There are 2 distinct branches of graphic design that I am most interested in perusing, general graphic design and UI/UX design. In order to appropriately convey my passion for these branches I have decided to merge them with the topic of animal conservation, an ambition that I have had brainstormed about for multiple years. This is a very convenient opportunity to indulge in both passions simultaneously and most importantly use them to push myself past my limits as a graphic designer.
Brief
For this project, I am going to create an energy drink brand with 12 limited edition flavours each featuring a critically endangered animal, this brief is heavily inspired by the 2018 Lacoste and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) campaign and is used to help put the conservation status of said animals into perspective for the average consumer. Each month, a new flavour will become available to the public for purchase, whilst the previous flavour gets pulled off of shelves.
The aim of the project is to raise awareness and directly confront consumers with the depleting numbers within highly vulnerable species, as well as to educate them to learn to appreciate less mainstream animals and their importance in the ecosystem. The project needs to be inconvenient to the consumer, it needs to be confrontational with its message and strict with its limitations, it needs to give the consumers a well-overdue reality check on the current state of our wildlife, and just how close we are to reaching a point of irreversible damage to the ecosystem.
In order to accomplish this feat and achieve my goal of improving my chosen career skills, I have compiled a list of necessary outcomes for this project.
The project outcome will include:
- A strong and justifiable brand identity and brand guidelines
- 12 Distinct 250ml can designs
- 12 Distinct 4-pack package designs
- Minimum 5 designs for merchandise (Shirts, hats, keychains, etc)
- Minimum 5 Social media ads for multiple platforms
- 1 high fidelity website prototype featuring a landing page, a product listing page (PLP), and a product description page (PDP)
I chose to do this project because it’s going to be a challenge that will yield very high reward if done successfully. I was always drawn to very bold, wild and aggressive designs most commonly featured on things such as energy drinks, esports logos/emblems, sports cars, etc. Allowing myself to freely work in my preferred style and medium will showcase me at my best. Merging branding with animal conservation will allow me to learn to use my skills as a hobbyist illustrator within a strict design context, which will give me a chance to demonstrate my personality through my work without undermining my ability as a graphic designer.
UI/UX design has always been very enticing to me and I want to remain competent in that branch as a backup, however as of right now it is also one of my biggest weaknesses as a graphic designer due to my lack of knowledge on motion graphics and prototyping. For these reasons I have added UI/UX outcomes for this brief, as this may be my last chance to seriously persue this career path.
Supporting research – Graphic + UI/UX design career pathway
When assessing designers, employers prioritise 13 qualities:
- Creativity – thinking outside the box and creating revolutionary designs within the confines of the client’s requirements.
- Problem solving – Being able to balance aesthetics and function. Clients come to designers with a problem that needs solving, it is up to the designers to figure out innovative ways to put their clients ahead of their competition without sacrificing function or beauty.
- Time management – It is vital for designers to be able to accurately visualise their deadlines and plan accordingly especially when working on multiple projects at a time. It requires good organisation and coordination.
- Adaptability – You are always guaranteed to face obstacles during your project, things out of your control such as new client demands and deadlines being moved. Employers look out for designers that have the ability to remain composed and work around any new hurdles in a time efficient manner without sacrificing quality. Goes heavily in hand with problem solving.
- Teamwork – You are very likely to be working in a team of designers, understanding your role in the team and contributing accordingly creates a harmony that ascends the project beyond it’s initial limitations.
- Communication – heavily intertwined with teamwork, it’s necessary to be able to explain your thought process and convey your ideas with surgical accuracy to your client and design team. Communication is also vital when unexpected circumstances come up, at which point it is always expected of you to update the client and your team of absolutely any changes to the project.
- Typography – Mixing letter shapes with cultural preconceived notions in humans in order to create the ideal chemical reaction in the consumer’s brain. It is a very overlooked talent that makes or breaks a project, and very sought after within the industry.
- Marketing – Good marketing can carry a designer very far, even if their design skills are underwhelming in comparison. It involves a lot of strategic thinking, analysing, and catering towards their target audience. In order to have good marketing skills, you need to be very confident in your product and it’s purpose, and most importantly you need to know exactly how to reach your desired consumer-base and place the product into their hands.
- Web design – A challenging but unique branch of graphic design merging art and technology. As technology develops and more brands are pushed towards online spaces, it is very helpful to be able to demonstrate your competence within multiple mediums of graphic design. Employers are looking for people who are able to provide their users with the most straight forward and efficient experience within online spaces whilst continuously luring them in with innovative designs.
- Traditional art – Graphic design is a very artistic career, and despite new technology urging designers to use digital media, employers are still drawn to designers who are capable of producing physical results. Knowledge of colour theory and composition are a must, as well as a wide portfolio of experimental drawings ranging from people to animals to scenery. Being skilled in traditional art includes being able to utilise multiple traditional art forms appropriately to achieve a desired result in your project, such as lino printing, producing cyanotypes, collaging, etc.
- Digital software – Digital media is the future and the present. The bare minimum requirements for a modern graphic designer is to be able to utilise a variety of digital software in order to illustrate, edit, render and organise their project. Whilst it is more forgiving and way more accessible than traditional media, it can get very technical and overwhelming.
- Social media – Advertising on social media has become the backbone of many brands’ marketing campaigns. It is very helpful to have the skill to adapt a singular design to multiple formats in order to make sure the range that the message spreads to is much broader. It is also partially intertwined with marketing because you need to consider the most effective way to reach very specific audiences.
This project needs to show that I have perfect understanding of what my chosen career path requires of me, and demonstrate each of these individual skills accordingly. In order to achieve this, I will always refer back to this list and use a variety of digital software and strategic design approaches, as well as carefully considering where and when it is appropriate to apply certain resources.
References:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/graphic-design-skills-for-resume