Journal Task;

"For next week, on your journal write about your practitioner development activity (non-classroom or university work based activity only).
So independent study activity is the focus. Reading, watching, talking, listening, making might all fit as independent practitioner development"

Ways that I futher myself through independent practitioner development:

- Learning relevent processes and techniques in my own time.

I have been teaching myself css and html in my own time and putting this to practice through my own blog and my own website.
I have begun to learn and become familiar with After Effects.
when i am more confident with css i then want to begin to learn php and mysql.

- Reading: I frequently buy design magazines in order to keep myself up to date with the world of design and know what successful designers are doing right now.
I also read a lot of fiction, i think its important to read books and stories as it broadens your horizons. I particularly like books with an undertone of meaning, such as 1984 and Brave New World. It makes you question, argue and disagree with other peoples views. Along with this, it also provides influence and reference. When faced with a brief i feel its important to recognise similar work.

- My dad has his own business, there are also fellow small local business we have links with that i design identity and posters for. This work is particularly important as it is a live brief and so work MUST meet its target market and meet the brief.

- Watching: In my spare time i try to watch a lot of films and television.
At the moment i enjoy film noir and older films, i feel they take more care and attention to composition and script. Recently i have watched Citizen Kane and Dr Strangelove.
I also have been watching House and True Blood. Although i feel television doesnt take as much care for composition and filming styles i think the script is deeper and stronger than many modern films. I like the way there are ongoing plots throughout the entire series with many subplots happening.
Although i dont think that this is direct pracitioner development i do think its a form of indirect development, taking on board influences and styles through observing multiple different sources.

- My own Website, through creating my own site i have learnt more in the past few weeks about css and html than i have from any book. I feel that i learn mostly by doing, throwing myself in the deep end and forcing myself to learn how to swim.
I view this as an on going project, my website will transform a lot over the coming months as i learn new things and practice thing techniques.