Deadline Day

So that's it. BA3a is over, done and dusted... Well, apart from my presentation on Tuesday.

WHEN WILL IT END

No, just kidding, I actually didn't want it to end - by the last week or so I was really enjoying it, especially my idea's for the fashion project. I wish we had a little more time (and a little more money) so I could have taken it further, but I guess just because the project is over it doesn't have to be finished, I plan to go back to them afterwards and spend time on them to make something beautiful for my portfolio.

Although yesterday was a very stressful day, we all made it. We all managed to balance writing the longest text of our degree and also two practical briefs, that's something to be proud of. I'm looking forward to walking round the class after the assessment and having a good nosey at the other girls' work - it all looks amazing on Instagram and what not, it'd be rude not to have a quick browse.

I've decided that I'm going to set myself a little two week project whilst we're on break from uni, just to keep me in the swing of things and so that I don't lose my motivation. In the last week I was working at quite a fast pace, I need to keep this up. The thing that I struggled with in the fashion project was the drawing, so I'd like to spend the next fortnight going out with a sketchbook and drawing things first hand, scenes and architecture from around the city - just something small, but I'm hoping it will help me focus and learn to look a little harder. After Thailand I felt like my drawing definitely did improve a lot, especially noticeable in my ink work for the interiors brief, I was really proud of those. I'm hoping it'll keep me busy and upbeat, ready for the final term.

My new years resolution was to be more organised, with uni but also just life in general (I'm always late and I lose everything... ALL THE TIME). One of the things that I really struggle with is doing something when I say I'm going to do it, so I've set myself some goals for when we begin the next project:

1. Carry your note book everywhere, write every idea down. ALWAYS

This is probably the most important one because I think of things all the time, or I get suggestions of where I should go next and I either forget it completely or just remember every once in a while. And then when I do remember, I don't get up and do it straight away. Which leads me to number 2 on my list.

2. Be more get-up-and-go

This is something that I admire in my fellow course mates, I love watching someone get an idea and then shout "right! I'm off to the print room to test this" or "I'm gonna just stitch this now and see what happens". I envy that attitude so much, it just doesn't come naturally to me - I over think things far too much and talk myself out of something if it wasn't my original plan. It makes me nervous but this is something I need to get over, I want to be able to make things on a whim and have a project that's exciting to look through, full of spontaneous ideas and things that maybe didn't go to plan, but that's okay, because it was interesting to do. That's the goal.

3. Photograph everything

It doesn't help that throughout this unit I have had three different phones, due to breakages and one being stolen THE DAY BEFORE HAND IN, but maybe that's just a sign that I should use an actual camera instead? I really need to photograph everything and then use the images straight away in blog posts / Instagram so that nothing is lost.

4. Set yourself more targets
Just like at work with add-ons, set yourself a little target of how much you want to get done that day, or even just in a small amount of time (like a four hour shift) ie. number of drawings, collages, number of words in a blog post or even filling sketchbook in one day. Targets will keep you motivated, just like they did at work.

and finally... 

5. STAY ORGANISED

At uni and in everyday life. Create a routine, get up at the same time everyday, do some chores and then get ready for the day ahead. Make your bag up the night before so you're not rushing the next morning and forgetting everything. Be more organised in your planning for the workshop spaces and be more organised with your digital work, stop saving things under random names and keep it all in folders - seriously, it shouldn't be that hard! 

I really did enjoy this project, I just don't feel that what I came up with reflected that, especially because of how disorganised I am with documenting thoughts and research. You'd really think I'd have learnt by now, I thought this year I was a little better than previous projects, but then life got in the way. I'm just going to keep myself busy, have a good clear out and tidy up, and do lots of drawing before the next unit begins - it's the last one after all, and I want to go out with a bang!