Year 12 3D Design and Graphic Communication Leatherworking Project Presentation

Year 12’s Brief

Given the opportunity to learn traditional leatherworking craft skills, Year 12 3D Design students recently completed the creation of a small batch run of high quality products, while Graphic Communication students concluded the conceptions and development of brand identities, design logos, packaging and other marketing materials for those products.

As a team, you will design, plan, make and promote a product manufactured from leather. You will work together to decide upon your product, produce a small batch run which must also include packaging, design a brand for your company and promote the product and the brand using social media as your platform.

You can revisit our original article where we met students in the early stages of this project here.

Leatherworking Collaborative Project

3D Design students had access to a variety of materials including not only leather, but metals, threads and other materials that could be incorporated into the design to increase aesthetic appearance. They were encouraged to personalise their own leatherwork, creating individuality; with the end goal being to create a product that in theory others would desire, aspire to have and purchase.

Learning to use appropriate tools in a safe and effective way, as well as using traditional handmade techniques they might not have had to opportunity to experiment with or implement before, students created templates, learned how to cut accurately and safely, and developed and used techniques specific to leatherworking.

Graphic Communication students were encouraged to create a hypothetical company, to research logos, packaging and materials that inspire and are of interest to them, looking closely at and considering the techniques that might need to be used to achieve finishes they’d like to feature. Looking at both hand generated and digital solutions, students used Adobe Creative Suite and Pro Create to generate their prototypes, packaging templates and finished pieces. Learning more about video creation and editing they worked on the creation of a 20 second promotional video to advertise the leather product and brand.

Presentation of Product – from Conception to Delivery

Following weeks of research, prototype creation, design and production, both our 3D Design and Graphic Communication students presented their finished work to Miss Norman and her sister Hannah Norman, who is an accessory designer specialising in small leather goods/bags, jewellery and sunglasses. Having worked freelance for companies such as Céline, Mulberry and the Louis Vuitton Group, Hannah offered valuable feedback and encouragement to students, as well as perspective from a professional point of view.

Mrs Cracknell, Head of Design explained,

“The students have worked extremely hard, so we were all particularly excited to have the opportunity to share our journey, and that of the products, logos and other marketing materials conceived, designed and produced with Miss Norman and her sister Hannah, who we’ve been lucky enough to have visited students before. This was a great opportunity for students to experience what it might be like to have to talk through thought processes, errors, thoughts on how they might sell products, sharing their visions verbally as well as visually!”

3D Design students Havannah, Rosie and Amelia presented with Graphic Communication students Alina, Imogen and Amelia. Taking turns to present in the pairs they had been working in, different kinds of bracelets, a range of luggage tags, proposed packaging, logos and promotional videos were shared throughout the morning’s presentation.

Students shared every step of the process, from what their original thoughts were on what to create and how those plans changed, and why some techniques had been used in place of others, to the reality of incorporating intricate features into physical design, aspirational logo design and physical placement, the difficulties different materials present in packaging, and the challenges involved in creating a brand name. Miss Norman particularly enjoyed how the students shared their highs and lows, sharing

“It’s so important to understand the importance of trial and error, and how mistakes lead us from one part of the process to another. The students were reflective in understanding how this shaped the direction that they eventually took for their projects. I know that’s a valuable lesson that will transfer across every subject they’re studying in school, and throughout their lives now and in the future.”

Sharing her experiences such as design techniques she’d used in the past, what had been successful and her thoughts on different parts of the students’ process, Hannah Norman commented,

“It’s nerve wracking to present in front of people, something designers take time to develop and improve over time and through experience, but I have to say how impressed I was by these students – it was wonderful to hear and see them talk us through their processes, the highs and the lows – both equally important in the process of design.”

She continued,

“It was also equally impressive how much knowledge the students had of one another’s work – clear they’d been working closely with one another on the project and ultimately that was evident in what they presented.”

Looking to the Future for our Young Designers

Mrs Cracknell summarised the project and presentations,

“Our students are not only here to be taught, but to learn for themselves the importance of going through the process of development and discovery, looking at every stage of a product’s lifecycle – many that they might not have even considered to be part of an experience for designers. That process of discovery, disappointment when things don’t go as planned, delight when they do – it’s vital our young students understand that there’s an opportunity to learn and grow in every moment. As one of very few Schools to offer Leatherworking as part of the curriculum for our Design students, this project in particular has been wonderful as it’s enabled them to work with a product and use tools they ordinarily might not have the opportunity to experience. Thank you to Miss Norman and her sister for joining us and giving our students the opportunity to experience what it’s like to share their journeys and ideas, and thank you to the students for their inspirational and creative work.”

For more information, visit Creative and Graphic Design Studies.