Becoming “Graphically Pink”

30th Apr 201914th May 2019Leave a comment

I have been working on my wordpress blog for about a month now!.. I felt a bit of an idiot because I didn’t actually realise there was a very helpful template already made up to help me create this! – still! I have persevered! After spending at least a week trying to figure out how to create sub headings I have come out the other side! I want my blog to reflect me to the best of its ability but still look professional! (I’ve just realised I’ve insulted myself there!) I want it to become not only a blog to document my work and research but for it to be like a diary of my thoughts, ideas, procrastinations, events, tutorials I watch, books I read, people I meet! I really want to let people inside my world!

In the first days of starting the course I did some rough sketches for assignment one and literally sat for hours trying to think of a decent name to call my blog. “Amy’s OCA Blog” just wasn’t cutting it for me. I asked friends in group chats; their reply was “anything pink.. LA… banana leaves…” (my house is decorated like the Beverly Hills Hotel with banana leaves FYI) but I just couldn’t think of a name to relate Graphic Design and my love of pink and everything girly, kitsch, quirky and glam inbetween! My dad was round my house ripping my bathroom apart and he shouted out “I don’t know!…Graphically Pink?” however that might be fairly good?.. ties in Graphics with the pink and it portrays a sense of honesty; what I am striving for. One of my key values. So I instantly drew the name out in my learning log sketchbook and played around with the type, colours etc… just to see if it might work. For quickness I took a photo of the sketch and uploaded it to the title of my blog, I knew I would have to replace this with time to a more professional version.

This is where I have now been playing further with the logo design.. I have started with this rough sketch and attempted to further develop it. I want a logo that portrays femininity; delicate, soft, loving and warm in feeling. Pink is the perfect colour for this. I knew I wanted to use a feminine font. I am a big fan of hand lettering and for most of my artwork I use my own hand drawn lettering. I figured that I could draw a rough version out and then clean it up in Photoshop and image trace around it in Illustrator. Using a light box, my papermate flair pen and lots of tracing paper I drew out various versions of my logo until I reached one I was fairly happy with – I’m a perfectionist… I could keep going and going and still not find the “perfect” outcome! – but this I could see would look alright on the title banner of my blog page. It is not a decision to be taken lightly because a logo and first impressions are lasting. Once you put an image out there to the world you cannot reclaim it back or change it. The logo however I feel represents me, my brand and key morals and values to a degree. The hand drawn lettering is my own, the pink represents my brand and me and the heart and slight vulnerability of it shows my softer, honest, caring side.

This is what I have so far! – I have to now import the image into Adobe and make the logo a digital version!

The Heart…

26th Apr 20193rd May 2019Leave a comment

The heart… It is the core of our soul… It beats, it feels, it breaks a million times over but it is RESILIENT.

Resilience… I would say it is one of my greatest traits and its made me think.. Assignment one is based upon our likes/interests and who we are from first impressions… I can’t help but feel how superficial that seems though? I have had several people over the last few weeks telling me that who they imagine me to be (my aesthetics/my “branding”) is not what they expected at all… that in fact I run quite deep. What if I could base some of my ideas then about who I am underneath?

It takes courage to open up… to be your truest, most authentic self. Most of us probably take this for granted. Self love is overlooked. I would say my most attractive feature is my heart. It beats… it keeps me alive but most importantly it “feels”. It shatters into millions of pieces time and time over but it is resilient. I am resilient.

I am a deep thinker.. I always have been.. I overthink everything, I always ask myself why to each situation I face; everything to me has a reason and a meaning. My moods come in waves -I write down emotions I feel, thoughts, ideas… Below you will see a spread from my learning blog. I have brainstormed ideas around “the heart” I have played with my emotions, toyed with my feelings and asked myself how I can convey a message of who my soul actually is without needing to over expose raw feelings or use words. I have based some of this research around previous experiences, current moods and feelings and past events that has evoked reactions.

Introducing Amy

7th Apr 20192nd May 2019Leave a comment

Assignment one – Introducing yourself.

As I write this I already feel like I am way behind on my work already! As I said in one of my earlier blog posts I have the fear very much of failing or bad things happening! Anxiety very much creeps in! I have been struggling with time lately.. I have been reading, watching tutorials, making notes, sketching, brainstorming, getting inspired! juggling 2 jobs, trying to stay visible to the outside world and maintaining a social life!.. Almost 3 weeks in I think it’s time to put myself out there and show what I have been working on so far! – I have to admit getting to grips with wordpress and how I want to lay my blog out has taken a massive chunk of the limited time I have had! What I can say though is that what I have done so far I have really enjoyed! At home I have created my own little sanctuary to escape and create and so far I have some great ideas (I think!) that I can’t wait to develop! It’s Easter holidays for me now and 2 weeks to dedicate solely on my first assignment!

