Week 3

Knowledge Gained

I suppose my biggest take away this week from learning about the design elements and principles has been that successful design is somewhat formulaic, that there is a design justification for why the eye is pleased (or not). I think the expression that Billy Blue has adopted – learn the rules so you can break them – will become a guiding force for me during my studies. Hopefully I can apply design principles as trusty formulas while also seeking ways to break free from them.

Challenges

Some conceptual challenges I had this week were understanding value versus colour, understanding shape versus form, and understanding how to distinguish between line and shape in ambiguous contexts.

Some practical challenges I experienced – applying pigment liner to paper using a cross hatching technique and subsequently making a drawing too dark and imbalanced in one section, and learning how to correctly reference obscure images from the internet.

Successes & Strengths

As my study load ramps up this week, I can acknowledge that I have identified that. I feel as if it’s crunch time, that it’s time to come into focus. I’m wrapping my head around MyLearn, around how to progress through modules, I’ve set up my study space, I am settling into my study skin.

I am confident in my ability to apply myself once getting over the hump of ‘early days confusion’ and discombobulation. I am confident in my maturity and my ability to take my studies seriously.

I applied my knowledge successfully this week in an assessment in which I incorporated my tutor’s feedback into the newest iteration of a line drawing.

Application

In this module, I’ve learned how to identify my weak spots, how to set goals that counteract them, and how to apply strategies to reinforce my academic resilience. This will be fundamental to me succeeding in any future project to come up in my studies (and beyond).

Areas for Improvement

Time management is my biggest challenge. I might walk my dog, make brekkie, clean the house, run a myriad of errands, and then finally sit down at my study desk to discover it is already 2pm. My mentality has shifted this week in acknowledging my study load, and I hope this inspires better time management.

Goals

1. Re-check and tweak my study schedule - is it working for me? Am I sticking to it (current answer is no), is it realistic? Have I integrated enough breaks? 

2. Wake up earlier and get my obligatory dog walk in first thing in the morning - I have never been a morning person but the crack of dawn has now become the optimum time in my day for a dog walk.