Paper Eaters 4 presentation!

Project Evaluation

STRENGTHS:

• I was anxious of the shoot because my last one was not particularly successful and i was worried that the photographer and make-up artist would not get the look i was going for but i prepared as much as i could, sending them images online and taking storyboard with me on the day and this really helped to communicate my ideas. I have definitly improved my team-working skills and feel more confident to organise a shoot again.
• I feel i have finally found something i am good at and feel much more confident about my work. In the previous project it was commented that my sketchbook and design work was good yet i didn't get a very good mark and i think this was because my construction skills let me down and i felt stuck in the middle of both pathways. Now i am more focused on what i want to do and more confident to speak to my tutors about my strengths and tailoring a project around them. Because i have been more inspired by this project and have really enjoyed it, i feel my work is really coming together and i have come up with lots of ideas for further developement. The fact i want to carry the work on from this project says alot as normally i am sick of doing the same thing for weeks!
• Greater volume of work now i have discovered blogger! It has been so much easier to take pictures of things as they happen and write it up when its fresh on my mind as opposed to having print pictures, stick them into my sketchbook and think about what to say. I have covered alot more areas as it is so much quicker to work this way and more to the point as i previously have spent too much time debating the layout of sketchbook pages rather than getting the information down.
• Feel more prepared for life outside of uni - developed team working skills as discussed and am getting my head around thinking about my work in a professional context.

WEAKNESSES:

• I have made a questionnaire and sent it out in recent weeks but did not get a substantial amount of replies, not enough to come to firm conclusions. This could be a really useful tool, especially next year when i'm going to really need to be focused on what my target consumer want. I will send them out via different means (look at guerilla marketing and unusual ways of promoting my blog which the questionnaire can be on) and at specific points in the project to ensure i meet my consumers needs - eg before designing to see what they want, after designing to see which ideas they think are most successful...
• Unfortunatly the print quality of my work is not as clear as i had hoped as i printed at uni and when i went to Staples to make more prints, i could not afford to have everything re-done. This is particularly a problem with the smaller 'summary sketchbook' as this is for a professional context. Luckily the text is still readable though, but for next year i will need to look into different printers as soon as possible.
• As making a sketchbook for a professional scenario was only something i discussed and decided to go ahead with in the last couple weeks of the project, it i literally just scanned in sheets re-printed. If i'd of had more time i would have made it alot more creative and exciting, especially as it is important in promoting myself - i want it to reflect my personality and style as much as possible.
• I haven't pursued as many influences in my visual sketchbook as i probably should have as one of the inital print ideas i made became the one i developed and used so i didn't push for many more different ones.
• Left ordering the storage boxes to the last minute. Although in this project this worked out well as i prefer the replacements i found, i may not be so lucky next time to must make a strict timetable once i have worked out my project and stick to it (especially with ordering dates!).
• Although the storyboards i made for the shoot were really useful, i need to plan each outfit in relation to a pose to ensure all outfits get worn. I found we got carried away in the first outfit and alot of the bet shots were in this. Not too much of a problem as the shoot was about the jewellery but also not ideal - must plan better next time!

OPPORTUNITIES:

• I have made industry contacts with The Girls and had the opportunity to work on a live project which is something i have never done before and has allowed me to experience working to a set brief for someone in the fashion world.
• I have had really positive feedback from people i have shown my jewellery to (designers, The Girls, local events, my peers) which has encouraged me to pursue it further and i am going to exhibit at local art events throughout Devon and Cornwall in the summer. This will give me the chance to see how well the pieces sell and interact with my consumers to find out more about their likes and dislikes to ensure a successfull product.
• I am developing a range of paper wedding bouquets inspired by my jewellery and am due to shoot a look book for this and my inital jewellery range in the coming weeks. None of this would of happened without this project allowing me to develop my own strengths. I am hoping this will be unique as i cannot find anyone who makes paper bouquets and the USP's are that the flowers can be kept as they are as a reminder of the day, customers can have a say in every single aspect (colour, paper, weight, size...) and even get involved in the construction.

THREATS:

• Time - i will be working full time in the summer and therefore it will take me longer to plan and arrange the shoots and make more pieces to sell. Could get a group of friends together to help?  
• Hand-made crafts are really big in Devon therefore there could be too much competition here for my pieces to be a success and even if it does sell, this may not be a true representation of my target consumer. Need to pursue questionnaires and branch further afield!
• Money - prior to the events i am having a stall at i want to make sure i have enough jewellery made so people who are interested will not go without, but at the same time i can't afford to make loads and it not sell! Again, pursue questionnaires and interact with consumer more - perhaps just have a display at one event just to see how much interest there is.

