Hopes, Fears and Opportunities

For the second time I have been asked to write about my hopes, fears and opportunities for the second, yet it is quite different from my last blog post. For instance, my last hopes, fears and opportunities was mainly about my dissertation and time management, whereas the second edition focuses more around the issues of that within a few months I will be leaving the security blanket of university and entering the real world, it feels like all my emotions have increased the closer I gets to graduation and the pressure of deadlines increasing. However, I have handed in my dissertation and now I can concentrate on my designing side for my final major project and make it the best exhibition I have had since the 3 years of my degree. Fears My fears are pretty much the same where they focus is about people not liking my work and receiving negative comments and whether I will be strong enough to take it. So in a sense, one of my goals for this year is to try and distance myself from negative comments and to accept that my work is not to everyone’s taste and take the opportunity to turn the negative into a positive by using it as professional criticism. Another fear that I have is that I won’t be able to express myself they way I want, by being held back by people’s comments. On the other hand, if I don’t put my designs out there through the use of blogs, trade shows and portfolio visits people will not know who I am as a designer. In sense there is no need to be afraid of taking chances as I have expressed through the wide range of diverse positions I have work with the public, I am wondering whether it is normal to be nerves, as I have been nerves in every job but I have managed to succeed and cope, Therefore, the conclusion regarding my fears is that I simple need to believe in myself and not allow fears to manifest into something scary and not allow myself to think that I cannot do this, when I can. Hopes On the opposite side of the scale to my fears I have a lot more hopes. For instance I hope to use of the faculties within collage to improve my work, such as; photography, print room and digital printer before leaving. This will also enhance my portfolio as I would also like my portfolio to be represented in the style of my work in both an unconventional/ niche approach. I would like to start selecting some of my favourite designs and send them to various online sites or blogs for exposure. Such as; print and pattern blog that exposes new designer. I also have opened up both an Esty account, which is an online selling site that sells handmade crafts. In addition I have also opened up a carbon made account, which is an online profile site to document all my designs and finished products, which in return will hopefully get me a good base for freelance work and commissions in the future. As well as placing my work on various sites. I have a number of portfolio visits and an assortment of craft fairs throughout this year, which is a great way to get my designs and products into the world Opportunities For my opportunities I am quite surprised on how everything has moved relatively quickly from the start of January. I have applied for a number of stalls, for example, I attend the event ‘Teenage Market’, which offered a free stall, on the 1st April 2012 from 12- 4pm. This was a great opportunity to present my design in finished products through interiors and stationary items. I throughout the day I felt very nerves and didn’t know what to expect, however, as I received more and more interest within my work and started selling items, my confident began to grow, I also was lucky enough to be interview about my work for a radio station. My second stall will be at ‘Redfest’, which is small craft stall in reddish which will also grow interest among my work. I hopefully will be doing a third stall at the ‘Northern Contemporary fair’ in Sprinngfields in October, which would be amazing if I got selected, I will simply have to cross my fingers as this would be a great platform to start my career. However, in the mites of all this I have currently opened up a stall in ‘Ryan’s Vintage’ on Oldham street in Manchester, where I am working with three friends, the ‘Crafty Buggers’ where I sell a assortment of interior and stationary items. I have experience other opportunities such as receiving portfolio visits from number of designer that kindly gave me there feedback. For instance one of my portfolio visits was with a designer, who creates costumes, which is an another avenue that I didn’t not consider to create costumes and props creating exaggerated and elaborate pieces for theatres/film sets, which is another exciting alternative to interiors. In my conclusion, I feel this final exhibition I have the opportunity to create an amazing final major exhibition show, that will show people that things that are considered not beautiful is not necessarily true, I would also like to create business cars, leaflet and even stickers to show my unconventional approach to give people not just a business card/leaflet but an souvenir that they will keep for a long time. In despite of my hopes, fears and opportunities last semester, I have gained a lot of techniques along the way and been given some great advise from my colour palette, design process and general design knowledge to be independent enough within the professional world. However, I do not want to limit myself with small items and would like my final design show to be an in living room installation. I feel am a very passionate and love creating new interesting and exciting exaggerated pieces.