emma savage - Digital Media Principles

INSPIRATION & INFLUENCES

Karlie Kloss photographed by Tim Walker for W Magazine, 2013

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY

The origins of my interest in digital media ultimately starts from photography, after seeing the luscious dreamscapes of fashion editorials. I can still remember the first time I looked in a fashion magazine, it was a copy of Vogue I bought with my pocket money at 12 years old. It was this exact same issue that I discovered Tim Walker, who is my absolute creative idol. The works of artists such as Tim Walker, are not merely the result of a photographer, but of a storyteller. In Walker’s case, fashion photography doesn’t start with the clothes, but with an ‘urgency to tell a story’ (La Ferla, 2013). This ability to tell stories, evoke emotion and sell a dream through imagery is something that is a goal of mine to accomplish through my own practice. Storytelling through visual imagery, rather than just words on paper is something that lends itself particularly well to the digital world. In UX design terms, ‘telling a compelling story can be the difference between excitement and inaction’ (NN Group, 2020 [online]).

The stories and illustrations of Tove Jansson, best known for creating the Moomins, has long been a creative inspiration to me.

PRINT & PUBLISHING

I also have an affinity with physical print media. There is no substitute for the tactile nature of the printed form, and I have long been flicking through the pages of a variety of magazines, and I treasure my heavy hardback photobooks amongst my greatest possessions. I realise, however, that the innovative potential of digital media outweighs the traditional print form I hold dear. While physical media arguably has a greater emotional and memory response, 'we have to acknowledge the massive shift to mobile devices for many daily activities' (Dooley, 2015 [online]). Printed media also has the joy of illustration and I have always been drawn to the beautiful and timeless illustrations of children's literature.

Animated Illustration by Chinese artist, Oamul.

ILLUSTRATION

Playful, colourful illustrations are not limited to the world of children’s literature. Illustration offers the versatility to be applied to both physical printed product and in the digital landscape. You will find illustration throughout UX design, be it a small novel feature to a website or part of an entire strategy. Graphics and illustration can tell a story, bring character to a brand and communicate information easily. Unlike photos, illustrations ‘don’t restrict imagination and can thus lead to a better connection with the audience’ (UX Planet, 2019 [online]). Digital illustration also has the ability to imitate hand-drawn artwork which adds character and charm to artwork with the convenience and more instant result for use online than putting pen to paper and scanning work in for digital use. Illustration and animation go hand in hand and animation is an effective UX design feature. 'People love such little touches because they make the experience more human.' (Fireart Studio, [online]).

Innovative Lego inspired packaging from Korean cosmetic brand, Stonebrick.

JAPANESE & KOREAN DESIGN

Japanese and Korean product design is of huge inspiration to me, as they often incorporate themes of playfulness, colour and the natural world into their aesthetics.

I have long been captivated by Japanese culture and design, Japan's rich cultural and creative heritage and how Japanese lifestyle and design are so strongly connected with the natural world. One particular philosophy that resonates with me and has influenced past creative projects is Wabi-Sabi, a philosophy where “nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.” (Oppong, 2018 [online]).

My experience working as a marketing assistant and content creator for a Korean beauty start-up introduced me to the innovation and aesthetic appeal of Korean products. South Korea’s highly competitive beauty industry has resulted in innovation not just of product and ingredient, but in packaging design, branding and promotion- 'packaging is a huge part of visual marketing in Korea' (Yoon, 2020 [online]).

LEARNING GOALS

Technical

• Develop my illustration and graphics skill in both traditional and digital mediums
• Become competent in Adobe software including Illustrator, After Effects and InDesign • Develop skills in website design and coding (HTML & CSS)
• Incorporate animation into my designs for enhanced engagement
• Further refine photography and post-production practice

Research & Development

• Designing for sustainability and ethical Marketing
• Principles of successful Marketing and Branding
• Practice and theory of design, graphics and illustration
• Global design trends and innovation
• Develop an understanding of roles within industry and identify potential career pathways

Illustrated Breakdown of my Semester Modules for my Masters

Semester One

Semester One resulted in the production of app prototypes for both my Design Practice and Emerging Media modules, and it was insightful to learn about the design process behind successful applications. Introducing myself to Adobe XD has resulted in a new software skill, which with further practice will be useful to me in the future, particularly applied to website design.

