40 years of design culture...

2020 has undoubtedly been the most memorable year in a long while ...and as a design student its crucial to know about design history , culture & society - but where to start ? 

Creative Review have pulled together the most important (in its view..) of the last 40 years including MTV, the "like a girl" campaign and Fleabag. See what you would have added in or left out . Twin Peaks would be out for me - several hours of my life I won't get back. And if you haven't seen Fleabag, do. 

https://www.creativereview.co.uk/40-creative-moments-that-changed-culture/

Picmonkey

If you are missing Photoshop , try PicMonkey - which works well on phones as well as PCs etc. It uses a lot of the same features as Photoshop such as layers, dodge, burn etc. Worth a go.

https://www.picmonkey.com/home/signup

Climate Hope

https://bowseat.org/gallery/more-plastic-than-fish/

Congratulations to Emily Schofield - a student currently on our foundation course who studied Graphics & Fine art A'levels last year. 

She has recently been informed that she is a winner of the International Bowseat contest with her piece "more plastic than fish" which she created as part of her Graphic Unit  2. 

The global Ocean Awareness Contest is a platform for young people to learn about ocean issues through art-making and creative communication, and where teens can explore their relationship to a changing world and become advocates for environmental action. Students ages 11-18 from are invited to participate.

Have a look at this years Contest Overview: 

2020 Theme | Climate Hope: Transforming Crisis

Your voices, visions, and stories of hope are needed to help transform the world.

The 2020 Ocean Awareness Contest is a call for young artists, conservationists, makers, thinkers, and activists who are concerned about the future of our blue planet. Join thousands of youth around the world in our annual program that raises awareness about the climate crisis and potential solutions, uplifts youth voices for ocean conservation, and inspires hope and action through art, creative media, and storytelling.

Download Contest information packet >

CELEBRATE ...!

What if.....

Results are almost here again . But what if ...

• I get the grades !! - Whooppee, celebrate !!  or.......
• I just miss out on the Grades for my Art Uni choice ? 

Firstly, check your UCAS account & its status. Many Unis won't update their offers until the friday (which is an awful wait I know...but breathe..) . If the offer has been withdrawn as you didn't meet the grade, ring the admissions team to check & talk to them. They may offer you a place on a parallel course, or they may ask you back for a further interview. 

IF you really can't get to your first choice, check your insurance choice. It could turn out to be the best thing..after all you liked the course enough to choose it as the insurance.  

Check clearing (check even before the results are out as lists are published already). Be open minded and ring the Unis to speak to them about the course content. Email your course tutors for advice. 

Please remember that there are no Art "re-marks" for A'level . 

• What if......I get the grades but change my mind ...? 

Ask why you've changed your mind ...

Are you just nervous (that's normal ). Breathe and talk to your parents / friends / other people who have been through the same journey. 

Have you been working and earning money over summer & you feel this is the way to go ? If you are serious about this, maybe you can "defer" your course for a year to give you breathing space ? Ring the Uni & ask their advice.

• What if I didn't apply to Uni & I really now want to go ? 

Firstly, move fast ! Check the Uni course & decide which ones will be suitable . Ring them & find out what their admissions policy is . You will need to go through clearing but you could always apply as a late admission to a Foundation course and then go to Uni next year. 

Prep a portfolio (if its an Art course) & check your Personal Statement. Ask the Uni if you can come & show them your work...be cheeky !

Colour Thesaurus

By popular demand , here is a colour thesaurus - please see the original version on the link below - thanks to Ingrid Sundberg for this. 

http://ingridsundberg.com/2014/02/04/the-color-thesaurus/

Happy new year ! Feeling the January blues ? Watch this film to remember that spring is just around the corner !

CONGRATULATIONS !

Congratulations to all art students and especially Graphics students on a set of wonderful A'level and AS level results. So many of you will have achieved the results to gain your Uni places & will be prepping now for September. If you didn't gain the A2 grades you needed & it would help to have some advice, staff are in college to help -OR email me & we can talk your options through.There are many opportunities via clearing so don't give up !

Here are the exam grade boundaries that I have taken from the Eduqas website. It's very frustrating if you were only a few marks off the next grade but please remember that there are no resits / re-marks in the Art subjects.