Trying to take people through your mindset and thoughts can be exhausting and sometimes it is difficult to communicate a thought process to someone who is completely unfamiliar with who you are and what you are all about! .. therefore I have included sketches from my learning log sketchbook! I have to say when I started I was totally confused as to what I should put in here but now I absolutely love this book already! 🙂

The first pages of this which I shall show you first basically explore around the ideas of who I am; my core values, morals and beliefs and then explore more into who I am in appearance and who I am in relation to my likes/dislikes/favourite places etc. As I wrote and sketched these thoughts I thought to myself “How do people see you and how would you like strangers to see you?” I have played very much on my nickname and the first things people think and see when they look at me. Barbie, blonde and pink. I do not want it however to look materialistic and narcissistic and purely based on aesthetics. I have toyed around the Barbie idea, the fact that it is “girl empowered” and she can be “whoever she wants to be” . I have explored colours, the meaning behind certain colours. I have taken pink as a colour and developed into further ideas for my blog name and any potential text that I might want to appear on my postcards. I have explored around the idea of a “series” of postcards, repetition and continuation. Type is another big influence I want to put on my postcards; I have studied tutorials and already started to form ideas around what I might want to create in my designs.

LA is one of my favourite places in the world, I want to include this somewhere in one of the postcards. I have attempted to scribble down initial ideas and played with words and names.

I wanted my first pages of my learning log sketchbook to be engaging; not only to me but also to anyone who wishes to look through it and get a better understanding into my mindset. I have included things I have collected which inspire me and give me ideas. I have looked into Ideograms and certain designers who used this into their own branding.

After completing the first few pages of my first initial ideas and thoughts I now have an idea where I want to head for my designs and postcards. I now plan on starting some sketchbook pages and developing these ideas further!

London Baby!

7th Apr 2019Leave a comment

So yesterday I went to the big city with my friend Fran. Fran studies Textiles fine art at university and when she realised that I am now studying too she asked if I wanted to go along and see a few exhibitions with her. Of course I jumped at the opportunity!

I think the last time I went to London must have been at least 6 years ago- and lets be honest it wasn’t particularly to soak in the cultural side of London! (Retail therapy!)

Going to London always makes me feel a bit like the country mouse from “Town mouse and country mouse” a book my mum used to read to me when I was younger! The country mouse was basically overwhelmed and clueless on busy “town” life! I think this is sadly how I have become from living in the countryside far too long! London is amazing!- There is so much to see, so many cultures, so much inspiration and influence.. so much atmosphere! everywhere you look there are new things to take in! The way that no person dresses the same and the women are not afraid to be who they are and be unique! That is one thing that is lost in the countryside!- everyone seems to be like sheep around here! lack of individuality! I came home completely walked out, tired, buzzing and inspired!

Our day started off first at White cube in Bermondsey. Fran wanted to see an exhibition by Tracey Emin. Fran told me that I would possibly walk around the whole exhibition and wonder what on earth was happening as I was warned her art is pretty explicit, scribbly and mostly in Frans words “of her legs wide open” whilst I did spend most of the time repeating to her “well… it’s definitely different!” there was aspects I did like.. the fact that she showed no fear in her work. Her work was drawn from pain but she used it to communicate in a way which showed no fear. It was explicit, raw and she definitely had her own personal style which was consistent throughout the whole exhibition!

The second stop was again another exhibition that Fran wanted to go to. The glassblowing museum in Bermondsey.. although this exhibition did not really relate or help me much – I did like looking at the skill and all the pretty colours used. There was a collection of glass bottles too which were inspiring; a designer had moulded glass bottles around plastic bottles and filled them with all the rubbish found in our seas to highlight pollution, climate change and littering our seas with rubbish!

Third stop was an exhibition I wanted to go to! The Fashion and Textiles museum in Bermondsey. Although I am obviously studying Graphic Design I have always had a LOVE for sixties fashion! The colours, the styles, the way at the time the youth rebelled against the old and welcomed new change in! the music, the girl models at the time who made the scene relevant and hip and the general atmosphere! The exhibition was great! – It centered around the fashion of Mary Quant and the interior styles of Terence Conran. I found a lot of Graphic Design influence here from posters used at the time, packaging for Mary Quants makeup range, brochures and catalogues used, sketches used in layouts for fashion magazines… there was a lot to photograph that I could use as inspiration for future projects or assignments!

Alongside this museum was a small exhibition called “will you be my valentine” by Natalie Gibson. A textiles and print designer who started her work in the 1960s. I am unsure as to why I was drawn to her work so much but I really was! I loved the colours, the style of her illustrations, the type she used and how it seemed so quirky and kitsch! One drawing of hers really inspired me to look at and gave me some ideas for my assignment one!

Bermondsey was a lovely little place, charming! very quaint and filled with wonderful little places. We found a few Banksy graffiti’s here too which was amazing as I have never come across one before but always been a great fan of his work. After trying to figure out if the “It doesn’t seem so tall” and “there can’t be another shard looking building like that” building in front of us was actually the Shard.. (yes! we really are country bumpkins!) we decided to head on to the V&A to check out the Mary Quant exhibition there. Sadly for me (who really wanted to go!) the exhibition was sold out on it’s first day of viewing.