Semester Two

During the second semester I will continue to set myself ambitious design projects that will cultivate and broaden my digital design skills, whilst developing the business acumen required to thrive in a marketing or similar role.

I will focus a project on a website to develop skills in coding and web design. I will also look at the use of digital media and social platforms as a means of marketing and promotion. I will continue to deepen my understanding of sustainability and how I can apply this knowledge to my work in the creative industries.

Moving forward, I am still at a beginner’s level of illustration, so I need to expand on these skills much more, and use different software such as Adobe Illustrator confidently. I also aim to incorporate photography into my upcoming projects and practice animation and graphic design.

Chosen Pathway

My chosen pathways for my MA are Marketing, Advertising and Branding strategy. Having spent some time in a marketing position, I realised my work ethic, interests and skill set lend themselves well to this role. At the time I felt I lacked the knowledge and experience to truly excel in such a position long-term, hence my return to post-graduate study. These pathways will enable me to tailor my skill set to the sector, and gain a critical understanding of what makes successful branding and marketing.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

I have begun working with a mentor from Winchester Creatives, an organisation aimed at supporting Hampshire-based creatives to break into the industry at this difficult time of the pandemic. Having discussed what I hope to gain from my experience as a mentee, my mentor will help me to overcome my confidence issues from a workplace perspective over the coming months, such as how to approach interviews with confidence and help with CV preparation skills. During my time as a mentee for the programme, I will also attend the networking sessions and guest speakers that will provide industry insight and advice.

The climate crisis is of immediate concern to me, so I strive to only align myself with brands I truly believe in, both in terms of appreciation of their product or service, but more importantly with their ethics and approach to sustainability and environmental issues. I enrolled on the university’s Carbon Literacy Training programme during Semester 1 to broaden my knowledge. I will continue to educate myself on the importance of understanding climate change, so that I can ensure that my work is a reflection of strong ethics.

PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT

At the beginning of my MA, it was an intention of mine to create a website from scratch and learn to code. However, with so much to learn and adjust to in the beginning of this course, from design theory to new software, I soon realised that creating my portfolio entirely myself wouldn't be possible in the given time.

Instead I aim to use a project in Semester Two or for my FMP as an opportunity to try web design and coding. I decided that as I have my Adobe Creative Suite account, now would be a good opportunity to use Adobe Portfolio.

I have kept my portfolio as minimal as possible in terms of layout, as my projects themselves are quite busy, with lots of colour and animated elements. I decided to let the work speak for itself by keeping the rest of my portfolio quite simple.

This was my first time using Adobe Portfolio, and I was still experiencing some issues with alignment of text and images up until the deadline, so I am not entirely happy with the final presentation of my portfolio, however I hope it at least presents my ideas and process clearly enough.

Other than my MA portfolio, in the coming year I will build a professional website and corresponding social media that showcases my design work as a whole, including photography, graphics, illustration and web design. A package of branding materials must also be established to produce a portfolio ready to be sent to potential employers and clients in the near future.

I will also look at rebranding and updating my existing photography website, in order to best showcase my work.

An animated illustration I created to use as part of my portfolio's aesthetic. I wanted to communicate my two passions of floristry and photography; and take the opportunity to practice digital drawing and simple animation.

Time-lapse video for illustration.

INFOGRAPHIC

When planning my infographic, I knew that I wanted to use illustration to create it. This would give me an opportunity to practice my digital drawing further, with the aim to incorporate some simple animation into the final outcome. I decided to make botanicals a core feature in my infographic as it reflects on my background as a florist and my passion for sustainability and the natural world. I have used the metaphor of a flower blooming to represent my growth as a person throughout my MA. Floral motifs are apparent in much of my photography work and it is a staple way of people identifying something that is distinctly “Emma” in style- as my friends would say!

