EVALUATION - Personal Branding

As we were required to demonstrate appropriate preparation for our stated progression ambitions, it was necessary to have both print and web based outcomes in the form of personal branding in order to create a successful design presence. The basis of my identity was formed from four specific colours that I had come across during research into one of my briefs, that had caught my eye in terms of reflecting my own practice. I feel that I have developed a personal and unique focal visual of my name, taking on a playful and reflective aesthetic, that would work alongside examples of my prints, patterns and illustrations as a direct representation of both my design and my ambitions.

When it came to researching for my personal branding, I found that a lot of the content within my Design Context publication really helped to inform my design decisions. I had already gathered a lot of imagery that focused on range, process, colour and stationery, which was the perfect starting point for determining what exactly my branding should look like. Because of this informed research I was able to be efficient and organised with my design development.

I feel that I have successfully presented myself in a way that not only represents my practice, but also the type of design that interests me. This meant that through the exploration of primary and secondary sources, including business cards, I could see how similar designers had approached their own identity and how they had applied this to a range of appropriate products.

A range of colours were used throughout that automatically connect to the type of design I am attracted to, focusing on pastel shades alongside contrasting elements. Print and pattern has been incorporated throughout as I feel that this is where my practice currently lies. In terms of contacting studios, a small pack would be sent off that would include a cover letter, my CV, a range of postcards and also business cards which have been triplex printed. These would all be tied together with string and sent off in an envelope with a DIY printed liner. I hope that this shows attention to detail, unifying my overall branding.

In terms of weaknesses, I feel that the crafting of my products is not up to the standard that I would have liked. In due course, I will get them printed professionally so that there are no finger marks and no poor quality images. This was allow me to come across as a designer that is certain of the direction that they are heading in, who is willing to learn and willing to work hard. I also feel that I should have explored a different range of stocks so that any imperfections could be hidden. This would have also linked in nicely with my envelopes, which were quite textured. 

PERSONAL BRANDING - final pics

For my personal branding, I asked Anna Jakobson if she would be willing to take some photographs of my brief as a favour for doing her business cards. Of course this was fine, and she was able to come in and use a mini studio that I had set up. I was extremely grateful and very pleased with the results. I set up a little scene with my branding, in order to reflect my recent interest in customisable stationery. Although I had to edit the images myself, I feel that I have done a successful job. 

PERSONAL BRANDING - previous branding

Branding from Second Year

I have look back at my personal branding from second year to show how my visual style and practice has developed over the past year. Although the aesthetics are quite different, I feel that I can see some comparisons within certain elements, such as a strong focus on illustration and the chosen pastel based colour scheme. I am glad that I moved away from having a logo, as I feel that this wasn’t successful and was quite rushed. I have definitely improved in terms of the printed outcomes that I have produced and I feel that I have produced something much more appropriate to send out to clients and studios that shows off my practice and abilities as a designer.

PERSONAL BRANDING - web elements

Here is a link to my official website - cargocollective.com/bethhayden

PERSONAL BRANDING - creative CV and stickers

Here is the final design for my creative CV, displaying my personal interests as a designer, my experiences, education and also my skills. I have also included a section regarding my interests out of Graphic Design, which I think is important to display. 

Creative CV -

Reverse backgrounds - 

PERSONAL BRANDING - DIY liners

After seeing how to create DIY liners on a crafting website, I felt that these would be a really great focal point to my stationery range. It also gave me the opportunity to include the colour scheme elsewhere, making my overall products much more consistent. These would then be stuck inside a range of coloured envelopes. 

PERSONAL BRANDING - chosen samples

Here are the chosen samples of my work that I will be using on my personal branding, including the business cards and postcards.

They were chosen for their reflection on my practice, skills and abilities, as well as offering a range of colours appropriate to my chosen palette. My name will be featured on the reverse, including appropriate contact information in a typeface that compliments the hand drawn image. Grey has been used so that it didn't appear too harsh. 

Instead of using my name on both sides of my print collateral, I have decided to include visuals of my work instead, as I feel that this is pretty much the most appropriate way of getting across exactly who I am as a designer, showing what I am capable of doing.

Below is a range of some of the designs I am considering putting on my business cards that work well alongside my chosen branding colours.

PERSONAL BRANDING - design development

Initially, my personal branding started off with the original concept, just with different colours in mind. I originally explored filling the visual of my name with watercolour and paint, as I felt that this reflective of my design practice and the processes that I use.

I then considered formats and compositions that I could use for both business cards and postcards, exploring how the reverse would work in terms of using a digital typeface against a hand drawn aesthetic. 

Whilst the smaller copy complimented the front design, without making it took corporate, I don't feel that the use of digital type for my name is successful. If you were to just view the reverse, then I feel that you would kept a completely different perspective in terms of what my design practice was like.

I therefore started to explore how the hand drawn name could be applied to the reverse of the cards, alongside the digital content, which didn't look as disjointed as I first imagined. I feel that the white type on the background looks too busy in terms of being applied to a small format, therefore the type filled with image is more appropriate. 

After exploring this visual for a while, I decided that it was going to prove too difficult to apply this branding to a range of products, as the watercolour image was very specific, and it would be hard to create a consistent range alongside my own visuals. 

Because of this, I started looking at a range of colour possibilities, but had it in mind that I wanted to incorporate four colours that I found not so long ago and documented on my PPP blog. The colours I explored are bright, vivid and eye catching, which is how I wanted my branding to come across. I wanted the visuals to be quite playful, in order to get across a light hearted tone of voice. 

I have circled the colours that I am going to explore further in terms of what appeals to me the most. 

I have applied all of the colour schemes to a simple business card layout, which makes use of white space that makes the visuals pop. 

In the end, after developing a range of possible avenues and colour ways, I have decided to go for the ones that I really wanted to use to begin with. I feel that they reflect my practice, my interests and the colours that personally appeal to me. I feel that they are a mixture of being quite girly, with a nice bold contrast. 

PRIMARY RESEARCH - business cards

I picked up a range of business cards from when I was at the end of year show for the illustration and graphics courses at my old university.

PERSONAL BRANDING - concept

As we were required to demonstrate appropriate preparation for our stated progression ambitions, it was necessary to have both print and web based outcomes in the form of personal branding in order to create a successful design presence. 

The basis of my identity was formed from four specific colours that I had come across during research into one of my briefs, that had caught my eye in terms of reflecting my own practice. Using this as a starting point, I wanted to develop a personal and unique focal visual of my name, that took on a playful and reflective aesthetic, that would work alongside examples of my prints, patterns and

illustrations as a direct representation of both my design and my ambitions.