OUGD401 - Context of Practice - Task 1 - Critical Analysis

Why is critical analysis an important part of education?

1. Although we, as a class are all of different taste, we can all appreciate good and distinguish bad design. And so when we have a group critique you can trust that you are getting a good outside opinion of your work, where they can see weakness that perhaps you yourself cannot.
2. Group critiques are especially useful because you can receive/ give collective descriptions and pure interpretations of your work en masse, and so receive feedback as to whether the message you are trying to deliver is apparent or not.
3. It's important because you can make mistakes and learn from your student colleagues in a safe environment where the deadline is the only reason to panic, not money or clients.
4. You can be introduced to new/ more suitable design styles that are suggested during group critiques.
5. You can measure your own abilities next to your contemporaries. This can either have a positive effect on your self esteem or inspire/ aspire to change your work for the better.

Five criteria that effect the way I judge if I like/ dislike a piece of work:

1. Quality - If the quality is pixelated, fuzzy or if an illustration is not particularly well executed I am not usually interested in the rest of the design.
2. Colours - I am particularly drawn to creative use of colour, and the scheme doesn't have to be minimal. The more colour the better, as long as it is used tastefully.
3. Function - Packaging that has boring graphics but is especially inventive/ unusual/ creative in it's net will spark my interest a lot more than normal packaging with great graphics on. 
4. Composition - If the composition/ layout is cluttered or overcrowded I do not favour it, unless there is a clever composition of hierarchy to clarify it.
5. Media and Method of Production - I particularly favour Graphic design that has been letter-pressed / wood-blocked / laser cut/ multi media because of my current intrigue in these methods.