The first idea I had was to create a desk scene, containing all the items that I would be using throughout my studies - my laptop and software, camera, books, sketchbook and art materials, and iPad.

The second idea I had was to create an illustration of myself, with large stylised flowers that could be animated to add movement. Inside each flower would be a reference to a core skill I aim to work with in my studies.

I decided to pursue the latter, as it offered a more challenging drawing to experiment with and more potential for animation. I also felt it represents me and my own style in the best way.

My first Infographic draft worked with the Desk idea and I used a colour palette inspired by my semester 1 projects.

Infographic Initial Idea 1 - Desk Scene

Infographic Initial Idea 2 - Girl with flowers

ILLUSTRATION & PHOTOSHOP

I created my infographic by layering individually drawn elements into Photoshop.

Gif of 5 year plan stages

FROM BUD TO BLOOM

My 5 year plan is represented by the 5 stages of a flower blooming.

While I have a few different ideas for the future, and with there being increased uncertainty at the moment, I created a five year plan that allows me to get the optimum amount of industry experience.

Entering into a marketing or similar role with a company that I respect, most likely at a Junior level, allows me the opportunity to continue to grow my skills and be immersed in that environment. I appreciate that when I start searching for positions, I would benefit from being at a junior level where I have senior staff to mentor and guide me in the early stages while I find my feet. A role that has career progression to be able to move up within the company and find longevity with a particular brand is the ideal scenario.

Dependent on the employment I am in, I can continue to produce work on a freelance basis and build my portfolio and network. Self-employment opportunities may incorporate my photography, illustration and web design, as well as practical skills including my floristry and styling.

FINISHED INFOGRAPHIC

I added some animated elements to my infographic. It wasn't as successful as I hoped, as my beginner level of illustration meant I hadn't taken into account the animation process, so it would be too far too time consuming to have made the necessary changes to the illustration files for them to be easily animated. I would like to have had some extra frames of animation to create more of a flow to the movement, and animate more elements, for example adding some motion to my character.

DIGITAL MEDIA PRINCIPLES

REFERENCES

Dooley, R. (2015) Print vs. Digital: Another Emotional Win for Paper. Blog post. Available at: https://www. neurosciencemarketing.com/blog/articles/print-vs-digital.html [Accessed on: 30th December 2020]

La Ferla, R. (2013) The Fantasy, Then the Fashion. Tim Walker blog post (for The New York Times). Available at: https://www.timwalkerphotography.com/articles/the-fantasy-then-the-fashion [Accessed on: 30th December 2020]

NN Group (2020) Storytelling to Present UX Work. Online article. Available at: https://www.nngroup.com/ courses/storytelling-ux/ [Accessed on: 30th December 2020]

Oppong, T. (2018) Wabi-Sabi: The Japanese Philosophy For a Perfectly Imperfect Life. Online Article. Available at: https://medium.com/personal-growth/wabi-sabi-the-japanese-philosophy-for-a-perfectly-imperfect-life-11563e833dc0 [Accessed on: 30th December 2020]

UX Planet (2019) 3 Ultimate Reasons to Use Illustrations. Online article. Available at: https://uxplanet. org/3-ultimate-reasons-to-use-illustrations-a30f9982f883 [Accessed on: 30th December 2020]

Fireart Studio (2020) 6 Ways Illustration Improves UX. Fireart Studio online article. Available at: https://fireart.studio/blog/6-ways-illustration-improves-ux/ [Accessed on 30th December 2020]

Yoon, A. (2020) K-Beauty Is Increasing Its Foothold in the U.S. Online Interview. Available at: https://www.beautypackaging.com/contents/view_online-exclusives/2020-07-09/k-beauty-is-increasing-its-foothold-in-the-us/ [Accessed on 30th December 2020]

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Carbon Literacy Project: https://carbonliteracy.com

Winchester Creatives: https://www.winchestercreatives.co.uk