Hand-in Requirements

As well as the hand-in requirements listed in my Learning Agreement (research book/blog, design ideas, realisation of designs, storyboards for shoot, final images) i have also made a condensed version of my project in a book, a jewellery box and considered packaging for my jewellery.
In previous projects i have just handed in what is required and not developed this any further. Following a tutorial with Tammy she suggested I needed to think about my work post-hand-in and in a more professional context.


As a result i made a small book to show professional employers in an interview situation rather than carrying multiple sketchbooks/design sheets/presentation boards. I included a few sketchbook pages to 'set the scene' of the project, design development sheets, final illustrations, my work being worn by The Girls, samples of shoots/text from Amelias and the final spread. I scanned in all the sheets for a clean-cut professional finish as opposed to having a scrappy sketchbook! In some scenarious my original sketchbook with more texture will show my personality more but now i have the option of both depending on the situation.


I further developed my design ideas by considering how they would be stored and it lead me to create the jewellery box/necklace stand which i feel is a real asset to my project and individual boxes for the pieces. This shows i have considered the different contexts my jewellery could be in; stand for in a shop to show necklaces off in a way which is consistant with my brand image, cupcake boxes to create keepsakes which can be displayed in the boxes yet still seen in a retail scenario or in the customers home.

Final Stand

I have finished my final display stand/jewellery box (see development sheets) with beads from broken jewellery to compliment the eco-friendly re-use and recycle aesthetic of the jewellery.

I kept the rest of it neutral so any of the pieces of jewellery can be hung on it and will stand out.
Although i considered it, i didnt want to use my brand colours of orange and pink as i thought this would be too much but the pastel green compliments these.

The stand is for use in a shop situation to show off the jewellery as opposed to for customers to buy. This is because it was very time consuming to make (therefore labour costs will need to be reflected in the final price) and the 1/2" ply wood it is made from costs £30 for a sheet. As my target consumers are 18-35 year olds, those at the younger end may not be able to afford the pieces and even if any of my consumers can, i would not be able to keep up with demand as it took 6 hours to make just 1.

To get around this i would have to contact a manufacturer about getting the pieces pre-cut in bulk to save myself time and money, but i would have to be guarenteed that they would sell so could perhaps make them to order?

Development: different sizes? different shapes instead of heart? covered in fabric? painted? paper? hand-drawings directly onto wood? prints to match decor of customers room? different shaped jewellery box? dividers inside?

Cupcake Boxes

http://www.littlecupcakeboxes.co.uk/clear_square_cupcake_boxes.htm

wow! amazing cupcake boxes! some as little as 50p - will buy for summer festivals/events i am hopefully selling at. Could display them all on a giant cake stand with different tiers? (each level for different price? colour? size?)

Packaging 2

I was passing a cake shop on my road and saw that they had cake boxes in the right size for my neckalces and they were only 20p each so won't make the final retail price too much. I also found little cupcake boxes which gave me the idea to put my rings into baking cases to make them look like little cakes - a fun, contemporary, quirky and unusual way to display them, complimenting the nature of the rings. I am so pleased with how they have turned out! I found packs of loveheart sweets for 10p a pack and included these so people feel like they are getting more for their money and they would also make ideal gifts.

Unlike the black boxes, the rings can be permenantly stored in these boxes at home as they can be seen into so you wouldn't have to go through opening loads of boxes until you find the ring you want.

I really want to develop the packaging in different colours, prints, sizes (eg big over the top ribbon) but as it is so close to hand-in i will have to stick with these for submission.

Packaging

Although I have made a stand, it can only hang one necklace at a time so i looked at packaging the pieces individually - this is especially important if i am to retail the jewellery so it can be transported/unpacked/displayed/taken away by the customer easily and without getting damaged.

I ordered some boxes from the internet but unfortunatly they all came in black and i asked for orange (to fit in with brand colours) and the necklace boxes have been sent in the wrong size so i will have to look for something else for these. The smaller pieces fit fine th0ugh. I like that the label is over sized compared to the box because it gives an almost 'Alice in Wonderland' feel, an influence which i looked at in my sketchbook.

Point to consider: time management/organisation - although it is not my fault that i was sent the wrong order, it is too late to send them back and get replacements so in future i must not leave things which need to be ordered until the last week!