Maybe first I should explain what "Uni" is. I thought it was hilarious when a friend of mine first said it. "Uni... as in unicorn?". But apparently in England they don't call it college. Or University. Or whatever. It's just "Uni." Which is both cool and bizarre.
In any case, Uni Brighton is an extensive facility, a 4 story modernist building, complete with courtyard and two cafeterias. Despite the grandeur of the reception, personal studio space is a foreign concept. Most designers will either all work together in a commons area, or will do the majority of their assignments at home. I don't think I understood the advantages of a communal studio space until now. It gives you the opportunity to run your ideas past other designers you respect, it gives you a collaborative environment that allows for outside the classroom learning to happen.
The students themselves though are very talented. One advantage to being at a larger school is amount of students, as well as variety. Not only does Uni Brighton have an illustration department, but the line between "graphics" as my major is called, and illustration is wonderfully blurred. Illustration students participate in interim crits. It's just sort of an amalgamation of people that have their own specialization, but collaborate cross-discipline on projects that are assigned to both sections. I think that it offers a unique perspective. It really is the kind of synergy that I'm missing back at KCAI, as I feel like the graphic design department is immensely isolated from the rest of the school, something I have major issues with -- as I feel like we have as much to learn from the rest of the student body as they have to learn from us.
Classes are laid-back. REALLY laid-back. You can like... go if you want. Volume of classes is also much lower. The system is different altogether than it is in the states. At the University of Brighton you sign up for a "course" which includes all of your studies. No liberal arts. No signing up for specialized classes like those offered at the Kansas City Art Institute. For example, everyone in "Level 2 Graphics" goes to every "class" together. These classes are not chosen by the students, but rather predetermined by the "tutors" to sync up with existing studio practice. I have one main studio class, a "Critical and Cultural Studies" class (which I haven't quite figured out yet), and a visiting alumni lecture class. (which is really great, because Brighton has many illustrious alums, among them, Daniel Eatock, Europa, Harry Pye, the guy who designed the new British currency, etc.) So there really isn't a lot of structure. I think that this is both good and bad. Its a difficult adjustment for me, coming from such a rigid and rigorous curriculum, to suddenly be free... to do whatever. It's strange.
For example: I was assigned my first project on the first day of school, nearly three weeks ago. Since that assignment, there has been one extremely informal interim crit (in which many of the students had nothing to show, only describing vague ideas of what they wanted to do). The final crit for this project was meant to be tomorrow, but was cancelled. So the project won't be discussed until sometime in the future, during assessments. It's just a strange adjustment from the professors at KCAI holding my hand every step of the way, giving feedback -- to a sort of sink or swim dogma. In some ways I'm less accountable for myself, and haven't had the drive to do the work. Especially with adjusting to life in the UK, a culture highly evolved around drinking & nightlife. *cough*
The main project I was assigned was a 'design against fur' brief. Through designing poster or creating an animation my goal is to persuade someone against the evils of the fur trade. Its a bit more difficult than I thought it would be, because its hard to stay away from the obvious: images of blood & guts. Following tyler's advice I've been able to pull from what I learned about modes of appeal and rhetoric for some solutions, still in progress. Once they're done, I'll post them to this blog.
Aside from the fur brief, I was also given a typographic project -- to design a spread using only typography (no imagery, no color) informing a reader about a typeface. (Basically the mailer project from last semester). I wont have anything until next Friday, so I'll post once I print and photograph the final.
So in some ways I got what I asked for. A breath of fresh air. Some time to think, to work on my own projects, to gather, and to live life. I think that without a doubt both programs are flawed, and in some ways are maybe exact opposites of each other. KCAI's rigidity is important in instilling a certain work ethic that will be viable in the professional world. However, the amount of work we're given doesn't allow us to live life comfortably. I would argue it instills an unhealthy work ethic in students - that living in studio is okay, even encouraged. We are effectively slaves to the curriculum. I think because of this, many students don't experiment as much as they could, and many times do the work "just to get it done" instead of doing it to the best of their ability. Also, because at KCAI we are given projects with specific learning outcomes, the end result really smells of school. It can't stand alone. It looks like an exercise. However, at Brighton we are given time to experiment. We have PLENTY of time to do really... whatever we want. The possibilities are endless. However, the assignments don't feel like they're teaching me anything. And the complete lack of structure and studio atmosphere makes it difficult to focus on school.
So hopefully this blog will allow KCAI to learn from a school that is immensely different from it. As much as I love KCAI and graphic design, I had to leave in order to figure things out. The workload and never ending nature of the curriculum was enough to drive me crazy. It was uncomfortable, it was making me depressed. I think that these issues really need to be addressed, because although the teachers feel like they have so much to teach that they can't fit it all into three years, there comes a point when it simply doesnt work -- all the stuff they're throwing at us. It becomes bullshit, and we get unmotivated because of the sheer amount of WORK we have to do. Its extremely overwhelming.
Im a big believer that it is impossible to make good art unless you are happy. I think in the end, that is why the students at Brighton Uni do good work. Because they're talented, but also because their school allows them the time to comfortably approach these assignments and make them portfolio pieces, something they're proud of, not just another assignment with a due date, but a labor of love. That's what any good design is, something that you slave over because you want it to be as good as it can be. I wasn't getting that at KCAI.
So I'll leave it at that. There will be plenty more to come as school moves forward. Stay tuned!
[as the brits would say...] CHEERS!