We decided to end the day at Camden. I have obviously been to London many times in the past but never been to Camden Town. I am so pleased we went! The only way I could describe it is like going to several places all at the same time!- although we was in England and it was still in London, to me it very much felt like we was abroad in a foreign country! One minute it felt like I was in Spain (I bought a fake Louis Vuitton handbag which tbh I only usually do there!) next it felt like I was in Turkey, There was African stalls with African inspired jewellery and when you walked down the street to the shops which had the animated fronts it felt like I was walking in Vegas!

So much culture, different styles, the hustle and bustle, the atmosphere, so many different unique types of people. I was overwhelmed by how much there was to take in. Soaking in and photographing all the inspiration around me.

You can’t grow in a comfort zone…

29th Mar 20197th Apr 2019Leave a comment

When I received my place of enrolment last Wednesday; as amazing as it felt I almost felt suffocated by anxiety. I had to give myself a pep talk and remind myself that I can do this! I was very much in a comfort zone – this is all about pushing myself! I have since read through absolutely everything, watched tutorials, sketched out some ideas… I feel like a LOT has changed from the last time I studied.. knowing how many sketchbooks to have, what to put in each one!.. I do however have my own sketchbook similar to what is expected from my learning log so for that I was thankful. Time is also a massive factor to me, it’s been a week and I already feel like I should have achieved so much more than what I have! Maybe though I am just too hard on myself!

The first thing I wanted to concentrate on is my learning log sketchbook and getting this blog up and running! As I said, I have one similar that I use for myself on a daily basis. It is just a plain, boring book but I love the fact I can remember what I was doing and thinking in my life on every page of it. A visual diary. I have done the same for this learning log; purchased a standard book which I have started to sketch and write my ideas in. As well as visually I like to brainstorm.. I work well with lists and bullet points, random words written on a page. This helps me to remember crucial things or document random ideas that spring to mind! I watched a documentary on Netflix with Paula Scher (Graphic Designer) and she said she gets all her ideas travelling in the taxi.. I am similar – in the car, at work, whenever I find moments to zone out.

I think what I am trying to say from this post is that it is ok to feel scared… scared comes from a place of growth. Everything you want is on the other side of fear.

A xo comfort zones

Re-educating Amy

27th Mar 201925th Apr 2019Leave a comment

It’s never too late to start all over again… I have new ideas this time.
Amy Holmes – March 2019

All this is a little bit alien to me…

As I sit Struggling to navigate my way around WordPress and realising that a lot has changed in the last 11 years since I had my last degree experience! Yep! – This post entitled Educating Amy means entirely that! At 32 years old! well… 31 years young and 8 months to be precise (lets be honest though after that “half year birthday prosecco” voucher from Prezzos hits your mailbox in January.. you’re practically 32!) I have decided to re-educate myself and start my degree journey again.. this time with a new attitude and new ideas!

My blog is all about honesty.. no matter how explicit or awkward. I am not ashamed to say I made a royal mess of my twenties. Why you ask? – I have drawn ever since I could pick up a pencil. My primary school teachers used to tell me I would be an Illustrator for children’s books. I went on to study Graphic Design at GCSE level and excelled in it. I carried this on into my BTEC in Graphics Design at college and again, showed much promise for the future. After a gap year I returned to study at degree level. This is where my design journey ended (for the time being!)

My early twenties sparked a deep depression; I never felt like I fitted in (I still don’t actually!) I never felt “enough” I simply put.. felt lost. I became disheartened. I left uni and several jobs later and one toxic relationship that lasted for 10 years and almost cost me everything… here I am! Stronger, resilient and with more motivation and drive than I have ever had my entire life. It is not easy… I have so many ideas and thoughts that cross my mind, so much I want to achieve. So much I want to create and make!

Time sometimes is a curse – I work full time in a secondary school; my job role? Working within Graphics and Textiles and I basically cover most things! – technician! Teaching Assistant! reprographics! I also have a double life.. I work in retail in the evenings. I have a lot on my plate to juggle! The most common question asked me.. “How do you do it?” my answer – “because I HAVE to.” Up until this point in my life I have hidden behind, supressed and denied my creative ability; reserving it only for people close to me to see. People I meet tell me “I’m wasting my talent” although I have always deemed myself “out of touch” and the “it’s too late for me now” attitude…. I became suffocated by a comfort zone.

The last decade has given me a lot of life lessons – I believe everything happens for a reason, everything has a thought, idea or a meaning behind it otherwise what is the point? I would like to think I think and do the things I do for a reason… The reason I love being creative is for a reason…. my talent happened for a reason… and here and now happened the way it did to get me to this crucial reasoning. Deep isn’t it! – I know! Deep provokes thoughts, ideas and emotions! I have a feeling you will be seeing more of that! 😀

Thank you for viewing my blog and over the next few weeks I hope to upload ramblings, ideas, designs and general insights into my world and this whole new weird, alien but cool chapter of my life whilst obviously.. remaining very much “candidly Amy” .

A xo