Getting+started

I finally officially started - after the "false start" where you do lots of things because you are keen to get going. I spent time in Christchurch, as planned, doing a short course with NatColl and looking into visual diaries and how they are used and the generally area of creativity. My short course was " Design Strategies" - a one day, six hour course. It was an excellent overview. I really enjoyed the very short session on drawing (I haven't practised my straight lines since - I must put it on the to do list!) and the tutors passionate short session on typography. I was horrified to find out that I can't name fonts from samples - even if there are three possible names supplied. the whole course was great but full on.

The other really interesting aspect of the course were the other participants and their backgrounds. They were all using Photoshop and Indesign as an apect of their jobs, but they were not necessarily trained to or initially employed to produce publications. This is an example of how the print industry is changing. More about this later.

Time spent with NatColl
Carol is my contact person at NatColl and she has been generous with her time and very encouraging. They had a busy week with a range of courses starting, but we decided that as I was there to look at how visual diaries are being used I could spend the week shadowing the iCreate course (a level 2/3 course used to allow students to meet entry requirements for a range of other courses). These students have to use their visual diaries to produce evidence to gain the standards that they are sitting. The tutors said that this ability to use visual diaries is a stregnth that iCreate students often show as they go on, compared to students who get direct entry to more advanced courses. I got my hands on a Visual Diary and joined in the morning sessions. We started with drawing! Must do more practice! In the afternoons the students were in labs and I spent time either with them, or working in the NatColl workroom.

The staff were friendly and welcoming and it was a nice to be part of conversations about various work related issues.

The driving in the city was two lanes going my way, fast and needed all my concentration.