Week one (Mind map and Picture collage)

This week I was set a task in order to create a mind map of my 'identity and self', pretty easy you would think but getting into depth with your own personality/ physicality, genes, family history, likes dislikes, a symbol, a special object; wasn't so easy. The starting off point for me had to be to create bullet points of each topic so that I was able to go forward and expand from that. Once I had my starting point I was then able to start developing ideas and leaded from (Special object: Baby towel ---> Comfort ---> Security ---> Lock ---> Padlock.) The aim of my task was to start off with an item or a memory and then exhaust the word so that I ended up with an outcome completely different from the beginning- keeping in mind many abstract words as possible.

 I then had to choose 10 of the most abstract and unusual words from my mind map to research into books to gather images that represented the words; for example: (Caged---> a picture of scaffolding.) I then enlarged some of the images to create a picture collage. Doing the second bit of the task was quite tricky and intense as I had to think outside the box in order to gather images that I felt were appropriate to the words I had chosen.

I am quite pleased with the outcome of my mind map as it's very compact and there are hardly any gaps which relates to my memories and personality, however if I was to do it again I may have added some 'cartoon' pictures in order to represent a word; i.e. 'camera' I could have drawn a little camera in a cartoon style. Although I still feel the outcome of the mind map is successful as I have managed to complete the task. The outcome of the picture collage was successful as I felt that I chose good quality images as I gathered my resources from books. Being under pressure and under a time schedule meant that the images that I chose were under pressure; however this led to a positive outcome as the images all can tell a story on my picture collage.

My tutors gave me mixed feedback on my mind map; they told me that I had to remember to think outside the box and use abstract words where possible. The students in my class gave me positive feedback and said they liked how busy the page looked; the students in my class also gave examples of what they were doing to help further my understanding of the task. The feedback gathered from both staff and students helped me understand and develop my ideas for it to be successful as I believe it is. The staff said that maybe I should enlarge the image of the models and play around with acetate to see how it would look like, however this didn’t look as effective as I hoped therefore I decided that the original idea looked better. The tutors said how pictures and layouts look better when there are neat and not placed in a diagonal/ ‘wonky’ way; I took this feedback into consideration and placed my pictures in a neat and layered fashion. The students showed me different ways of laying out my images and I took several pictures of this to inspire me to choose a final layout. This helped me to come to a final decision which I am pleased of.

From the tasks that were set I have learnt how to organise my time better and not to think too deep into the tasks, I have learnt to go with the flow and see how it turns out. I have learnt more about myself whilst developing ideas on my mind map and I have learnt how to take criticism in a constructive manor in order to improve my ideas. I learnt how to organise my time when we were given specific timings when to do the mind map and the picture collage, I learnt that I need to be quicker when working in order to meet deadlines. This is needed in the future as I will need to meet deadlines when I’m in the fashion industry; as there are no second chances.

What I feel is successful about my image/ work is how busy the mind map page looks and how the colours on the page ‘black and white’ reflect how my ‘identity and self’ is. The successful part of my picture collage is the images that I have chosen, I worked with three black and white images on the top and coloured images on the bottom to show a variety of colour. I believe this worked well and highlighted some of the darker images by having colour close by. The aspects of my work that I could have improved could have been to add a bit more colour onto the mind map as it’s just simple and plain however given the time schedule I feel that it is appropriate how it stands. On the picture collage I could have added more relevant images to fill up the page a bit more; although I feel the ‘minimalistic’ style still works and can create a different meaning and highlight the images I have chosen more.

I found it challenging to work under pressure by keeping to the specific timing that we had, as I normally work slow; although I now have learnt that I should work faster as this will be needed in the future for work. At first thinking of a starting point was tricky for the mind map but as soon as I started I felt that I was on board, as I was able to think of very abstract words. The mind map was the easiest of the tasks as I completed the work on time.

In the future I will organise my time better by not taking so long to think of an idea, I will put my ideas down on paper and develop them as I go along in order not to waste time. I will be quicker with my work so that I can meet deadlines better which will help me not only in my education but in work in the future. If I set a schedule for myself I will be able to improve my planning and timing, therefore I won’t miss any deadlines or be late for anything. From my current planning patterns I can work faster; still being neat and not get distracted as easily and focus more to meet the timing better. Enhanced planning and management skills will improve my future work as I will be able to meet the deadlines required and produce something to the right quality and skill required. This will ensure that in future work I won’t be fired from lack of timing and I will be on task with what is needed.

Overall, I have learnt many skills this week from being under a strict timing schedule; I have learnt that I need to be quicker with my work and not to spend ages trying to think of ideas. Bearing this in mind I will be more successful with my time keeping and this will benefit me in the future.