Embarking on a Digital Design Adventure at Central Saint Martins

Jumping into a Digital Graphic Design course at Central Saint Martins, I was eager to get to know Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and In-Design. As someone with a keen interest in art and graphic design, this course stood out as the perfect blend of both my passion for design and a desire to up-skill.

Week One: Tackling Illustrator and the First Logo Design

The first week was all about getting familiar with Adobe Illustrator. We kicked off with a seemingly straightforward yet really quite challenging task: digitising some well-known social media icons. It was a practical introduction to using the Pen Tool and the nuances of file sizes and formats. I’ve renamed it the Pen Punishment Tool. Straight lines and angles? Mastered! Curves? Still trying to tame this curve-making curse. Challenge one DONE!

But the main event of the week was our logo design assignment. We had the freedom to choose between a bar, restaurant, shop, or product. So, inspired by Manchester’s indie music scene from the 80s and 90s, I decided to create a logo for a fictional bar, “Buzzin’ Bee”. The concept I opted for was to fuse the city’s iconic Worker Bee symbol with elements of its musical heritage.

Sketching my initial ideas, I aimed to combine a 12-inch vinyl record with a stylised Manchester Bee, creating a unique emblem for the bar. The design process in Illustrator was a blend of creativity and newly acquired technical know-how (I wouldn’t deem it a skill at this stage). Using my new best friend the Pen Tool for precision and exploring different selection and manipulation methods, I slowly saw my idea take shape. However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Balancing aesthetic appeal with functional design principles required several attempts and lots of troubleshooting. Concentric circles … I’m cursed!

It’s fascinating to look back on how my idea evolved from a rough concept into a polished digital logo. My submission didn’t really resemble a 12″ vinyl and the feedback I received was to get the proportions correct for the label size, and curve the text around the label.

Reflecting back on the challenges I encountered in Illustrator, I realised how much I had learned about the software and the thought process behind effective logo design.

Week Two: Mastering Photoshop and Crafting the BUZZIN’BEE Poster

Week two at Central Saint Martins brought us into the world of Adobe Photoshop. The week’s challenge was to cut out part of an image – a skill fundamental to graphic design. We were provided an image to work with, and the task was to isolate a bottle in Photoshop and then integrate it into a design in Illustrator. This exercise was a real eye-opener to the power of Photoshop.

We also focused on understanding colour management, specifically the differences between CMYK and RGB colour models. This knowledge is crucial when working for print or digital design. Manipulating the image to fit these colour profiles was both challenging and enlightening. We also delved into inspecting image sizes and colour profiles, skills essential for ensuring high-quality outputs.

For my main project, I continued with the Buzzin’ Bee theme, now tasked with creating a poster that incorporated the logo designed in week one. I wanted the poster to embody the essence of the bar – a haven for lovers of indie music and a nod to Manchester’s cultural heritage. The design centered around a large pint pot, symbolic of the bar’s offerings, set above a graphic equaliser, reminiscent of classic music systems. The equaliser was not just a design element but a metaphor for the diverse range of sounds punters could experience at Buzzin’ Bee.

“Feel the buzz, Hear the beats, Taste the beer” – this simple yet evocative tagline was the cornerstone of the poster. I wanted something that would encapsulate and communicate the atmosphere experience: the excitement of the music (the buzz), the rhythm of indie tracks (the beats), and the relaxing ambiance of enjoying a drink with friends (the beer). Keeping the design minimal yet striking, I focused on bold colours and clear lines, resonating with the flat design style of the logo.

Integrating the poster elements in Illustrator after manipulating them in Photoshop was a lesson in workflow. It highlighted the importance of understanding how different tools can complement each other in the design process. Uploading the final poster PDF along with the initial sketches was rewarding – finally seeing the culmination of my learning thus far.

Reflecting on the challenges, I realised that the biggest learning curve was again the Pen Tool for creating a path around the bottle. The whole process required not just technical know-how but also a creative vision to ensure the elements worked together harmoniously.

Week Three: Mastering InDesign and Brochure Design

Week three was a deep dive into mastering InDesign, where I learned to set up documents effectively, utilise style sheets, parents (for footers) and manage pages with a degree of proficiency. The challenge of creating a four-page brochure was a highlight, pushing me to consider not just the technical aspect but to apply the learning on layout. It took quite a while for me to think about the brochure, how I wanted it to appear, what purpose it would serve, the information it would carry and how I would present it while merging my logo and poster style as well as bringing in other elements and themes I wanted to convey to create a cohesive and visually appealing product. The process of sketching ideas before execution allowed me to structure my approach. I read up on the Principles of Graphic Design, and watched may tutorials on YouTube. I struggled a bit with using mock-ups in Adobe Stock so I wan’t very pleased with the final mock ups I used, as they came from pretty cheap sites and didn’t convey the size or feel I wanted.

Week Four: The Final Stretch and Preparing for ‘Real-World’ Application

Week four brought the culmination of my efforts in front of the class. Kasia when through everyone’s brochure design providing valuable feedback and insights. This week was not just about reflection but also about looking forward, as I delved into advanced techniques in both InDesign and Illustrator. The knowledge gained in preparing artwork and fonts, along with creating print-ready PDFs, was particularly enlightening. It equipped me with essential skills necessary for real-world applications, bridging the gap between concept and production. The ability to package design files for print readiness is crucial, and mastering this aspect has prepared me to deliver high-quality finished products in my future endeavours.

I’ve been absorbing as much as I can from Kasia Rust and Graham Burt. Their experience and insights have been truly inspirational and I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from such accomplished professionals. Their feedback and focus on practical skills have already made such a significant impact on my learning experience.