By the fourth and fifth projects, I began to feel that I was slowly starting to understand what is expected from this course. The expectations are still somewhat unclear to me, but the process has become less intimidating than it was at the beginning.
Earlier in the term, I often focused too much on trying to “figure out the right answer” or to predict what kind of outcome might be expected. This sometimes made the process feel rigid and stressful. Recently, however, I started approaching the projects differently. Instead of trying to control the final result, I began focusing more on the act of making itself.
This shift has made the work more enjoyable.
Through these projects, I also realised something quite important about my own preferences as a designer. I found that I feel much more engaged when working with physical processes rather than purely digital ones. Activities such as carving lino, experimenting with materials, or printing by hand feel much more intuitive and rewarding to me than spending long periods working on the computer.
Manual processes introduce a different kind of thinking. The pace is slower, and the material often resists or behaves unpredictably, which forces you to respond in the moment. This creates a sense of dialogue between the maker and the material that is difficult to replicate digitally.
At this stage, I still feel that my direction within the course is somewhat undefined. However, I have started to recognise the kinds of processes that energise me the most. Exploring tactile, hands-on methods such as relief printing feels like a productive place to continue developing my practice.