Assignment 9: Reflecting on feedback

Having been fairly blunt in my feedback reflections for Assignment 8, I did go on to benefit from the feedback and implement action points in my work on developing poster designs. I do really value constructive criticism and feedback, but my initial reaction can be negative. Once I get past that first reaction I am able, fairly quickly, to take on board what is useful critique and alter my practice accordingly. 

I had already done the exercises within Project 9 when I received my feedback, so they didn’t benefit from the feedback. Looking back on the leaflets, for example, in the light of my work on the posters, I can see where I could have recorded some of my rejected versions and done some more worked examples. For example, I had tried varying the opacity of the leaves but I hadn’t taken any screenshots of this process of rejection and selection. 

One of the things I found difficult with the leaflet was that I didn’t have any sample text. I found it difficult to plan the layout without knowing the written content. As it was a hypothetical exercise I think it could have been useful for me to invent the text, so that I could have a more realistic idea of how the visual elements would support and enhance the written message. In my role as co-editor of a quarterly magazine, I am responsible for the design and layout, and, while the overall design remains standard, and I have an idea of the shape of the magazine as a whole, I can’t do the final layout until I have received all the submissions. I must end up with a multiple of 4 pages for the print version and so illustration of individual articles has to work within the whole. Sometimes there is leeway to alter the wording to accommodate an important image so it can work both ways, but usually the illustrations provide a supporting role to the text. Perhaps there are other ways of working, but this is how my magazine layout works in practice. It would therefore make sense in future for me to create sample text for a hypothetical brief in order to help myself with my design process.

I was so pleased with my poster feedback! Posters have been my nemesis through this course, and as I’ve looked back over my work for the unit I can see how much difference my learning and development of skills has made. My heart sank when I saw the assignment was asking for posters again, because I felt that I was no good at them. However, once I got past that and set to work, I enjoyed this assignment. 

It was good to go to the Millennium Gallery and take photos. I’ve realised if I didn’t know already that using photography as part of my visual research is enjoyable and useful. In a similar but better way to online image searches, it enables me to audition and select/reject ideas. It does so in a way that engages my body as well as my mind. Through so much of this unit being digital, I’ve learned that I want to be physically involved in my creative practice.

I found the positive feedback again echoed my enjoyment of the work. I’m learning that the more I enjoy an exercise and approach it in a curious and relaxed way, the better the outcome. I could have approached the poster assignment with resignation or resistance, done the bare minimum just to get it done, kept telling myself I’m no good at posters. By doing so I would have produced no-good posters. I’m glad that I was able to set aside my negative feelings about the assignment to the extent that I enjoyed it so much and have been boosted by the good feedback.