To Do List

• Over the first year I experimented with lots of different processes and discovered the ones which worked well for me and which ones I did not enjoy. After attending the sessions about grid and layout I have found that I really enjoy editorial design. I would like to expand on my editorial skills but specifically my binding skills. Having spent two days in a studio helping out with the making of 500 brochures I have been introduced to a new way of binding and the machinery used in the industry and feel that I could become very skilled at it.

• I am particularly looking forward to learning the fundamentals of web design and how to build a successful online presence. Having spent the first year experimenting with digital design, which is something I was not able to do on my previous course, I have discovered that I much prefer to produce digital designs rather than hand rendered. 

• Over the second year I want to further my skills on the software I have been introduced to as well as some other programmes such as fontographer. I think that I could become quite interested in building fonts and typefaces. 

•  I would like to improve on my photography skills as I have very basic knowledge of cameras and lighting. As I like editorial design I think that photography could become a hobby of mine alongside design. In order to do this I will have to attend workshops and help myself to learn about the process and how to apply it to my designs. 

Presentation Notes

Presentation notes:

London Underground

·      Always been interested in it

·      Tube map is my favourite piece of design

History

·      Recently celebrated 150 years in service

·      First line was built in 1863 – The Metropolitan line which ran from Paddington to Farrington

Second World War

·      Used as air-raid shelters in the Second World War

·      Children slept in hammocks between the lines

Cut and cover method

·      Streets were dug up

·      Tracks were laid

·      Tunnel built around it

·      Road replaced

·      Very few of these tunnels have needed extensive re-building

The First tube map

·      Designed in 1908 by the UERL (Underground electric railways company of London) and four other companies who had lines within the underground

·      People found it very confusing and hard to read

Harry Beck

·      A young engineer who identified the problems with the tube map and, in his spare time he drew out his own version of the map

·      His interpretation was well ahead of its time

·      He straightened out the lines and experimented with diagonals to keep it simple and easy to navigate

Harry’s tube map

·      Very important piece of design and became a template for other tube maps globally

The most recent map

·      Beck was not always the lead designer, over the years there have been many different people who have added their own ideas to the map

·      Though this has happened, Beck’s design is still very prominent today

Typeface

·      Designed by Edward Johnston, typeface was called Johnston

·      He had some assistance from his student Eric Gill who later developed some of the ideas and created Gill Sans

·      Edward only drew one weight for his font and felt very strongly about having only one

·      When one of his other students agreed to produce Bold Capitals Edward did not speak to him for several decades

·      In 1979 the London transport contacted Banks and Miles design agency to revise and revive the typeface

·      They re-drew the proportions for better display and created 2 new weights but also italics for the full set

Target audience

·      Commuters in London

·      Tourists – Language barriers

·      These barriers were tested further during the 2012 Olympic games where 60 million journeys were made on the underground

·      It has been reported that the tube map performed very well during the games, with very few problems

Presentation