designer, to demonstrate skill through taking a 'blank canvas' and turning it into something marketable.

Paper being the designated material, I thought of products consisting mainly of paper being the primary construct. In addition to this, within my thought process I took into consideration my technique and visual style, and how this could be optimal for advertisement. As such, I decided that my main market catchment would be young children, and to create 'gift' / 'favour' bags.

For the design of the gift bags, I want, for this project, to design in a way that I particularly enjoyed. I like to draw in a 'cartoonist' style. My style is most appealing to children, and young people in general, because of this style. I realized that I would best find success in pursing the option of making my audience that of children.

With these basic foundations established, I based my research around getting inspiration for my drawings, and also to substantiate my ideas regarding the materials and the processes that I was following. My main objective is to create a design that is timeless and open ended in it's possibilities, and to give myself as many options as possible with versatile design choices.