Best of luck if you are off to Uni - can all A2 students please remember to collect sketchbooks by emailing Dan Riley on dpr@asfc.ac.uk AFTER the start of Sept. Best of luck too if you are looking for an apprenticeship - let us know if we can help. AS students - hope your summer work is coming along well - see you in Sept !

Create your own typeface !

A quick & creative way to create your own design of font - from digital or hand rendered method - register free at the website below & download the template - digitally or print a hard copy.

Add your own character in your font to each box & upload - then "build" your font & upload for use on photoshop, Word etc.


https://www.calligraphr.com/

Students in A2 have been feeling retro this week with Josh & Alex producing a series of film posters , looking back at Saul Bass & Pulp Fiction Book cover designs.  These are part of their development work towards their exam Unit.

The Art Department staff in their splendour for World Book Day

(The Mad Hatter, Lewis Carol, THe Cheshire Cat#1, The Cheshire Cat #2, The Red Queen & The White Rabbit.

The Sketched world

"Even in this highly digitized world, the stereotype of an artist always carrying a sketchbook around is still very much alive. And then there are creatives who take the doodles in their journal to the next level, making their sketchbooks into handheld art exhibitions.

Most of the creative types would tell you that their journals are way more personal that the finished result one sees in the exhibitions. See, a sketchbook for an artist is like a visual diary of sorts, where they get to freely express themselves. Or simply document the things that inspire them throughout the day.
If you get to take a look at such a sketchbook, it can be like taking an afternoon trip to an art gallery and soaking in all that the art has to offer – creativity, roughness, inspiration and raw feeling – all within the parameters of a small journal. Take a look at some of the most impressive examples of an artist’s sketchbook in the link below."

https://www.demilked.com/artist-sketchboooks-mini-art-galleries/

Congratulations !

Congratulations to Michelle Lyons & Amy Winson who won a prestigious Graphic Design competition last week.

The competition was to redesign the logo & branding for the International Opticians' Association Michelle  won with her eye / globe design and Amy Winson was runner up with her quatrefoil design.

Both girls won a cash prize as well as a logo design book and are going on to study a Graphic Design degree at University.
Elaine from the organisation presented them with their prizes at college on Friday.

Huddersfield Uni Visit

It was great to see Huddersfield Uni tutors from the Art dept today - John from the Graphic Design dept talked to students about the 3 degree courses in Graphic Design, Graphics & Animation ; & Animation design . John talked about graduates , portfolios, placements & opportunities.

Inspiring stuff ! And we got an invite to workshops & taster days at Huddersfield .

Here is a link to the book that John recommended that you all read.

Recommended Book

Google-doodles

Jack Beech in A2 Graphics has produced 2 mini-animations as i-dents for Google as part of his A2 work on minimalism & logo design - have a look here , great work ! 

Results news

Congratulations on all the results in art - & in graphics this year . Good Luck to all students who are off to pastures new at University & those who have already begun work or an apprencticeship . If you are still looking , check out clearing at Unis & keep an eye out on out twitter as we always try to post opportunities that are useful.

Special mentions to A2s Callan, Jessica & Josh (amongst other successes) with A*s & As & -
to AS students Simon, Abu-Bakr, Mo, Sam, Amy & Leah for A grades.

The AS results were a little surprising as the Grade Boundaries have been moved by Eduqas & other exam boards . We had been given grade boundaries of :
A 80 B 70 C 60 D 50 E 40
The 2016 grade boundaries have now been set at :
A 87 B 77 C 67 D 57 E 48

Staff will look at marks & grades fully with students in the new term - remember that no marks from AS go towards A'level so its a clean slate if you didn't do as well as you'd hoped.
Finally, please continue to have a good break & look at the work given to you over the holiday (don't leave it til last minute !!).
Please email us if you have queries - see you in September.

Don't panic !!!!

We're almost there ! Only 2 days until Results day - remember that you will need your college account password to log in to get your results. If you are heading into college for results, please take your student Id with you.

If you have a Uni query - please be aware that clearing doesn't usually get started until Friday 19th & most Unis are reviewing results themselves on 18th - so don't expect to be able to get a definitive answer about your Uni place. If you have any queries for an Art qualification ,please contact your subject teacher or Helen on hps@asfc.ac.uk. Staff will get back to you asap.

Good Luck - & don't panic !